ABSTRACT. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has led to a widespread adoption of chatbots that complement or replace human agents in customer service. While chatbots provide cost and time savings, they likely fail to recognize emotions and respond appropriately. Thus, they may not be suitable to service recovery. Our study investigates how a chatbot vs. a chatbot with human fallback affects customers’ perceptions of cognitive and affective empathy, complaint satisfaction, word-of-mouth, and purchase intentions for less and more severe service failures. Our results for more severe failures show that the more positive effect of a chatbot with a human fallback works through perceived cognitive empathy on complaint satisfaction, word-of-mouth, and purchase intention. Interestingly, there are no such effects through perceived affective empathy and for less severe failures. Consequently, companies that are often faced with complaints about severe service failures should implement a human fallback option to mitigate negative effects and trigger more positive customer reactions.

ABSTRACT. Voice Assistants (VA) have been widely integrated into various aspects of everyday life, also in the context of online shopping. They can offer personalized recommendations, assist in narrowing down product choices, and provide a conversational experience for users (Hoyer et al., 2020). Despite the growing adoption of VA in smart speakers and mobile phones (e.g., Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung Bixby), particularly among millennials, Generation Z has not shown as high a level of savviness with these technologies (eMarketers, 2020). Generation Z, born 1995-2012, is a crucial demographic due to growing purchasing power, yet only 16% of this group reports using VA in online shopping regularly (McKinsey & Company, 2023). This research study explores Generation Z's perception of VA for online shopping and whether they follow VA product recommendations. To answer the research objective, the study uses a multi-method approach, combining the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET), a survey, and a product choice experiment with eye-tracking to assess cognitive, emotional, and attentional factors that shape Generation Z's decision-making when using VA for online shopping.

ABSTRACT. The emergence of humanlike service robots is substantively changing services marketing, with emphasis on consumer service and consumer experience. We aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of factors characterizing humanlike robots which most influence consumer behavior in services settings. Through a systematic literature review, we suggest that important factors affecting the interactions between customers and humanlike service robots are service robot anthropomorphism and service context. Specifically, the interactions are not only affected by the level of anthropomorphism and by different humanlike features, but also the circumstances in which humanlike service robots are deployed. Based on the review findings we propose a future research agenda. We suggest that future research should focus on impacts of different categories or combinations of humanlike features and approaches to mitigate uncanny effects. Besides, as customers’ needs and expectations of robot functions vary across service contexts, more research is needed to explore the roles of humanlike service robots in different industries, use cases, and service scenarios.

ABSTRACT. The present study took as its research object chatbots, which are an intelligent conversational tool currently shaping e-commerce activities thanks to technological developments. The aim of this study is to propose a new definition of chatbots, given the lack of consensus in the literature regarding the definition of chatbots and the appropriate terminology to use. Through a qualitative study involving 12 experts in intelligent conversational tools, we propose that a complete definition of what a chatbot is, should consider a technical, experiential and operational aspects, while retaining two distinctive criteria, namely the exchange space and the exchange medium.

ABSTRACT. This research examines the negative repercussions of exclusive promotions on untargeted consumers and how brand relationships can influence responses. Findings indicate that consumers in communal relationships are more sensitive to hedonic benefit exclusions, which increases their entitlement and self-conscious emotions, leading to more negative brand evaluations and lower patronage intentions.

ABSTRACT. Crossmodal correspondences refer to associations between features across different modalities (such as vision, sound, taste, touch, and smell), whose (in)congruent use may lead to enhanced consumer perception and attitudes, among other effects. This systematic literature review examines high-impact studies on crossmodal correspondences and their sensory-related effects over the past two decades (2003-2023). The focus is on clear applications to consumer experiences and, more broadly, to the marketing domain. Using the SPAR-4-SLR protocol and the ADO-TCM framework (antecedents-decisions-outcomes-theories-contexts-methods), the review aims to present a state-of-the-art on the topic and propose a research agenda.

ABSTRACT. Cause-related marketing is a marketing activity distinct from sales promotion, corporate philanthropy, and public relations; actually, it is a mix of all these. Varadarajan and Menon (1988) define CRM as “the process of formulating and implementing marketing activities that are characterized by an offer from the firm to contribute a specified amount to a designated cause when customers engage in revenue-providing exchanges that satisfy organizational and individual objectives.” Thus, the motives for engaging in CRM are not purely altruistic as both the business and the charity forge a partnership to achieve their own objectives and benefit. In this paper, we explore the effect of Pennies-a-Day (PAD) framing (Gourville 1998) on CRM attractiveness and participation intentions.

ABSTRACT. This study examines the impact of packaging's multisensory elements—specifically touch and visual aesthetics—on consumer perceptions of sustainability, quality, and purchase intention. Packaging is crucial in communicating product attributes, often influencing consumer decisions beyond mere containment. We explored how tactile feedback, color, and material affect consumer behavior through three studies. The first study found that tactile textures, like craft and embossed materials, heightened perceptions of sustainability and quality but did not significantly influence purchase intention. The second study revealed that while aesthetics alone did not drive purchase intent, perceived sustainability and quality mediated the effect of visual appeal, with Green Consumer Values amplifying this relationship. In the final study, carton and glass materials were rated higher than plastic regarding sustainability and quality perceptions, which positively impacted purchase intention. Findings suggest that natural, sustainable textures and materials enhance product perception, particularly for environmentally conscious consumers. For marketers and designers, prioritizing material simplicity and aligning color choices with product expectations may strengthen consumer engagement and drive purchasing behavior in the food and beverage sector.

ABSTRACT. After perceiving betrayals in the business relationship, when do aggrieved business buyers offer “a second chance” to offended suppliers? To answer this question, we draw on emotion theory in psychology and investigate how business buyers' emotions after betrayal incidents influence important relationship outcomes (e.g., satisfaction and trust), as well as their intention to manage the relationship, such as intention to expand the relationship. We focus on two negative discrete emotions, namely, anger (high-arousal) and sadness (low-arousal). Ordinary least squares results using survey data of 204 business professionals show that perceived betrayal is negatively related to satisfaction, trust, and intention to expand the relationship, after controlling for the relationship-, firm-, and individual-level, and time covariates. More importantly, our findings show anger and sadness have differential effects on how business buyers respond to perceived betrayal. Anger magnifies the detrimental effect of perceived betrayal on their relational outcomes and relationship management decision. In contract, sadness mitigates such detrimental effects of perceived betrayal. Our study contributes to the emerging literature on the role of emotions of business people.

ABSTRACT. While innovation search is crucial value during supply chain disruptions, not all firms invest in innovation search during such events. By using university-industry R&D alliances and the Covid-19 pandemic as analytical contexts, this research applies conservation of resource principles to argue that firms with high innovation output and those that benefit from R&D alliances before extreme disruption conditions face a major dilemma: whether to withdraw or increase investment in their current R&D alliances. This study develops a new theoretical perspective and provides empirical evidence to explain this dilemma about whether to invest in innovation search in a post-disruption condition. We posit that pre-disruption alliance impact and innovation output, individually and in tandem, drive post-disruption R&D alliance investment decisions under varying degrees of alliance partner rigidity. We empirically examine this argument using survey data from 203 multi-industry firms in the United Kingdom during the Covid-19 pandemic. The results reveal that interaction among pre-disruption alliance impact, innovation output, and alliance partner rigidity explain how R&D alliance investment reduces or increases post-disruption. The paper discusses the theoretical and practical implications of these results in the context of supply chain disruptions and innovation search behaviors.

ABSTRACT. This study explores the inconsistent branding of virtual healthcare (VHC) services and its implications. Despite the increasing adoption of VHC, driven by technology advancements and the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a lack of consistent branding and standardized terminology. This fragmentation has resulted in confusion, frustration, the destruction of value, and inefficiencies, affecting both patients and providers. Employing a grounded theory approach, researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with ten healthcare providers to gain their perspective on virtual healthcare and discover the factors contributing to its inconsistent branding and the consequences arising from it.

ABSTRACT. Healthcare is a critical and complex sector experiencing rapid transformation, with the push for improved care delivery driving the widespread adoption of healthcare technologies. The global market for these technologies projected to reach US$256.30 billion by 2027 (Statista, 2023). Although healthcare technologies hold transformative potential, a comprehensive review of the literature on transformative services reveals a gap in understanding their unintended impacts, especially on healthcare providers who may be either empowered or vulnerable. Previous research in transformative service research (TSR) has largely focused on identifying the factors that enable or hinder the adoption of specific healthcare technologies (Roettl et al., 2016), their intended positive effects (e.g., Mahajan et al., 2021), or their benefits for empowered end-users (Hollebeek et al., 2019). However, many studies overlook the unanticipated consequences of service improvement efforts on the wellbeing of other stakeholders, a gap highlighted by Ostrom et al. (2010). Given the significant increase in digital healthcare technologies, recent studies point to unexpected challenges arising in practice (e.g., Parkinson et al., 2022). This research, therefore, seeks to examine both the unintended positive and negative impacts of healthcare technologies on healthcare providers across varying levels of empowerment and vulnerability.

ABSTRACT. Travel vloggers are leading digital influencers in today’s era who share their opinions through vlogs and create influence on their audience. To better understand this phenomenon this research investigates their influence on creating destination as well as country image. Authors of this paper have chosen Pakistan as a destination to study, to accompany, travel vlogs of 2 solo female were considered. Authors have considered online comments of the audience, as the majority of their viewers had neither a positive nor adverse perception of Pakistan. The results revealed their practices as “grabbing the attention, self-discovery, viewers’ involvement and sharing information”. With theoretical and managerial aspects, this study offers a technique for employing netnography to detect destination and country image qualities.

ABSTRACT. Live streaming plays a crucial role in the real-time co-creation and sharing of travel experiences, as well as in product marketing and destination promotion. There is a growing body of research on the motivations of tourism live streamers and their behaviour while streaming. This study, using a live streamer-focused qualitative approach, aimed to: 1) explore the motivations and travel behaviours of tourism live streamers, and 2) develop a typology of live streamers based on their motivations for engaging in tourism live streaming. The findings provide detailed information on the motivations of live streamers and how viewers influence these typologies. Recommendations are offered for tour operators to better target their marketing efforts by partnering with streamers whose content aligns with their products or services.

ABSTRACT. Sustainability and tourism are intricately intertwined. While unsustainable tourism practices contribute to socio-cultural and ecological degradation, tourist destinations struggle with its effects. These effects manifest as damage to tourism infrastructure, deterioration of coastal ecosystems, and fluctuations in visitor demand influenced by unsustainable tourism. To manage this delicate balance, tourist destinations (hereafter “destinations”) invest in sustainability initiatives and practices to comply with regulations and meet the growing demand of sustainability-focused travelers. Persuasive communication of such strategic actions, called sustainability communication, can boost sustainability-consciousness among tourists, reduce their say-do gap, and contribute to the global objectives of climate actions. Understanding the interplay of destination sustainability communication (DSC) and travelers and sustainable intentions is critical for tourism destinations, which is the focus of the current research.

ABSTRACT. Government plays vital role in development as well destroying of nations. It makes policies that may help nations to grow faster and achieve international goals. This paper also utilizes approaches to explore and understand the efforts taken by Pakistani government and certain private sectors in order to bring positive change in its destination image in the eyes of tourists. ‘Multi-step model’ with 3 layered approach, ‘’source focused, message focused & audience focused’’ is employed to come up with the steps and strategies taken by travel agencies & government in order to develop positive destination image of Pakistan.

