The effect of default options on choice—Evidence from online product configurators

Many firms use product configurators to enable customers to specify their desired products online. In such systems, defaults are pre-specified for levels of product features by the manufacturer or dealer. For example, when configuring a racing bike online, a default is predefined (e.g., the Shimano Ultegra model) for all required features (e.g., the gearshift levers). Such defaults, which may even adapt to previous choices, ensure that a functional and fully defined product emerges at the end of the configuration process. However, when designing sales systems, companies often fail to realize that these defaults also affect customer decision-making. We demonstrate the effect by a study that …

When buyers also sell: The implications of pricing policies for customer satisfaction

In certain purchase situations, such as when a new car is purchased and an old vehicle is traded in, individuals simultaneously play the role of buyers and sellers. It is interesting to observe that, when evaluating the purchase and selling prices of the new and old products respectively, such consumers often fail to behave rationally. For example, a discount on the price of the new commodity and an equivalent markup on the old product will be weighted differently. This empirical phenomenon can be analyzed with the aid of the prospect theory - an approach based on the descriptive decision theory. This theory facilitates the elaboration of decision-making rules for determining the optimum pu…

Choosing the Right Cause: The Moderating Role of Meta-Cognitions in Cause-Related Marketing Effectiveness

In recent years, consumers’ expectations in terms of corporate obligations have changed, such that the ethical and philanthropic dimensions of Carroll’s (1979) corporate social responsibility (CSR) pyramid have evolved from desired to presupposed responsibilities. Beyond the consequentially increasing prevalence of CSR activities, considerable attention has been given to cause-related marketing (CRM) in marketing research and practice (Bigne Alcaniz, Chumpitaz Caceres, and Curras Perez, 2010). CRM is defined as a “process of formulating and implementing marketing activities that are characterized by an offer from the firm to contribute a specified amount to a designated cause when customers…

Die Herausbildung von Zufriedenheits-urteilen bei Alternativenbetrachtung

Traditional elements of competitive differentiation are declining. As industries and firms worldwide face increasing competition, slower growth rates, and price pressures, greater attention is being placed on customer satisfaction. However the research in satisfaction never consider alternatives, when customer satisfaction is formed. It has been the approach of this paper to present an extension for this circumstance. Therefor the regret theory, a diversion of the expectation utility theory, is used to explain the phenomena. According to this theory, each outcome has associated with it the evaluation of the difference between the outcome and the outcome that would have been received had a d…

Understanding the Fundamental Mechanisms of Origin-Based Brand Value Creation: An Empirical Analysis

This paper presents the results of an empirical study on the fundamental process of customer-based brand value creation based on brand origin associations. It extends existing knowledge by analyzing multiple paths of effect and incorporating the moderating role of COB-COM-congruency. The results offer valuable implications for marketing research and practice.

Dazing Diversity: Investigating the Determinants and Consequences of Decision Paralysis

This article makes new contributions to the assessment of negative effects on consumer choice behavior due to high product variety by (1) developing a holistic framework to identify the determinants and, for the first time, consequences of decision paralysis; (2) introducing a novel construct, namely, tendencies toward paralysis, that refers to the extent of decision makers’ preference (a) to maintain the status quo, (b) to omit, and/or (c) to delay choice, as well as providing an appropriate measurement model incorporating these three dimensions of decision paralysis that previously have been analyzed only separately; and (3) analyzing potential moderating effects of decision makers’ predi…

Konzeption und Durchführung von Experimenten

Empirische Sozialforschung hat das Ziel, Kausalzusammenhange zu erkennen, damit Erklarungen fur beobachtbare Phanomene zu finden und folglich uber die blose Sammlung und Ordnung von Daten hinauszugehen. Das Experiment wird diesbezuglich als das favorisierte Design bei jeglicher Form der Analyse von kausalen Zusammenhangen angesehen: „Experiments are the best method for finding out whether one thing really causes another.“

Corporate social performance as antecedent of consumer's brand perception

The purpose of this article is to develop a model that closely examines the consequences of social and environmental corporate action. This is suggested by an increasing need for accomplishing an integrative view on business activities and social aims – the so-called corporate social responsibility – especially in the current environmentally turbulent time and a rising socially conscious consumer population. But doing business is often associated with brand- or corporate misconduct as well. Hence, corporate social responsibility forms the positive component of corporate social performance (CSP), consequently a favorable brand- or company behavior. Corresponding, corporate social irresponsib…

An empirical analysis of the determinants of price tolerance

In the context of pricing strategies, the notion of price tolerance is an important construct for academic researchers and marketing managers. In this article, a conceptual model of factors influencing the level of price tolerance is proposed and empirically tested with the use of data collected from airline passengers. The results support most propositions of the conceptual model and offer several insights for managerial action and further academic research.

Der Zusammenhang zwischen Produktqualität, Kundenzufriedenheit und Unternehmenserfolg

In der Diskussion um den Erhalt bzw. die Steigerung des Unternehmenserfolgs erfahren die Produktqualitat (Bedurfnisgerechtigkeit bzw. Zwecktauglichkeit) und die Kundenzufriedenheit ein grose Aufmerksamkeit. So belegen zahlreiche empirische Untersuchungen, dass eine Verbesserung der Produktqualitat die Zufriedenheit der Kunden erhoht (vgl. fur einen Uberblick Fomell/Johnson/Anderson/Everitt Bryant 1996, Anderson/ Sullivan 1993, Anderson/Fornell/Rust 1997). Da die Kundenzufriedenheit wiederum als die entscheidende Determinante des zukunftigen Unternehmenserfolgs gilt (vgl. Anderson/Fornell/Lehmann 1994; Rust/Zahorik/Keiningham 1995; Homburg/Rudolph 1997), liegt die Relevanz bedurfnisgerechter…

The suffering company: Consumer compassion towards companies exposed to negative events

Zufriedenheitsdynamik und Kundenbindung bei Kundendienstleistungsprozessen im Handel

