This thesis examines whether the influence of reference price discrepancy on consumer post-purchase satisfaction depends on the type of price discrepancy. Based on Bolton, Warlop, and Alba's (2003) transaction space framework, this thesis proposes that the influence of reference price discrepancy on satisfaction can be classified into three types: across-time price discrepancy, across-consumer price discrepancy, and across-firm price discrepancy. The thesis proposes and tests a satisfaction model that incorporates types of reference price discrepancy, based on perceived fairness, retrospective regret, and disappointment in six experiments. Experiment 1 identifies a negative relationship between perceived fairness of a situation and retrospective regret, independent of the outcomes of comparable others. The findings in experiment 1 are replicated in another context in experiment 2. The findings are generalized beyond price as an attribute into performance in experiment 3. The findings suggest that self-blame mediates the negative relationship between fairness and regret, supporting a just-world explanation. Experiment 4 demonstrates that the influences of reference price discrepancies on perceived fairness, retrospective regret, and disappointment are type-dependent. Experiment 5 provides explanations to as why the influences of reference price discrepancy on fairness, regret, and disappointment are type-dependent. The finding suggests that satisfaction models examining only one antecedent of satisfaction and models without considering retrospective regret have reduced goodness of fit indices and have inflated estimators than the proposed and other alternative models. Finally, experiment 6 demonstrates how mixed reference price information can be separated into its components. This method allows future research to incorporate multidimensional reference price information in research following a generalized utility model. The findings of this thesis have implications for satisfaction modeling, reference price typology, and differential pricing practice. This thesis sends a simple and direct message to marketing practitioners that fairness is the most important antecedent of satisfaction. / Tang, Tzu Lung Felix. / Adviser: Jian-min Jamie Jia. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-06, Section: A, page: 2148. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 141-154). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest dissertations and theses, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

by Kwok Mei-Choi, Fanny, Lam Ngan-Ying, Phoebe. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1989. / Bibliography: leaves 47-48.

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Planet earth is shrinking due to the virtual world. Internet applications all over the world have now made it necessary for the people to make internet a part of daily life. This advent is leaving its impression on all industries and especially the clothing industry. E-commerce is a business application of internet all over the world. The companies which are operating in apparel business are developing their web shops. In order to create loyal customers and meeting the consumer demand it is important to do necessary communication of the products with the consumers. Otherwise the products might be a surprise at the time of delivery to the consumers. Every consumer has his/ her own way of evaluating a product. So it is important for a web shop to address to every kind of consumer in order to meet the consumer demand and create more customers. The virtual world has its own complications and deviation from the usual world. So the thesis is focused on testing of shopping experience for an online purchase and to do the analysis of the communication between the web shop and the consumer. The studies are done on the basis of evaluation of feedback collection from consumers and information search of the various products online. The focus was more on the customers who do careful information search before doing a purchase and also some random customers who purchase a product without deep evaluation of the products. Traditional consumer behavior and the consumer behavior for online shopping were compared analytically and the results have been discussed in the end. Need for improvement in existing systems is the base for this thesis. Studies showed that the e-commerce systems are still unable to understand the new customer segment for online shopping and there is a great need of improvement in this area to get more customers. The results from this study are significant for the web shops which are operating the Scandinavian countries.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Boston University

Ong Wai Shan Joanna. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 60-69). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter 1: --- Introduction --- p.1 / Customer Loyalty: A Review --- p.3 / Conceptual Development --- p.3 / Empirical Studies: Customer Loyalty in Terms of Behavior and Attitude --- p.5 / Commitment: A Composite of Cognition and Affect --- p.6 / Cognitive Commitment --- p.8 / Affective Commitment Towards the Restaurant as an Entity --- p.9 / Affective Commitment Towards Service Staff --- p.9 / Attitudes Towards the Restaurant: Perceived Service Quality --- p.10 / The Disconfirmation Gap Model of Service Quality --- p.10 / The Service Quality Indicators for the Restaurant Industry --- p.11 / Linking Service Quality and Commitment with Behavioral Intention --- p.13 / Service Quality and Behavioral Intention --- p.13 / The Effect of Commitment --- p.14 / The Behavioral Aspect of Loyalty: Behavioral Loyalty/Past Patronage Behavior --- p.17 / Customer Loyalty: Commitment (Cognitive and Affective) and Past Patronage Behavior --- p.18 / Variety-Seeking Behavior --- p.18 / Need for Variety --- p.19 / "Relating Past Patronage Behavior, Behavioral Intention and Repatronage Behavior" --- p.21 / Overview --- p.22 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Method --- p.25 / Participants and Procedure --- p.25 / Instruments --- p.28 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- Results --- p.32 / Descriptive Analysis --- p.32 / Confirmatory Factor Analysis --- p.36 / Evaluation of the Structural Model --- p.37 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- Discussion --- p.43 / Commitment in Restaurant: Affective and Cognitive --- p.43 / The Service Quality Indicators in Restaurants --- p.44 / Service Quality's Direct Effect on Behavioral Intention --- p.45 / Service Quality's Indirect Effect on Behavioral Intention through Commitment --- p.46 / Variety-Seeking Behavior: Need for Variety --- p.49 / "Past Patronage, Behavioral Intention and Repatronage Behavior" --- p.51 / From Behavioral Intention to Repatronage Behavior --- p.51 / From Past Patronage Behavior to Future Repatronage Behavior --- p.52 / From Past Patronage Behavior to Behavioral Intention --- p.54 / Conclusion: Two Routes to Repatronage --- p.56 / Limitations --- p.56 / Implication --- p.58 / Managerial Implication --- p.58 / References --- p.60 / Appendix A: Theories Explaining The Cognitive Mechanisms Behind Variety Seeking Behavior --- p.70