ABSTRACT. With ongoing urbanization and rising segregation in cities, mobility is a crucial factor for well-being and social inclusion. However, significant inequalities in access to transportation persist. AI-enabled mobility innovations are seen as potential solutions to these challenges, but their social impact remains largely unexplored. To assess the current state of research on the social impact of AI-driven mobility, we chose the TCCM framework. Our study emphasizes the potential for social exclusion in AI-driven autonomous mobility, highlighting that fear-based factors pose the greatest risk, affecting user acceptance through psychological barriers, followed by other reasons such as digital exclusion and the economic dimension. We also find that these mobility solutions could offer significant opportunities for social inclusion, particularly through improved time-based and physical dimensions, which could foster access to central facilities, and reduce transport costs through shared autonomous driving, thereby promoting broader societal equity and accessibility. The review highlights the need for a deeper social perspective to better understand the societal impacts of AI-enabled mobility. Our research offers guidance for researchers, policymakers, and planners in broadening their perspectives beyond the acceptance of AI-enabled mobility services to gain a deeper understanding of their social implications and opportunities.

ABSTRACT. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has become a key concern, pushing firms to search for optimal ways to achieve it and address criticisms of their current efforts. Yet evidence of whether firms’ DEI efforts are beneficial is lacking, and current research offers only an ambiguous DEI framework. Therefore, this study offers a multifaceted approach to analyze firms’ DEI disclosures (i.e., DEI events). The authors identify four key facets of DEI events: type (enhancing/undermining), target (workplace/marketplace), control (firm-controlled/non–firm-controlled), and specificity (specific/unspecific). Using an event study approach, they analyze investor reactions to 439 DEI events linked to 97 firms over eight years (2015–2022). The findings show that DEI events, when enhancing, foster a positive investor reaction, whereas DEI events categorized as undermining provoke negative reactions. The stakeholders involved, decision-maker influence, and the marginalized group in focus significantly alter investor responses. These findings can help managers craft effective DEI strategies using a multifaceted approach; they also shed light on the relative benefits of each facet, which can enable more efficient resource allocations to maximize firm benefits.

ABSTRACT. Despite AI’s increased efficiency and accuracy in many contexts, algorithm aversion, i.e., people’s biased preference for human recommendations over those of algorithms, is a well-documented phenomenon. We show a reversal of this phenomenon, referred to as algorithm appreciation, in the prevalent context of marketplace discrimination. Specifically, the current research documents people’s increased propensity to rely on AI-based recommendations over those proposed by human counterparts in the aftermath of marketplace discrimination. Such an increased preference happens because it serves as a coping strategy for consumers who have faced discrimination in the marketplace from other human actors. The results of a series of four lab studies and one field study provide consistent support for the proposed effect and document the underlying psychological mechanism driving this effect through perceived embarrassment. Using a moderated-mediation model, we identify a boundary condition by demonstrating that the focal effect, i.e., algorithm appreciation, remains valid under public consumption but diminishes under private consumption. Employing the natural setting of the field, we replicate our findings with actual consumers making real choices. Our findings have important implications (e.g., integrating AI-driven recommendation systems into firms’ platforms in sectors susceptible to marketplace discrimination and developing ethical guidelines for AI systems) for managers.

ABSTRACT. Current best practices among marketers recommend that messaging should make the customer feel like the protagonist in a brand story. By positioning the customer as the lead character, it is believed they will develop a stronger attachment to the brand. However, little research has explored the impact of who is presented as the story’s protagonist on consumer perceptions. This study challenges conventional wisdom by examining how consumer perceptions of a brand are impacted by the protagonist (customer vs. company founder) and the impact on perceptions of competence and, through competence, brand attachment. Additionally, the role of appeal type (hedonic vs. utilitarian) is considered. Through the lens of Narrative Transportation Theory, a moderated mediation relationship is proposed and tested via an experiment. Implications for both theory and practice are discussed.

ABSTRACT. This conceptual paper posits develops a model to expand the Narrative Empathy Theory (NET) past literary devices to audio-visual media. Specifically, four media will be tested to see which has the greatest effect on emotional empathy, cognitive empathy and sympathetic empathy toward a social justice issue. In addition, Narrative Involvement is included a a moderating variable in the model. The implications for social justice advocacy organizations is to use the most effective media that increases empathy toward the social justice issue. The media to be used in the study are podcasts, news features, documentaries, and short films. The social justice issue to be used is Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).

ABSTRACT. Despite in-feed social ads continuing to surge in global prominence, there is a surprising lack of focus on how brands nostalgically present their advertising language and content strategy. This study aims to investigate whether and how selecting a narrative perspective (first-person vs. third-person) and nostalgic content types (personal vs. historical) drives consumer masstige brand passion in Facebook timeline ads. Five experimental studies validate that aligning first-person narration with personal nostalgia boosts consumer masstige brand passion through social belonging. Conversely, third-person narration matched with historical nostalgia drives consumer masstige brand passion by eliciting brand identification. Moreover, self-monitoring moderates these effects. This study contributes theoretical insights into how strategic ad content management on social media platforms can strengthen consumers’ masstige brand passion. Managers in the B2C luxury sector will find this research invaluable if they: (i) seek clarity on the impact of in-feed social ads on social media, (ii) aim to leverage narrative-person and nostalgic-content matches to heighten passion for masstige brands but are uncertain which combination to prioritize, and/or (iii) intend to boost consumers’ self-expression motivations, such as social belonging and brand identification.

ABSTRACT. The current study focuses on a bibliometric analysis of biometrics on public service announcements (PSA) as a specific type of advertising. The use of biometrics, measured through physical and physiological responses (such as eye-tracking, facial expressions, or heart rate), has become increasingly valuable in advertising research. We apply bibliometric analysis and a systematic review to consolidate a large body of research on biometrics in PSA, revealing the social and structural connections among publications, journals, authors, and keywords.

ABSTRACT. Consumers are becoming increasingly attentive to the origin, quality and health attributes of the foods they choose. At the same time, awareness of the environmental and social consequences of food purchasing decisions is growing, with some consumers strongly driven by their ethical and sustainability concerns. Geographical Indications (GIs) are one mechanism to ensure that food production follows pre-set rules regarding quality and resource use. However, less is known about the long-term sustainability contributions of GIs, and how they influence consumer demand for GI products. This study aims to conduct a Systematic Literature Review of consumer and GI sustainability research to better understand key sustainability attributes and strategies that drive demand for GI products, as well as to explore effective ways to promote GIs that are aligned with healthy and sustainable diets. Findings reveal that while consumers value attributes like authenticity and traceability in GI products, barriers include low awareness, label confusion, and price premiums, which can limit demand. The study identifies the need for clear communication strategies to enhance consumer understanding of GIs' sustainability benefits. A conceptual framework is proposed to guide future research and policy development, emphasising GIs’ role in promoting healthier diets and sustainable development.

ABSTRACT. This study aims to examine the impact of behavioral factors, as outlined in the theory of planned behavior (attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control), alongside financial literacy and behavioural biases (herding, overconfidence, anchoring, representativeness, familiarity, disposition and mental accounting) on sustainable investment decisions among Gen Z and millennials. Data were collected from 333 respondents aged 19-43 through a survey. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that attitude and subjective norms significantly influence young adults’ intention to invest sustainably. Within behavioral biases, only herding and representativeness were found to have a significant effect. Financial literacy, was found to have significant negative impact on young adults' intention to invest sustainably. This research aims to comprehensively explore how behavioral factors shape young adults' intentions to engage in sustainable investing. Understanding behavioural factors that drive young adults to engage in sustainable investment is of critical importance, given younger generations’ growing influence on financial markets and their increased demand for socially responsible investment options.

ABSTRACT. The current manuscript is in keeping with series of studies that advocate for the bridging of gaps between marketing and linguistics. Such cross-fertilization is set to facilitating a more in-depth understanding of consumer psychology among marketplaces, sectors or domains where the role of language is cardinal – particularly to convey and grasp consumers’ feelings and thoughts related to a specific product, brand or retailer, as it posited by the experiential marketing paradigm. The purpose is to answer to the following question: to what extent language for specific purposes (LSP) can be used as a conceptual and marketing tool to better understand, design and enhance consumer experiences spreading out in swaying complex international markets? Indeed, LSP seems able to partially handle economic and cultural issues caused, on the one hand, by the standardization of supply and demand, and on the other hand, by a territorial anchorage leading to local affirmation. Implications for theory and practice will be developed at the conference with details regarding the contributions of combining language for specific purposes and marketing in studying the production of consumer experiences among contemporary marketplaces such as the wine industry and the rugby sector.

ABSTRACT. This study explores the use of large language models (LLMs) in niche market research, examining zero-shot prediction (ZSP) and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) for generating synthetic consumer responses. Silicon sampling, a method that employs LLMs to generate synthetic data to mimic human responses, offers a promising, cost-effective alternative to traditional data collection. Partnering with a mountain sports equipment brand considering a potential brand extension into racing bicycle clothing, this study examines how well synthetic data generated through four distinct silicon sampling approaches mimics real racing bicycle enthusiasts' responses. Results indicate that synthetic data generated with ZSP combined with sociodemographic data (approach 2) aligns with human responses. Conversely, integrating contextual data from a racing bicycle forum with RAG led to rather concentrated responses, revealing challenges in capturing human diversity. These findings underscore the potential of ZSP for niche markets while suggesting the need for greater contextual relevance in RAG. This research contributes to the silicon sampling literature by empirically testing four silicon sampling methods in niche market contexts. Further refinements in contextual data selection may enhance synthetic data accuracy in future analyses.

ABSTRACT. Large language models (LLMs) hold promise as scalable proxies for human participants in consumer behavior research, offering potential to streamline studies, reduce costs, and broaden access to behavioral insights in both academic and industry contexts. While prior research suggests that LLMs can replicate broad consumer trends and align with economic principles, they often struggle with individual-level nuances and exhibit biases, such as extremeness aversion. To date, no systematic assessment has defined the conditions under which LLMs succeed or fall short in predicting consumer behavior, creating risks of underuse or misapplication and potentially leading to unreliable outcomes.

This study addresses these limitations by systematically comparing LLM-predicted outcomes with human data across 13 peer-reviewed studies, applying replication methodologies to evaluate the alignment of effect sizes and confidence intervals across diverse consumer behaviors. By reanalyzing original data, it identifies specific conditions where LLMs can reliably serve as proxies. Findings reveal that while LLMs generally align with human-predicted effect sizes, they slightly overestimate smaller effects and struggle to predict interaction effects accurately. Additionally, this study introduces a methodological framework for rigorous assessment of LLM predictive validity.

ABSTRACT. The advent of big data has compelled firms to adopt innovative approaches for leveraging extensive datasets. Marketers now have unprecedented access to vast amounts of customer and market data. However, the utility of such data is often compromised by two major issues: substantial missing data within datasets and imbalanced data across different customer groups. Missing data can arise from various factors, such as data collection limitations or concerns about consumer privacy. Imbalanced data occurs when one class or group is significantly larger than others. Models trained on such datasets may become biased toward the majority class, as they have encountered more examples of that class during training. To address these issues, our study analyzed 32,860 real consumer samples from a major financial corporation. We implemented and assessed the effects of six different strategies to address the missing data and applied an oversampling technique for class balancing. Through comparative analysis, we evaluated the effectiveness of these strategies in improving model prediction accuracy. Multiple Imputation by Chained Equations (MICE) and the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE) emerged as optimal strategies for handling missing data and imbalanced data, respectively.

ABSTRACT. Management research often struggles to translate theoretical advancements into practical applications, leaving valuable insights underutilized. Despite attempts to align academic outputs with practitioners' needs, many scholarly contributions fail to achieve their intended impact. Central to this inquiry is the question of how to deepen our understanding of value in management research to better meet diverse users' expectations. We propose a marketing lens to bridge the theory-practice divide, reframing the research relevance gap as a marketing challenge. By employing a narrative literature review, we synthesize and critically analyze existing research on the relevance of management theory in practice. This approach uncovers novel interpretations and insights through reframing techniques, allowing for a deeper exploration of familiar ideas. We also examine similarities between established theories and new contexts through analogical modeling, which illuminates underlying principles by drawing parallels between distinct concepts. Applying an analogy to Service-Dominant (S-D) Logic, we evaluate how the notion of value shifts when expanding the focus from research outputs to accompanying services. Ultimately, this study emphasizes that value arises not only from research outputs but also from the accompanying services that enhance the overall user experience and optimize benefits derived from research.