Seit geraumer Zeit sehen sich die Warenhauser mit einer ungunstigen wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung konfrontiert (Wolf 1997). Zum einen verzeichnet der Einzelhandel seit mehreren Jahren einen Umsatzruckgang, was u.a. auf das geringe Wirtschaftswachstum und den geringen Anstieg des privaten Verbrauchs zuruckzufuhren ist (Meffert 1985). Wie Schaubild 1 zum Ausdruck bringt, sind die Waren- und Kaufhauser von dieser Entwicklung besonders stark betroffen. Zum anderen reprasentieren neue Betriebstypen wie Verbrauchermarkte, SB-Warenhauser und Fachmarkte eine zunehmende Konkurrenz fur die Warenhauser (Barth 1996). In kosten- und verkehrsgunstiger Lage auserhalb der Stadte bieten sie ein breites, ware…

Produktanforderungen ermitteln, strukturieren und gewichten

Aus der Vielzahl der generierten Produktideen kristallisiert sich nach und nach eine Idee heraus, die das Unternehmen weiterverfolgen und bis zur Marktreife fuhren will. Der nachste Schritt in der Entwicklung des Neuproduktes ist eine moglichst verlassliche Ermittlung der Produktanforderungen der Konsumenten sowie die Strukturierung und Gewichtung der Anforderungen.

Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud: An Empirical Analysis of the Role of Neutralization Techniques Within the Context of Moral Intensity

This study addresses a research gap in the literature of ethical decision-making which deals with the mediating role of central neutralization techniques between incidents of different severity and resulting consumer attitudes toward the company. It is widely accepted that irresponsible company actions effect consumer actions and attitudes toward the company in an unfavorable way. Yet, reality proves that this is only partly true, revealing moderate negative consequences for companies in scandalous situations. Consumers do not completely transfer their proethical attitude in actual purchase behavior, which leads to an attitude-behavior gap. We aim at explaining the psychological concepts ly…

Building Brand Equity via Product Quality

Abstract A practical approach is proposed to building brand equity via product quality. It identifies the relevant marketing activities and determines the extent to which these activities contribute to brand equity. Specifically, the proposed brand equity model relates marketing activities to brand equity. This indicates a practical way to assess the importance and adequacy of a company's daily operation in contributing to its brand equity. The importance-efficiency mix further provides management with feasible suggestions on adjusting their marketing activities. Then, based on an importance-efficiency matrix, company resources can be adjusted to enhance brand equity. An empirical study wit…

The Effect of Perceived Corporate Competencies on Onsumer Based Brand Equity: A Comparison between Domestic and Foreign Markets

In this paper, the authors develop a model to explain the cross-cultural influence of perceived corporate competencies on attitude formation towards the brand’s product categories and its impact on consumer based brand equity. Results indicate that some competencies have a transnational effect in several product categories, whereas several corporate competencies are identified to influence perception of product categories depending on the market.

Brand love: Emotionality and development of its elements across the relationship lifecycle

Conformity to Sex-Typed Design in Modern Society

Considerable attention has been paid to the meaning of product-design gender cues regarding product and brand evaluations. According to self-congruity theory, the gender schema theory, as well as the product-schema congruity theory, traditional consumers react favorably toward sex- or gender-specific product attributes. On the contrary, a twist in gender roles, evolving by emancipation and continual social change, has been identified, which call these congruity assumptions firmly into question. Hence, our study concentrates on the following research question: Is stereotypic sex-typed design still a key principle generating favorable product attitudes and moreover enhancing consumer’s actual…

Markenpersönlichkeit als Determinante von Markenloyalität

Brand personality, a crucial part of brand image, can be conceived as a key to the emotional qualities of a product. To demonstrate the potential value of a brand’s personality for consumers and companies, we investigate consequences of congruity between brand personality and consumer self-concept from a post-purchase perspective. We use brand loyalty as an ultimate dependent variable for our model. In order to improve the understanding of self-congruity, we also introduce determinants of congruent consumer-brand relationships. For the first time, an application of self-congruity theory is embedded in a causal-analytical framework. The proposed framework provides insight into consumer-brand…

Die Qual der Wahl: Die Bedeutung des Regret bei Kaufentscheidungen

Regret results from comparing the outcome of a chosen alternative to the outcome of a foregone alternative. Research shows that this emotion is highly relevant for consumer behavior and decision making, but in consumer research, only a few studies deal with regret. Most of these studies do not measure regret explicitly. And none of these studies include the antecedents of regret. They only examine the consequences of regret on consumer behavior, such as satisfaction. In contrast, the antecedents of regret, but not the consequences, has been a topic of interest in social psychology. Our research indicates that it is fruitful to analyze the antecedents of regret and its consequences together.…

The Influence of the Congruence Between Brand and Consumer Personality on the Loyalty to Print and Online Issues of Magazine Brands

An important development in the theory of brands has been the concept of a brand personality as part of the brand image. The construct of congruence relates the personality of brands to the self-concept of consumers. It is assumed that congruence between the recipient's perception of his or her own personality and his or her perception of the brand personality leads to a higher degree of loyalty. The congruence construct has been proven to be a loyalty-promoting factor in various studies for consumer good brands. Whether the influence of congruence also exists with regard to media brands has, however, not yet been examined. As a step to close the gap, this research explores the effects of c…

The impact of mimicry on sales – Evidence from field and lab experiments

A buyer's observation that one or more people are consuming a product can lead that buyer to consume the product as well. The evidence supporting unconscious and unintentional (automatic) mimicry of consumption suggests that it is a pervasive and robust phenomenon. However, up until now most findings on the antecedents of mimicry have been obtained from lab studies. Using a field study, the current research shows that passengers in a train mimic the consumption behavior of other passengers. Two subsequent lab studies suggest that mimicry of consumption is all the more powerful the more people there are consuming and the more intense and consistent their consumption behavior is. However, the…

Begriff und Anliegen des Produktmanagements

Produkte sind die Basis des wirtschaftlichen Handels. Sie werden in modernen Gesellschaften gegen Geld getauscht, um den personlichen Bedarf der Individuen zu befriedigen. Die Vielzahl der Kundenwunsche und das Bestreben der Anbieter, diese optimal zu erfullen, fuhrt in den meisten Unternehmen zu einer starken Ausweitung der Sortimente. Ein einzelner Marketingleiter kann diese Vielfalt haufig nicht mehr beherrschen, weshalb in den Organigrammen der Firmen immer ofter die Position des Produktmanagers auftaucht. Mit dieser Organisationsform konnen Mehrproduktunternehmen aller Grosen und Branchen sicher auf Markt- und Erfolgskurs gehalten werden.

