How and why (imagined) online reviews impact frontline retail encounters

This research examines how frontline retail employees respond to customers whom they think might write an online review about their experience. Across six experiments (one field and five online) we illustrate that when employees identify potential online review authors, often by what the customer says or does, it catalyzes them to deliver better service. This ensues because they experience a rise in determination to do well, motivated by the prospect of being associated with a positive review, which they believe will impress the retailer. Thus, they go ‘above and beyond’. However, determination is tempered by two boundary conditions. When employees (i) do not consider that being associated with an online review is beneficial (i.e., not goal relevant) or (ii) feel poorly equipped to serve the customer (i.e., low in self-efficacy), then a better service delivery will not occur. We also prove that retailers can enhance customer service through internal championing of the importance of online reviews, so long as this is framed as promotional rather than punitive

Why Museological Merchandise Displays Enhance Luxury Product Evaluations:An Extended Art Infusion Effect

As retailers are increasingly turning to museum and art gallery inspired techniques for displaying luxury products (museological display formats), we investigate whether such staging elicits more favorable product evaluations. Providing an extension to Hagtvedt and Patrick's (2008) classic art infusion effect, we propose that artistic essence is transferred to displayed merchandise via a second-order spillover effect, enhancing its perceived luxury to consumers. Across three experiments, the museological display format outperformed a more conventional, non-museological product display. Consumers reported higher purchase intentions, via a process whereby the merchandise was first perceived as being more luxurious and then less risk inducing. Explanations for why the museological display heightened perceptions of product luxury relating to service expectations, contamination, and visual appeal were also tested, but support for the extended art infusion effect remained undiminished

BA Leverhulme Food Waste Interview Data

A set of thirty two (32) interview transcripts from a BA Leverhulme funded project entitled 'Surmounting the food waste loss aversion curse: Consumer-led strategies for combating the problem of overstocking'. (Grant Ref: SG162571)

The animosity transfer process:Consumer denigration of foreign sponsors and testing potential mitigation strategies

Purpose: sponsorships involving foreign brands are ubiquitous, but those involving a company from an animosity-evoking country can adversely affect rather than enhance domestic consumers’ attitude towards the brand. This paper explains the mechanisms by which brand denigration occurs, introducing and validating a model of the animosity transfer process as well as considering if various framing and timing strategies attenuate or lead to adverse consumer responses.Design/methodology/approach: study 1 tests the animosity transfer model, utilizing a scenario in which English consumers respond to a German brand sponsoring the England soccer team. Study 2 assesses the generalizability of the model in the context of Indian consumers’ responses to sponsorship of their cricket team by a Chinese company, and the extent to which an honest framing of the sponsorship choice through the announcement affects outcomes. Study 3 returns to an England-Germany country dyad, testing whether priming consumers with information about the sponsorship prior to a full announcement, attenuates or intensifies the impact of animosity on the studied outcomes. Findings : the three studies demonstrate that when consumers learn of a sponsorship, it triggers an evaluation process in which the agonistic emotion (anger) they feel plays a pivotal role. More intense emotional appraisals weaken perceptions of sponsor-sponsee congruence, which together act as consecutive process variables mediating the relationship between animosity and sponsorship outcomes. Framing the sponsorship announcement with an honest justification for the partnership can improve outcomes but not amongst those with the highest animosity. Providing consumers with an advanced warning (preannouncement) of the sponsorship also amplifies consumers’ unfavorable evaluations showcasing how difficult animosity is to manage in this context.Originality/value: the animosity transfer model aids understanding of the mechanisms by which animosity affects brand attitude for foreign (out-group) sponsors. It identifies how animosity generates agonistic emotions and in turn weakens perceived fit between the sponsor and sponsee, leading to adverse consumer responses.<br/

Let’s (NOT) get physical:Cross-format dilution when launching physical counterparts with unique digital assets

As brands seek new revenue streams in the metaverse, selling unique digital assets (UDAs)—like virtual sneakers, artwork, or clothing—represents a promising opportunity. But does offering both digital and physical versions help or hurt in driving favorable consumer responses (e.g. intention to purchase, willingness to pay)? Across six experiments, we find that digital-only UDAs generate stronger purchase interest than those paired with a physical counterpart. This happens because also adding a physical version of the asset reduces the sense that the digital item is truly unique—making it feel less special and less “yours” to the individual. We label this a cross-format dilution effect. Nonetheless, brands can choose to sidestep this by limiting access to the physical version (e.g., display-only) or by releasing the digital item before the physical one

"To Chat-GPT or not to Chat-GPT":Navigating the paradoxes of generative AI in the advertising industry

Generative AI technology is evoking both excitement and fear about its potential impact across a host of industries—including advertising, where it is expected to have a significant disruptive effect. This article utilizes the paradox lens to explore the implications of text-to-text generative AI in the form of ChatGPT for the advertising industry. Drawing on 48 interviews with advertising professionals, we identify three operational paradoxes that are associated with conducting research, creativity, efficiency, and one psychological paradox related to work identity. To gain a competitive advantage, we urge practitioners to adopt a confrontation-based coping strategy to navigate these paradoxes. This can be mobilized via an ambidexterity or contingency paradox management approach. We outline specific tactics in this article.</p

The role of photograph aesthetics on online review sites:Effects of management- versus traveler-generated photos on tourists’ decision-making

Tourists searching for information about destinations on online review sites are concurrently exposed to two different photo aesthetics, professional (produced by destination managers) and amateur (generated by guests). While the former is glossy and sharp, the latter is often grainy and overexposed. Although aesthetics are important factors in tourist decision-making, the effects of the exposure to both types of photo aesthetics remain largely unexamined. This research investigates how both types of aesthetics, either singularly or in combination, affect a destination’s visual appeal and tourists’ booking intentions through four controlled experiments (N = 1282). Our results show that despite the ‘messy’ beauty in amateur aesthetics, photos with professional aesthetics make a depicted destination appear more visually appealing, ultimately driving booking intentions. However, the negative effects of amateur aesthetics are mitigated when (i) viewed by risk-averse tourists, (ii) presented alongside positive reviews, and (iii) accompanied by a greater number of professional photos

To ChatGPT, or not to ChatGPT : navigating the paradoxes of generative AI in the advertising industry

Generative AI technology is evoking both excitement and fear about its potential impact across a host of industries—including advertising, where it is expected to have a significant disruptive effect. This article utilizes the paradox lens to explore the implications of text-to-text generative AI in the form of ChatGPT for the advertising industry. Drawing on 48 interviews with advertising professionals, we identify three operational paradoxes that are associated with conducting research, creativity, efficiency, and one psychological paradox related to work identity. To gain a competitive advantage, we urge practitioners to adopt a confrontation-based coping strategy to navigate these paradoxes. This can be mobilized via an ambidexterity or contingency paradox management approach. We outline specific tactics in this article