Academic Research
The Way Out – Customer Benefits and Self-service Satisfaction in Cashierless Shopping Systems
Introducing cashierless shopping systems offers an opportunity to innovate the checkout process for stationary retailers who encounter significant competition from both, existing stationary competitors and online retailers. The present study analyzes three types of cashierless shopping systems: mobile apps, face recognition, and self-checkouts. Following a review of customer benefits of digitization in stationary retailing, we integrate customer convenience, empowerment, and experience as well as self-service satisfaction in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. An initial study with 406 participants validates the underlying framework while extending it with technology affinity and privacy concerns. Customer benefits in cashierless systems are explored based on 539 questionnaires. Performance expectancy, effort expectancy, customer empowerment, and customer experience positively impact shoppers’ self-service satisfaction and willingness to use cashierless systems. Conversely, concerns about data privacy have a negative effect. The results reveal that participants perceive all types of cashierless shopping systems as comparatively similar. These systems perform the checkout process, empower shoppers, create positive service experiences, and adhere to data protection regulations. Qualitative insights ultimatively identify five key topics: convenience, security concerns, social concerns, technical concerns, and the shopping situation. These findings highlight the complexity of customer preferences regarding cashierless shopping systems.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104280
Authors: Carsten D. Schultz, Friederike Paetz
ABSTRACT
Introducing cashierless shopping systems offers an opportunity to innovate the checkout process for stationary retailers who encounter significant competition from both, existing stationary competitors and online retailers. The present study analyzes three types of cashierless shopping systems: mobile apps, face recognition, and self-checkouts. Following a review of customer benefits of digitization in stationary retailing, we integrate customer convenience, empowerment, and experience as well as self-service satisfaction in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. An initial study with 406 participants validates the underlying framework while extending it with technology affinity and privacy concerns. Customer benefits in cashierless systems are explored based on 539 questionnaires. Performance expectancy, effort expectancy, customer empowerment, and customer experience positively impact shoppers’ self-service satisfaction and willingness to use cashierless systems. Conversely, concerns about data privacy have a negative effect. The results reveal that participants perceive all types of cashierless shopping systems as comparatively similar. These systems perform the checkout process, empower shoppers, create positive service experiences, and adhere to data protection regulations. Qualitative insights ultimatively identify five key topics: convenience, security concerns, social concerns, technical concerns, and the shopping situation. These findings highlight the complexity of customer preferences regarding cashierless shopping systems.
Recurring Versus One-time Donation Requests: The Toll on Attracting Donors
Non-profit marketers often design campaigns that ask donors to contribute recurringly. While past research has implied the benefits of giving recurring donations, across six studies using both archival and experimental data, we find convergent evidence that consumers are less attracted to contribute to a non-profit’s recurring (vs. one-time) donation solicitations. Our results suggest that the heightened pain of giving from recurring (vs. one-time) solicitations mediates the effect. Furthermore, we find that the mediating effect of pain of giving attenuates for less frugal consumers, and that the negative effect of recurring (vs. one-time) solicitations on donation willingness mitigates when the solicitations ask for time (vs. monetary) donations. Finally, reconciling our findings with prior research on temporal framing, we find that the effect reverses when a total expected donation amount is salient. This research informs the unintended consequences of recurring donation requests and suggests practical interventions for practitioners.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115317
Authors: Cony Ming-Shen Ho, Shih-Chun (Daniel) Chin, TzuShuo Ryan Wang
ABSTRACT
Non-profit marketers often design campaigns that ask donors to contribute recurringly. While past research has implied the benefits of giving recurring donations, across six studies using both archival and experimental data, we find convergent evidence that consumers are less attracted to contribute to a non-profit’s recurring (vs. one-time) donation solicitations. Our results suggest that the heightened pain of giving from recurring (vs. one-time) solicitations mediates the effect. Furthermore, we find that the mediating effect of pain of giving attenuates for less frugal consumers, and that the negative effect of recurring (vs. one-time) solicitations on donation willingness mitigates when the solicitations ask for time (vs. monetary) donations. Finally, reconciling our findings with prior research on temporal framing, we find that the effect reverses when a total expected donation amount is salient. This research informs the unintended consequences of recurring donation requests and suggests practical interventions for practitioners.
How Invoking Science in the Production Process of Geographical Indication Products Impacts Consumer's Perceived Authenticity and Product Valuation
Marketers frequently emphasize that their products have been scientifically developed, given the general perception of science as beneficial. However, highlighting the scientific production process for geographical indication products may prove counterproductive. Through a series of experiments, the current research demonstrates a negative effect of invoking science in the production process of geographical indication products on consumers' perceived authenticity and valuation (e.g., willingness to pay and purchase behavior). Furthermore, this effect could be eliminated if scientific methods are incorporated into the production process as a supportive element rather than a substitute for traditional methods. Additionally, when science is involved in the packaging design process or marketing communication process, it would be innocuous or even advantageous. By uncovering the detrimental effects of emphasizing a science-involved production process for geographical indication products, this research provides valuable insights for managers aiming to exploit the advantages of applying scientific advancements in the production and marketing of geographical indication products.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.22209
Authors: Hui Li, Ruiqing Li, Zhilin Yang, Liyin Jin
ABSTRACT
Marketers frequently emphasize that their products have been scientifically developed, given the general perception of science as beneficial. However, highlighting the scientific production process for geographical indication products may prove counterproductive. Through a series of experiments, the current research demonstrates a negative effect of invoking science in the production process of geographical indication products on consumers' perceived authenticity and valuation (e.g., willingness to pay and purchase behavior). Furthermore, this effect could be eliminated if scientific methods are incorporated into the production process as a supportive element rather than a substitute for traditional methods. Additionally, when science is involved in the packaging design process or marketing communication process, it would be innocuous or even advantageous. By uncovering the detrimental effects of emphasizing a science-involved production process for geographical indication products, this research provides valuable insights for managers aiming to exploit the advantages of applying scientific advancements in the production and marketing of geographical indication products.
