Consumer perceptions of co-branding alliances: Organizational dissimilarity signals and brand fit

This study explores how consumers evaluate co-branding alliances between dissimilar partner firms. Customers are well aware that different firms are behind a co-branded product and observe the partner firms’ characteristics. Drawing on signaling theory, we assert that consumers use organizational characteristics as signals in their assessment of brand fit and for their purchasing decisions. Some organizational signals are beyond the control of the co-branding partners or at least they cannot alter them on short notice. We use a quasi-experimental design and test how co-branding partner dissimilarity affects brand fit perception. The results show that co-branding partner dissimilarity in terms of firm size, industry scope, and country-of-origin image negatively affects brand fit perception. Firm age dissimilarity does not exert significant influence. Because brand fit generally fosters a benevolent consumer attitude towards a co-branding alliance, the findings suggest that high partner dissimilarity may reduce overall co-branding alliance performance

Premium Private Labels and PDO/PGI Products: Effects on Customer Loyalty

The paper analyses the role that Premium Private Labels (PPLs) exerts on customer loyalty to the retailer, intended as behavioral and attitudinal. Specifically, the study investigates the mediating role of customer loyalty to the PPL (PPLL), highlighting its main antecedents. The paper contributes to the literature on store brands and customer loyalty in a twofold way. Firstly, it responds to the call for more research on customer loyalty to the retailer as a brand, a topic requiring more empirical evidence compared to store loyalty. Secondly, as many PPLs consist in local products labelled with a PDO/PGI brand too as vehicle to increase the per-ceived value of this store brand tier, the study would investigate the impact of this brand guarantee on PPLs proneness. A survey was performed on a sample of retail customers. All the postulated hypotheses were confirmed applying SEM. Willingness to pay an extra price for a PPL product (PPL WP) resulted as the main antecedent of PPLL, followed by PPL perceived quality (PPLQ) and then by the guarantee that the PDO/PGI label offers to PPL buyers (TPG). Residual the effect of PPL Uniqueness (PPLU). Significant and positive resulted the effect of PPLL on both attitudinal and behavioral loyalty to the retailer. Indirect effects were confirmed too

The attitude of european consumers towards the country of origin of products: the influence of "Made In" in the purchase intention

This study approaches the theme of country of origin as a criterion for choosing products. The research focused on Portuguese products, using a sample of 567 consumers from Germany, France, Spain, and United Kingdom, which are Portugal’s main importers. The dimensions “country image”, “perception regarding the country’s products”, “perception towards consumers of the products”, as well as the “purchase intention” of these products, were analyzed. The first two dimensions presented positive relationships with the purchase intention, but this did not happen for the third dimension. Based on the results of the study, recommendations for professionals were elaborated and suggestions for future research outlined.691D-6753-BE59 | Manuel José Serra da FonsecaN/