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Consumer Attitudes (consumer + attitude)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Business, Economics, Finance and Accounting	69%
Humanities and Social Sciences	11%
4 Other Domains	20%

Selected Abstracts

Exploring the nutrition and lifestyle knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of student home economics teachers: baseline findings from a 4-year longitudinal study

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 4 2008
Mary Isobelle Mullaney
Abstract It is widely acknowledged that obesity linked with reduced exercise contributes to health problems, and that, conversely, individuals who embark on weight reducing diets may become deficient in key nutrients. It is often advocated that these problems, which can be grouped together as poor dietary practice, be tackled through education. This study attempts to examine the relationship between nutrition education and lifestyle behaviours in a select group of third level students. The Irish Home Economics curriculum aims to teach secondary school pupils about nutrition and lifestyle practices conducive to health. However, the attitudes and lifestyle practices of those teaching this subject have never been examined in Ireland. The purpose of the present 4-year longitudinal study, whose first year findings are presented here, is to investigate the nutrition and lifestyle knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of a cohort of Irish student home economics teachers over the 4 years of their Bachelor of Education (Home Economics) degree course. The study was designed to explore possible changes in knowledge, attitudes and practices over the course of their professional education. Nutritional knowledge was measured using a 220-question adapted version of the test devised by Parmenter and Wardle. Attitudes were measured using a questionnaire adapted from the Pan-EU Survey on Consumer Attitudes to Physical Activity, Body-weight and Health. Food, alcohol consumption and exercise were measured using a 7-day reported dietary/exercise diary. Nutrient intake data were determined using dietary analysis. Weight, height and waist circumference were measured and body mass index (BMI) calculated. When starting college, student home economics teachers have broadly similar anthropometric, dietary and lifestyle characteristics to those of their contemporaries. Mean BMI was identical [24.4 kg/m2 (SD 4.3)] to that reported in the North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey (NSIFCS) for those aged 18,35 years, although energy intakes were significantly higher in the cohort of student teachers (P = 0.000). Thirty-eight per cent were overweight or obese vs. 33.6% in the NSIFCS. Only 17% (n = 6) of students achieved an intake of 300 µg/day of folate as recommended by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and only one the recommended intake of non-starch polysaccharides (18 g/day). One in three students in this study smoke (16 of 48) and alcohol consumption was high. Only one student was very active. Students scored a mean of 55% (SD 8%) on the knowledge test, with similar scores attained for specific aspects of nutritional knowledge (i.e. food groups, constituents of foods, current dietary advice, nutrients, lifestyle practices). However, knowledge of nutrition definitions was weaker with a mean score of 31% (SD 8.6%). Students had a positive attitude towards food choice, the link between food and health and control over their own diet. Similar attitudes towards exercise, smoking and alcohol consumption were displayed despite students perceiving themselves as not having a balanced diet, having insufficient exercise and having regretted something done as a result of consuming alcohol. They appear to display optimistic bias in relation to health risks. These findings provide baseline data for the longitudinal study and indicate that those choosing to pursue a career as a home economics teacher in Ireland have similar nutritional and lifestyle characteristics to those of their contemporaries. [source]

Consumer attitude and behaviour towards tomatoes after 10 years of Flandria quality labelling

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 9 2008
Wim Verbeke
Summary In recent years, trust in food safety and food quality has decreased as a result of consecutive food crises. Consequently, numerous quality labels signalling process-related credence characteristics have been established. One of these labels is the Belgian Flandria quality label for fresh fruit and vegetables. Based on cross-sectional data collected through a self-administered consumer survey (n = 373), this paper addresses consumer attitudes, behaviour and perception towards tomatoes in general, and the Flandria tomato label in particular. Buyers, who constitute 26.8% of the sample, perceive Flandria tomatoes as superior to other tomatoes because of their guarantee of origin, better taste and stricter production control. However, they also report the strongest perception of Flandria as an ordinary tomato as compared to non-buyer segments. Overall, findings indicate that the Flandria label , after being intensively used for 10 years for a wide range of other fruits and vegetables besides tomatoes , has become fairly standard for tomatoes with little perceived differentiation apart from its certified production and origin. [source]

Consumer attitudes towards debt in an islamic country: managing a conflict between religious tradition and modernity?

