{"title":"Ride-sharing platforms: the effects of online social interactions on loyalty, mediated by perceived benefits","authors":"Jing Zhang, L. Zhang, Bei Ma","doi":"10.1108/jrim-01-2022-0012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-01-2022-0012","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis study examines how customer loyalty among DiDi users in China is affected by two types of online social interaction (transactional and interpersonal) and how the online interaction–customer loyalty relationship is mediated by three kinds of perceived benefits (functional, social-hedonic and safety).Design/methodology/approachThis study empirically examines research hypotheses based on a questionnaire survey of 428 DiDi consumers.FindingsThe results reveal that transactional interactions significantly enhance customer loyalty among DiDi users via the partial mediating effects of customers' perceived functional, social-hedonic and safety benefits. By contrast, interpersonal interactions do not directly influence customer loyalty, and only social-hedonic benefits fully mediate the positive influence of interpersonal interactions on loyalty.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the theoretical development of interactive marketing management by examining how two types of online social interactions contribute to customer loyalty on sharing economy platforms by influencing the perception of benefits. It also provides useful managerial insights to help ride-sharing platforms design online social interaction functions that improve customer perceptions and loyalty.","PeriodicalId":47116,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2023-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47964905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The effect of E-commerce virtual live streamer socialness on consumers' experiential value: an empirical study based on Chinese E-commerce live streaming studios","authors":"Ruijuan Wu, Jingjing Liu, Shuai Chen, Xing Tong","doi":"10.1108/jrim-09-2022-0265","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-09-2022-0265","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThe objective of this study was to examine how high-social and low-social virtual live streamers affect consumers' experiential value (utilitarian value and hedonic value) and the mechanism and boundary conditions behind the effect.Design/methodology/approachThe research consisted of four laboratory experiments.FindingsThe results showed that socialness has a positive significant effect on experiential value. Social presence mediated the effect of socialness on utilitarian value and hedonic value. In the relationship between socialness and experiential value, the moderating effects of communication style and situation were significant.Practical implicationsThis study provides managerial implications for online stores about the use of virtual live streamers.Originality/valueThe finding of this paper extends the literature on virtual humans or avatars, enriches the literature on the characteristics of virtual humans and tests the explanatory power of social response theory.","PeriodicalId":47116,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2023-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49370002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The impact of barrage system fluctuation on user interaction in digital video platforms: a perspective from signaling theory and social impact theory","authors":"Keshan (Sara) Wei","doi":"10.1108/jrim-06-2022-0160","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-06-2022-0160","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeIn the present world of constant connectivity, the barrage system, as a system of real-time dynamic comments coupled with video content, has become a popular interactive system technology for video sharing platforms. This study investigates how barrage system fluctuation characteristics, namely, barrage fluctuation amplitude and frequency, impact user interaction.Design/methodology/approachThe research model was estimated with a fixed-effects regression applied to a longitudinal panel dataset collected from one of the most popular video sharing platforms in China (Bilibili.com).FindingsBarrage fluctuation frequency has positive effects on users' real-time (synchronous) barrage interaction and the traditional (asynchronous) comment interaction. Barrage fluctuation amplitude has a positive effect on users' real-time (synchronous) barrage interaction but a negative effect on traditional (asynchronous) comment interaction. In addition, the interaction effects of the barrage fluctuation frequency and the barrage fluctuation amplitude on user interaction show adverse effects.Originality/valueThe results revealed the impact of different barrage fluctuation characteristics on different forms of interaction and provide important theoretical contributions and managerial implications in terms of user interaction on video sharing platforms.","PeriodicalId":47116,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2022-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45224774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"AI-powered touch points in the customer journey: a systematic literature review and research agenda","authors":"Ai-Zhong He, Yu Zhang","doi":"10.1108/jrim-03-2022-0082","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-03-2022-0082","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeVarious consumer-facing artificial intelligence (AI) applications are used to interact with consumers at all purchase stages, and related research has sharply increased. This study aims to synthesize the literature related to consumer–AI interaction using the customer journey framework, identify the factors affecting AI's effectiveness in interactive marketing and offer an agenda for future research.Design/methodology/approachThis study undertakes a framework-based systematic review of 239 articles on AI in marketing from the consumer perspective published in peer-reviewed journals from 2007 to 2021.FindingsThis review identifies the roles of AI touch points and factors affecting the acceptance and effectiveness of consumer–AI interaction in each stage of the customer journey.Originality/valueThis study is the first to review the existing literature using a customer journey framework to identify the factors that influence customer interactions with AI touch points at each purchase stage and pave the way for future research.","PeriodicalId":47116,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2022-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45118813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Elsharnouby, C. Jayawardhena, Hongfei Liu, A. M. Elbedweihy