ABSTRACT. AI models often lack the necessary cultural context to interpret and respond to diverse audiences effectively, leading to misinterpretations, offensive representations, and exclusion of certain cultural groups. Biased advertising content can reinforce harmful stereotypes about specific cultural groups, leading to negative perceptions and discrimination. This research paper addresses this need by developing a comprehensive framework for identifying and managing bias while promoting cultural sensitivity and fairness in AI-powered marketing. Using AI-generated advertisements in a multicultural context, this paper focuses on the following research questions: 1. What are the main cultural bias heuristics in AI-generated advertising content? 2. How significant is the presence of cultural biases in AI-generated advertising content? 3. What are the most effective AI-based models and methods for identifying and mitigating cultural bias in AI-generated advertising? The theoretical implications of this paper emphasize the need for a deeper understanding of AI’s role in intercultural communication and creativity within marketing. The variability observed in our results supports the argument that AI models must be better equipped to manage cultural differences to encourage more effective and ethical marketing practices.

ABSTRACT. Research on emotions in young adults highlights anger and hope as key drivers of pro-environmental actions. Righteous anger, linked to perceived injustices, fuels the desire for change and drives individuals to seek reparations, while hope provides a sense of purpose and optimism. Together, these contrasting emotions form a “moral battery” that is thought to stimulate motivation for action, though their specific impact on sustainable behaviors is still under-researched. This study investigates anger and hope in online discussions using a netnographic approach, focusing on young adults known for strong eco-conscious sentiments. Through content analysis of 28 Reddit threads on climate change, we identified central themes connected to these emotions. Notably, the study reveals parallels in how anger and hope are expressed and interconnected, offering a foundation for further research. Next steps will include in-depth interviews to understand how anger and hope manifest and interact, followed by quantitative analysis to test the combined influence of these emotions on pro-environmental behaviors. By recognizing consumer emotional complexity and introducing hope to counteract eco-anxiety, this research can help companies and institutions more effectively promote sustainable practices and foster meaningful connections with their eco-conscious consumers.

ABSTRACT. An increasing number of brands like Gucci and Nike are opening virtual stores in the metaverse and encouraging customers to interact with one another. However, we are yet to know whether the presence of others increases or decreases positive customers’ responses. This study aims to assess the impact of the presence (vs absence) of Human-controlled and/or AI-powered customers on consumers’ responses within and outside the metaverse. An online experiment among 185 participants from the UK reveals that the presence of other customers, independently of their type (Human or AI), increases feelings of social presence, and in turn, spatial presence, resulting in greater intentions to purchase both virtual and physical items.

ABSTRACT. Bi-residential consumers alternate residency between two different locations (bi-municipal, bi-regional, bi-provincial, bi-national) and nurture relationships with social networks (e.g., friends and family) at both locations. According to some estimates, the number of people who divide their time between two places, i.e., bi-residential consumers, has slightly increased, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic and the rise in telework. We submit that bi- residential consumption systems involve local products and brands that circulate in the two locations thanks to the bi- residential consumer. Thus, we propose other ways of experiencing consumption, relationships between customers and companies, and collaboration between consumers in geographically dispersed consumer networks. Based on an exploratory study of 29 semi-structured interviews followed by a grounded theory analysis, this research explores the circulation of local products and brands enacted by bi-residential consumers with geographically dispersed networks across two places. The results show that two new consumption systems are emerging at the frontier between conventional and collaborative consumption: bi-residential and delegated consumption. In these two consumption systems, the bi-residential consumer mediates the relationship between the retailer and the final consumer, thus informally extending the retailer's downstream value chain. Bi-residential and delegated systems occur at the interstice between conventional and collaborative consumption.

ABSTRACT. This study explores sales teams composition. The purpose of this study is to explore whether task complexity influences the level of functional diversity (team composition) in terms of how this relationship ultimately influences outcomes of Team Potency, Team Effectiveness, and Customer Relationship Performance.

ABSTRACT. In today’s competitive business environment, it is crucial for organizations to enable and support revenue generation across various functions. Revenue enablement, which extends beyond traditional sales enablement, focuses on equipping all revenue-generating functions with the capabilities and resources needed to drive growth. This research delineates the domain of revenue enablement, introduces its theoretical foundations, and presents the concept of Revenue Enablement Ecosystem & Readiness (REER). Drawing on theories such as the resource-based view, dynamic capabilities, market orientation, and relationship marketing, the study contributes to the literature by offering the first framework for identifying the key constituencies of revenue enablement. This framework outlines the processes, systems, and technologies, along with the direct and indirect revenue generating functions, that support the customer journey and customer experience. Additionally, by introducing the conceptual framework of REER, we highlight the importance of a holistic approach and organizational readiness in effectively implementing and managing revenue enablement. This research enhances both academic and executive understanding of the challenges in cross-functional revenue generation, aiming to drive seamless and effective revenue enablement.

ABSTRACT. Customer value has been a cornerstone of business marketing for almost three decades, and firms seek to implement customer value-based strategies through a value-based selling approach. Yet, value-based selling gets more complicated with more sophisticated firm offerings, and more people are getting involved in buying processes. Prior research assumes an unequivocal positive performance impact of value-based selling and neglects to consider potential negative effects in specific contexts. Data from 171 salespeople and 55 sales managers working in different companies across various industries reveals that value-based selling has positive but also negative performance consequences in particular customer, firm, and salesperson contexts.

ABSTRACT. The main purpose of this study is to empirically verify meta-analytical conceptualizations and syntheses on predictors of salespeople’s performance in B2B sales. Specifically, the aim is to undertake a reality check of the seminal meta-analytical works reported by Churchill et al. (1985) and Verbeke et al. (2011).It is based on a cross-industrial sample of Norwegian product-oriented companies. Ultimately, 236 out of the 315 useful questionnaires were ultimately returned from participating salespeople that are actively involved in B2B sales generating a response rate of 74,9%.The results confirm a toolkit of 24 subdimensions (out of 28) across six areas on predictors of salespeople’s performance in B2B sales. The empirical evidence reported demonstrates satisfactory validity and reliability offering relevant and valuable insights into existing theory and best practice in B2B sales.The empirical evidence contributes to compile and synthesize the outcome of multiple independent studies. It also encapsulates multiple conditions required to optimize corporate performance in B2B sales. This study reconnects and unites the results reported in independent studies reported in literature. It establishes an empirically confirmed toolkit of valid and reliable conditions to develop best practices and the establishment of corporate standards for managers and salespeople in B2B sales.

ABSTRACT. SMI have become important brands endorsers. The topic is therefore receiving increased attention, with academics striving to understand what drives influencers effectiveness. Although earlier studies focused on SMI themselves, a recent stream began examining their relational side. However, the way relational variables determine SMI effectiveness is not fully understood. This study shows how SMI relational and individual characteristics are related and jointly contribute to followers’ purchase intention, contributing to a better understanding of underlying mechanisms. The study further reveals that the process is contingent to SMI’s number of followers. Academically, this study adds to the literature on influencer marketing effectiveness, by showing how SMI relational and individual characteristics - two literature streams developed almost independently, with limited reference to one another – are in fact related and jointly contribute to followers’ purchase intention. Managerially, findings show that marketers should establish partnerships with SMI according to their ability to share intimate details and develop parasocial relationships, particularly when dealing with macro-mega influencers. Regarding SMI, the results imply that they need to open their lives and build close relationships with their followers as this benefits their credibility and effectiveness.

ABSTRACT. This paper explores how social media influencers (SMIs) spread misinformation in branding contexts, leading to toxic engagement. Drawing from computationally intensive theory construction (CITC), this study integrates practical, theoretical, and methodological lexicons by combining top-down and bottom-up automated text analysis (ATA) techniques, qualitative thematic analysis, and grounded theorizing. Our top-down ATA reveals that brand-related misinformation shared by SMIs (compared to regular users) is linked to higher levels of toxic reactions. Through bottom-up ATA, we identify five categories of toxic discourse in response to misinformation: "anti-brand reactions," "C2C conflicts," "flame-bait firestorms," "toxic debunking," and "trolling and flaming.” Grounded theorizing further reveals that SMIs employ two mechanisms—brand-related misinformation legitimation and community enmeshment—to fuel toxic engagement. This study offers insights into how SMIs contribute to undesirable social media dynamics by spreading misinformation, and it bridges the gap between misinformation and online toxicity, highlighting the social repercussions for brand managers.

ABSTRACT. The literature documents that repeated exposures to promotional content may capture consumers’ attention and ideally motivate consumers to action (“conversion”). Nevertheless, the literature also recognize that excessive, frequent promotional campaigns may cause consumer fatigue, unresponsiveness or irritation. Considering that most of the influencer marketing occurs in social media, the effects of user exhaustion by interacting with influencer content is not fully understood. Our study examines the effects of influencer marketing fatigue on conversions. Specifically, the originality of this study lies in the exploration of the influencer effects on social media user conversion and purchase intentions, distinguishing it from the extensively studied topic of influencer engagement. Our study employs a survey research method, currently underway. The questionnaire includes a section of variable-related questions, which are adapted scales from previous studies. We anticipate scholarly and managerial implications. An understanding of the determinants of influencer fatigue may expand the social media fatigue literature by providing elements to model the effects of influence content overload on user intent to act or convert. The results may guide practitioners to find the right amount of information and avoid posting too frequently to the point that the user negatively reacts or simply ignores the influencer marketing content.

ABSTRACT. Social media influencers strive to establish themselves as credible and desirable sources of information for informed consumer purchase decisions. However, the surge in sponsored brand endorsements on social media has fueled consumer skepticism, undermining influencer credibility. This research proposes that deinfluencing—a type of social media content through which influencers discourage consumers from making specific purchases—can help restore influencer credibility. Drawing on influencer marketing research and attribution theory, we develop a research framework to explore the effects of deinfluencing content on consumers, influencers, and brands, focusing on short-form vertical videos. The outcomes of a pilot study reveal that the presence of deinfluencing content in influencer communications significantly enhances influencer credibility by fostering perceptions of altruism in their messaging. Additionally, the pilot study suggests that deinfluencing content may empower consumers to make more informed decisions while pressuring brands to improve accountability and product quality. In light of these preliminary findings, this study recommends that brands not overlook the growing trend of deinfluencing. Instead, they should develop proactive strategies to explore collaboration opportunities with influencers who share deinfluencing content and implement changes that mitigate the risk of being featured in deinfluencing videos.

ABSTRACT. In the recent past, the luxury market has come under spotlight due to the weak integration of green and sustainability practices. Whereas light-side personality traits impact green consumption, not much is known about dark-side personality traits. Narcissism, a complex dark-side personality trait with social implications, is one such trait. Narcissistic behavior holds negative connotations, while green behavior is considered desirable. Indeed, it is logical to assume that positive traits will propel sustainable behavior. However, the likelihood that narcissists’ luxury buying behavior may positively impact green outcomes as a counterintuitive consequence warrants further exploration. The present research aims to address this gap by examining green luxury consumption from a psychological perspective. Two experimental studies reveal that virtue signaling mediates the relationship between grandiose narcissism and green luxury consumption, whereas this does not hold true for the relation between vulnerable narcissism and green luxury consumption. Additionally, social exclusion moderates the relationship between grandiose narcissism and green luxury consumption, but this moderation effect of social exclusion does not apply to the relationship between vulnerable narcissism and green luxury consumption. This research concludes with insights for luxury brand managers.