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 3 2008
Alhassan G. Abdul-MuhminArticle first published online: 10 APR 200
Abstract Saudi Arabia is an important country in the Islamic world, and Islam prohibits the payment and receipt of interest, a key component of modern commercial bank loans. Yet the levels of commercial bank lending in the country for private non-commercial purposes has been rising sharply for the past decade. This study seeks an explanation for this increase by examining the nature of consumer attitudes towards debt in the country, and whether the increasing levels of consumer debt can be explained by existing positive debt attitudes. Using data from a convenience sample of consumers in the major cities of the country, the study finds general debt attitudes to be surprisingly positive, though tempered by the consumption purpose for which the debt is acquired. However, the positive attitudes are unrelated to actual debt acquisition. Rather, socio-demographic differences in attitudes are similar to those reported in the literature. Attitudes are generally more positive among young, highly educated Saudi males than other socio-demographic groups. This suggests a possible struggle to manage a conflict between the Islamic prohibition of interest-based borrowing and demands of the modern economy. [source]

Consumer attitudes and acceptance of genetically modified organisms in Korea

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 3 2003
Hyochung Kim
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were first used to designate micro organisms that had had genes from other species transferred into their genetic material by the then-new techniques of ,gene-splicing.' Cultivation of GMOs has so far been most widespread in the production of soybeans and maize. The United States holds almost three-fourths of the total crop area devoted to GMOs. Because many crops have been imported from the US, there is a large possibility for consumers to intake the products of GMOs in Korea. The safety of GMOs is not scientifically settled at this time, however. Additionally, the research regarding the GMOs issue of consumers has rarely been conducted in Korea. This study therefore focused on the consumer attitudes about GMOs and willingness to purchase them. The data were collected from 506 adults living in Seoul, Daegu and Busan, Korea, by means of a self-administered questionnaire. Frequencies and chi-square tests were conducted by SPSS. The results of the survey were as follows. First, the consumer concerns about GMOs were high but recognition was low; many respondents answered they did not have exact information about GMOs, although they had heard about them. Second, almost 93% of the respondents desired the labelling of GMOs. Third, the level of acceptance of GMOs was high; two-thirds of the respondents showed that they were willing to buy GMOs. Finally, many respondents worried about the safety of GMOs in that 73% of the respondents primarily wanted to be informed about safety of GMOs. This study suggests that the consumer education about GMOs should be conducted through mass media and consumer protection organisations. [source]

Consumer attitudes towards the use of routine outcome measures in a public mental health service: A consumer-driven study

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 2 2008
David Guthrie
ABSTRACT:, In this study conducted by consumer consultants, 50 consumers who have a Barwon Health case manager (the majority of whom were nurses) were interviewed using a structured questionnaire to ascertain their attitudes towards the routine use of outcome measures. Forty participants (80% of those interviewed) reported they had been offered the Behaviour and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS-32) to complete in routine care by their case managers and of those, 95% (n = 38) completed it. On those who completed the BASIS-32, 42% said their case manager had explained what the BASIS-32 would be used for, 45% said that the case manager had discussed their responses with them, 76% stated that completing the BASIS-32 had helped the case manager to understand them better and 66% believed that completing the BASIS-32 had led to them receiving better care. Only 30% of the group interviewed were aware that their case manager regularly completed a Health of the Nation Outcome Scales and Life Skills Profile. Feedback about the process of completing the BASIS-32 was obtained as well as suggestions on how the process may be improved. The results indicate that consumers see the benefit of routine outcome measurement and believe it leads to improved care. More information about outcome measures, including the clinician-rated outcome measures, needs to be provided to consumers if they are to be engaged constructively in this exercise. [source]

Consumer attitudes towards self-referral with early signs of cancer: implications for symptom awareness campaigns

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NONPROFIT & VOLUNTARY SECTOR MARKETING, Issue 4 2007
Douglas Eadie
Traditionally, secondary prevention programmes have employed mass screening approaches to assess for asymptomatic signs of cancer. It has been suggested that early detection strategies, involving public education and self-referral may prove more cost-effective, with low-risk populations for cancers with symptomatic presentation. The success of public education approaches is dependent on careful consideration of the psycho-social factors of self-examination and referral. This paper presents the findings from an exploratory study, using qualitative methods with an at-risk population of older people living in deprived communities in west-central Scotland. The study examines consumer perceptions of the early detection of cancer and the cultural barriers to self-referral, as well as response to aspects of communication strategy. The implications for design of symptom awareness campaigns, including use of message appeals, specification of target symptoms, identification of target audience and selection of communication channels, are discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Consumer attitudes towards the future and some purchase patterns