Creating Passionate Love Through Rational Value: A Moderated Mediation Analysis Considering Identification and Relationship Duration

This study contributes to insights of the effectiveness of identification on passionate love. But more differentiated in comparison to previous research we show direct effects of the two dimensions of identification, self-reflection and self-enhancement as important influence factors of passionate love. According to Steinberg’s (Psychol Rev 93(2):119–135, 1986) Triangular Theory of Love, love is not only triggered by emotional aspects that are beyond reason. So utilitarian attributes that are more down-to-earth and realistic namely quality value, price value, and uniqueness can be relevant drivers of love. But more important, is their influence constant during the course of a relationship? …

Measuring customer value and satisfaction in services transactions, scale development, validation and cross-cultural comparison

Customer value and customer satisfaction are pivotal but at the same time elusive concepts in services marketing theory. This paper focuses on discussing the relationship between these two concepts. We propose operationalization by developing and testing scales, especially operational indicators, for important dimensions and drivers of the services-value construct. A multitrait-multimethod design is used to test the robustness of the operationalization. Furthermore, a cross-cultural data set is used to explore country influences using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation models. Results indicate that the measurement construct is robust and useful in country-comparative studi…

Ein Ansatz zur Erklärung der Kundenbindung auf Basis der Theorie des geplanten Verhaltens

Traditional customer satisfaction and customer retention models are extended by integrating variables such as perceived action control or social norm. These constructs are suggested by the attitude theory as well as the theory of planned behaviour. The extended model is tested in an empirical study carried out in the movie theatre industry. The model provides an excellent explanation of customer retention, which is the target variable in the study. Implications are derived for satisfaction managers which focus on the social group when approaching a specific customer. Finally, an outline for further theoretical and empirical studies is given as well as some limitations of the proposed model.

Brand misconduct: Consequences on consumer–brand relationships

Abstract This paper investigates the effects of brand misconduct on a consumer–brand relationship. Brand misconduct describes a brand's behavior that disappoints consumers' expectations of the brand, for example the alleged use of child labor in soccer ball factories contracted by Adidas , Nike and Puma . Based on relationship and congruency theory, this paper develops a model to explain consumer–brand relationship and its impact on consumers' repurchase intentions. According to this model, functional congruence, actual and ideal self-congruence, partner quality and brand relationship quality represent factors determining repurchase intention. An empirical investigation with regard to jeans…

Die Wirkung der Vergleichbarkeit von Merkmalsausprägungen auf die Wichtigkeit des Produktmerkmals

Die Bestimmung der aus Perspektive der Kunden wichtigen Produktmerkmale gehort zu den zentralen Anliegen im Rahmen einer marktorientierten Produktgestaltung (Urban, Hauser, 1993; S. 176ff.; Brockhoff, 1999, S. 119ff.). Zumeist erhebt der Anbieter im Vorfeld der Produktentwicklung bzw. -erzeugung die Wunsche und Vorstellungen seiner tatsachlichen oder potenziellen Nachfrager, um daraus Anhaltspunkte fur die Wichtigkeit einzelner Produktmerkmale abzuleiten. Die Merkmalswichtigkeiten liefern den Produktgestaltern Hinweise auf jene Leistungsdimensionen, die fur den Markterfolg von zentraler Bedeutung sind. Damit lasst sich der Prozess der Produktgestaltung uber die verschiedenen Entwicklungs- u…

The role of actual, ideal, and ought self-congruence in the consumption of hedonic versus utilitarian brands

Am Markt eingeführte Produkte kontrollieren

Die Kontrolle des Erfolgs von neu eingefuhrten Produkten ist von groser Bedeutung, um den Unternehmenserfolg zu gewahrleisten. Die zentrale Grose ist dabei die Zufriedenheit der Kunden mit der Leistung des Anbieters, da sie letztlich zu Kundenbindung und daruber auch zu Profitabilitat eines Unternehmens fuhrt (Herrmann et al. 2000a; Mittal und Kamakura 2001). Damit muss die Kundenzufriedenheit zum Ziel, zwangslaufig aber auch zur Kontrollgrose eines Unternehmens werden und stellt eine wesentliche Herausforderung fur das Produktmanagement dar. Alle bisher geschilderten und durch das Management ergriffenen Masnahmen zielen zwar auf die Gestaltung moglichst bedurfnisgerechter Leistungen ab, di…

Grundlagen sozialwissenschaftlicher Forschung

Im Mittelpunkt der empirischen Marketingforschung steht die Erlangung von Erkenntnisfortschritten in Bezug auf die Wahrnehmung und das Verhalten von Marktteilnehmern. Bezuglich der Generierung von Erkenntnisfortschritten sind unterschiedliche Grundpositionen relevant, die sich im Laufe der Zeit in der Wissenschaftstheorie herauskristallisiert haben. Die prominentesten sind der durch den Wiener Kreis begrundete logische Empirismus sowie der kritische Rationalismus von Popper.