ABSTRACT. This study examines the influence of luxury consumption by sustainable influencers. Studies have examined the social costs of luxury consumption regarding how luxury brand consumers are perceived by observers. However, how it applies to sustainable influencers is underexplored. Using a 2 x 2 experiment design, we test the effect of luxury consumption by sustainable influencers on consumer’s behavioral intentions. The results show that there is an interaction between the type of influencer (i.e., non-sustainable vs. sustainable) and brand consumption (i.e., non-luxury vs. non-luxury) such that when sustainable influencer displays luxury consumption, audiences’ social media intention and word-of-mouth (WOM) intention decrease, while this effect is not found when a sustainable influencer is not luxury consumers. This study offers important theoretical and managerial implications to sustainable influencers who rely on visual content featuring him/herself in content creation and luxury brand managers seeking to collaborate with influencers associated with sustainability.

ABSTRACT. The apparel industry is fraught with negative social and environmental issues, yet some brands stand out in their efforts to embrace sustainable practices and communicate them to consumers. This is a delicate task: How should brands best inform a skeptical audience about not only their own efforts but also about what sustainability in fashion means in the first place? We address this question by drawing on a secondary data set from six sustainable fashion brands including social media posts, published interviews, and press coverage, as well as their sustainability reports. Drawing on practice theory we unveil how these brands craft a meaning of sustainable fashion in a two-step process that involves grounding and amplifying. Grounding establishes new practice meanings around ethical sourcing, community engagement, and transparency. Amplifying involves the wide communication of this new meaning through practices of valorization, demonstration, and affirmation. Our research documents the communication strategies that allow sustainable fashion brands to impart a shared understanding of sustainability on the market. Their efforts help legitimize sustainability in fashion and counter the skepticism and mistrust sown by the greenwashing strategies that were prevalent in the industry for a long time.

ABSTRACT. This research explores the adoption of smart homes through the lens of assemblage theory and the transformative privacy calculus. With the increasing integration of artificial intelligence and internet of things devices, smart homes offer enhanced personalization and convenience but raise privacy concerns. By examining user interactions with smart home technologies, we investigate how assemblages of devices, services, and users reshape perceptions of trust and risk. Using natural language processing on user-generated data from app stores (N = 220,588 and 115,621) and YouTube (N = 640,543), along with a confirmatory experimental study (N = 300), we uncover emerging trends in smart home adoption, focusing on the tension between personalization and privacy. Our findings contribute to understanding how users, embedded in interconnected assemblages, balance these dynamics, providing theoretical insights and practical recommendations for technology developers aiming to improve user experience and foster trust in smart home ecosystems.

ABSTRACT. Across three studies, we analyze user responses to varying levels of AI agency in personalized services. This paper examines user adoption of AI-powered services by exploring how AI autonomy, user control, and AI centralization impact personalization, privacy risk, and trust. In Study 1, we find that AI autonomy does not significantly affect privacy perceptions. Users are willing to accept higher AI autonomy when the personalization benefits outweigh privacy risks, with well-being as a key mediator. Study 2 reveals that user control over their privacy have no significant impact on their willingness to interact with AI. Users prioritize personalization and trust over privacy risk. In Study 3, we show that a centralized AI, acting as an intermediary between user and their environment, enhances trust and reduces risk, fostering well-being and increasing intention to adopt. These findings challenge the notion of privacy as a barrier, suggesting it can be a managed benefit within AI services. This research contributes to AI and marketing literature by showing that AI configurations influence user perceptions, encouraging companies to emphasize privacy management as part of their value proposition.

ABSTRACT. This research explores the dynamics of human-AI interaction through Smart Wearable Devices (SWDs), investigating their potential to enhance user performance. Extending the theoretical frameworks of IT Identity, human-AI interaction, and enclothed cognition, we introduce a novel model that reveals how SWDs expand users' sense of self by integrating AI capabilities as personal resources, thereby motivating goal pursuit. In five studies, we demonstrate that wearing SWDs fosters user augmentation and goal achievement, with stronger effects observed when users personally own the devices. In addition to extending theoretical frameworks, this study offers practical insights for designers of AI-enabled wearables, outlining strategies to help users achieve personal goals and enhance well-being by integrating AI into their identities.

ABSTRACT. There are an estimated 1.3bn (16%) of the world’s population who experience a significant disability today (World Health Organization, 2023). One of the areas that disability is beginning to see more representation, yet still requiring considerable further attention, is within the fashion industry. Within this emerging inclusive fashion industry, there has been further technological developments that have given rise to the “AI-generated fashion model”; these are digitally created representations showcasing clothing and accessories in similar ways to human models (Marr, 2023). Due to limited understanding of how the use of AI-generated vs human-disabled models influences consumer wellbeing, we explore the mechanism, especially the emotional responses; underlying the impact of these representation. Through employing a mixed-methods design, we highlight the potential social well-being benefits of fashion brands utilizing AI-generated fashion models, yet, also draw on significant ethical boundaries in their design and implementation. We draw on theoretical and practical implications of our research and call for further insight in this developing area.

ABSTRACT. While there has been a lot of research on advertising effectiveness, such research has largely relied on self-reported measures. Time and again, researchers have expressed concerns about the shortcomings of such measures and have called for use of more objective methods of assessing ad effectiveness. In this research, we employ a neuroimaging technique - Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy - in conjunction with self-reported measures to assess the effectiveness of 30 Super Bowl commercials. Our findings suggest that the neural measures are significantly correlated with ad rankings from a large panel study. Hence, we demonstrate a multimethod approach that enable marketers to assess ad effectiveness before the ads are aired using a small sample of consumers.

ABSTRACT. The extensive investment needed to develop new scales coupled with demand for short scales that reduce participants’ time has resulted in rampant use of improvised or ad hoc scales across disciplines. The current work seeks a middle ground in an area of marketing communications that is replete with highly specific scales, namely consumer engagement. The extent of consumer experiential engagement with a context, be it music, art, sport, or shopping influences attitudes and behaviors. Following a systematic literature review, three facets of experiential engagement emerge: behavioral involvement, intimacy, and influence. Items reflecting these facets of experiential engagement were then drawn from the pool of 555 items found across 30 consumer engagement scales. The current work then presents five studies. In Study 1A we demonstrate face validity for experiential engagement based on an expert sample of individuals from industry and academia. Study 1B also examines face validity for experiential engagement, using a student sample. Studies 2-4, two conducted in a lab context and one field study demonstrate construct validity and nomological validity. As well the adapted scale is shown to be generalizable through testing in sport and music.

ABSTRACT. This paper investigates the complex relationship between price and consumer perceptions of product quality. While higher prices have long been associated with better quality, recent studies using functional MRI reveal that higher prices can also enhance the actual enjoyment and efficacy of products. However, this effect is not consistent across all consumer groups, as factors like the ability and motivation to process product information play a significant role. In high-involvement categories like electronics, consumers are motivated but may lack the expertise to make accurate judgments, whereas in low-involvement categories, consumers might easily form accurate judgments but lack the motivation to process information thoroughly. The research introduces a mathematical model that predicts price-quality perceptions based on these factors, demonstrating how price influences quality judgments post-purchase and why these effects vary across different product categories. This model also helps identify optimal price points in dynamic markets, offering valuable insights for practitioners to avoid the pitfalls of misjudging consumer responses.

ABSTRACT. Consumers often mistakenly believe that combining a 40% discount with an additional 40% off results in an 80% discount, when the actual reduction is 64%. This research introduces a new attentional process that underlies these errors and shows that lower working memory (e.g., with elderly consumers or when working memory is strained by factors such as certain types of background music) makes consumers especially prone to these miscalculations, which in turn, lead them to perceive a better deal than is actually offered. We also outline interventions, such as distributing discount information across multiple pages, to help mitigate such errors. Further, this paper also reports results from a field experiment validating these strategies. Overall, this work emphasizes the need for firms to accommodate consumers’ cognitive limitations and provides public policy recommendations to ensure fair and equitable promotional practices, ultimately improving the shopping experience for all consumers.

ABSTRACT. Policy makers are ramping up efforts to promote the consumption of healthy food options through targeted initiatives and public awareness campaigns. Additionally, consumers increase their focus to health and well-being. Marketing tools such as packaging color are therefore even more relevant in communicating product healthiness. Using packaging with au naturel colors (Marozzo et al., 2020) can influence health perceptions of food products. The strength of au naturel colors on perception of healthiness can be so important that it may mislead consumers in erroneously attributing healthy characteristics even to unhealthy snacks. Four experimental studies and two online field experiments show that in online purchase settings au naturel colors help to faster identification of healthy snacks and can help switch choices from snack alternatives when healthy goal is activated. Conversely, the studies also show evidence that au naturel colors contribute to perceptions of healthiness, independent of the actual nutritional value of the food. These insights highlight important implications for packaging designers and policymakers, suggesting the need for ethical guidelines to regulate the appropriate use of natural colors in food packaging to prevent potential consumer misperceptions.

ABSTRACT. Research has demonstrated that by investing in social responsibility, companies can do well by doing good. This effect can extend beyond the company's image and have an impact on the consumer's evaluation of the company's product. In this research, we show that this effect is also valid in the case of harmful products. More specifically, this research points out that harmful products can be perceived as less harmful because of the company's charitable activities, even when there is clear information about the dangers that the consumer faces when consuming the product. In three studies, data show that CSR activities can create a benevolent halo that leads consumers to classify products as less harmful and reduce the protective power of hazard warnings. However, this effect depends on whether the hypocrisy of the controversial company is perceived or not. By showing that companies' charitable activities can change the perception of the danger associated with their products, the findings can guide the development of ethical frameworks to monitor and regulate the CSR activities of controversial companies.

ABSTRACT. As gambling marketing regulations tighten in some countries, gambling companies are increasingly shifting their marketing budgets towards less regulated forms of marketing. One concerning shift is the one to cause marketing, which refers to gambling companies sponsoring charities and communicating about these partnerships on their channels. Relying on legitimacy theory, we investigate the role of consumer legitimacy in consumer responses to cause marketing initiatives by gambling companies. We conducted two between-subjects online experiments examining the impact of gambling marketing strategy (cause marketing vs. regular promotional content) and the moderating role of the organizational status of the gambling company (public vs. private) with 381 participants (18 to 45 years) in total. The results show that a gambling company’s altruistic motives were perceived as higher, and perceptions of causewashing as lower for cause marketing compared to regular promotional content on social media. These heightened perceptions of altruism and reduced causewashing further increased the dimensions of consumer legitimacy (i.e., cognitive, pragmatic and moral legitimacy), which, in turn, improved the company’s corporate reputation and consumers’ gambling urges. For the public gambling operator, specifically, cause marketing was seen as more morally appropriate, leading to a subsequent boost in corporate reputation and gambling urges.

ABSTRACT. Target marketing is commonly identified as a key ethical concern, especially when consumers might be classified as “vulnerable,” and if involving products that have addictive and harmful potential. In this paper, we explore the ethics of target marketing based on personality traits (as part of a psychographics profile) for gambling advertising. We examine gambling advertising from Canada that includes messages which may particularly resonate with sensation seekers (i.e., emphasizing gambling as an entertaining, exciting, and thrill-seeking activity). Using an interpretive approach grounded in semiotics and rhetorical analysis, we provide a detailed examination of four gambling advertisements for demonstration purposes, along with an analysis of 23 further gambling advertisements. We explore the meanings and themes communicated that may appeal more to certain personality traits – such as sensation seeking – and potentially exacerbate their predisposition towards problematic gambling behavior. Based on our analysis, we provide recommendations for public policy as well as advertising codes that are specific to gambling and other high-risk behaviors.