{"title":"Strengthening consumer–brand relationships through avatars","authors":"M. Elsharnouby, C. Jayawardhena, Hongfei Liu, A. M. Elbedweihy","doi":"10.1108/jrim-02-2022-0035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-02-2022-0035","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeAvatars have become increasingly prevalent on brand websites, yet their impact on consumers' use of these sites remains underexplored. The current study focuses on avatars, which are three-dimensional animated graphical web interfaces that verbally aid the brand stakeholders (e.g. customers, employees and suppliers). Avatars provide administrative and technical information through the brand website. Drawing upon the stimuli–organism–response (S-O-R) paradigm, this research examines the impact of avatars as an information provision and interacting tool (vs a traditional format) on consumers' perceptions, attitudes and behaviors toward a brand. It also investigates the roles of familiarity with avatar use and the language used by an avatar in shaping consumers' responses.Design/methodology/approachAcross two laboratory experiments, the authors examined and confirmed causal relationships between the use of avatars (vs a traditional format) on a website and attitudinal and behavioral constructs.FindingsWe show that avatars (vs written information) had a significant effect on controlling information. The users in our experiments had greater control over the information provided when it was presented as text on a website compared to the case of avatars “telling” the information. Different languages and familiarity with avatar use also affected the consumers' hedonism in terms of website use.Originality/valueWe advance the understanding of avatar use in website design, particularly avatars' verbal interaction, in shaping consumers' cognitive, affective, attitudinal and behavioral responses and add important empirical evidence to the growing body of research and practices involving avatar use in interactive marketing.","PeriodicalId":47116,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2022-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46686233","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Value co-creation through branded apps: enhancing perceived quality and brand loyalty","authors":"Trang P. Tran, David G. Taylor, Chao Wen","doi":"10.1108/jrim-04-2022-0128","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-04-2022-0128","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeBranded applications (apps) are increasingly important in marketers' omnichannel strategies. They have not only changed the way customers purchase but also changed the way how companies interact with customers. Building on value co-creation literature, this research investigates consumer brand engagement's role in enhancing perceived quality and brand loyalty via value co-creation.Design/methodology/approachUsing online survey data from 355 brand app users, a conceptual model is tested employing the partial least squares structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results suggest that not only does branded app personalization drives brand co-creation (fully mediated by consumer brand engagement) but that this process also increases perceived quality and brand loyalty among users of branded apps.Research limitations/implicationsData for the study are self-reported and thus may not accurately reflect actual attitudes and behaviors. In addition, respondents were students within the United States who, although representative of branded app users, may limit the generalizability of the study.Practical implicationsKnowing that branded apps can influence customers' perception of the quality and value of their apps, products and services, or even their associated brands, marketers and app designers should work together to provide a value co-creation platform through the apps to increase customers' personalized, engaging experience.Originality/valueAlthough various relationships between personalization, engagement and co-creation have been studied, along with their impact on loyalty and perceived value, the interaction between these factors is not widely understood. The study examines these interactions in the context of branded apps, through the service-dominant logic perspective.","PeriodicalId":47116,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2022-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45205852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Digital consumer engagement: examining the impact of native advertising exposure in a social network","authors":"K. L. Sussman, L. Bright, Gary B. Wilcox","doi":"10.1108/jrim-10-2021-0265","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-10-2021-0265","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThe digital environment afforded by social networks has created an opportunity to understand more clearly the impact of social media native advertising on advertising processing outcomes. Thus, the current study integrates native advertising with engagement literature to compare engagement outcomes between feed and banner placements before analyzing engagement outcomes of sponsored social media posts by advertising objective. This work aims to contribute to advertising effectiveness literature arguing for the importance of engagement as a measure of effectiveness.Design/methodology/approachFacebook advertising data were collected from a convenience sample of 10 Facebook advertisers that accounted for roughly $414,000 in advertising spend. Panel data, which are also called longitudinal or cross-sectional time-series data, used 26 months of data from the 10 advertisers to measure relationships between native advertising exposure and digital consumer engagement with advertising by advertising objectives of brand awareness, link clicks, conversions, post-engagement and video views.FindingsExposure to native advertising was a strong predictor of advertising processing and consumption using the three variables of interest: clicks, comments and shares. Ads reaching consumers while natively consuming content in their feed resulted in statistically significant improvements in impressions and clicks when compared to banner ads. Exposure to native ads was significantly related to all engagement outcomes of interest, except for advertisers who chose post-engagement as their advertising objective.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that for advertisers seeking clicks, post-engagement objectives should likely be avoided. For this group, impressions were not related to link clicks but were related to comments and shares. Native advertising placements in the feed, however, are generally more effective than banner ads on Facebook for advertisers seeking engagement.