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility: The Antecedents and Outcomes of Social Media Influencers’ Perceived Social Responsibility Authenticity
This study draws on signaling theory to investigate what signals the authenticity of influencers when communicating social causes and its consequent outcomes from consumers’ perspectives. Two between-subjects experimental studies were conducted. Study 1 found that transparently communicating a social cause positively signals influencers’ authenticity, which is significantly moderated by the level of fit between the social cause and the influencer’s domain of interest. Perceived authenticity positively impacts consumers’ attitudes toward the influencer, subsequently affecting their purchase intention (i.e., pro-influencer behavior) and social cause communication engagement intention (i.e., pro-social behavior). Study 2 aimed to examine the findings of Study 1 in the context of controversial social causes. It was found that congruency between a consumer’s and an influencer’s stance on the cause influences perceived authenticity. From a holistic perspective, this study investigated consumers’ pro-influencer and pro-social behavioral intentions to corroborate influencers’ impacts on both business and societal aspects.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115300
Authors: Angie Lee, Te-Lin Doreen Chung
ABSTRACT
This study draws on signaling theory to investigate what signals the authenticity of influencers when communicating social causes and its consequent outcomes from consumers’ perspectives. Two between-subjects experimental studies were conducted. Study 1 found that transparently communicating a social cause positively signals influencers’ authenticity, which is significantly moderated by the level of fit between the social cause and the influencer’s domain of interest. Perceived authenticity positively impacts consumers’ attitudes toward the influencer, subsequently affecting their purchase intention (i.e., pro-influencer behavior) and social cause communication engagement intention (i.e., pro-social behavior). Study 2 aimed to examine the findings of Study 1 in the context of controversial social causes. It was found that congruency between a consumer’s and an influencer’s stance on the cause influences perceived authenticity. From a holistic perspective, this study investigated consumers’ pro-influencer and pro-social behavioral intentions to corroborate influencers’ impacts on both business and societal aspects.
“You Knew What You Were Getting Into”: Perspective Differences in Gauging Informed Consent
We examine differences between perceived and experienced consent in organizational contexts—specifically, the aspect of consent that reflects how informed consenters feel. We theorize that people tasked with soliciting consent overestimate the extent to which consenters feel fully informed of what they are agreeing to and thus feel they have truly consented. We provide support for these predictions across six pre-registered studies (N = 2,993) and eight supplemental pre-registered studies (N = 4,406) that establish causal and mediation evidence, downstream organizational consequences, and real-world relevance. This research reveals that even when an agreement meets the legal criteria for consent, there may be misaligned perceptions of employees’ feelings of consent, with consequences for employees’ relationship with their organization. The current studies offer a significant step forward in understanding the markedly understudied role of consent in organizations.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2024.104386
Authors: Rachel Schlund, Vanessa K. Bohns
ABSTRACT
We examine differences between perceived and experienced consent in organizational contexts—specifically, the aspect of consent that reflects how informed consenters feel. We theorize that people tasked with soliciting consent overestimate the extent to which consenters feel fully informed of what they are agreeing to and thus feel they have truly consented. We provide support for these predictions across six pre-registered studies (N = 2,993) and eight supplemental pre-registered studies (N = 4,406) that establish causal and mediation evidence, downstream organizational consequences, and real-world relevance. This research reveals that even when an agreement meets the legal criteria for consent, there may be misaligned perceptions of employees’ feelings of consent, with consequences for employees’ relationship with their organization. The current studies offer a significant step forward in understanding the markedly understudied role of consent in organizations.
(In)Attention to Attractive Brand Alternatives
Understanding how consumers maintain their brand relationships has important implications for marketers as committed consumers contribute significant value to firms. In the present research, we propose and test one such way consumers protect their brand relationships, namely through attentional avoidance of attractive alternative partners. Across multiple studies, we find support for our theory that committed consumers avoid attending to alternative brand partners by recalling less about and spending less time focused on attractive alternatives. We further find that this inattention occurs because consumers view the competing brand as a threat to the consumer’s current relationship. In addition, we investigate a boundary condition of this effect, highlighting the importance of internally (as opposed to externally) guided (in)attention for protecting brand relationships. By identifying a novel, behavioral way consumers protect their brand relationships, we contribute to the literature on branding and brand relationships, self-threats, and reactance.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-024-09752-4
Authors: Danielle J. Brick, Veronica L. Thomas
ABSTRACT
Understanding how consumers maintain their brand relationships has important implications for marketers as committed consumers contribute significant value to firms. In the present research, we propose and test one such way consumers protect their brand relationships, namely through attentional avoidance of attractive alternative partners. Across multiple studies, we find support for our theory that committed consumers avoid attending to alternative brand partners by recalling less about and spending less time focused on attractive alternatives. We further find that this inattention occurs because consumers view the competing brand as a threat to the consumer’s current relationship. In addition, we investigate a boundary condition of this effect, highlighting the importance of internally (as opposed to externally) guided (in)attention for protecting brand relationships. By identifying a novel, behavioral way consumers protect their brand relationships, we contribute to the literature on branding and brand relationships, self-threats, and reactance.