ABSTRACT. This study explores how consumers respond to celebrity online interactions with products, even in the absence of formal endorsements. We analyze Amazon and YouTube reviews and comments about celebrities to investigate how celebrity credibility influences purchase intention. Utilizing Octoparse software for content analysis, our qualitative research examines instances where products are unintentionally shown during celebrity live streams, leading to significant consumer reactions, including product sell-outs. The focus on self-congruence theory is significant, as it is one of the foundational theories in marketing that helps explain how consumers' identities align with those of celebrities, shaping purchase behavior. Grounded in theoretical rigor and addressing real-world consumer behavior, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamic relationship between celebrity influence and consumer decision-making in the digital age. The findings suggest that celebrity influence can drive consumer purchasing decisions without direct endorsement.

ABSTRACT. The era of e-commerce has accessed new depths of buying impulsiveness in consumers. Atmospherics in online stores became an emerging interest for academics who examine the impact of such stimuli on consumers during online shopping festivals. While online shopping festivals have been thoroughly examined regarding their effect on consumers, a thorough consideration of the interaction between consumer characteristics and dimensions of such an atmosphere has yet to be considered. While the propensity of consumers to indulge in such events is globally shared, the influential nuances of online shopping festival atmosphere should be explored to understand how they complement consumer inclinations during celebratory times in the year. Therefore, this article endeavors to investigate the three elements of the online festival shopping atmosphere as drivers of the effect of an individual’s buying impulsiveness on their purchase intentions. Perceived scarcity is postulated to exacerbate the effects of online shopping festival atmosphere within the main effect.

ABSTRACT. A partial online internationalization (POI) retailer is a retailer that develops country-specific websites to enhance consumer purchase intention. Studies on consumer purchase intention toward POI-retailers are limited. Therefore, this paper investigates consumer purchase intention toward a POI-retailer in cross-border e-commerce. Building on relational exchange theory, this paper adopts a quantitative study by developing a questionnaire based on 364 respondents exposed to a POI-retailer’s country-specific website. Results reveal that consumer uncertainty negatively affects trust but not the consumer's attitude, while attitude is affected by consumer trust. Trust did not directly affect commitment or purchase intention. Therefore, results indicate that consumer attitudes and commitment are the key drivers influencing purchase intention. Attitude and commitment also serve as significant mediators for trust in effecting consumer purchase intention towards a POI-retailer in cross-border e-commerce.

ABSTRACT. Advancements in Internet technologies have led to the rise of innovative business models in the digital environment. Among them, the freemium business model is one of the most potential strategies in the mobile app industry. Studies on freemium apps are scarce and little research has paid attention to the factors which motivate users to use freemium apps. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of dimensions of freemium app model (basic free tier, service convenience, and network effect) on perceived value (utilitarian vs. hedonic), stickiness, as well as the intention to use freemium apps. The results show that all three elements of freemium app business model have a positive influence on customers’ perceived value. To be more specific, users seem to adopt the freemium apps for utilitarian values in terms of zero-cost and the service convenience offered by such apps. The findings also imply that network effect plays a significant role in forming user’ hedonic value and stickiness towards freemium apps. Finally, users perceived utilitarian and hedonic values, and stickiness are conducive to continuance intention to use freemium apps.

ABSTRACT. In today's rapidly changing marketplace, traditional marketing principles are confronted with challenges such as digital transformation, rising consumer expectations, and shifting global socioeconomic conditions. This special session brings together thought leaders in marketing and social impact to explore strategies for updating core marketing foundations while prioritizing research that fosters societal benefits. The session will feature two interconnected presentations that examine how foundational marketing concepts can evolve to meet modern challenges, including ethical consumption and emerging technologies. Dr. Priyanka Singh will highlight the transformative effects of AI and data analytics on enhancing consumer experiences, while Dr. Lei Huang will address the significance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its influence on consumer perceptions, particularly in the wake of negative events. The session will conclude with an interactive Q&A, providing attendees with practical insights into funding opportunities, partnership strategies, and frameworks for creating socially responsive marketing research, empowering them to thrive in this evolving landscape.

ABSTRACT. Climate change is seen as a firm risk, requiring mitigation through non-marketing actions. However, with customers’ increased willingness to buy and growing incentives for the manufacturing and purchasing of climate-friendly products, firms have begun to view climate action as a market opportunity. This study integrates text analysis of managerial interviews and climate discussions in annual reports with signaling research to conceptualize climate marketing strategies as signals of firm intent to leverage climate-related market opportunities to deliver shareholder value. A panel dataset analysis of firms’ earnings calls shows that firm disclosures of climate market strategies increase firm value. Firms’ marketing capabilities and climate supply chain partnerships positively moderate the effect. A causal forests analysis demonstrates that firms using a more positive tone face a greenwashing penalty with weaker investor response, while firms with a higher share of institutional investors, and higher analyst following, signaling increased scrutiny, gain a premium.

ABSTRACT. Brands are interested in leveraging new technologies like augmented and virtual reality to improve consumer reach, awareness and revenues. This dissertation focuses on understanding how firms can adopt and utilize these new technologies. In Essay 1, I focus on digital platform businesses, such as mobile application markets, which rely heavily on the success of platform complementors, such as app developers, for their growth. Using the adoption of augmented reality in mobile apps as an empirical context for innovation, I show that innovation timing and benefit have distinct impacts on app performance. I also find that greater platform support affects these innovation strategies differently. These findings offer novel insights into the value of platforms as facilitators of innovation. In Essay 2, I focus on the growing market of Virtual Reality (VR) games as a marketing channel. To investigate how in-game advertisements in VR games compare to those in non-VR games, I employ a multi-method approach. Leveraging data on VR game advertisements from an ad-network provider, combined with lab and field experiments in collaboration with a VR game publisher, my research focuses on understanding how advertising in VR games differs from non-VR games in terms of engagement and brand attitude metrics.

ABSTRACT. Voices are prevalent in human life and present in several social media contexts. However, research on paralinguistic vocal attributes has largely focused on spokesperson perceptions with mixed findings and limited research exploring the consequential effects of modulating paralinguistic vocal attributes in marketing contexts. This research addresses this gap by proposing that a fast articulation rate voice induces a decreased sense of psychological proximity, which subsequently shapes engagement with the content. Five studies, including two studies with preliminary data from the field (i.e., Kickstarter and TikTok), and three additional proposed studies, suggest that a fast (vs. slow) speech articulation rate increases online engagement (measured by greater support for crowdfunding campaigns, higher number of likes, plays, shares, and intentions to engage with social media posts). These effects are driven by the arousing properties and mental associations that people hold for fast speech rate which increases a sense of proximity with content and subsequently fosters more engagement. Notably, these effects are attenuated for more (vs. less) indulgent products, reversed for products positioned as premium, and attenuated for consumers with future temporal orientation. The findings from this research are relevant for managers who want to design auditory or audiovisual communications involving voices.

ABSTRACT. It is necessary to have in place a corporate strategy for regain lost customers, so as to sustain corporate survival and profitability in a competitive marketplace. The research objective is to frame digitalized customer regaining strategies in B2B markets from a sales perspective, and the relevance of CRM and social media within a regain strategy. The data collection is based on a series of in-depth interviews with sellers in B2B markets. This approach complements existing theory and outlines two principal dimensions to be kept in mind when acting and reacting to the loss of a customer, namely: (i) whether the purchase potential of a lost customer for the seller is relatively high or low; and (ii) whether the “gravity of the reason” for losing a customer for the seller is relatively high or low. Based on these dimensions, the results reported in this study suggest four separate situations in which to manage corporate actions and reactions in a digitalized customer-regaining strategy. The results also lay a foundation for further research that may gain from additional insights that enhance our understanding, and existing theory on digitalized customer regain strategies.

ABSTRACT. This study explores the role of moral disengagement in supply chain sustainability research. The study aims to create a comprehensive overview of the use of moral disengagement in supply chain research and outline uses for moral disengagement. A comprehensive literature review was conducted, focusing on moral disengagement within the context of supply chain management. The review involved the analysis and synthesis of existing research findings to assess the current application and potential of moral disengagement theory in supply chains. The research identifies three key areas of application: enhancing moral awareness, informing policymaking, and influencing supply chain design. These applications demonstrate potential strategies for minimizing negative impacts and promoting responsible operations in supply chains. This study addresses a gap in sustainable supply chain literature by integrating moral disengagement theory, offering a new perspective on designing sustainable and responsible supply chains. The study is limited by the scope of existing literature on moral disengagement in supply chains.This study highlights the importance of ethical considerations in supply chain management and its potential to contribute to societal well-being. Principles of moral disengagement can reconfigure supply chains to support environmental sustainability, worker enrichment, and equitable wealth distribution.

ABSTRACT. This paper aims to investigate the impact of employees’ relationship orientation, on the value co-creation and firm performance link. It also empirically investigates the role that innovation and knowledge sharing might play in this study of firm performance. A survey design is used to collect data from product and marketing managers in US firms. A total of 301 managers responded to the survey questions. The partial least square structural equation model was utilized to test the measurement and structural model. This study provides four findings. First, it was found that Value Co-creation has a positive impact on the relationship orientation of employees. Second, it was found that Value Co-creation has a positive impact on firm performance. Third, this study found that employee relationship orientation mediates the relationship between Value Co-creation and firm performance. Finally, this study found that innovation enhances the positive relationship between Value Co-creation and Employee relationship orientation. Where B2B managers have questions about the potential benefits of VCC, this study addresses these concerns by showing that VCC’s effectiveness may hinge on the employee relationship orientation. Focusing on VCC also helps develop employee relationship orientation, in turn affecting the firm’s performance.

ABSTRACT. The Business-to-Business (B2B) selling landscape is rapidly evolving, driven by technological advancements and increasingly connected customers with heightened expectations. These shifts require sales professionals to adapt their efforts across various internal and external stakeholders, each offering unique perspectives on promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in business practices. Despite the growing importance of DEI, the human aspect within sales remains inadequately addressed. This paper underscores the essential role of DEI in B2B sales organizations, not only for improving workplace culture but also for leveraging the innovation that diverse teams contribute. Through a systematic literature review, we synthesize existing knowledge on DEI in B2B sales, identify research gaps, and propose a comprehensive framework along with a targeted research agenda. Our analysis reveals four key sub-domains: Hiring, Sales Management Practices, Sales Approach and Customer Interaction, and Exiting, each highlighting critical areas for further exploration. Ultimately, our findings aim to enhance both academic and practical understanding of DEI’s impact on B2B sales, providing actionable insights to guide leaders in integrating DEI practices into their strategies to foster inclusive environments.

ABSTRACT. We examine the construct of product innovativeness and explore its positive effects on consumer perceptions (time-related experience, and word of mouth). Our research is based on one quantitative study conducted in the United States with 296 moviegoers. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings revealed a construct consisting of two dimensions (content and form) and demonstrated significant and positive relationships with time-related experience and word of mouth. This study is the first to conceptualize and quantify product innovativeness in the context of creative industries through the dimensions of content and form and illustrate customer behavior consequences. We address the growing gap between what marketers and artistic product managers consider innovative, and what customers do.

ABSTRACT. This study investigates how human involvement and interaction uniqueness influence trust and compliance in chatbot-driven service interactions. With growing AI adoption in customer service, understanding the factors that shape consumer trust is critical. Participants interacted with either a rule-based or adaptive chatbot while planning a friend’s dinner, receiving restaurant recommendations with varying levels of human validation and response uniqueness. Trust and compliance were measured through behavioral responses and post-interaction surveys, while fMRI captured neural activity in regions associated with trust and uncertainty, such as the caudate nucleus and anterior insula.

Results are expected to show increased trust and compliance when human involvement is present and chatbot responses are unique, highlighting the significance of perceived human oversight and personalization. By bridging AI functionality with user expectations, the findings provide insights into designing consumer-friendly AI systems in service contexts, enhancing satisfaction and acceptance. This research has broader implications for sectors where AI’s role in decision-making is expanding, emphasizing the need for responsible, human-centered AI practices.