JOURNAL OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, Issue 6 2005
Francisco-Jose Sarabia-Sanchez
Abstract The research detailed in this paper had two objectives. First, to carry out an exploratory analysis and a measurement of consumer attitudes towards the future (CATF). Secondly, to check whether a stronger or weaker attitude permits the detection of differences in some purchase patterns. After a review of the literature, an empirical study, representative of the Spanish population, is presented. A two-dimensional structure of CATF and its acceptable goodness-of-fit with the statistical Weibull function were found. Hypotheses related to the adoption of purchasing patterns were also contrasted. The results disclose that a higher CATF is found when consumers have a clear idea of what they want to buy, are loyal to their usual outlets, prefer to pay cash and are not spendthrift. Finally, several future research directions are proposed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Consumers' attitudes, knowledge, self-reported and actual hand washing behaviour: a challenge for designers of intervention materials

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 3 2003
D.A. Clayton
Cross contamination by microbial pathogens in the kitchen environment may play an important role in many cases of food borne illnesses. Hand washing has been shown to be one of the most important factors in controlling the spread of microorganisms and in preventing the spread of disease. However, educational campaigns such as distribution of information leaflets, workshops, performance feedback and lectures have been, at best, associated with a transient improvement in compliance rates. In addition, the majority of research investigating UK consumers' food safety behaviour has examined self-reported as opposed to actual hand washing behaviour. This research utilises psychological theory in an attempt to understand how one might design a more effective hand washing campaign. Social cognition models were utilised to explore the relationship between consumers' knowledge, attitudes, self-reported and actual hand washing behaviour. The research was conducted in two stages. Firstly, salient beliefs of 100 consumers towards food safety were obtained using open-ended questions. Secondly, the food handling practices of 40 consumers were observed and their food safety attitudes and knowledge determined using structured questionnaires. All the participants were knowledgeable about hand washing techniques, intended to wash their hands and generally had positive attitudes towards the importance of washing their hands. However, none of the participants adequately washed their hands on all appropriate occasions. The attitude statement results suggest measures of perceived behavioural control, perceived barriers and perceived risk may provide developers of food safety intervention materials with more useful information compared with measures of consumers' knowledge or intention. Issues of habit and optimistic bias also need to be given consideration when designing intervention materials to change hand washing behaviour of consumers. [source]

Consumer-based assessment of product creativity: A review and reappraisal

HUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE INDUSTRIES, Issue 2 2006
Diana Horn
In the current value-based economy, organizations compete to match customer needs and requirements by adding various types of value to products or programs. One example of this added value is product creativity, which is defined as the originality and appropriateness of a product that elicits a positive affect compatible with the consumer or judge. In this article, the authors review current research on creativity, product development, and consumer behavior and reappraise the current tools to measure product creativity. The overall conclusion of this review and reappraisal is that whereas product creativity shows relevance to consumer behavior, a more detailed model of product creativity and measurement tool needs to be developed and validated before fully understanding the impact of product creativity on consumer attitudes and purchase intentions. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 16: 155,175, 2006. [source]

Consumer attitudes towards debt in an islamic country: managing a conflict between religious tradition and modernity?

Consumer attitudes and acceptance of genetically modified organisms in Korea

Consumer attitude and behaviour towards tomatoes after 10 years of Flandria quality labelling