Aufbau von Markenbeziehungen als Grundlage des Dienstleistungsmanagement

Immer mehr Unternehmen richten ihre Unternehmens- und Marketingstrategien in den letzten Jahren konsequent an dem fur den Kunden generierten Wert aus (Khalifa 2004, S. 645). Zu diesem Umdenken fuhrte die Erkenntnis, dass ein uberlegener Wert aus Kundensicht den entscheidenden Schlussel fur den langfristigen Erfolg eines Unternehmens darstellt (Huber et al. 2001, S. 41). Das Konstrukt des wahrgenommenen Kundenwerts fungiert insbesondere in der angloamerikanischen Literatur zum Produkt- und Dienstleistungsmarketing als Pradikator des Kaufentscheidungsverhaltens (Zeithaml/Bitner 1996, S. 32f.). Einige Autoren sehen gerade in der Schaffung eines hohen Kundenwerts Quellen zukunftiger Wettbewerbs…

Die Wirkung funktionaler, emotionaler und relationaler Nutzendimensionen auf die Markenloyalität

Drawing on existing marketing literature three dimensions of utility are suggested: functional, emotional and relational. It is argued that the importance of these dimensions vary over time. In the early phase of the product life cycle, the functional utility is crucial for the success in the market place. Over time the emotional and relational dimension become more and more important. An empircial study carried out in the telecom industry provides evidence that this shift of importance actually takes place. The managerial implication is twofold. Firstly, the value proposition needs to be adapted in order to meet customer expectations. Secondly, an organizational change is necessary to be a…

Varianz- und kovarianzbasierte Strukturgleichungsmodelle — Ein Leitfaden zu deren Spezifikation, Schätzung und Beurteilung

Seit Mitte der 80er Jahre gewinnen Strukturgleichungsmodeile in der betriebswirtschaftlichen Forschung an Bedeutung. Jungste Veroffentlichungen untermauern jedoch deren oftmals falschliche Anwendung bzw. die Fehlkonzeption des uberpruften Modells. Nicht zuletzt erschwert die etablierte, auf kovarianzbasierten Verfahren beruhende Software LISREL die haufig notwendige, jedoch unterlassene Einbindung formativ erfasster Modellkonstrukte. Das varianzbasierte Strukturgleichungsverfahren PLS (partial least squares) weist eine Vielzahl von gunstigen Eigenschaften gegenuber kovarianzbasierten Verfahren auf, so auch die problemlose Einbindung formativ erhobener latenter Variablen. Das Hauptargument d…

Fallstudie zur Anwendung der Konzeption, Durchführung und Auswertung von Experimenten

Um die Anwendung der in Kapitel 2 und Kapitel 3 vorgestellten Vorgehensweise als Gesamtprozess nachvollziehen zu konnen, soll im Folgenden jeder Schritt exemplarisch anhand eines tatsachlich durchgefuhrten Experiments und eines bereits vorhandenen Datensatzes erlautert werden. Der Datensatz wurde im Rahmen einer Studie des Lehrstuhls fur Marketing I der Johannes Gutenberg-Universitat Mainz erhoben und ist im Downloadcenter der Homepage des Lehrstuhls verfugbar. Jeder Auswertungsschritt kann somit einzeln nachvollzogen und die Ergebnisse der Auswertung verglichen werden. Die Auswertung erfolgt wie in Kapitel 4 erlautert mit Hilfe der Software SPSS 20. Die Studie widmet sich Markenerweiterung…

Vielfalt und Einheit in der Marketingwissenschaft - Eine Reflexion

Vielfalt in der Theoriebildung, Vielfalt in der Abgrenzung des Gegenstandsbereichs, Vielfalt in der Wahl der verwendeten Analysemethoden: Diversitat ist nicht erst seit heute ein zentrales Kennzeichen der Marketingwissenschaft. Seit ihren Anfangen greift die Marketingwissenschaft grundlegende Theorien aus der okonomie, der Psychologie, der Soziologie und den Kulturwissenschaften auf, entwickelt diese in der Anwendung auf Marketingphanomene weiter und formuliert bei empirischer Bewahrung entsprechende Managementkonzepte. Angesichts der heute in der Literatur unterstellten weiten Marketingdefinition (z.B. Homburg/Krohmer 2006; Kotler/Keller 2005), verwundert es nicht, dass auch der Gegenstand…

Management von Kundenbeziehungen durch Brand Communities

Das Marketing wurde in den letzten Jahrzehnten durch die Betrachtung von dyadischen Beziehungen zwischen Anbietern und Nachfragern dominiert (Bruhn/Georgi 2006). Dabei verstand man Transaktionen zunachst als diskrete (voneinander unabhangige) Ereignisse, spater auch als relationale Phanomene (Bruhn 2002a; 2002b). Die Marketingtheorie und -praxis vernachlassigte (mit wenigen Ausnahmen) jedoch, Interaktionen zwischen Konsumenten zu analysieren. Gerade Begegnungen zwischen Individuen beeinflussen jedoch deren Wahrnehmung, Beurteilung und Akzeptanz von Produkten und Marken (Bearden/Etzel 1982). Die isolierte Betrachtung des Konsumentenverhaltens als Entscheidung Einzelner ist daher um Einflusse…

Gaining Competitive Advantage through Standardization and Differentiation of Services

The goal of the paper is to study the question of whether or not differences between cultural groups influence the decision of a consumer wishing to avail himself of a particular service. Therefore we have developed a semiotic extension of the means-end approach as the theoretical basis for elaborating a solution to this problem. The conjoint analysis specifies the results of the meansend analysis.