ABSTRACT. Perceived product innovativeness has been addressed in the literature but mostly from the firm’s viewpoint even though end-consumers play a key role in the selection of new innovative products within competitive offerings which leads to their market success. Drawing upon previous research, we acknowledge that the concept is multidimensional, and we position our paper as a scale development work that brings together the key dimensions of consumer perceived product innovativeness (CPPI). Based on a qualitative and quantitative five-phase study using multiple samples of consumers drawn from the U.S., this paper describes the development, calibration and validation of measures assessing a CPPI scale. The findings suggest that CPPI has four dimensions (i.e. aesthetics, product effectiveness, novelty, and usage friendliness) and the researchers introduce a valid and reliable 16-item battery to measure it. Our paper represents a step forward in better understanding the multidimensional construct of CPPI and its applications as a measurement scale in future studies.

ABSTRACT. This research in-progress examines how individuals detect and respond to AI-generated versus human-created advertising content, particularly focusing on the impact of disclosure of creation mode of the ad. This work-in-progress combines attribution theory and first-impression management theory to understand how people attribute and process the creation mode of the content, and how their initial judgments evolve when it is disclosed. The methodology follows a three-phase approach: First, a content analysis comparing AI-generated and human-created communications to identify distinctive features. Second, an experimental design where Ps are randomly assigned to one of the two following conditions: create an advertisement with AI vs without AI. Third, exposing participants to advertising content in two stages - initial exposure without mentioning the source, followed by a second exposure after revealing the creation mode (AI vs human only without AI). The study employs multiple measurement methods, including declarative measures, ZMAT (Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique), and neurophysiological measures to analyze both explicit and implicit reactions. The research aims to provide managerial implications for organizations integrating AI into their marketing strategies while contributing to theoretical understanding of attribution processes and first-impression management in the context of AI-generated content.

ABSTRACT. Over the past two decades, AI has reshaped the advertising industry, piloting a new era of intelligent advertising powered by data, customized for individuals, and executed through algorithm-mediated brand communication. While academic research has examined the applications of AI to the advertising industry at large, research regarding how AI is likely to reshape the practice of advertising itself remains scarce. More specifically, as AI tools become increasingly adept at generating visual artefacts, this prompts a critical examination of whether AI tools can replicate the uniquely human skill of creativity. This study explores the efficacy of AI versus human-generated advertisements in driving online engagement and e-commerce sales. Using an experimental methodology, AI and human designers crafted digital advertisements for two product categories. Live campaign tracking allowed for the real-time measurement of advertising efficacy. The results suggest that while the human-generated advertisements attained a higher click-through rate and add-to-cart rate, the AI-generated advertisements resulted in a greater conversion rate. The findings suggest that AI is best positioned as a complement to human creativity, enhancing efficiency without eliminating the human touch. This research offers valuable insights for advertisers, suggesting a hybrid approach where AI augments but does not replace human contributions in advertising.

ABSTRACT. There is a substantial debate on the use of artificial intelligence technologies to generate reliable “silicon samples” for consumer research. This paper contributes to this debate by examining how generative AI (Gen-AI) tools can create reliable image samples reflecting consumer characteristics relevant to marketing researchers. To achieve this, we first use MidJourney, a state-of-the-art Gen-AI platform, to create images of consumers displaying six basic emotions: happiness, sadness, surprise, fear, anger, and disgust. Next, we leverage two computer vision algorithms (DeepFace and Google Cloud Vision) to analyze the emotions displayed in the images and evaluate Gen-AI’s ability to generate reliable silicon samples depicting typical retail consumers in various emotional states. Our results indicate that computer vision algorithms’ ability to detect the emotions displayed in the images varies significantly. While the two algorithms consistently detect anger, happiness, and surprise, emotions such as fear and disgust are more challenging to identify automatically. Furthermore, our findings show that, even without specific prompting, the GenAI tool used in this research consistently associates certain genders and age groups with specific emotions. This finding indicates possible biases in generating images that represent consumers’ emotional states, urging caution in the use of silicon samples in marketing research.

ABSTRACT. The phenomenon of social media influencers has grown to virtual influencers (VI), a new type of influencer based on computer-generated imagery (CGI) and artificial intelligence. The study aims to investigate the mediating role of three key characteristics of virtual influencers, namely attractiveness, scalability and anthropomorphism, to determine their role in creating envy towards the virtual influencer and its impact on consumer's intention to purchase virtual influencer-recommended brands, with the moderating role of social comparison. The research was conducted in three distinct studies: Study 1 focused on identifying the relationship between constructs and developing items. Study 2 evaluated the thirteen hypotheses using the Structural Equation Model. Study 3 (at the data collection stage) will conduct an experimental design. The findings reveal that anthropomorphism plays a critical role in influencing the followers. It enhances followers’ emotional engagement and strengthens the upward social comparison, thereby increasing envy.

ABSTRACT. This study examines how social media influencers’ characteristics, both related to their personality and the content they share, impact followers' engagement levels. Based on Keller's brand theory, the proposed model classifies influencer attributes into two categories: personal attributes (such as authenticity and attractiveness) and content-related attributes (such as originality and quality). The findings reveal that both types of attributes positively influence passive engagement (content consumption) and active engagement (direct interaction with content). The influence of personal attributes is particularly significant for passive engagement, which strengthens followers' willingness to recommend the influencer. These recommendations serve as key indicators of an influencer’s success and the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. Practically, it is suggested that influencers work on projecting an authentic personality and providing relevant, high-quality content. For brands, the study highlights the importance of selecting influencers based not only on their popularity but also on their personal attributes and content style, thereby optimizing audience engagement.

ABSTRACT. TikTok influencers have become central to firms’ marketing strategies, driving substantial growth in influencer marketing (Barta et al. 2023). According to a recent eMarketer report, by 2025, around 55% of marketers will leverage TikTok influencers in their campaigns (Lebow 2022). Thus, it is important to understand what drives consumer engagement with TikTok influencer marketing.

Extant research has examined various aspects of online influencer marketing, such as influencer (Breves et al. 2019; Valsesia et al., 2020; Leung et al. 2022) and content characteristics (e.g., Hughes et al. 2019). However, there remains a limited understanding of specific factors that drive effective consumer engagement in the unique context of TikTok.

The current study builds on the dual-route model of Douyin (TikTok) influencer marketing (Hung et al. 2022) to propose and test a multi-route model of TikTok influencer marketing effectiveness. The conceptual model shows three routes to consumers’ engagement with TikTok content— the content route via content quality, the influencer via influencer agility, and the audience route via influencer-audience congruence. The model also explores brand awareness and purchase intention as two outcomes of content engagement. This multi-route model is novel and relevant to the short-form, trendy, and fast-paced nature of TikTok influencer marketing.

ABSTRACT. Switching to food with a lower environmental footprint has a substantial mitigation potential, however, consumers still need significant assistance in making the switch. Ecolabels can help guide consumers towards more sustainable food options at the point of sale, without compromising their freedom of choice. The current paper investigates the role of two eco-label formats, in the context of a hospital cafeteria, on the choice of either low-impact or high-impact dish (based on the carbon footprint), while also exploring the role of other factors such as price, dish name (hedonic vs. descriptive), foreign connotation of the dish (regional vs. local)., and type of the dish (vegan, vegetarian, fish or meat). The results show that traffic light labels increased the number of low-impact dishes purchased, while the single logo produced the opposite effect. Nevertheless, the changes were not statistically significant. We further found that the price, dish’s foreign connotation (regional vs non-regional) and dish type have significant direct effects on the choices of participants. The results are discussed in light of relevant literature, and future research avenues are suggested.

ABSTRACT. This study examines the role of food well-being (FWB) in promoting sustainable healthy diets (SHDs) by investigating the behavioral drivers and barriers across four dimensions: ecological, economic, health, and sociocultural. To gain a comprehensive understanding of this multifaceted topic, a systematic literature review was conducted, and 156 studies were analyzed. As a result, a novel framework has been proposed which places human decision-making at its core and builds upon the FWB theory. From the perspective of consumer well-being, we examined the factors that motivate or hinder individuals from adopting dietary behaviors that foster SHDs and consumer well-being. The principal drivers are environmental awareness and food literacy, policy incentives, cost management strategies, and the fostering of local food networks that facilitate a more positive relationship with food. Conversely, barriers such as elevated costs, restricted access to sustainable food sources, inadequate environmental education, and cultural resistance impede the adoption of SHDs. The findings highlight the necessity of cross-disciplinary collaboration to inform policies that promote SHDs and FWB among consumers. These insights can be applied by policymakers, businesses, and nonprofits to address SHD barriers, foster sustainable consumer behaviors, and enhance well-being across diverse demographic groups.

ABSTRACT. This study explores how self-discrepancies between the real self (e.g., unfit) and the ideal self (e.g., fit) can lead individuals to engage in compensatory consumer behaviors. Such behaviors may include using products or services to bridge the gap between one’s actual and ideal self. For instance, individuals might adopt physical activity as a way to counterbalance other habits, like alcohol consumption, or spend more money when feeling restricted. While some compensatory behaviors positively impact well-being, others, especially when repeatedly engaged in under financial constraints, could result in negative outcomes. Focusing on body image self-discrepancies, this study examines their influence on disordered eating and exercise behaviors (DEEBs) and gaming behaviors. Additionally, it investigates the potential comorbidity of DEEBs and gaming disorder, which could amplify harmful effects for affected individuals. While some hypotheses were unsupported some interesting findings emerged around why self-discrepancies influence compensatory behaviors. Specifically, we find that a self-discrepancy’s importance and the stress caused by it may be more influential in directing behavior than merely perceiving a discrepancy – which is more commonly studied in the literature. We also find there is an association between DEEBs and gaming disorder, as well as between DEEBs and gaming motivations and avatar identification.

ABSTRACT. This study examines how sensation seeking, as a personality trait, influences the group tourism experience and overall satisfaction, with perceived fairness in group decision-making processes serving as a key mediator. Grounded in sensation seeking theory (Zuckerman, 1979) and procedural justice theory (Thibaut & Walker, 1975), this research is the first to highlight how sensation-seekers perceive fairness in group decision-making within a tourism context. We also investigate how these fairness perceptions impact various aspects of their group tourism experience—including sensory, affective, hedonic, intellectual, cognitive, and social dimensions (De Keyser et al., 2020; Schmitt, 1999)—and overall satisfaction. Using panel data from 1,934 tourists across five nationalities, the study further explores how group size and familiarity among members moderate these relationships. Findings indicate that perceived fairness mediates the relationship between sensation seeking and satisfaction across the dimensions of the group tourism experience. Moreover, results show that some of these effects are moderated by group characteristics, particularity familiarity among group members. Managerial recommendations are offered to help tourism professionals design and manage group experiences tailored to sensation seeking tourists.

ABSTRACT. This study draws on optimum stimulation theory and aims to examine the food variety-seeking behavior of digital nomads and its effect on local restaurant patronage, with a focus on how nomadic experience and reliance on international food options moderate these relationships. A moderated mediation model is employed, using survey data from a multicultural sample of 249 digital nomads across three popular digital nomad hubs: Bali, Thailand, and Mexico. The model analyzes the relationship between food variety-seeking tendencies, attitudes toward local food, and restaurant patronage, with experience level and reliance on international food options as moderators. The study finds that digital nomads with stronger food variety-seeking tendencies are more inclined to develop positive attitudes toward local food, leading to higher local restaurant patronage. This effect is moderated by nomadic experience and reliance on international food options, with inexperienced nomads and those more reliant on international cuisine showing a greater likelihood of embracing local food and visiting local restaurants.