A model of wine tourist behaviour: a festival approach

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Issue 3 2008
Jingxue (Jessica) Yuan
Abstract The study constructs a temporal model of wine tourist behaviour on the basis of the social psychologist' theory of consumer attitudes and related concepts with regard to past behaviour, satisfaction, perceived value and behavioural intentions. More importantly, this study added two dimensions to this model by proposing that satisfaction and perceived value had an impact on the attendees' intentions (i) to visit a local winery and (ii) to buy local wine products. Using a path analysis approach and data collected from the attendees at a regional wine festival, the study examined the above relationships. The results of this path analysis can be summarised as: (i) past behaviour influenced the intention to revisit and the level of perceived value, but had no effect on the level of satisfaction; (ii) perceived value strongly affected the level of satisfaction; (iii) satisfaction had a strong impact on future intentions to revisit and also an effect on intentions to visit local wineries and to buy local wine products; and (iv) perceived value affected the intentions to revisit the festival and to visit local wineries but did not influence the intentions to buy local wines. It is believed that the results of the present study will be useful to organisers of wine festivals and/or wine tourism developers. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Consumer attitudes towards the future and some purchase patterns

E-scapes: The electronic physical environment and service tangibility

PSYCHOLOGY & MARKETING, Issue 2 2003
Stephen K. Koernig
Tangible cues in a firm's physical environment play an important role in affecting consumer attitudes and behavior (Baker, Berry, & Parasuraman, 1988; Bitner, 1990, 1992; Darden & Babin, 1994; Donovan & Rossiter, 1982; Zeithaml, 1981). The physical environment has typically been conceptualized as in-store variables such as lighting, music, color, smell, and store layout, but the Internet has created a new type of electronic physical environment, the e-scape, based in cyberspace. This research investigates the role of tangibility in maximizing the effectiveness of an e-scape for service firms. The effectiveness of the Berry and Clark (1986) documentation, physical representation, and association strategies is explored by empirically examining the impact of Web sites employing these strategies on attitudinal and behavioral measures. The results suggest that the documentation strategy is effective for increasing the tangibility of services and elicits more positive evaluations of the service and the Web site, higher unaided recall, and higher loyalty. The results also indicate that the physical representation strategy is more effective than the association strategy in certain conditions. The mechanism driving these effects is described and managerial implications are discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Voluntary simplicity and the ethics of consumption

PSYCHOLOGY & MARKETING, Issue 2 2002
Deirdre Shaw
The increased levels of consumption that have accompanied our consumer-oriented culture have also given rise to some consumers questioning their individual consumption choices, with many opting for greater consumption simplicity. This link between consideration of actual consumption levels and consumer choices is evident among a group of consumers known as ethical consumers. Ethical consumers consider a range of ethical issues in their consumer behavioral choices. Particularly prevalent is voluntary simplification due to concerns for the extent and nature of consumption. Through the presentation of findings from two qualitative studies exploring known ethical consumers, the relationship of consumer attitudes to consumption levels, and how these attitudes impact approaches to consumer behavior, are discussed. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source]

How can domestic households become part of the solution to England's recycling problems?

BUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, Issue 2 2005
Teresa Smallbone
Abstract A waste disposal problem of looming proportions, coupled with a lack of sufficient public engagement in the preferred alternative to disposal, which is recycling, continues to perplex English policy-makers. Based on both a literature review across a wide range of disciplines and a national survey of consumer attitudes towards their own participation in recycling, this paper finds that past efforts at increasing recycling have been based on an implied model of consumer recycling behaviour that is not supported by what happens in practice. By disentangling thinking about recycling behaviour from academic thinking about green consumerism, the paper considers the waste and recycling problem from a different angle. It suggests that research on the personal values of people who recycle could be utilized in marketing communications that show these values being fulfilled by recycling. Focusing greater marketing attention on people who already claim to recycle, and helping them through better communication and improved practical help, could achieve much higher levels of reclaimed materials. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source]

Sensory Analysis: Relevance for Prebiotic, Probiotic, and Synbiotic Product Development

COMPREHENSIVE REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND FOOD SAFETY, Issue 4 2010
Adriano G. Cruz
For probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic foods, which have shown continuous and significant consumption in the functional food category, the choice of an appropriate technique allows obtaining relevant sensory information that contributes to consumer acceptance. This review focuses on the importance of sensory analytical techniques in prebiotic and probiotic food product development. Examples of the most known sensory methodologies applied to these important functional foods are presented, as well as some considerations about consumer attitudes that can influence acceptance of these products. Moreover, applications of such techniques on functional product evaluation are provided. [source]

Impacts of health and environmental consciousness on young female consumers' attitude towards and purchase of natural beauty products