Konzept zur effizienten Gestaltung von Kundenbeziehungen durch Kundenwertmanagement

Obwohl viele Unternehmen die Kundenzufriedenheit als Garant fur den langfristigen Unternehmenserfolg sehen, ist ein direkter Zusammenhang zwischen diesen Grosen bislang schwer nachweisbar. Schwierigkeiten bereitet insbesondere die Identifizierung „wertvoller“ Kunden bzw. Kundengruppen, deren Bedurfnisse und Erwartungen vorrangig zu bedienen sind. Letzten Endes geht es fur Unternehmen darum, Kundenbeziehungen sowohl „wertstiftend“ im Sinne der Kunden als auch „wertbringend“ im Sinne des Anbieters so zu gestalten, dass der Sprung vom Kundschafts- hin zu einem echten Kundenwertmanagement vollzogen wird. Hierfur wurde ein spezielles Kundenwertmodell entwickelt, das bei DaimlerChrysler zur Anwen…

Preference Oriented Measurement of Advertising Response

As the information overload and an extension of the mass media reduces the possibility to get the message to the target group, the firms have to increase their advertising budget to reach the same amount of ad contacts. To be sure, that they don’t waste the money, the companies more often use the instrument of pretesting the commercial campaign. The aim of this paper is to document the advantages of the conjoint-analysis (CA) as a technique for pretesting ads. To evaluate the possibility of using the CA we try in to measure in an empirical study, if informative and emotional ads have an influence on the preferences of the respondent.

High performance in after-sales support services in the automotive industry

In the automotive aftermarket industry, market development has become more than merely the offer of a core product portfolio. With the aim of genuine differentiation and increased customer loyalty, the so-called value-added services have been brought into the market as separate/independent services or as product-supporting services by the automotive industry. However, owing to the increasing price erosion and budget pressure in practice, it has become essential for companies to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the services offered. The groundwork of effective and efficient service is a market- and customer-oriented service portfolio. This in turn requires a service-controlling sys…

Cherish your loved ones – the role of the feeling of care and security in advertising

Advertising practice makes use of emotional cues and addresses consumers' rising desire for social connection. Research has investigated emotions within advertising, but mainly focused on negative or positive emotions. Traditional academic approaches to the analysis of persuasion according to the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) tend to emphasize central processing and thus rational advertising cues. Moreover, the role of motivation within the ELM is underspecified. We introduce the Zurich Model of Social Motivation to the regulation of social distance and investigate the specific feeling of care and security. This feeling may serve as motivational component and emerge as persuasion instr…

The Antecedents of Customer Loyalty - Results of an Empirical Study in the Automotive Industry

Customer satisfaction is regarded as the key to customer loyalty in the automotive industry. However, this relationship is influenced by several other variables, like switching barriers or variety seeking. This paper provides a structural equation model with latent variables for modeling this complex relationship. According to literature, high satisfaction should lead to loyalty but is heavily affected by moderating variables. An empricial study is reported which supports these predictions as well as the arguments on which they are based.

On the Influence of the Evaluation Methods in Conjoint Design — Some Empirical Results

It is the goal of conjoint analysis to explain and predict preferences of customers (Schweikl 1985). Variants of predefined manifestations of attributes of various product concepts (both real and hypothetical) are created, and these are presented to test persons for evaluation. The contributions (partial benefits) the various attributes make to overall preference (overall benefit) are estimated on the basis of overall preference judgments (Green and Srinivasan 1978).

A model of buyer regret: Selected prepurchase and postpurchase antecedents with consequences for the brand and the channel

Abstract This research examines how two prepurchase stages of the buyer decision process–information search and alternative evaluation–and two postpurchase stages–evaluation of product and service attributes–influence buyer regret. The study extends prior consequences of regret to include purchase intentions toward both brand and the channel. Tested in a field sample of luxury automobile purchasers, results show that higher information search and alternative evaluation lead to more buyer regret; lower evaluations of service (but not product) attributes lead to more regret; and regret's consequences include reduced intentions to repurchase either the brand or from the dealership. Buyers who …

Gestaltung der Markenpersönlichkeit mittels der „means-end“-Theorie

Wie Zahlen aus der Marketingpraxis belegen, besitzen fur den Erfolg einer Marke Innovationen einen hohen Stellenwert. Eindrucksvoll nachweisen konnten diesen Zusammenhang zum Beispiel Albach (1989, S. 1338) sowie Simon (1996, S. 107), die nach Auswertung der von ihnen initiierten Studien einen positiven Einflus der Innovationsaktivitaten eines Unternehmens auf dessen Umsatzrendite ermittelten (vgl. Wieselhuber & Partner/RKW, 1988, S. 30). Und auch nach der Auffassung von Hatty (1994, S. 575) reprasentiert der Innovationsgrad der Produktideen bzw. Marketingleistungen eine zentrale Determinante fur das erfolgreiche Management der Marke. Ferner weisen Wind und Mahajan (1997, S. 7) auf die Notw…

Guerilla-Marketing-Aktionen

Um bei der steigenden Informationsflut aufzufallen, mussen Werbebotschaften heutzutage aktivierend verpackt werden. Ein steigender Werbedruck durch klassische Kommunikationsinstrumente reicht dabei meist nicht mehr. Die innovative Marketingform Guerilla-Marketing setzt auf Aktionen, die gezielte Aufmerksamkeit durch Neuartigkeit und Anderssein hervorrufen und zeigt groses Potenzial im Kampf um die Aufmerksamkeit der werbeubersattigten Konsumenten. Trotz der unverkennbaren Potenziale wurde das Phanomen wissenschaftlich bislang unzureichend behandelt. Entsprechend besteht das zentrale Anliegen dieses Beitrages in der Identifikation derjenigen Gestaltungsfaktoren, von denen der Erfolg einer Gu…

Credibility as a Key to Sustainable Advertising Success

This paper addresses the operational part of sustainable marketing, especially advertising with sustainability. This form of advertising has to consider particularly the aspect of credibility since the social-ecological value of a product is often not evident for the consumer. Therefore, credibility represents an essential competitive advantage for companies who offer sustainable products. The purpose of this paper is to identify the determinants which are decisive for the credibility attribution of sustainable advertisement in order to achieve an improved comprehension of the latent construct and a more credible design of this type of advertisement. In addition, the actual influence of cre…

