{"title":"Is it too much or not enough to click? Examining how and when the vertical visual perspective affects consumers' click-through intention","authors":"Heng Wu , Wenjun He , Xiaodan Li , Hui Ye","doi":"10.1016/j.ijhm.2024.103827","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In addition to explicit informational cues, hotel managers can persuade consumers using subtle visual cues that convey symbolic meanings. This study examines the interaction effects of the vertical visual perspective (low-level vs. eye-level) in hotel cover photos and hotel type (higher-end vs. lower-end) on consumers’ click-through intention on the search results page of OTAs, the underlying mechanism, and the moderating effect of consumers’ power distance beliefs (PDB) based on conceptual metaphor theory. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study tested the proposed model through three scenario-based between-subject experiments and verified it with a large-scale experiment. The findings reveal a metaphoric compensatory effect: a low-level perspective is effective in increasing click-through intention for lower-end hotels, while an eye-level perspective is effective for higher-end hotels, with positive emotions mediating this effect. Notably, this effect holds for consumers with high PDB but not for those with low PDB. This study has theoretical and practical implications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48444,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Hospitality Management","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":9.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Hospitality Management","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278431924001397","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"HOSPITALITY, LEISURE, SPORT & TOURISM","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
In addition to explicit informational cues, hotel managers can persuade consumers using subtle visual cues that convey symbolic meanings. This study examines the interaction effects of the vertical visual perspective (low-level vs. eye-level) in hotel cover photos and hotel type (higher-end vs. lower-end) on consumers’ click-through intention on the search results page of OTAs, the underlying mechanism, and the moderating effect of consumers’ power distance beliefs (PDB) based on conceptual metaphor theory. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study tested the proposed model through three scenario-based between-subject experiments and verified it with a large-scale experiment. The findings reveal a metaphoric compensatory effect: a low-level perspective is effective in increasing click-through intention for lower-end hotels, while an eye-level perspective is effective for higher-end hotels, with positive emotions mediating this effect. Notably, this effect holds for consumers with high PDB but not for those with low PDB. This study has theoretical and practical implications.
期刊介绍:
The International Journal of Hospitality Management serves as a platform for discussing significant trends and advancements in various disciplines related to the hospitality industry. The publication covers a wide range of topics, including human resources management, consumer behavior and marketing, business forecasting and applied economics, operational management, strategic management, financial management, planning and design, information technology and e-commerce, training and development, technological developments, and national and international legislation.
In addition to covering these topics, the journal features research papers, state-of-the-art reviews, and analyses of business practices within the hospitality industry. It aims to provide readers with valuable insights and knowledge in order to advance research and improve practices in the field.
The journal is also indexed and abstracted in various databases, including the Journal of Travel Research, PIRA, Academic Journal Guide, Documentation Touristique, Leisure, Recreation and Tourism Abstracts, Lodging and Restaurant Index, Scopus, CIRET, and the Social Sciences Citation Index. This ensures that the journal's content is widely accessible and discoverable by researchers and practitioners in the hospitality field.