Consumers in an online brand community: uses and gratifications, social capital, and brand loyalty

With the popularity of online brand communities, consumers interact and build social relations with other consumers to share information about products and services. The purposes of this study were to investigate: (1) what needs bring consumers to participate in and what social resources are generated in an online brand community, (2) the process of how needs to use an online brand community are gratified through achieving social resources in an online brand community, and (3) what outcomes of social interaction in an online brand community influence loyalty toward brands which communities endorsed. A conceptual model was developed combining two theories -- uses and gratification theory and social capital and network theory -- to test causal linkages among consumer needs to participate in an online brand community, social capital accumulations, knowledge sharing, community commitment, and brand loyalty. Data were collected using a web-based survey through Amazon Mechanical Turk. A total of 499 respondents were U.S. consumers who had been members or visitors of an apparel, shoes, or accessory online brand community. Confirmatory factor analysis identified five needs to participate in an online brand community -- socialization, entertainment seeking, self-status seeking, information seeking, and convenience seeking -- and three social capital accumulations in the online brand community context -- structural, cognitive, and relational capital. Structural equation modeling indicated that consumers\u27 needs to use an online brand community did not directly influence the outputs of social capital accumulations such as knowledge sharing and community commitment. However, needs influenced social capital accumulation, and these accumulations influenced social capital outcomes (i.e., knowledge sharing, community commitment). Consumers\u27 socialization need in an online brand community positively influenced all dimensions of social capital (structural, cognitive and relational capital). Self-status seeking positively influenced structural capital formation. Information seeking positively influenced cognitive and relational capital. Convenience seeking positively influenced relational capital. Structural capital positively influenced knowledge sharing, and cognitive capital positively influenced community commitment. Relational capital positively influenced both social capital outcomes of knowledge sharing and community commitment. These findings provide an understanding that consumers\u27 needs to use online brand community are gratified by interacting with other consumers through social resources generated within a network of an online brand community. In addition, to obtain more social capital, consumers engaged in social interaction (i.e., knowledge sharing) and felt cohesion toward community. In addition, relational capital and community commitment positively influenced brand loyalty. Thus, this study provides an understanding that emotions and feelings toward relationships within an online brand community are important factors related to attitudinal and behavioral loyalty toward the brand endorsed within the community. The findings have managerial implications for apparel marketers and retailers in operating online brand communities and in understanding what needs consumers have in regard to their participation in an online brand community. Finally, the findings show how interaction and participation in an online brand community satisfies and reinforces consumers\u27 brand loyalty

Importance of Exploratory Writing in Critical Thinking and Learning

In recognition of the importance of exploratory writing to improve critical thinking for students, a presentation project that incorporated exploratory writing for two weeks in a course about social, psychological, and cultural aspects of dress in Fall 2014 was developed at a Southern university in the United States. The purpose of this study was (1) to share the curriculum development and content behind the project, and (2) to analyze student reflective essay about exploratory writings after the final presentation to identify students’ learning processes and outcomes in terms of improving critical thinking. Utilizing comparative thematic analysis (Glaser, 1965) of students’ reflective essays regarding exploratory writings for their final presentation, this research analyzed student learning outcomes

Millennials\u27 Fashion Consumption: Who Are Fashion Opinion Leaders in Social Media?

This study was explored how millennials identified fashion opinion leaders in social media and their influence on millennial fashion consumption. Thematic analysis of qualitative data from 76 female college students revealed factors of identifying fashion opinion leaders in social media: (1) bloggers\u27 personal characteristics and (2) Platform characteristics used by bloggers. Opinion leaders provided fashion product information (i.e., product reviews and locations), confirmation of purchases (i.e., relieving post purchase dissonance), and styling advice (i.e., introducing and inspiring new trends) which helped followers purchase products or follow a similar style the opinion leaders endorsed. Also, millennials use interact with opinion leaders in social media for entertainment, social interaction/communication, wanting to be on trend, fear of missing out on trends, easy/convenient to use, and routine behavior. It helps to understand what makes millennials visit opinion leaders on social media

Effect of Social Capital on Attitude toward Fitness Apparel in Online Shopping

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of social capital on web service quality and attitude toward fitness apparel through a comparison of the U.S. and South Korean college students\u27 body satisfaction. A total of 1,144 usable data via online surveys were obtained from U.S. and Korean college students. SPSS and AMOS software were used for the discriminant analysis and CFA and SEM. We found that the samples of both college students are significantly different in their designations of being satisfied or dissatisfied with their bodies, and online shopping and improving website service quality can bridge the gap between these cultural differences. However, there was no direct effect on U.S. body-satisfied students and Korea body-dissatisfied students regarding social capital on attitude toward fitness apparel. We suggest that e-tailers and marketers should continue to develop and implement improvements to website quality and communicate with consumers to provide information regarding fitness apparel

The Impact of Body Satisfaction on Fitness Apparel Online Shopping According to Culture

The purpose of this study was to examine how consumers\u27 body satisfaction or dissatisfaction affects fitness wear consumption differently according to culture. A total of 1,144 college students were recruited from one university in the United States (N=607) and three universities in South Korean (N=537). Discriminant analysis and MANOVA were conducted to determine the extent to which variables varied among the four identified clusters (p\u3c.05). The findings demonstrated both U.S. and Korean students are significant different in their designations of being satisfied with their bodies. The results of this study also indicated that different body perceptions and cultures are related to the key features (i.e., function, quality) of fitness apparel and impact purchase intentions toward fitness apparel online shopping. Therefore, the study could provide marketing strategies to the global fitness or sports apparel industry as segmentation approaches about body satisfaction, fitness apparel consumption, and culture

Assessing the Social Media Use and Needs of Small Rural Retailers: Implications for Extension Program Support

To assess small rural retailers\u27 use of social media and the role of social media in their business sustainability, we conducted focus group interviews with small business owners/managers from rural communities in a midwestern state. Participants revealed strong interest in social media, especially for use in sales and marketing. However, their engagement in social media was limited due to lack of knowledge and resources (i.e., time, human resources, financial resources, effectiveness measurement) related to developing and updating content. On the basis of these findings, we examine implications for Extension professionals and outreach educators regarding social media needs and programming for small rural businesses

Assessing the Social Media Use and Needs of Small Rural Retailers: Implications for Extension Program Support

To assess small rural retailers\u27 use of social media and the role of social media in their business sustainability, we conducted focus group interviews with small business owners/managers from rural communities in a midwestern state. Participants revealed strong interest in social media, especially for use in sales and marketing. However, their engagement in social media was limited due to lack of knowledge and resources (i.e., time, human resources, financial resources, effectiveness measurement) related to developing and updating content. On the basis of these findings, we examine implications for Extension professionals and outreach educators regarding social media needs and programming for small rural businesses