(Re)conceptualising Consumer Interdependency of Care: Persistent Struggles With Dependency and Responsibility
This conceptual paper explores how consumers become entangled in persistent struggles of care in consumption. While extant marketing theory focuses on the neoliberal responsibility of care as an autonomous and independent act, we problematise and extend the current theorisation of consumers’ struggles of care by examining the interrelated struggles of consumer responsibility of care and market relations of care. Building on marketing and interdisciplinary insights, we develop a novel lens of consumer interdependency of care to capture how a consumer responsibility is negotiated within varied relations of care. We contribute to a holistic and critical understanding of care in consumption as a problematic interplay between a responsibility of care and a dependency of care. By examining three types of consumer interdependency across consumption contexts, we discuss challenges and future research direction in the provision, mediation, and positioning of care, and bring critical attention to the power imbalances of care and consumer vulnerability.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1177/14705931241275535
Authors: Ye (Nicole) Yang, Marian Makkar
ABSTRACT
This conceptual paper explores how consumers become entangled in persistent struggles of care in consumption. While extant marketing theory focuses on the neoliberal responsibility of care as an autonomous and independent act, we problematise and extend the current theorisation of consumers’ struggles of care by examining the interrelated struggles of consumer responsibility of care and market relations of care. Building on marketing and interdisciplinary insights, we develop a novel lens of consumer interdependency of care to capture how a consumer responsibility is negotiated within varied relations of care. We contribute to a holistic and critical understanding of care in consumption as a problematic interplay between a responsibility of care and a dependency of care. By examining three types of consumer interdependency across consumption contexts, we discuss challenges and future research direction in the provision, mediation, and positioning of care, and bring critical attention to the power imbalances of care and consumer vulnerability.
A Comprehensive Examination of Digital Retailing: a Text-mining Review and Research Agenda
Digital retailing encompasses all the digital technology–enabled assets and retail activities that a retailer can use to create, capture, communicate, and deliver value throughout the customer journey. This comprehensive topic modeling analysis of 4,730 articles from 35 years of research across multiple disciplines showcases how the research is evolving overtime and within the disciplines. Results reveal 11 topics areas (consisting of 66 subtopics), as well as the prevalence of these topics within each discipline. Results highlight how the topics have evolved overtime. For example, research on consumer motivation to use technology, retail environmental factors, and firm factors is increasing, while research on trust and risk factors is declining. The trends vary across disciplines. Results also highlight the relationship among the topics, and the impact of publications in each of the topic areas by considering citations across time and disciplines. Implications for future research are discussed.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2024.10.001
Authors: Elisa B. Schweiger, Virginia Vannucci, Valentina Mazzoli, Laura Grazzini, Anne L. Roggeveen, Dhruv Grewal, Raffaele Donvito, Gaetano Aiello
ABSTRACT
Digital retailing encompasses all the digital technology–enabled assets and retail activities that a retailer can use to create, capture, communicate, and deliver value throughout the customer journey. This comprehensive topic modeling analysis of 4,730 articles from 35 years of research across multiple disciplines showcases how the research is evolving overtime and within the disciplines. Results reveal 11 topics areas (consisting of 66 subtopics), as well as the prevalence of these topics within each discipline. Results highlight how the topics have evolved overtime. For example, research on consumer motivation to use technology, retail environmental factors, and firm factors is increasing, while research on trust and risk factors is declining. The trends vary across disciplines. Results also highlight the relationship among the topics, and the impact of publications in each of the topic areas by considering citations across time and disciplines. Implications for future research are discussed.
#Fittok: How Fitfluencers' Videos on Tiktok Impact Adolescents' Body Satisfaction, Workout Intention, and Behavior
Fitfluencers often flaunt their ideal bodies on TikTok. Additionally, they frequently demonstrate workouts and give authentic insights into their lives. Through three experiments, we examine how these videos impact adolescents' (14–18 years) body satisfaction and workout intention and behavior. Study 1 (N = 221) shows no significant difference between fitfluencers' posing and workout TikTok videos on body satisfaction and workout intention. The Solomon four-group design of Study 2 (N = 176) shows that fitfluencers' posing TikTok videos (vs. lifehack videos) induce more appearance comparison and more contrastive comparison feelings, which lead to less body satisfaction. Effects on workout intention were not significant. Study 3 (N = 154) similarly shows that fitfluencers' videos (posing and authenticity vs. lifehack), induce more appearance comparison and more contrastive comparison feelings, which lead to less body satisfaction, as in Study 2. They also induce more assimilative comparison feelings, which lead to a greater workout intention. Exercise behavior did not differ across all three video types. As in Study 1, no significant differences between fitfluencers' videos (posing and authenticity) were found. This study contributes to social comparison theory and fitfluencer literature by showing that assimilative and contrastive comparison feelings drive different dependent variables.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.22192
Authors: Marloes de Brabandere, Liselot Hudders, Ini Vanwesenbeeck
ABSTRACT
Fitfluencers often flaunt their ideal bodies on TikTok. Additionally, they frequently demonstrate workouts and give authentic insights into their lives. Through three experiments, we examine how these videos impact adolescents' (14–18 years) body satisfaction and workout intention and behavior. Study 1 (N = 221) shows no significant difference between fitfluencers' posing and workout TikTok videos on body satisfaction and workout intention. The Solomon four-group design of Study 2 (N = 176) shows that fitfluencers' posing TikTok videos (vs. lifehack videos) induce more appearance comparison and more contrastive comparison feelings, which lead to less body satisfaction. Effects on workout intention were not significant. Study 3 (N = 154) similarly shows that fitfluencers' videos (posing and authenticity vs. lifehack), induce more appearance comparison and more contrastive comparison feelings, which lead to less body satisfaction, as in Study 2. They also induce more assimilative comparison feelings, which lead to a greater workout intention. Exercise behavior did not differ across all three video types. As in Study 1, no significant differences between fitfluencers' videos (posing and authenticity) were found. This study contributes to social comparison theory and fitfluencer literature by showing that assimilative and contrastive comparison feelings drive different dependent variables.