Wong Ka Chat Andrew. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-79). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT (ENGLISH) --- p.i / ABSTRACT (CHINESE) --- p.iii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vii / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.viii / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Research Objectives --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- To incorporate affective expectation theory into satisfaction research --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- To distinguish the differential satisfaction responses elicited by affective and cognitive expectations --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- To propose the theory that expectation bases predetermine evaluation modes --- p.5 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1 --- Affective and Cognitive Expectations --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Definitions --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- The Assimilation Effects of Affective Expectation --- p.7 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Different Satisfaction Responses Evoked by Different Expectation Bases --- p.9 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Hypothesis 1 --- p.10 / Chapter 2.2 --- The Predetermination of Evaluation Mode --- p.11 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Affective and Cognitive Evaluation Modes --- p.12 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- The Theory of Predetermination of Evaluation Modes --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Hypothesis 2 --- p.14 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY --- p.15 / Chapter 3.1 --- Pretest --- p.15 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Pretest 1: Affective quality manipulation --- p.16 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Pretest 2: Cognitive quality of the CD --- p.18 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Pretest 3: Expectation manipulations --- p.19 / Chapter 3.2 --- Main Study --- p.23 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Participants and Design --- p.23 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Procedure --- p.24 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Measures --- p.26 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- RESULTS --- p.28 / Chapter 4.1 --- Demand and Manipulation Checks --- p.28 / Chapter 4.2 --- Hypotheses Testing --- p.30 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Differential Effect of Affective and Cognitive Expectations on Satisfaction --- p.30 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- The Predetermination of Evaluation Modes --- p.37 / Chapter 4.2.2.1 --- Total Number of Thoughts --- p.38 / Chapter 4.2.2.2 --- Proportion of Affective Thoughts --- p.38 / Chapter 4.2.2.3 --- Proportion of Cognitive Thoughts --- p.40 / Chapter 4.2.2.4 --- Proportional of Comparative Thoughts --- p.42 / Chapter 4.2.2.5 --- Proportion of Positive Thoughts --- p.45 / Chapter 4.2.2.6 --- Proportion of Negative Thoughts --- p.49 / Chapter 4.2.2.7 --- Proportion of Visual Thoughts --- p.54 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- DISCUSSION --- p.56 / Chapter 5.1 --- Theoretical Contribution --- p.56 / Chapter 5.2 --- Limitations and Research Opportunities --- p.61 / APPENDIX 1 MOCK UP MAGAZINE EXCERPT --- p.64 / Chapter 1A --- Cognitive Version --- p.64 / Chapter 1B --- Affective Version --- p.65 / APPENDIX 2 COMMENTS ON THE CD CLAIMED TO BE WRITTEN BY PREVIOUS PARTICIPANTS --- p.66 / Chapter 2A --- Cognitive Version --- p.66 / Chapter 2B --- Affective Version --- p.67 / APPENDIX 3 EXAMPLES OF LISTED THOUGHTS CODED AS AFFECTIVE --- p.68 / Chapter 3A --- Positive --- p.68 / Chapter 3B --- Negative --- p.68 / APPENDIX 4 EXAMPLES OF LISTED THOUGHTS CODED AS COGNITIVE. . --- p.69 / Chapter 4A --- Positive --- p.69 / Chapter 4B --- Negative --- p.69 / APPENDIX 5 EXAMPLES OF LISTED THOUGHTS CODED AS COMPARISON --- p.70 / APPENDIX 6 examples of listed thoughts coded as visual --- p.71 / References

