Tricked into booking? The hidden influence of dark patterns on boutique hotel bookings

IF 9.9 1区管理学 Q1 HOSPITALITY, LEISURE, SPORT & TOURISM

International Journal of Hospitality Management Pub Date : 2025-06-04 DOI:10.1016/j.ijhm.2025.104304

Hwijin Baldick , SooCheong (Shawn) Jang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Despite the widespread use of deceptive dark patterns by online travel agencies (OTAs) in the hospitality industry, research on their impact on booking boutique hotel rooms remains limited. Consumers who choose boutique hotels generally have higher expectations for their experiences, making them particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of dark patterns. This study investigates how exposure to varying levels of dark patterns (high vs. low) affects trust, distrust, booking intentions, and the willingness to postpone booking when using OTAs for a boutique hotel room. Additionally, the moderating effects of manipulation literacy (high vs. low) and trip purpose (hedonic vs. utilitarian) are analyzed. A between-subjects experimental design, featuring OTA images and scenarios, was employed to test the hypotheses across four experimental studies. The findings provide valuable insights for designing and selecting OTAs to enhance trust and booking intentions among boutique hotel consumers while mitigating distrust and postponement.

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被骗去订票？深色图案对精品酒店预订的潜在影响

尽管在线旅行社（ota）在酒店业广泛使用欺骗性的黑色图案，但关于它们对精品酒店客房预订影响的研究仍然有限。选择精品酒店的消费者通常对他们的体验有更高的期望，这使得他们特别容易受到黑暗模式的负面影响。本研究调查了在使用在线旅行社预订精品酒店房间时，暴露于不同程度的黑暗模式（高与低）如何影响信任、不信任、预订意图以及推迟预订的意愿。此外，还分析了操作素养（高与低）和旅行目的（享乐与功利）的调节作用。采用以OTA图像和场景为特征的受试者间实验设计，对四项实验研究中的假设进行检验。研究结果为设计和选择在线旅行社提供了有价值的见解，以增强精品酒店消费者的信任和预订意愿，同时减少不信任和延迟。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Hospitality Management HOSPITALITY, LEISURE, SPORT & TOURISM-

CiteScore

21.20

自引率

9.40%

发文量

218

审稿时长

85 days

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.