A Meta-analysis of the Effects of Sponsorship Disclosure in Influencer Marketing
To disclose or not? Despite valuable insights on the impact of influencer disclosure, marketers and influencers remain hesitant. This research quantitatively integrates 288 effect sizes from 37 studies involving 12,721 participants to draw generalized conclusions. Our findings reveal that influencer sponsorship disclosure increases persuasion knowledge and brand recall, but reduces credibility, while its overall effects on attitude and conative responses are insignificant. To address the heterogeneity in affective and conative consumer responses, and guide disclosure practices, we identify four moderator groups—disclosure characteristics, stimulus characteristics, consumer characteristics, and controls—and examine their moderating effects through a meta-regression model. Our findings suggest that sponsorship disclosure is more effective when disclosed by others (vs. the influencer), presented as a hashtag (vs. a statement), longer in length, appeared in video (vs. text or image) post, and shown to adults (vs. children and adolescents). This research is significant for influencers, marketers, and policymakers in promoting ethical and effective consumer communication.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-024-09757-z
Authors: Xia Liu, Hong Zhao
ABSTRACT
To disclose or not? Despite valuable insights on the impact of influencer disclosure, marketers and influencers remain hesitant. This research quantitatively integrates 288 effect sizes from 37 studies involving 12,721 participants to draw generalized conclusions. Our findings reveal that influencer sponsorship disclosure increases persuasion knowledge and brand recall, but reduces credibility, while its overall effects on attitude and conative responses are insignificant. To address the heterogeneity in affective and conative consumer responses, and guide disclosure practices, we identify four moderator groups—disclosure characteristics, stimulus characteristics, consumer characteristics, and controls—and examine their moderating effects through a meta-regression model. Our findings suggest that sponsorship disclosure is more effective when disclosed by others (vs. the influencer), presented as a hashtag (vs. a statement), longer in length, appeared in video (vs. text or image) post, and shown to adults (vs. children and adolescents). This research is significant for influencers, marketers, and policymakers in promoting ethical and effective consumer communication.
A New Social Media Programme for Brands? A Study of the Relationship Between Virtual Influencers and Brand Followers
The use of virtual influencers has become a crucial component of brand marketing strategies on social media platforms. This approach offers a novel form of marketing that enables deep engagement, high controllability, and cost-efficiency. Nevertheless, the phenomenon has not been sufficiently studied by researchers. To further examine the relationship between a brand's virtual influencers and its followers, we created a comprehensive dataset comprising 30,090 pieces of content posted by brands using virtual influencers on TikTok between September 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024. The findings of our study yield several important insights into the ways in which brands utilize virtual influencers. Firstly, previous studies have concentrated on the potential positive or negative effects of virtual influencers on their follower numbers. Our findings indicate that the impact of a brand's utilization of virtual influencers on its social media follower count does not adhere to a straightforward, linear trajectory. Instead, it exhibits an inverted U-shaped relationship. Secondly, user behavior acts as a mediator between brand virtual influencers and brand followers. Specifically, affected U-shaped relationship exists between brand virtual influencers and social media user engagement behaviors and user repost behaviors, which in turn affect the number of brand followers. Furthermore, it was determined that virtual influencer interaction behaviors moderated the inverted U-shaped relationship between virtual influencers and user engagement behaviors and user repost behaviors. This study innovatively incorporates the perspective of ‘the uncanny valley effect’ to reveal the complexities of the relationship between virtual influencers and brand followers and provides a comprehensive framework for brands to develop effective strategies utilizing virtual influencers.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104241
Authors: Zhiwei Guo, Hongtao Yang, Wang Yang
ABSTRACT
The use of virtual influencers has become a crucial component of brand marketing strategies on social media platforms. This approach offers a novel form of marketing that enables deep engagement, high controllability, and cost-efficiency. Nevertheless, the phenomenon has not been sufficiently studied by researchers. To further examine the relationship between a brand's virtual influencers and its followers, we created a comprehensive dataset comprising 30,090 pieces of content posted by brands using virtual influencers on TikTok between September 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024. The findings of our study yield several important insights into the ways in which brands utilize virtual influencers. Firstly, previous studies have concentrated on the potential positive or negative effects of virtual influencers on their follower numbers. Our findings indicate that the impact of a brand's utilization of virtual influencers on its social media follower count does not adhere to a straightforward, linear trajectory. Instead, it exhibits an inverted U-shaped relationship. Secondly, user behavior acts as a mediator between brand virtual influencers and brand followers. Specifically, affected U-shaped relationship exists between brand virtual influencers and social media user engagement behaviors and user repost behaviors, which in turn affect the number of brand followers. Furthermore, it was determined that virtual influencer interaction behaviors moderated the inverted U-shaped relationship between virtual influencers and user engagement behaviors and user repost behaviors. This study innovatively incorporates the perspective of ‘the uncanny valley effect’ to reveal the complexities of the relationship between virtual influencers and brand followers and provides a comprehensive framework for brands to develop effective strategies utilizing virtual influencers.