Sit Yau Fai. / Thesis submitted in: July 2005. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 56-66). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT (ENGLISH) --- p.i / ABSTRACT (CHINESE) --- p.iii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.vii / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Overview --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Background and Purpose --- p.1 / Chapter 1.3 --- Significance of this Thesis --- p.3 / Chapter 1.4 --- Outline of this Thesis --- p.4 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1 --- Overview --- p.6 / Chapter 2.2 --- Service Marketing and Trust --- p.6 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Dimensions of Trust --- p.7 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Benevolence and Competence Trust --- p.7 / Chapter 2.3 --- Trust Based Service Relationship and Customer Reactions --- p.9 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Satisfaction and Service Relationship --- p.10 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Behavioral Intentions and Service Relationship --- p.11 / Chapter 2.4 --- "Culture, Self-Construals and Trust" --- p.12 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT --- p.15 / Chapter 3.1 --- Overview --- p.15 / Chapter 3.2 --- Effectiveness of Benevolence and Competence Trust --- p.15 / Chapter 3.3 --- Self-Construals and Service Failure --- p.19 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Satisfaction and Repatronage Intention --- p.22 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Complaint Intention --- p.24 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY --- p.24 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.24 / Chapter 4.2 --- Research Design --- p.24 / Chapter 4.3 --- Procedures --- p.25 / Chapter 4.4 --- Participants --- p.26 / Chapter 4.5 --- Measures --- p.27 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- RESEARCH FINDINGS --- p.29 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.29 / Chapter 5.2 --- Manipulation Checks --- p.29 / Chapter 5.3 --- Results --- p.30 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Main Effects of Service Relationship --- p.32 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Interaction Effects of Service Relationship --- p.34 / Chapter 5.3.2.1 --- Satisfaction --- p.34 / Chapter 5.3.2.2 --- Repatronage Intention --- p.37 / Chapter 5.3.2.3 --- Complaint Intention --- p.39 / Chapter CHAPTER SIX --- CONCLUSION --- p.43 / Chapter 6.1 --- Overview --- p.43 / Chapter 6.2 --- Discussion --- p.43 / Chapter 6.3 --- Limitations and Future Research --- p.48 / APPENDIX I Service Scenarios --- p.51 / APPENDIX II Demographics Profile --- p.53 / APPENDIX III Measures of Trust Used in the Study --- p.54 / APPENDIX IV Self-Construal Scale --- p.55 / REFERENCES --- p.56

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One of the most important trends in today’s marketplace is consumers’ increased reliance on smartphones not only as a communication device but also as a central platform for accessing information, entertainment and other consumption activities—the so-called “mobile revolution” (Ackley 2015). While the marketing implications of mobile platforms are receiving emerging attention in the marketing modeling literature (e.g., Danaher et al. 2015; Ghose and Han 2011; Sultan et al. 2009), still very little is known about the consumption psychology of smartphone usage. The purpose of my dissertation is to address this void by examining what is fundamentally different about the psychology of smartphone use. The dissertation consists of two essays examining two complementary components of mobile consumer behavior. In the first essay I focus on clarifying the particular type of relationship that consumers form with their smartphones. Specifically, I advance the hypothesis that smartphones often fulfill the role of “attachment objects” for consumers. That is, smartphones are now used by many consumers in much the same way as pacifiers or security blankets are used by children—which I refer to as the Adult Pacifier Hypothesis. Consistent with this hypothesis, results from two controlled lab experiments show that relative to a comparable device such as one’s personal computer, engaging with one’s smartphone provides greater comfort as well as faster recovery from a stressful situation, both of which are defining characteristics of attachment objects. A third lab study reveals that, under feelings of stress, people actively seek out and engage with the device over other objects in much the same way that a child would seek out and engage with his or her pacifier. Also consistent with this hypothesis, a fourth study shows that the drive to use one’s smartphone becomes especially pronounced among consumers who have recently quit smoking—that is, consumers who are particularly susceptible to anxiety and stress. In the second essay I document an important consequence of consumers’ increased reliance on their smartphones: its impact on user-generated content. Across three field studies and six controlled lab experiments, I find that smartphone usage drives the creation of content that is more emotional, specifically more positively emotional, and potentially more impactful than content generated on PCs. Overall, these findings provide insight into the psychology of the mobile consumer and its downstream marketing implications.