The Impact of Brand Personality and Customer Satisfaction on Customer's Loyalty: Theoretical Approach and Findings of a Causal Analytical Study in the Sector of Internet Service Providers

For the past few years, companies within the telecommunication and media industry have been operating within the environment of digital convergence. Internet Service Providers especially are, therefore, confronted with a new competitive landscape, which is characterized by an increased complexity and dynamics. This development implies a need for change in the strategic alignment, a change away from transaction towards relationship orientation understanding loyal customers as an asset. In many different industrial and service providing sectors customer satisfaction is regarded as the key to customer loyalty. However, this relationship is influenced by several other variables, such as the con…

Brand love in progress – the interdependence of brand love antecedents in consideration of relationship duration

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the dynamic nature of consumer–brand relationships and, in particular, the passionate dimension of brand love. It explores the relevance of the two dimensions of the identification construct (inner and social self) for the creation of passionate love for a brand. More precisely, it attends to the possible mediating character of identification between the perceived utilitarian or hedonic value and passionate brand love. These effects are analysed in consideration of the moderating effect of relationship duration taking a further-reaching perspective and contributing to the understanding of the transformation of the brand love construct within a long-…

Empathic Relationships in Professional Services and the Moderating Role of Relationship Age

Empathy has been identified as a key success factor for employees who interact with customers. Despite its overall relevance, only a few studies have acknowledged its multidimensional nature. Knowledge remains scarce about the relative impact of cognitive and affective empathy on relational outcomes. In addition, few pieces of research have explicitly acknowledged empathy as theorized within stage-models focusing on the communication of empathy. The authors conceptualize empathy as a multidimensional construct perceived by the client. Empathy has to be communicated to be effective, while customers’ perceptions of empathy may also be more complex as they distinguish between cognitive and aff…

Means-end analysis: Does the affective state influence information processing style?

Means-end theory aims at explaining how consumers evaluate products by linking relevant attributes to perceived consequences to desired ends in a hierarchical way, based on core assumptions of cognitive psychology about human information processing. This study investigates the influence of affective states on information processing styles in a means-end measurement situation, thus taking into account an important antecedent and correlate of human decision making and behavior that has received scarce attention so far in the methodological literature on means-end chains. The results reveal that a person's affective state indeed influences the style of information processing. Respondents in a …

When brands get branded

Recent perspectives on branding have claimed that consumers establish relationships with brands (Fournier, 1998). According to this view, one has also to consider that — similar to human relationships — transgressions may occur in such a relationship. Brand misconduct describes a brand's behaviour that consumers do not agree with, e.g. Coca-Cola's introduction of the so-called New Coke in the eighties. After an introduction and definition different forms of misconduct are distinguished. The possible consequences, how the company can react to brand misconduct and, ultimately, the implications for branding theory development are examined.

Aber bitte mit Gefühl — Der Einfluss von Emotionen auf die Preisfairness

Ausgangspunkt der interdisziplinaren Preisfairnessforschung ist, dass Kunden ein Angebot nicht nur rational-okonomisch bewerten, sondern zusatzlich beurteilen, wie fair dieses ist. Der Fokus dieses Beitrags liegt in der Analyse emotionaler Aspekte fur die Bildung des Fairnessurteils bei Preisen. Auf Basis der Equity-Theorie wird die Relevanz von Emotionen fur das Fairnessurteil nach Preiserhohungen gepruft. Dabei bestatigen sich die vermuteten positiven Wirkungszusammenhange. Die Ergebnisse dienen der Ableitung von Handlungsempfehlungen fur die Unternehmenspraxis und die Forschung.

Endorser age and stereotypes: Consequences on brand age

Abstract This paper links findings from research on different age types to branding literature, and adds insight into how to rejuvenate a brand through the use of endorsers in advertisements. The article addresses the yet under-represented value of demographic characteristics of endorsers in affecting brand perception, and introduces the importance of the existence and strength of individual mental images of typical brand users in the process of such association transfers. Based on theoretical perspectives from personality transfer, (social) categorization, imagery, and advertising literature, the study proposes and tests several conditions for which age association transfer from endorser t…

The Evolution of Loyalty Intentions

The drivers of customer loyalty intentions are dynamic. What remains unclear is how these intentions evolve through the introduction and growth phases of a life cycle. Using a longitudinal study of cellular phone customers, the authors demonstrate that loyalty intentions are a function of perceived value early in the life cycle. Over time, more affective attitudes toward the brand and the relationship with the company come to mediate the effects of value on intentions. The results suggest that from the introduction to the growth stage of a life cycle, managers must adapt from improving value per se to measuring and managing relationships and brands directly.

Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten im Produktmanagement nutzen

Ist ein Unternehmen an dem Punkt angelangt, an welchem es seine Leistungen erfolgreich in den Zielmarkt einfuhren und dort positionieren konnte, gilt es diesen von nun an kontinuierlich zu pflegen und gegebenenfalls zu optimieren. Angestrebte Zielsetzungen liegen dabei insbesondere in der Verlangerung der Produktlebenszyklen, der Absicherung und Verteidigung erkampfter Marktpositionen, der Steigerung von Umsatz und Gewinn, der Optimierung von Leistungs- und Kundenpotentialen und der Verbesserung von Kapazitatsauslastungen sowie der generellen Leistungserstellungsprozesse. Um bereits fruhzeitig Hinweise auf die Notwendigkeit von Veranderungsmasnahmen zu erhalten, empfiehlt sich die Implement…

Customer satisfaction as an antecedent of price acceptance: results of an empirical study

The goal of this current study is to extend customer satisfaction research in two important ways. First, it attempts to demonstrate the relationship between customer satisfaction and price acceptance. Second, as Voss, Parasuraman and Grewal claim that only a small proportion of the existant satisfaction research focuses on services, we empirically analyze the relationship between customer satisfaction and price acceptance in the hotel industry. Finally, the implications of the study’s findings for research into purchasing patterns and pricing policy are discussed.