“Planting” Meat Substitutes in the Meat Shelf: An Online and Two Supermarket Field Experiments to Explore the Effect of Placing Meat Substitutes Next to Meat
Positioning of retail assortments is a powerful way to create a choice architecture that facilitates consumers’ sustainable product choices, for example the shift from animal-derived to plant-based proteins which benefits both planetary and public health. From the perspective of categorisation theory, we investigate whether changing choice architecture, specifically positioning meat substitutes in the meat shelf, increases purchases of meat substitutes and decreases meat sales, in two field experiments in two large supermarket chains in The Netherlands and a lab experiment. In field Study 1a, we positioned all meat substitutes in the meat shelf, which backfired and led to a decrease in meat substitute sales. In lab Study 1b, we explored the effect of merging meat substitutes into the meat shelf which shifted meat substitutes towards the meat category in the mind of consumers. In field Study 2, we placed a selection of meat substitutes in the meat shelf, while maintaining a separate vegetarian shelf. Positioning a selection of meat substitutes in the meat shelf led to an increase in meat substitute sales over the long term, especially amongst meat-eaters and flexitarians. However, meat sales did not decrease in both field studies. Maintaining a separate vegetarian shelf is important to keep serving meat reducers (i.e., vegans, vegetarians, and flexitarians). Altering choice architecture in the supermarket is an effective tool in enhancing sales of meat substitutes and sustainable alternatives in general.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104223
Authors: M. van der Meer, E.M. Schruff-Lim, M.C. Onwezen, A.R.H. Fischer
ABSTRACT
Positioning of retail assortments is a powerful way to create a choice architecture that facilitates consumers’ sustainable product choices, for example the shift from animal-derived to plant-based proteins which benefits both planetary and public health. From the perspective of categorisation theory, we investigate whether changing choice architecture, specifically positioning meat substitutes in the meat shelf, increases purchases of meat substitutes and decreases meat sales, in two field experiments in two large supermarket chains in The Netherlands and a lab experiment. In field Study 1a, we positioned all meat substitutes in the meat shelf, which backfired and led to a decrease in meat substitute sales. In lab Study 1b, we explored the effect of merging meat substitutes into the meat shelf which shifted meat substitutes towards the meat category in the mind of consumers. In field Study 2, we placed a selection of meat substitutes in the meat shelf, while maintaining a separate vegetarian shelf. Positioning a selection of meat substitutes in the meat shelf led to an increase in meat substitute sales over the long term, especially amongst meat-eaters and flexitarians. However, meat sales did not decrease in both field studies. Maintaining a separate vegetarian shelf is important to keep serving meat reducers (i.e., vegans, vegetarians, and flexitarians). Altering choice architecture in the supermarket is an effective tool in enhancing sales of meat substitutes and sustainable alternatives in general.
“A Contribution Shared Is a Contribution Halved”: The Influence of Tie Strength‐Based Disclosure Strategy on Potential Donors' Donation Amounts
Donation-based crowdfunding platforms have increasingly applied disclosure strategies to encourage potential donors to contribute. However, most existing research has not studied the efficacy of showing donors' information by considering the tie strength between the disclosed donors and potential donors. This research was intended to investigate the interactive effects of disclosing donors' information and the tie strength between disclosed and potential donors on potential donors' donation amounts, employing the conceptual frameworks of the we-mode and I-mode. Through three online between-subject experiments (Ntotal = 801), we found that when there was a strong tie between disclosed and potential donors, the disclosure of donors' information led to a decrease in potential donors' donation amounts. The propensity to co-represent contribution (i.e., the extent to which potential donors take into account the contributions from disclosed donors along with their own as a joint contribution to a donation-based crowdfunding project) drove the process. Moreover, we also confirmed the boundary condition of recipient type. When the recipient was a group (vs. individual), the negative effect of the propensity to co-represent contribution on the donation amount was reversed, resulting in the disclosure of donation information from strong-tie contacts boosting the donation amounts of potential donors. The results challenged the intuition that disclosing social information always increased individuals' donation amounts and complemented the empirical evidence of the negative impact of social information disclosure.
Paper Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mar.22179?af=R
Authors: Jing Zhao, Wenya Pang
ABSTRACT
Donation-based crowdfunding platforms have increasingly applied disclosure strategies to encourage potential donors to contribute. However, most existing research has not studied the efficacy of showing donors' information by considering the tie strength between the disclosed donors and potential donors. This research was intended to investigate the interactive effects of disclosing donors' information and the tie strength between disclosed and potential donors on potential donors' donation amounts, employing the conceptual frameworks of the we-mode and I-mode. Through three online between-subject experiments (Ntotal = 801), we found that when there was a strong tie between disclosed and potential donors, the disclosure of donors' information led to a decrease in potential donors' donation amounts. The propensity to co-represent contribution (i.e., the extent to which potential donors take into account the contributions from disclosed donors along with their own as a joint contribution to a donation-based crowdfunding project) drove the process. Moreover, we also confirmed the boundary condition of recipient type. When the recipient was a group (vs. individual), the negative effect of the propensity to co-represent contribution on the donation amount was reversed, resulting in the disclosure of donation information from strong-tie contacts boosting the donation amounts of potential donors. The results challenged the intuition that disclosing social information always increased individuals' donation amounts and complemented the empirical evidence of the negative impact of social information disclosure.