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is one of few studies to use longitudinal advertising data to explore engagement effects using real-world data collected from a diverse set of Facebook advertisers over a 26-month period. This study shows that interactive marketers using a social media feed to reach consumers can expect positive outcomes in advertising consumption, affective and cognitive processing and advocacy, but those outcomes may vary by advertising objective.Originality/valueGiven the uniqueness of the data set, the findings contribute to native advertising literature and to the literature on digital consumer engagement with advertising in social media. The study also provides empirical support for the efficacy of native advertising.","PeriodicalId":47116,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2022-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47242199","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Early backers' social and geographic influences on the success of crowdfunding","authors":"Zecong Ma","doi":"10.1108/jrim-01-2022-0008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-01-2022-0008","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeWhile crowdfunding provides a novel method for entrepreneurs and startups to raise funding from consumers, a high percentage of crowdfunding projects fail to achieve their funding goals. This study aims to investigate the impact of early backers on crowdfunding success (i.e. reaching funding goals) by considering their social and geographic peer influences.Design/methodology/approachThe author constructed a social network and a geographic network of crowdfunding backers based on a data set from Kickstarter.com and used closeness centrality to quantify the network positions of early backers.FindingsFor project categories with low completion uncertainty, early backers who were socially closer to their peers led to a higher chance of success. However, such an impact declines for projects with higher uncertainty. On the other hand, for project categories with high completion uncertainty, early backers who were geographically closer to their peers led to a higher chance of success. Still, such an impact declines for projects with lower uncertainty.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the literature by investigating the peer influence between socially and geographically related consumers on a crowdfunding platform. The findings provide managerial implications for crowdfunding project creators to target the right crowd.","PeriodicalId":47116,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2022-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43442135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"What you see is what you get: assessing in-game advertising effectiveness","authors":"Mawra Hussain, T. Islam, S. Rehman","doi":"10.1108/jrim-03-2022-0087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-03-2022-0087","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis study focused on nonconventional marketing (in-game advertisement interactivity) to understand consumers’ purchase intentions. Specifically, this study aims to explore the intervening role of feelings of presence between in-game advertisement interactivity and consumer purchase intention. It further explores whether game–product congruence moderates the relationship between feelings of presence in the game and consumer purchase intention.Design/methodology/approachThis study collected data from 386 PUBG mobile players on a convenience basis. The selected players were ensured to have experience in playing mission ignition mode (a Tesla-themed mode of PUBG mobile).FindingsThe study noted that in-game advertisement interactivity positively affects consumer purchase intention, and this relationship is further explained through feelings of presence. In addition, game–product congruence was noted to strengthen the association between feelings of presence and consumer purchase intention.Research limitations/implicationsThe study used a cross-section design to collect data from players of PUBG through Google Forms on a convenient basis. The study highlights the significance of nontraditional advertisement and game–product congruence that helps businesses to attract customers.Originality/valueDrawing upon transportation theory, this study is the first of its kind that has explored the mediating role of feelings of presence between in-game advertising interactivity and consumer purchase intention. In addition, this study shed light on the importance of game–product congruence to strengthen purchase intention.","PeriodicalId":47116,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2022-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45611828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Francine Zanin Bagatini, Eduardo Rech, Natália Araújo Pacheco, Leonardo Nicolao
{"title":"Can you imagine yourself wearing this product? Embodied mental simulation and attractiveness in e-commerce product pictures","authors":"Francine Zanin Bagatini, Eduardo Rech, Natália Araújo Pacheco, Leonardo Nicolao","doi":"10.1108/jrim-11-2021-0280","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jrim-11-2021-0280","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis paper aims to understand what kind of fashion product picture can arouse greater embodied mental simulation at two distinct steps of consumers' shopping journey (choice between options and purchase intention).Design/methodology/approachTwo experimental studies were developed. Study 1 (n = 169) investigated consumers' purchase intention, and Study 2 (n = 156) investigated consumers' choice for a T-shirt displayed in an e-commerce store. The authors manipulated the product picture by considering pictures with the presence or absence of a human model wearing the product (flat vs. mannequin vs. human model without a face vs. human model with a face).FindingsConsumers demonstrated greater choice and purchase intention for the picture that aroused greater embodied mental simulation. Different pictures aroused greater embodied mental simulation depending on the consumer journey step (choice between two options or purchase intention). Perceived product attractiveness influenced this finding.Research limitations/implicationsThe data on men and women were analyzed together due to the low number of male participants in both studies.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that mannequin pictures should be used in situations involving product evaluation (e-commerce categories' pages) and that pictures with human models should be used in situations entailing further analysis of the product (e-commerce product page) to encourage purchase decisions. E-commerce managers also need to use pictures of human models when the product is viewed as less attractive.Originality/valueThis research investigated embodied mental simulation around product pictures at two distinct steps of consumers' shopping journey.","PeriodicalId":47116,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2022-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43511290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}