ABSTRACT. Following a tragic snowstorm in Murree, widespread public dissatisfaction with local hospitality practices, shared across social media, sparked a nationwide call for a tourism boycott. This research explores the antecedents and consequences of the #BoycottMurree movement, a significant domestic tourism boycott in Pakistan. While prior studies have examined tourist motivations behind the #BoycottMurree campaign, this study uniquely addresses the broader socio-cultural, economic, and service-related antecedents of the boycott, as well as its impacts on the tourism industry and local businesses. By analyzing the underlying drivers and subsequent effects of this movement, this research provides a comprehensive understanding of the factors that led to consumer dissatisfaction and the boycott’s ramifications on Murree’s reputation and economic stability. Findings from this study aim to contribute to the literature on domestic tourism boycotts, offering valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders on crisis prevention and management within the tourism sector.

ABSTRACT. The uniqueness of this special session comes from the interactive nature of the session - panel participants will present information on the above-mentioned topics but will rely on and answer questions from the audience throughout the session. The major benefit for attendees will be the opportunity to share experiences, concerns, and questions concerning the job market. Panel participants will provide first-hand experiences from both being a candidate and being part of search committees and provide advice on the do’s and don’ts from a search committee perspective.

ABSTRACT. An update to the grant winning proposal from last year on using digital twins to solve real-world marketing problems.

ABSTRACT. An update on the award-winning proposal from last year. How to use button design to influence browsing behavior.

ABSTRACT. Brands’ content on their social media channels (“owned social media”; Stephen & Galak, 2012) allows them to interact directly with consumers with the hope to stimulate not only engagement, but also sales (Hewett et al., 2016). While a large body of research has investigated the impact of owned social media, managers are afraid that the results advocated for an automotive brand in the US on X (former Twitter) may not necessarily hold for a banking service, or entertainment, or retailing in Asia or Europe on Facebook. Also, managers wonder how to strategically use their social media content to reinforce or bring new energy to their brand building activities. My dissertation addresses these issues, by focusing on: (i) is owned social media effective across brands, industries, platforms, and countries (Essay 1), (ii) what is the chain of effects and underlying mechanism at play that allows owned social media to stimulate sales (Essay 2), and (iii) which content best reinforces brand-building activities while maintaining relevance in the eyes of consumers and meeting societal expectations (Essay 3).

ABSTRACT. Firms increasingly seek competitive advantages based on marketing analytics innovations (MAIs)—new-to-the-market, data-enabled inventions that are specially developed for creating or updating marketing analytics systems within a firm. Despite the rapid growth of these technologies, their financial impacts remain unclear. This study aims to investigate whether and when these innovations provide a competitive advantage that justifies their substantial investment. I developed a theoretical framework grounded in the extended resource-based theory and the resource orchestration perspective. They test their hypotheses with a unique firm-level panel dataset built from multiple secondary data sources. The study’s findings reveal that, on average, marketing analytics innovations positively influence multiple firm performance metrics. Yet, MAIs do not pay off for all firms, as different firm-level diversification strategies— technology diversification and market diversification—impede or accelerate the financial benefits of MAIs. Post hoc analyses extend the resource orchestration perspective to reveal additional heterogeneous impacts based on technological and market factors; notably, the findings suggest that artificial intelligence technology is no silver bullet for achieving performance gains from MAIs. The author discusses the implications of the findings for firms eager to invest in MAIs.

ABSTRACT. The submission for the 2025 AMS Mary Kay Doctoral Dissertation Competition is attached as a pdf file.

ABSTRACT. Many people are thinking about shopping in line with their values, and ask themselves the question of ethics. Simultaneously, retailers are questioned about their practices in meeting these expectations for more ethical shopping experiences. In this context, it is imperative to reassess shopping value from academic and managerial perspectives, as ethical considerations seem largely ignored in favor of utilitarian, hedonic, and social aspects. The following question arises: Is shopping value also about ethics? Against this background, this study examines the emergence of ethical shopping value. A mixed-method approach combining qualitative and quantitative explorations was adopted. Interviews with 13 retailers and 25 consumers in France shows the emergence of an ethical shopping value that concerns the products and their origins, the production processes of these products, and the margins charged by retailers. The quantitative study with 620 French respondents suggest that ethical shopping value goes in the same direction: it appears to be linked to environmental, moral, and social considerations, both for the products chosen during the shopping experience and for the staff or the store more broadly. These results confirm the importance of ethical shopping value for retailers and consumers alike and suggest avenues for future research.

ABSTRACT. Current challenges in the retail industry have forced the spawn of many new in-store technologies to keep customers entertained and satisfied. This raises the question of their efficiency and the consumer’s appreciation of such tools. This paper investigates how smart fitting rooms affect the perception of social presence and, as a result, customers’ shopping experience, and engagement towards the retailer. The paper acknowledges the importance of in-store social interactions and shopping as an activity to meet social needs. To this end, an experimental study is conducted by manipulating the level of interactivity and personalization offered by a smart fitting room. The findings suggest that higher levels of interactivity and the presence of content-based personalization positively impact the perceived social presence and customer experience and engagement as a result. This paper addresses overlooked social aspects linked to in-store technology implementation in the retail literature and provides practitioners with guidelines for optimal in-store technology.

ABSTRACT. Livestream selling, where streamers sell products in real time, is gaining traction on e-commerce platforms. Through managerial interviews and lab experiments, we examine how background design—more professional vs. less professional—affects livestream effectiveness, especially in relation to product type. Our study also identifies key mediating and moderating factors that influence consumer shopping behavior. Finally, we suggest future research directions to better understand the dynamics of livestream selling and to uncover insights for both consumers and sellers.

ABSTRACT. Sustainability has emerged as a critical concern in the grocery retail sector, with implications for supply chains and consumer behavior. Grocery retailing significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions, emphasizing the sector’s responsibility to foster sustainable practices (Keller et al., 2022). The growing consumer demand for organic products underscores the need for grocery retailers to adapt their strategies and enhance their sustainability image (Biesalski & Company, 2023). This study aims to identify key dimensions of sustainability perception among German consumers and evaluate how leading grocery retailers are perceived across these dimensions. Using a representative sample of 2,000 German respondents, the research proposes a perceived sustainability index grounded in ten identified dimensions. The findings reveal discrepancies between consumer expectations and perceived implementation, highlighting areas for improvement. This research contributes to existing literature by offering insights into consumers and their perceptions of sustainability in grocery retailing. The results suggest actionable areas for grocery retailers to refine their sustainability strategies, align with consumer expectations, and strengthen their sustainability communication. This index serves as a tool for both academic research and practical application, bridging gaps between consumer perception and retailer practices in sustainability.

ABSTRACT. Previous research has demonstrated an association between love and taste experiences; however, it has not accounted for different qualities of love. Building on conceptual metaphor and embodied cognition literature, we examine the unexplored association between erotic (romantic) concepts of love and pungent (sweet) taste experiences. We find that consumers implicitly associate erotic love with pungency as well as romantic love with sweetness. We document that erotic (vs. romantic) advertisement appeals increase consumers’ actual perceptions of pungency. We propose that this effect occurs due to a common grounding in physical-psychological arousal responses that connect experiences of pungency and erotic love and find that consumers’ increased arousal level mediates the effect. We provide initial evidence for the bidirectional association between concepts of love and taste experiences by showing that actual pungent (relative to sweet) taste perceptions are associated with consumers’ preference for erotic (relative to romantic) product offerings. Our research contributes to an understanding of the origins of bodily metaphors and discusses implications for future research and practitioners.

ABSTRACT. This paper investigates the differential impacts of shopping addiction versus shopping enjoyment on various adverse outcomes of excessive shopping behaviors, including serial return behavior, financial stress, interpersonal and internal conflict, deception, clutter, and selfishness. Based on a survey of 3,180 U.S. consumers, findings reveal that shopping addiction correlates significantly with these negative outcomes, while shopping enjoyment does not exhibit such associations. The study develops a scale for serial return behavior and adapts existing scales for other measured outcomes. These insights contribute to understanding the distinctions between addictive and pleasurable shopping motivations and highlight the specific consequences associated with compulsive buying behaviors.

ABSTRACT. This study explores the paradoxical effects of romantic jilting on consumer behavior, specifically examining how unmet romantic consumption expectations lead to both reduced liking and heightened wanting of an aspirant product or service. By integrating Expectancy Violation Theory (EVT) and Psychological Reactance Theory (PRT), the research aims to uncover the emotional and motivational mechanisms—namely sadness and psychological reactance—that drive these dual outcomes. Additionally, the study investigates the moderating role of perceived justice in influencing these consumer responses. A series of four experimental studies were conducted across various romantic and non-romantic consumption contexts, including luxury travel packages, mobile phone launches timed with romantic holidays, and exclusive perfumes. Data were analyzed using regression analyses, mediation, and moderation techniques to evaluate the proposed hypotheses. The results consistently supported the study's hypotheses across all four experiments. This research provides novel insights into the emotional complexities of romantic consumption by elucidating the dual emotional outcomes of romantic jilting. Additionally, highlighting the critical role of perceived justice in managing these paradoxical responses. The study advances theoretical understanding by integrating EVT and PRT. This study underscores the broader societal importance of fair and empathetic customer service practices in fostering emotional well-being and sustaining healthy consumer-brand relationships.

ABSTRACT. Popularly studied in sustainability and consumer boycotting, anticonsumption behaviors are an emerging conversation within transformative consumer research. Anticonsumption behaviors have gradually been re-designed as a method of economic sustainability regarding consumer wellness, involving the limitation of purchasing and expenses for semi-eudaimonic purposes. While the rise of this concept mimics a common financial trends appearing in younger generations, this study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of adopting such behaviors on the counteropposite construct of retail therapy likelihood, or the probability of utilizing shopping as a form of hedonic escapism. Researching this relationship in a dyadic context also adds the nuance of exploring such a relationship under powerful social influences, such as that of romantic relationships, in which partners share financial assets. Underneath regulatory focus theory, this study seeks to provide practical applications for marketers by enhancing understanding on this new financial behaviors and how appeals with specific goal orientations may augment or attenuate a propensity towards hedonic-based shopping.

ABSTRACT. The transition to sustainable horticultural practices is essential for mitigating environmental degradation, improving soil health, and promoting long-term agricultural viability. However, despite growing awareness, adoption rates of sustainable practices among farmers and amateur growers remain low due to a complex array of socio-economic, regulatory, and informational barriers (Alexander and Williams, 2013; European Commission, 2021). This paper presents results from a systematic literature review (SLR) examining the drivers, barriers, theoretical models, and interventions that influence behaviour change toward the adoption of sustainable and soil-friendly horticultural practices globally. Drawing on a sample of 83 studies across Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa, the review reveals key drivers of behaviour change include self-efficacy, personal and social norms, environmental values, economic incentives, access to information and technical support, and concerns about climate change. Nonetheless, financial, regulatory, and technical barriers frequently hinder the adoption of these practices. This review provides a comprehensive foundation for designing targeted interventions, policies, and marketing strategies to promote behaviour change and enhance the uptake of sustainable horticultural practices.

ABSTRACT. As a byproduct of increasing usage of robotic technologies in customer encounters, unethical customer behavior toward robots emerges as a costly problem to companies. In response to this, our research seeks to investigate how and when companies can discourage customers from displaying unethical customer behavior. Our results reveal that customers’ hedonic (vs. utilitarian) perception toward the nature of customer-robot interaction creates a sense of social presence, which lowers their intention to mistreat robots. However, when customers hold animosity toward robots, social presence backfires by triggering customer mistreatment toward robots. This research offers meaningful insights into managing negative customer-robot encounters.

ABSTRACT. Marketers have employed promotions which make donations to charitable causes. Much of the research on cause-related marketing (CM) promotions has sought to understand why they seem to stimulate purchases, and when they are more or less effective in doing so. Our work suggests that CM promotion duration can influence perceptions of the campaign and purchase intentions. Donation amounts become less impactful the longer the duration of the campaign. That is, donation amounts matter more for short-term CM campaigns but are not as impactful for long-term CM campaigns. Hence, managers can plan their CM campaigns taking these insights into consideration.