Produkte mit Zusatznutzen ausstatten

Fur Unternehmen existieren verschiedene Moglichkeiten, ihr Gut aus der Anonymitat des Marktes herauszuheben, auf bestimmte Eigenarten hinzuweisen und Verwendungszwecke sowie Nutzenversprechen zu suggerieren. Neben kommunikationspolitischen Aktivitaten, wie Werbung und Verkaufsforderung, kommt vor allem die Markierung der Leistung in Betracht. Wie so haufig in der wissenschaftlichen Literatur, existieren jedoch verschiedene Ansichten, was genau unter dem Begriff der „Marke“ zu verstehen ist.

Perceived Product Risk while Shopping Online: Does Virtual Reality vs. 2D Reduce Uncertainty?

This research explores if a virtual reality (VR) vs. a 2D display of an online shop reduces the perceived product risk. Thereby the role of the sense of presence (SoP) will be analyzed and whether the evocation of the SoP can be predicted by the possibility to interact with the virtual environment as well as by the social connectivity with a friend while shopping online. The results of three empirical studies affirm the importance of a VR display to reduce uncertainties regarding the products in online shops and outline techniques how to trigger the SoP.

Product and service bundling decisions and their effects on purchase intention

Examines the effects of four factors (the bundle: pure or mixed, the price discount, the functional complementarity of bundle components, and the number of bundle components) on consumers’ intentions to purchase product and service bundles. The findings were relatively consistent across product (automobile) and service (automotive service) contexts, and illustrate that pure bundles are preferred to mixed bundles, and a greater price discount is preferred to a lesser one. The results also indicate that five component bundles generate greater purchase intention than either three or seven component bundles, and that “very related” bundle components result in greater purchase intention than eit…

Camptocormia associated with focal myositis in multiple-system atrophy

Camptocormia (CC) or pronounced forward flexion of the trunk is a common symptom of Parkinson's disease. We describe 2 patients with probable, respectively possible multiple-system atrophy and CC. Magnetic resonance imaging of the erector trunci showed focal patchy hyperintensities with gadolinium enhancement and muscle biopsy was indicative of variably pronounced focal myositis. CC was progressive and the major handicap for both patients after 1 and 1.5 years of follow-up, respectively. The therapeutic response was poor. Similarities with the dropped-head syndrome suggest that the muscle pathology may be either the primary cause of CC, a focal reaction to the CC posture, or a coincident sy…

The influence of price fairness on customer satisfaction: an empirical test in the context of automobile purchases

PurposeThis paper aims to link conceptually the concepts of price fairness and customer satisfaction and empirically demonstrate the influence of perceived price fairness on satisfaction judgments. Further, it seeks to examine specific factors that influence fairness perceptions including price perception and consumer vulnerability.Design/methodology/approachThe study is conducted in the context of automobile purchases in major German car dealerships. Based on a theoretical conceptualization of the constructs and an empirical pretest, 246 car buyers were surveyed and their fairness perceptions and satisfaction judgments with the car buying process measured.FindingsThe research shows that pr…

Ein Präferenzmodell zur Erfassung des Markenwechselverhaltens

Existing models view variety seeking as the result of either differences in the level of attribute satiation across attributes (across attributes variety seeking models) or variations in the level of one attribute (within attribute variety seeking models). The model presented in this paper connects the two approaches for explaining variety seeking. The resulting pattern of consumption is represented as an oscillation about a consumer’s ideal point on the dimension and as an interaction between the perceived levels of two attributes. An empirical study that illustrates the explanatory power of the model developed is reported.

A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Business Complaint Management Expectations

This study explores the complaint management expectations of 72 British and 74 German organizational buyers using automated online means-end laddering and a Hierarchical Value Map presentation. It conceptualizes the links between expected complaint resolution attributes by the buyer (i.e. means) and the buyer’s value perceptions (i.e. ends). Unlike previous research, we highlight similarities and differences in the drivers behind and attributes of complaint management expectations across two countries (Germany and the UK). Even in countries appearing to be similar economically and culturally, we find differences in the desired attributes. British buyers, for example, emphasize softer comp…

Gaining competitive advantage through customer value oriented management

Within the customer value literature there is a lacuna of theoretical frameworks and models that underlie consumers’ overall product valuation. This paper addresses this limitation and presents a model integrating consumer values, product benefits, and various costs of consumption. In the proposed model, benefits and costs are defined in terms of consumers’ perceptions in the activities of acquisition, consumption, and maintenance, as well as consumers’ expectation of value satisfaction before buying.

The Diffusion of Price-Related Word-of-Mouth: A Study Exploring the Role of Market Mavens and Social Ties

This study sheds light on the process of price-related word-of-mouth by exploring the dissemination of positively and negatively valanced price information as well as the role of social ties and ma...

Direct and indirect effects of self-image congruence on brand loyalty

The purpose of the paper is to test a model dealing with direct and indirect effects of self-image congruence on brand loyalty. The model posits that self-image congruence positively affects brand loyalty directly and indirectly through functional congruity, product involvement, and brand relationship quality. The model was tested using cars as the product stimulus in a survey of 600 car owners. We chose automobiles because cars are high in conspicuousness (therefore are likely to be evaluated using symbolic criteria) and are used across a variety of situations. The model was mostly supported by the data. First, the results document the paramount importance of self-congruity in predicting b…

Die Bedeutung von Emotionen für die wahrgenommene Fairness bei Preiserhöhungen

Die wahrgenommene Fairness von Preisen hat sich als zentrales Konstrukt der Marketingforschung zur Analyse der Wirkung von Preiserhohungen etabliert. Ausgangspunkt der interdisziplinaren Preisfairnessforschung ist, dass Kunden ein Angebot nicht nur rational-okonomisch bewerten, sondern zusatzlich eine emotionale Komponente bei der Bewertung der Fairness eines Preises relevant ist. Dieser Beitrag bezieht sich daher auf die Analyse emotionaler Aspekte fur die Bildung des Fairnessurteils bei Preiserhohungen, wahrend bisherige Studien, mit wenigen Ausnahmen, auf die Untersuchung kognitiver Grosen abstellen. Die auf Basis der Equity-Theorie postulierte Relevanz von Emotionen fur das Fairnessurte…