Contextual Effects of Color on Food Choices: Red Ambient Color Induces Indulgence
This research examines how red ambient color in restaurants/cafeterias influences food choices. Prior research shows that red directly related to a food product (such as on nutrition labels or plates/cups) leads to avoidance of unhealthy foods. Yet, many successful fast-food restaurants (e.g., McDonald's and Dairy Queen) use red in their ambiance, suggesting that in the context of food/eating, ambient red may have a different meaning than product-related red. Indeed, the current research shows that consumers associate ambient red (e.g., wall color) with unhealthy restaurants. The presence of ambient red (vs. blue, gray, or white) leads to greater preference for unhealthy (i.e., high calorie, high fat, and indulgent) food options because consumers draw on ambient factors to make inferences about products sold in a retail establishment and then choose contextually appropriate products. The effect is moderated by the extent to which a consumer associates red with unhealthy restaurants. This research highlights how, in the context of food/eating, the placement of red influences its meaning and ultimately whether consumers approach or avoid unhealthy foods.
Paper Link: https://myscp.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcpy.1445?af=R
Authors: Courtney Szocs, Annika Abell, Ruta Ruzeviciute, Yeseul Kim, Dipayan Biswas
ABSTRACT
This research examines how red ambient color in restaurants/cafeterias influences food choices. Prior research shows that red directly related to a food product (such as on nutrition labels or plates/cups) leads to avoidance of unhealthy foods. Yet, many successful fast-food restaurants (e.g., McDonald's and Dairy Queen) use red in their ambiance, suggesting that in the context of food/eating, ambient red may have a different meaning than product-related red. Indeed, the current research shows that consumers associate ambient red (e.g., wall color) with unhealthy restaurants. The presence of ambient red (vs. blue, gray, or white) leads to greater preference for unhealthy (i.e., high calorie, high fat, and indulgent) food options because consumers draw on ambient factors to make inferences about products sold in a retail establishment and then choose contextually appropriate products. The effect is moderated by the extent to which a consumer associates red with unhealthy restaurants. This research highlights how, in the context of food/eating, the placement of red influences its meaning and ultimately whether consumers approach or avoid unhealthy foods.
“No Time to Buy”: Asking Consumers to Spend Time to Save Money is Perceived as Fairer Than Asking Them to Spend Money to Save Time
Firms often ask consumers to either spend time to save money (e.g., Lyft's “Wait & Save”) or spend money to save time (e.g., Uber's “Priority Pickup”). Across six preregistered studies (N = 3631), including seven reported in Appendix S1 (N = 2930), we find that asking consumers to spend time to save money is perceived as fairer than asking them to spend money to save time (all else equal), with downstream consequences for word-of-mouth, purchase intentions, willingness-to-pay (WTP), and incentive-compatible choice. This is because spend-time-to-save-money offers reduce concerns about firms' profit-seeking motives, which consumers find aversive and unfair. The effect is thus mediated by inferences about profit-seeking and attenuates when concerns about those motives are less salient (e.g., for non-profits). At the same time, we find that spend-money-to-save-time offers (e.g., expedited shipping) are more common in the marketplace. This research reveals how normatively equivalent trade-offs can nevertheless yield contradictory fairness judgments, with meaningful implications for marketing theory and practice.
Paper Link: https://myscp.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcpy.1444?af=R
Authors: Maria Giulia Trupia, Franklin Shaddy
ABSTRACT
Firms often ask consumers to either spend time to save money (e.g., Lyft's “Wait & Save”) or spend money to save time (e.g., Uber's “Priority Pickup”). Across six preregistered studies (N = 3631), including seven reported in Appendix S1 (N = 2930), we find that asking consumers to spend time to save money is perceived as fairer than asking them to spend money to save time (all else equal), with downstream consequences for word-of-mouth, purchase intentions, willingness-to-pay (WTP), and incentive-compatible choice. This is because spend-time-to-save-money offers reduce concerns about firms' profit-seeking motives, which consumers find aversive and unfair. The effect is thus mediated by inferences about profit-seeking and attenuates when concerns about those motives are less salient (e.g., for non-profits). At the same time, we find that spend-money-to-save-time offers (e.g., expedited shipping) are more common in the marketplace. This research reveals how normatively equivalent trade-offs can nevertheless yield contradictory fairness judgments, with meaningful implications for marketing theory and practice.
How Allusion Enhances Consumer Response to Hope Appeals in Health Messaging
While fear appeals often appear in health-oriented Public Service Announcements (PSAs), three experiments demonstrate that a positive appeal, hope, can be effectively used in PSAs to promote healthy eating when combined with an allusion, a type of figurative language. Specifically, Study 1 uses eye-tracking to establish that allusion moderates hope’s encouragement of visual attention and engagement. Study 2′s experiment illustrates how allusion moderates hope’s influence on message outcomes. Study 3 tests whether self-efficacy mediates the relationships between hope and allusion on message outcomes using Hayes PROCESS modeling. Results support self-efficacy’s mediation of the hope-allusion interaction on message response outcomes. One contribution is the investigation of a multimodal allusion incorporating both visual and verbal elements and its ability to enhance message effectiveness. This study also advances the theoretical understanding of the use of positive emotional appeals and the power of self-efficacy to account for their effects in health promotion PSAs.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115237
Authors: Pia A. Albinsson, Bruce A. Huhmann, Bidisha Burman
ABSTRACT
While fear appeals often appear in health-oriented Public Service Announcements (PSAs), three experiments demonstrate that a positive appeal, hope, can be effectively used in PSAs to promote healthy eating when combined with an allusion, a type of figurative language. Specifically, Study 1 uses eye-tracking to establish that allusion moderates hope’s encouragement of visual attention and engagement. Study 2′s experiment illustrates how allusion moderates hope’s influence on message outcomes. Study 3 tests whether self-efficacy mediates the relationships between hope and allusion on message outcomes using Hayes PROCESS modeling. Results support self-efficacy’s mediation of the hope-allusion interaction on message response outcomes. One contribution is the investigation of a multimodal allusion incorporating both visual and verbal elements and its ability to enhance message effectiveness. This study also advances the theoretical understanding of the use of positive emotional appeals and the power of self-efficacy to account for their effects in health promotion PSAs.