ABSTRACT. This study explores the impact of healthcare opinion leaders (KOLs) on patients’ behavior, specifically focusing on how they influence medication proper use through content credibility, parasocial interactions, and patients’ attitude. A survey of 369 social media users with chronic illnesses evaluated healthcare professionals’ posts on Instagram. The results demonstrate a significant relationship between content credibility and medication proper use, which is mediated by patients’ attitudes and parasocial interactions. Parasocial interactions between followers and KOLs enhance patients’ attitudes towards healthcare messages, which in turn positively affects medication practices. These findings suggest that leveraging KOLs’ credibility and fostering parasocial interactions can be effective strategies for healthcare brands to promote therapeutic compliance and proper medication use, ultimately improving health outcomes.

ABSTRACT. Research consistently shows negative effects of fitfluencers’ social media content on young adults’ body image. However, research on adolescents and fitfluencer content on TikTok lacks, despite adolescents’ vulnerable developmental phase and high use of TikTok, where the algorithm frequently exposes them to fitfluencers’ idealized bodies. Using a Solomon four-group design, we compared TikTok videos of fitfluencers posing with lifehack (control) videos. To test for pretest sensitization, some adolescents completed measures of the dependent variables before and after exposure to the stimuli, while others completed the dependent variables only after exposure. The goal is to inform future studies studying fitfluencers’ impact on adolescents on the use of pre-exposure measures. Results showed that videos of fitfluencers posing (vs. lifehack) decreased adolescents’ body satisfaction through increased appearance comparison. No significant direct or indirect effect on intention to work out was found. Further, there were no significant differences between completing pre- and post-exposure measures and post-exposure-only measures, indicating that future studies can reliably utilize pre-exposure measures. Exploratory analyses indicated that effects on body satisfaction stemmed from contrastive comparison emotions and not from assimilative emotions. Findings inform future research on fitfluencers’ impact on adolescents and guide fitfluencers and marketing practitioners targeting young audiences.

ABSTRACT. Many online platforms necessitate the divulgence of personal data for access; yet limited studies have investigated personality traits and the inclination to share personal information. Additionally, little attention has been given to the impact of data-privacy concerns and data-privacy awareness on the willingness to share personal information. This study aims to examine the influence of an individual's big five personality traits and their data-privacy awareness on their willingness to share personal information with online platforms. Conducted within the context of South Africa, data was gathered from 185 respondents, aged 18 and above, and subsequently analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings reveal that, among the big five personality traits, only openness to experience and neuroticism significantly influence an individual’s willingness to share personal information. Furthermore, both data-privacy concerns and data-privacy awareness emerged as highly influential factors impacting the willingness to share personal information. These outcomes offer valuable guidance to marketers seeking to comprehend the dynamics driving individuals’ willingness to disclose personal information on online platforms.

ABSTRACT. Delivering sensory experiences in online environments that approximate the richness and engagement of physical store interactions is a challenge, as online consumer interactions may suffer from a "sensory deficit." Given this context, this qualitative study aims to deepen the understanding of online sensory experience by focusing on online sensory richness. It explores potential sensory deficits encountered online and uncovers the mechanisms that consumers and retailers employ to mitigate these perceived deficits. Through in-depth interviews with 21 participants, our findings underscore the importance of a coherent, well-integrated multisensory experience that aligns sensory stimuli with brand identity to evoke a consistent and compelling digital atmosphere. Sensory experience in digital environments appears as a holistic construct, with multisensory stimulation, coherence, and congruence as its fundamental components. Though informants reported significant sensory deficits in online shopping, some mechanisms appear to enable a deeper experience through an embodied, sensory-rich digital experience. The study contributes to the literature by deepening sensory richness as a construct that shapes consumer experience, engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty. By examining sensory richness, this study aims to provide actionable insights for practitioners to help overcome sensory limitations, whether through congruent sensory design, mental imagery, or crossmodal interactions that enhance digital atmosphere.

ABSTRACT. This study examines how the body size of retail employees impacts customer experiences in plus-size retail environments. Using congruence theory as a framework, the research investigates whether the appearance of frontline employees aligns with brand identity, influencing customer perceptions of friendliness, competence, and anxiety levels. Specifically, it compares customer reactions to plus-size and non-plus-size employees in plus-size stores. The study included 202 female participants, all identifying as somewhat overweight or overweight, who were randomly assigned to scenarios involving either a plus-size or non-plus-size retail associate. Results show that plus-size associates were perceived as more congruent with the store's brand, rated as friendlier and more competent, and reduced customer anxiety. In contrast, non-plus-size associates were seen as less congruent, generating greater customer anxiety, particularly among infrequent shoppers. These findings support the hypotheses that employee appearance congruent with brand identity positively influences consumer evaluations and lowers service-based anxiety, especially for frequent shoppers. This research contributes to retail literature by emphasizing the importance of employee-brand congruence, particularly in niche retail markets like plus-size fashion. The study's implications reaffirm that retailers can benefit from aligning employee appearances with their brand's core customer base to enhance customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.

ABSTRACT. This research explores how the food acculturation process of one of France's largest cultural minorities affects their food well-being. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study with thirty North African migrants from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia to understand the various changes induced by the food acculturation process on their purchasing and consumption habits, and the consequences on their food well-being. The results obtained enable us to formulate a number of recommendations addressed to professionals of food and retail sectors, with a focus on satisfying the expectations and needs of this population, facilitating their integration into the host country and enabling them to maintain their well-being.

ABSTRACT. Brands increasingly adapt their strategies to align with the principles of diversity and inclusion, as they are often driven by consumers’ expectations for transparency and societal contributions. Responding to these shifts, brands modify their identities, products, and values, sometimes even discontinuing offerings that clash with evolving cultural norms. While these efforts may enhance perceptions of morality and customer satisfaction, they also risk backlash, particularly from consumers who perceive such changes as inconsistent with a brand’s history or their values. Using Victoria’s Secret’s transformation as an illustrative case, we investigate this dynamic through interviews with 20 long-time consumers. We look at the evolving consumer-brand relationships with Victoria’s Secret (VS) in response to the brand’s shift toward diversity and inclusion. We identify three distinct consumer-brand relationship types—a bad habit, inspiration, and helpmate—each reflecting unique consumer perceptions and engagements with VS before its recent rebranding initiatives. Such differences lead to distinct reactions to the brand’ changes towards inclusivity and diversity extending from celebrating the change, to questioning its value, and to its rejection. Our paper ends with detailing our theoretical and managerial recommendations.

ABSTRACT. Over the past decade, customer engagement in retail has become a strategic priority, with AI playing a crucial role. In the present study, we explore five intelligence types in AI (within the context of e-commerce) by including engagement as a mediator between AI types and subsequent brand attitudes and purchase intentions. The study hypotheses are tested using data from a combined sample of 1054 respondents collected through survey method. The data analysis is conducted in steps where we first perform factor analysis (exploratory and confirmatory) and then structural equation modeling to test the hypotheses. Major findings indicate a significant positive effect of most of the AI types on both affective and cognitive engagement of the consumers. Consumer engagement in turn is found to influence consumer attitudes towards the (e-commerce) brand and purchase intentions. The study has important theoretical and managerial implications.

ABSTRACT. As smart cities evolve rapidly, fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence and internet of things, smart mobility and smart home technologies are becoming integral to urban living. However, the analysis of those factors affecting citizen adoption of smart home or smart mobility environ- ments is still not sufficiently analyzed. Our systematic literature review, guided by PRISMA and an extended TCCM framework, highlights a gap in examining how AI-driven personalization and ex- periential factors—such as user interactions in smart environments—impact adoption. Findings re- veal that current research is mainly centered around the rational factors driving citizen adoption of smart home and mobility technologies. Psychological factors are still not investigated in detail, which is also driven by the research design used. In addition to that, artificial intelligence is mainly seen as a part of the technology for advancing it, and its effects on, for example, personalization or ride-hailing scenarios are not investigated. This review provides directions for researchers and pol- icymakers, suggesting that a more holistic approach for investigating citizen adoption of smart mo- bility or smart home environments is essential to address the complexity of the research environ- ment.

ABSTRACT. Building on the social support theory, this research intends to explore informational and emotional support provided by generative AI. Specifically, social support generated from AI usage contributes to the development of parasocial interaction between AI and users which further influences consumer continuance usage intention and subjective well-being. We propose a two-step research approach to explore the relationship consumers build with generative AI and its influence on consumers’ future behaviors and mental states. The proposed research method includes an analysis of secondary data and a survey study to further the understanding of consumer experiences and motivations in generative AI usage.

ABSTRACT. Digital assistants (DAs), such as Siri, Alexa, and ChatGPT, are widely used for various requirements (e.g., checking the weather, news updates, information seeking) and appear across different devices and brands. The role of Augmented Reality (AR) has expanded dramatically across contexts in recent years, with the rise of branded AR games (e.g., Pokémon Go), AR shopping (e.g., IKEA), AR social media (e.g., Snapchat), and AR packaging (e.g., Living Label Wines), among others. With both AR experiences and DA technologies serving a plethora of consumer needs and services, it is important to not only examine them individually but also collectively as a single service experience. We introduce the concept “Augmented Reality Digital Assistant” (i.e., ARDA) for this purpose. This study is one of the first to empirically examine this type of emerging technology through use of a developed ARDA app to examine its role in enhancing consumers’ in-store service experiences. Through undergoing six experimental studies, our research develops understanding into how ARDAs influence the in-store service experience, based on the level of anthropomorphism (perceived physical presence & human vs. robot) experienced by consumers. We draw on our theoretical and practical implications and address further insight in this developing area.

ABSTRACT. To elevate the online shopping experience, an increasing number of companies are adopting immersive technologies like augmented reality. This research explores the impact of augmented reality features on web user behavior. Relying on an exploratory study featuring 30 individual semi-directive interviews and supported by the use of the protocol method. Our study suggests that users feel nervous when augmentation is via photo, while real-time augmentation is necessary to provide a sensation of immersion. Regarding purchase intentions, they vary according to the type of augmentation: augmentation via video or in real-time encourages purchase, whereas augmentation via photo can lead to a negative purchase intention.

ABSTRACT. The metaverse, a rapidly evolving digital space, is transforming various sectors, including art and culture. Museums worldwide are exploring the potential of immersive technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to create new, dynamic, boundary-less spaces that a global audience can access. Prominent institutions like The Frick Collection in New York, the National Gallery in London, and the Vatican Museum in Rome have embraced virtual museum experiences. However, key questions remain about how visitors engage with these digital environments, particularly their social and emotional interactions with humanoid and non-humanoid avatars. This study focuses on understanding how avatars shape visitor experiences in virtual museum environments, drawing on Social Presence Theory and Automated Social Presence (ASP). ASP refers to the degree to which machines, including avatars, evoke the feeling of being in the presence of another social entity. The research uses neuroscientific methods and the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET) to examine the cognitive and emotional responses of participants interacting with avatars while viewing renowned artworks.

ABSTRACT. Mixed reality technology has gained attention from omnichannel retailing but has yet to become mainstream. In order for stakeholders to understand its distinctions from traditional retailing, this study completed 2 x 6 days of comparison observation in a fashion retail shop in London, UK. Through field observation methods, the study aims to explore the differences in consumer behaviour in a traditional shop compared to user behaviour in a mixed reality brick-and-mortar shop. The participation of 68 customers was invited through a mixed reality configurator application and transparent see-through head-mounted displays. Empirical results show that mixed reality customer experiences in brick-and-mortar shops increase customer engagement and touchpoints, extend customer dwell time, and deliver positive sentiment. In contrast, such interaction requires a well-planned space design while suggesting a 2:4 interaction space that allows walking postures. This study addresses important implications for retailers in developing mixed reality retail management strategies, understanding consumer experience demands, and positively impacting researchers regarding prospective research directions.

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