Brand extensions in the platform countries of Asia – Effects of fit, order of market entry and involvement

More and more Western companies understand that Asian markets offer great opportunities to export goods and services. In addition many investment approaches made to Asian markets take place by entering such markets via so-called platform countries (for example Hong Kong and Singapore), as they serve as a bridge to the Asian market and offer an interesting learning base, with consumers cultural behavior being essentially Asian but with strong Westernized influences. As brand extension research has proved to be of major importance for international companies, we examine the effects of fit, order of market entry and involvement on brand extension evaluations in these platform countries. Althou…

Produkte am Markt einführen

Nachdem der Produktmanager mittels geeigneter Methoden die Entscheidung uber ein Erfolg versprechendes Produktkonzept gefallt hat, steht er vor der Aufgabe die Markteinfuhrung des Produkts zu planen und durchzufuhren. Die Bedeutung dieser Phase wird anhand von Praxisbeispielen deutlich. Die Einfuhrung der ersten Homevideo-Systeme in den 1970er Jahren fuhren Autoren immer wieder als exemplarisch fur die Herausforderungen im Rahmen der Wahl einer adaquaten Markteinfuhrungsstrategie an.

Challenging Challenge: The Ambivalent Impact of Challenge on Intrinsic Motivation Effectiveness in Digital Co-Creation

While most literature on co-creation shows a consistently positive impact of challenge on motivational processes, the authors of this study examine situational ambiguous effects. Consequently, the exalted status of challenge in practice and research is called into question. This research combines psychological needs inferred from Self-Determination Theory with challenge derived from Flow Theory to explore direct and interactive effects on motivation and participation in digital co-creation. As an example of concrete consumer innovation the authors applied the concept of Threadless in order to test propositions for co-creation settings. Threadless is a real online platform that calls up for …

Zur Relevanz von Experimenten in der Marketingforschung

Experimente dienen der Untersuchung vielfaltiger fur das Marketing interessante Phanomene. So kommen z.B. in der Marketingpraxis besonders dann Experimente zur Anwendung, wenn die Unterschiede verschiedener Gestaltungsmoglichkeiten von neuen Produkten, Verpackungen oder Werbeanzeigen untersucht werden sollen. Fur den Absatz des Unternehmens und letztendlich fur den Gewinn kann es von groser Bedeutung sein, die richtige Entscheidung in Bezug auf kleinste Details in Produkt-, Verpackungs- oder Werbegestaltung zu treffen. Die Zielgruppe darf dann bereits vor der Markteinfuhrung eines Produkts testen und bewerten, inwieweit sich dieses von denen der Konkurrenz oder dem gegenwartig am Markt ange…

Ideen generieren und bewerten

Innovationen besitzen fur Unternehmen eine herausragende – ja sogar uberlebenswichtige – Bedeutung. Nur mit Innovationen ist fur die meisten Unternehmen ein langfristiges Uberleben am Markt moglich, sie sind der Schlussel zu dauerhaftem Erfolg und konnen die Zukunft der Unternehmen sichern. Die meisten Produkte weisen eine begrenzte Lebensdauer auf, ihr Lebenszyklus ist nach einer gewissen Zeit durchlaufen und sie mussen durch neue Produkte ersetzt werden. Da bei einer Neuprodukteinfuhrung die Floprate bis zu 90 % betragen kann, ist eine systematische Erarbeitung von Innovationen unerlasslich. Sie offenbaren die Kundenorientierung von Anbietern und schaffen neuen Kundennutzen. Ein innovativ…

Auswertung von Experimenten mittels Varianzanalyse

Die Auswahl der Analysemethoden fur experimentell gewonnene Daten erfolgt nach dem Untersuchungszweck und den Charakteristika der zur Verfugung stehenden Daten. Bei Experimenten mit Between-Subject-Design kommt in der Regel die uni- oder multivariate mehrfaktorielle Varianzanalyse ((M)ANOVA) zur Anwendung. Sie lasst sich bei einer Vielzahl von Versuchsanordnungen einsetzen, um zu uberprufen, ob sich unterschiedliche Werte einer oder mehrerer abhangiger Variablen auf die Wirkung einer oder mehrerer unabhangiger Variablen zuruckfuhren lassen. Eine Serie univariater Varianzanalysen ignoriert eine moglicherweise vorhandene Korrelation zwischen den abhangigen Variablen, fuhrt jedoch fur den unte…

Conjoint Analysis as an Instrument of Market Research Practice

The essay by the psychologist, Luce, and the statistician, Tukey (1964) can be viewed as the origin of conjoint analysis (Green and Srinivasan 1978; Carroll and Green 1995). Since its introduction into marketing literature by Green and Rao (1971) as well as by Johnson (1974) in the beginning of the 1970s, conjoint analysis has developed into a method of preference studies that receives much attention from both theoreticians and those who carry out field studies. For example, Cattin and Wittink (1982) report 698 conjoint projects that were carried out by 17 companies included in their survey in the period from 1971 to 1980. For the period from 1981 to 1985, Wittink and Cattin (1989) found 66…

Market-driven product and service design: Bridging the gap between customer needs, quality management, and customer satisfaction

Bridging the gap between a firm's internal quality improvements and external measures of customer needs and satisfaction is an important yet complex translation process. The process has traditionally been studied within two very different domains. An external focus on customers has been the domain of marketers. Manufacturing and engineering-based approaches to quality management and improvement have traditionally taken a more internal, process improvement focus. Both areas have recognized the need to broaden thier focus and bridge the gap between internal quality and external customers needs and satisfaction. This paper offers a framework to integrate these two domains. A case study is pres…