The B2B Sharing Economy: Framework, Implications, and Future Research
The sharing economy (SE) has disrupted several sectors. Thus far, this has mainly occurred in consumer markets. Research has therefore focused on these sectors, leaving a research gap regarding the emergence of the SE in business-to-business (B2B) markets. We address this gap by first developing a literature-based framework defining the B2B SE as a service system composed of at least three actors (triadic + ), including an asset-light, intermediating platform that links at least two organizations, with one paying for temporary access to a physical asset from the other organization, for which granting this access is an ancillary service outside of the core business. We also delineate the B2B SE from related concepts, such as cooperatives and co-owning. Second, we provide managerial implications for platforms, incumbents, asset owners, and policymakers. Third, we outline areas for future research, for example, disruption trajectories, incumbent reactions, and the dark side of the B2B SE.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115244
Authors: Sabine Benoit, Katrin Merfeld, Vivian S.C. Tunn, Tobias Schaefers, Tor Wallin Andreassen
ABSTRACT
The sharing economy (SE) has disrupted several sectors. Thus far, this has mainly occurred in consumer markets. Research has therefore focused on these sectors, leaving a research gap regarding the emergence of the SE in business-to-business (B2B) markets. We address this gap by first developing a literature-based framework defining the B2B SE as a service system composed of at least three actors (triadic + ), including an asset-light, intermediating platform that links at least two organizations, with one paying for temporary access to a physical asset from the other organization, for which granting this access is an ancillary service outside of the core business. We also delineate the B2B SE from related concepts, such as cooperatives and co-owning. Second, we provide managerial implications for platforms, incumbents, asset owners, and policymakers. Third, we outline areas for future research, for example, disruption trajectories, incumbent reactions, and the dark side of the B2B SE.
The Role of Social Norms in Retirement Saving: Evidence From Two Natural Field Experiments
Under-saving for retirement is a challenge for society, businesses, and individuals. Therefore, behavioral interventions that promote saving are valuable for economic and social well-being. Previous research demonstrates that retirement saving can be influenced by social-psychological mechanisms such as peer effects and norms. However, few large-scale experiments have investigated the role of different types of social norms in boosting retirement savings. Even fewer studies have examined how the time-framing (e.g., focusing on the present choice of saving vs. the future benefits of current saving) of such norms influences behavior. This paper provides real-life experimental evidence on the effects of (1) descriptive vs. injunctive norms on retirement saving behavior across two stages of the decision-making process (information search and saving behavior), and (2) the time-framing of such norms. Specifically, we conduct two large-scale field experiments on Norway-based bank customers in their online user interface, testing the effects of different norm messages on actual saving behavior. Study 1 (N = 455,509) finds that although injunctive (vs. descriptive) norms lead to higher click-through rates, descriptive norms are more effective than injunctive norms in increasing actual retirement savings. In essence, information about what most other people do (descriptive norms) was more effective in changing behavior than expert opinion on what one should do (injunctive norms). In Study 2 (N = 224,000), we vary descriptive norms across two saving schemes in a 2 (descriptive norm: present-focused vs. future-focused) X 2 (scheme: save-more-tomorrow vs. save-more-today) design. We find stronger effects of present-focused descriptive norms than future-focused descriptive norms in general, driven by differences in the save-more-today scheme. Effect sizes were generally small, but economically meaningful due to the low intervention costs of large-scale implementation. As a whole, our findings broaden the understanding of how social norms and their time-framing influence long-term saving behavior.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115201
Authors: Trond Døskeland, Jareef Bin Martuza, Lars Jacob Tynes Pedersen, Francisco Santos, Hallgeir Sjåstad, Helge Thorbjørnsen
ABSTRACT
Under-saving for retirement is a challenge for society, businesses, and individuals. Therefore, behavioral interventions that promote saving are valuable for economic and social well-being. Previous research demonstrates that retirement saving can be influenced by social-psychological mechanisms such as peer effects and norms. However, few large-scale experiments have investigated the role of different types of social norms in boosting retirement savings. Even fewer studies have examined how the time-framing (e.g., focusing on the present choice of saving vs. the future benefits of current saving) of such norms influences behavior. This paper provides real-life experimental evidence on the effects of (1) descriptive vs. injunctive norms on retirement saving behavior across two stages of the decision-making process (information search and saving behavior), and (2) the time-framing of such norms. Specifically, we conduct two large-scale field experiments on Norway-based bank customers in their online user interface, testing the effects of different norm messages on actual saving behavior. Study 1 (N = 455,509) finds that although injunctive (vs. descriptive) norms lead to higher click-through rates, descriptive norms are more effective than injunctive norms in increasing actual retirement savings. In essence, information about what most other people do (descriptive norms) was more effective in changing behavior than expert opinion on what one should do (injunctive norms). In Study 2 (N = 224,000), we vary descriptive norms across two saving schemes in a 2 (descriptive norm: present-focused vs. future-focused) X 2 (scheme: save-more-tomorrow vs. save-more-today) design. We find stronger effects of present-focused descriptive norms than future-focused descriptive norms in general, driven by differences in the save-more-today scheme. Effect sizes were generally small, but economically meaningful due to the low intervention costs of large-scale implementation. As a whole, our findings broaden the understanding of how social norms and their time-framing influence long-term saving behavior.