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 6 2009
Soyoung Kim
Abstract This study investigated young female consumers' beauty product shopping behavioural patterns, their perceived importance of product attributes, and their attitude towards and purchase of natural beauty products. This study also examines whether consumers' product attitudes and shopping behaviours are influenced by their health and environmental consciousness. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 210 female college students enrolled at a south-eastern university in the US. In order to examine the impacts of both health and environmental consciousness on other selected variables, the respondents were divided into four groups based on their scores on the two variables, and a series of analysis of variance were conducted to compare characteristics of the four groups. The results showed that health and environmental consciousness significantly influenced the importance placed on beauty product attributes. Additionally, those with a high level of both health and environmental consciousness were significantly more positive in their evaluations than those with low scores on both variables in their perceptions of natural beauty products. Those with low scores on both variables were significantly less willing than the other groups to pay more for natural beauty products. Analysis of variance results also indicated that the two groups with a high level of environmental consciousness purchased natural beauty products more frequently than those with a low level of health and environmental consciousness, indicating a relatively stronger impact of environmental consciousness than health consciousness on frequency of natural beauty product purchases. Health and environmental consciousness were both significantly related to a respondent's perceived level of knowledge of beauty products and ability to distinguish natural from conventional beauty products. [source]

Chinese Consumers' Attitudes Toward U.S.- and PRC-Made Clothing: From a Cultural Perspective

FAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES RESEARCH JOURNAL, Issue 1 2002
Dong Shen
To investigate the role of acculturation variables (Western behavioral adoption, adherence to traditional values) in explaining Chinese consumers' attitudes toward U.S.-made and PRC-made clothing, 3,000 consumers from large Chinese cities were surveyed. Responses were received from 870 men and 999 women. Results of a paired sample t test revealed that Chinese consumers' attitudes toward U.S.-made clothing were more favorable than attitudes toward PRC-made clothing. In addition, results of simple regression analyses revealed a positive relationship between attitudes toward U.S.-made clothing and Western behavioral adoption and a negative relationship between attitudes toward PRC-made clothing and Western behavioral adoption. In a related way, simple regression analyses revealed a negative relationship between attitudes toward U.S.-made clothing and degree of adherence to traditional Chinese values and a positive relationship between attitudes toward PRC-made clothing and degree of adherence to traditional values. Implications and ideas for future research are also addressed. [source]

Teens' consumer interaction styles: the impact of assertive and aggressive behaviour on attitudes towards marketing practices

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 2 2010
Christy Crutsinger
Abstract Over half-billion global teens between the ages of 13 and 18 years represent a dynamic opportunity for marketers who wish to grow their businesses and build consumer loyalty. Consumer interaction styles are the consistent behaviour patterns that individuals employ in transactions or exchanges in the marketplace. Assertiveness and aggressiveness represent two distinct interaction styles that enable individuals to achieve a desired outcome. Because teen consumers are an important consumer segment and subscribe to the notion that their voices must be heard, understanding their interaction styles is necessary for businesses and marketers. The purpose of this study was to examine teens' consumer interaction styles according to specific demographic and lifestyle characteristics and investigate the impact of assertive and aggressive interaction styles on attitudes towards marketing practices (i.e. product, retailing, advertising, and pricing). Data were collected from a US teen sample (n = 467) at both rural and urban high schools. Independent t -tests compared the propensity of teens' assertive and aggressive consumer interaction styles according to specific demographic and lifestyle characteristics. Structural Equation Modeling using AMOS 6.0 program was performed to test the hypothesized relationships. Results indicated that an assertive interaction style was pervasive among US teen consumers, while the aggressive interaction style had disparities according to unique demographic and lifestyle characteristics. Assertive and aggressive interaction styles demonstrated negative influences on teen consumers' attitudes towards products and retailing practices. By interpreting the negative impact of teens' assertive and aggressive consumer interaction styles, marketers can develop effective strategies that appeal to this demanding consumer. [source]

Consumer evaluation of net utility: Effects of competition on consumer brand selection processes

