The influence of online store characteristics on consumer impulsive decision-making: A model and empirical application

This study is one of the first to provide insight into the relationships between the online store and consumer impulsive decision-making. We develop a model and show how online store merchandise, ease of use (high task-relevant cues), enjoyment and style (low task relevant cues) relate to online impulse buying. The model is tested using survey data from 532 customers of a Dutch online store. The results show significant effects of merchandise, enjoyment and online store style, mediated by consumers’ emotions and browsing behavior. The study adds to the literature by enhancing our understanding of online impulse buying and by assessing the impact of the online store beyond rational decision-making settings. Keywords: impulsive decision-making, emotions, online store, high task-relevant cues, low task-relevant cues

Micro-Level Interactions in Business-Nonprofit Partnerships

While most research on business-nonprofit partnerships has focused on macro and meso perspectives, this paper pays attention to the micro level. Drawing on various theoretical perspectives from both marketing and management, we conceptually relate the outcomes of active employee participation in such partnerships to consumer self-interest. We also explore empirically whether and when self-interest affects consumers’ responses towards firms in relation to business-nonprofit partnerships. The study reveals that self-interest can directly influence consumers’ behavioral responses towards firms (i.e. switching and buying intentions, and word of mouth), whereas the impact on evaluative responses in terms of attitude and trust is only weak. The fit between the firm and the nonprofit partner (company-cause fit) turns out to moderate this effect, with consumer self-interest only playing a role if fit is high. Implications for research and practice are discussed

Moderated Group Chat: An Empirical Assessment of a New E-Service Encounter

In this paper, the focus is on a new type of electronic service encounter called Moderated Group Chat (MGC). MGC is defined as on-line, real-time interactions between groups of customers with an active coordinating role for a company representative and a commercial objective. Based on the technology acceptance model, we develop a conceptual framework and examine empirically which factors drive customer satisfaction with MGC sessions. Particularly, we look at the impact of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and perceived enjoyment on customer satisfaction. As MGC involves multiple participants and interactions take place within an electronic group environment, predictor-criterion relationships may vary between individual-and group-level or shared perceptions. Therefore, the relationships between aforementioned determinants and chat session satisfaction are tested using a multi-level model. In addition, group size was included as a control variable. Finally, since chat is an innovative service delivery channel, we also took a number of customer characteristics (i.e. innovativeness, experience with investing and experience with chat) into account. Whereas we find support for a positive impact of the majority of predictor variables on chat session satisfaction, the precise nature of the relationship varies across levels. Moreover, while group size is positively related to satisfaction, experience with investing exhibits a weakly negative relationship

The influence of online store beliefs on consumer online impulse buying: A model and empirical application

Our study provides insight into the relationships between online store beliefs and consumer online impulse buying behavior. Drawing upon cognitive emotion theory, we developed a model and showed how beliefs about functional convenience (online store merchandise attractiveness and ease of use) and about representational delight (enjoyment and website communication style) related to online impulse buying. The model was tested using survey data from 532 customers of a Dutch online store. Our results showed significant effects of merchandise attractiveness, enjoyment, and online store communication style, mediated by consumers’ emotions. The study should enhance our understanding of online impulse buying and, by assessing the impact of the online store, of beliefs in non-rational decision-making settings