From Social Feeds to Market Fields: How Influencer Stories Drive Market Innovation
One post at a time, social media influencers are transforming markets. From beauty to technology, they are changing the way consumers form opinions and engage with the marketplace. Yet, past marketing scholarship has predominantly portrayed influencers as brand intermediaries—conduits for amplifying brand messages and appealing to a wider audience. This brand-centric perspective overlooks the broader role that influencers play in reshaping entire markets and thus restricts our understanding of influencers’ importance in market systems. In this study, we examine how stories shared by influencers drive market innovation, the process by which new ideas, practices, and technologies reshape markets. Drawing on an ethnographic approach to a unique context—Indian farmers who have become influencers on social media—we document how social media stories spread new ways for followers to understand and behave in the market, with consequences that change the market system itself. We thus reveal how influencers contribute to market innovation, while uncovering the narrative dynamics that drive their impact. These findings should spur new ways of thinking about and engaging with influencers. Instead of focusing solely on influencers’ role as brand intermediaries, managers and policy makers need to harness their market innovation capabilities.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2025.03.001
Authors: Julien Cayla, Kushagra Bhatnagar, Rajesh Nanarpuzha, Sayantan Dey
ABSTRACT
One post at a time, social media influencers are transforming markets. From beauty to technology, they are changing the way consumers form opinions and engage with the marketplace. Yet, past marketing scholarship has predominantly portrayed influencers as brand intermediaries—conduits for amplifying brand messages and appealing to a wider audience. This brand-centric perspective overlooks the broader role that influencers play in reshaping entire markets and thus restricts our understanding of influencers’ importance in market systems. In this study, we examine how stories shared by influencers drive market innovation, the process by which new ideas, practices, and technologies reshape markets. Drawing on an ethnographic approach to a unique context—Indian farmers who have become influencers on social media—we document how social media stories spread new ways for followers to understand and behave in the market, with consequences that change the market system itself. We thus reveal how influencers contribute to market innovation, while uncovering the narrative dynamics that drive their impact. These findings should spur new ways of thinking about and engaging with influencers. Instead of focusing solely on influencers’ role as brand intermediaries, managers and policy makers need to harness their market innovation capabilities.
Utilizing Managerial Beliefs for Set Identification of Price Elasticities of Demand
Data-driven decision-making is increasingly prevalent but can clash with managerial beliefs, risking biased decisions. A prime example is pricing strategy optimization, where traditional methods for estimating price elasticities of demand often lead to counter-intuitive results due to model misspecification and the reliance on single-point estimates. To address this, we propose utilizing structural vector-autoregressions (SVARs) to generate identified sets of elasticities, integrating managerial beliefs into the analysis to improve decision-making processes. Using weak restrictions about the directional effects of supply and demand shocks on sales and prices, and assumptions about the functioning of in-store promotions effectively sharpens the identified sets. Specifically, we analyze the demand for beer at a large scale for 1,953 stores in the US. For many stores (i.e., at least 40%), both recent endogeneity-robust single-equation methods and alternative identification strategies for SVARs used in marketing studies yield positive price elasticity estimates that oppose behavioral fundamentals. Hence, these are hardly informative for designing pricing strategies. Instead, the suggested approach to set identification yields elasticity estimates that are sufficiently precise to improve the design of retail pricing strategies and offer insights into customer’s distinct price sensitivities in grocery and drug stores. Overall, our approach emphasizes the importance of combining data-driven analysis with managerial insights for evidence-based decision-making.
Paper Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-025-01090-9
Authors: Haschka, R.E., Herwartz, H.
ABSTRACT
Data-driven decision-making is increasingly prevalent but can clash with managerial beliefs, risking biased decisions. A prime example is pricing strategy optimization, where traditional methods for estimating price elasticities of demand often lead to counter-intuitive results due to model misspecification and the reliance on single-point estimates. To address this, we propose utilizing structural vector-autoregressions (SVARs) to generate identified sets of elasticities, integrating managerial beliefs into the analysis to improve decision-making processes. Using weak restrictions about the directional effects of supply and demand shocks on sales and prices, and assumptions about the functioning of in-store promotions effectively sharpens the identified sets. Specifically, we analyze the demand for beer at a large scale for 1,953 stores in the US. For many stores (i.e., at least 40%), both recent endogeneity-robust single-equation methods and alternative identification strategies for SVARs used in marketing studies yield positive price elasticity estimates that oppose behavioral fundamentals. Hence, these are hardly informative for designing pricing strategies. Instead, the suggested approach to set identification yields elasticity estimates that are sufficiently precise to improve the design of retail pricing strategies and offer insights into customer’s distinct price sensitivities in grocery and drug stores. Overall, our approach emphasizes the importance of combining data-driven analysis with managerial insights for evidence-based decision-making.