JAPANESE PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2001
Michel Laroche
This study explores how brand-related information is integrated within a competitive environment. Specifically, we develop a structural equation model of competition between two brands, which includes each brand's price-quality characteristics (i.e., net utility). The model simultaneously tests how the net utility of the focal and competing brands affects consumers' attitudes, intentions, and choice regarding the focal brand. This study extends existing research with the findings that price-quality evaluations of a focal brand and net utility perceptions of competing brands influence consumers' attitudes, intentions, and choice regarding the focal brand. Thus, in order to attract consumers to their brands, marketers should focus not only on improving the performance and net utility of their own brands, but also on studying competing brands in the marketplace. [source]

Comparative Advantage in Demand: Experimental Evidence of Preferences for Genetically Modified Food in the United States and European Union

JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 1 2006
Jayson L. Lusk
Q130; Q170; Q180; C190 Abstract The United States (US) exports more than US$6 billion in agricultural commodities to the European Union(EU) each year, but one issue carries the potential to diminish this trade: use of biotechnology in food production. The EU has adopted more stringent policies towards biotechnology than the US. Understanding differences in European and American policies towards genetically modified (GM) foods requires a greater understanding of consumers' attitudes and preferences. This paper reports results from the first large-scale, cross-Atlantic study to analyse consumer demand for genetically modified food in a non-hypothetical market environment. We strongly reject the frequent if convenient assumption in trade theory that consumer preferences are identical across countries: the median level of compensation demanded by English and French consumers to consume a GM food is found to be more than twice that in any of the US locations. Results have important implications for trade theory, which typically focuses on differences in specialization, comparative advantage and factor endowments across countries, and for on-going trade disputes at the World Trade Organization. [source]

Australian consumers' attitudes toward France a decade after nuclear testing: evidence of forgiveness

JOURNAL OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, Issue 4 2009
Louise A. Heslop
Surveys of Australian consumers before, during, and after French nuclear testing in the Pacific in 1995 show clear evidence of negative reaction of consumers to the testing with regards to their ratings of France and French products. Although beliefs about French products did not decline following the announcement of the planned testing, evaluative feelings, and behavioral orientation towards France, the French and French products did. However, by 2005 behavioral orientation to French products, as well as attitudes to France and the French had more than recovered. The components of attitudes to products and country-people are examined in the context of theories of forgiveness to understand processes that could explain such a recovery. Implications for researchers and marketers in the increasingly frequent situations of international tensions are discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Sensory enabling technology acceptance model (SE-TAM): A multiple-group structural model comparison

PSYCHOLOGY & MARKETING, Issue 9 2008
Jiyeon Kim
Sensory enabling technology (SET) can deliver product information that is similar to the information obtained from direct product examination, thus reducing product risk. In addition, the interactivity and customer involvement created by sensory enabling technologies can enhance the entertainment value of the online shopping experience. The proposed model examined this dual role of sensory experience enablers in the online soft goods shopping process for three types of sensory enabling technologies that are widely applied in online retail sites. The results provided empirical support for perceived usefulness and perceived entertainment value as strong predictors of consumers' attitudes toward using all three of the sensory enabling technologies tested in this study. The impact of perceived ease of use differed by technology. Attitudes toward using sensory enabling technologies had a significant impact on the actual use of all three SETs; however, the impact of technology anxiety and innovativeness on the use of SET also appeared to differ by technology. Virtual try-on played a strong hedonic role, increasing the entertainment value of the online shopping process, whereas 2D views (larger view and alternate views) showed a strong functional role. The 3D rotation view served both functional and hedonic roles. The results indicate that each sensory enabling technology makes a unique contribution to online shopping,either by reducing product risk perceptions or by increasing perceived entertainment value. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

What if your dentist looked like Tom Cruise?

PSYCHOLOGY & MARKETING, Issue 1 2002
Applying the match-up hypothesis to a service encounter
Research in advertising suggests the positive effects of spokesperson attractiveness only enhance consumers' attitudes if the attractiveness of the spokesperson matches up with the image of the product (Kahle & Homer, 1985; Kamins, 1990; Parekh & Kanekar, 1994). This study examines the effects of service provider physical attractiveness and tests the application of the match-up hypothesis to the service encounter. Provider physical attractiveness (high, moderate, low) and service type (related or unrelated to attractiveness) were varied in a 3 × 2 factorial design. The experimental results suggest that when service-provider attractiveness is congruent with the image of the service, consumers' ratings of service quality and their attitudes toward the service provider will be maximized. The results are explained with the use of a schema-based information-processing paradigm. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source]