At last, this dissertation considers another marketing implication of this number-location association, namely the compatibility effect. In experiment 7, we find that people perceive a discount as more attractive when the two prices are actually posited in compatible locations (original price-right side; discounted price-left side) than in incompatible locations. Similarly, experiment 8 demonstrates that people are more likely to patronage a supermarket when the supermarket's slogan about low price is shown on the left side of a display than on the right side, and this effect is mediated by the subjective fluency feeling people felt at the time they process the advertisement. / Given a display, people usually think that large numbers should be located on the top or on the right hand side of the display, whereas small numbers should be posited at the bottom or on the left (Wood and Fischer 2008). / Given this number-location association, this dissertation secondly intends to apply it to the field of marketing, and to use three experiments to explore how and why location of product image can influence people's price judgment. The results of experiment 4 show that consumers think that the market price of a product is higher if the product's image is shown on the right side of a display than on the left side; experiment 5 and experiment 6 further indicate that the location of product image can only influence consumers' price judgment, but cannot influence quality judgment. / Key Words: Number-location association, Simulation, Perceptual Symbol Systems (PSS), Price perception. / This dissertation firstly aims to provide new evidence for this number-location association. Experiment 1 demonstrates that people incorrectly remember that large numbers appear to the right of the locations they actually were shown while small numbers appear to the left ofthe locations than they actually were presented; experiment 2 and experiment 3 show that people estimate there are more pieces in a pile of object when the pile of object is presented on the right side of a display than on the left side. / Cai, Fengyan. / Adviser: King Man Hui. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-03, Section: A, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 139-144). / 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, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest dissertations and theses, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.

"June 2004." / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 138-148). / 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 dissertations and theses, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

According to Engel, Blackwell, and Miniard (1993), evaluative criteria is defined as "the standards and specifications used by consumers to compare different products and brands" (p.51). Many studies have investigated factors that might influence the importance of clothing evaluative criteria used by consumers in the decision making process. However, few studies have been directed to examine the relationship between consumers' shopping motivations and their use of clothing evaluative criteria. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of consumers' shopping orientations on the importance placed on the clothing evaluative criteria. Hedonic and utilitarian shopper dichotomy was applied in this study. Self-administered questionnaires which included four sections of questions were used for data collection. The four sections, with 7-point Likert scales, asked about respondents' clothing evaluative criteria used in general and specific purchase context, shopping values, and demographic information. The data were collected at Oregon State University in summer 2005. A convenience sample of 452 students from nine departments was obtained. The frequency and descriptive statistics, cross tabulation and chi-square statistics, Principal Components Factor Analysis with Varimax Rotation, and Pearson Correlation were used to analyze the data. Respondents were classified into hedonic shoppers, utilitarian shoppers, or neutral shoppers, who were dropped in comparison analysis. Results indicated that hedonic shoppers were more likely to be female and younger than were the utilitarian shoppers. Hedonic shoppers were found to be more engaged in un-planned clothing purchases, go clothing shopping more frequently, and spend more money on clothing each month then utilitarian shoppers. Moreover, hedonic shoppers more often went clothing shopping in department stores, closed malls and specialty stores than did the utilitarian shoppers. Principal Components Factor Analysis was conducted to classified clothing evaluative criteria used in both general and specific purchase situations, and new variables were generated for Pearson Correlation Analysis. Results of Pearson Correlation analysis were used to test the hypotheses. Results showed that hedonic shopping value was positively and significantly related to "Aesthetics" and "Symbolic" dimensions of clothing, which supported the first hypothesis. However, utilitarian shopping value was not found to have positive and stronger relationship with "Performance" and "Economic" dimensions of clothing than hedonic shopping value, thus, the second hypothesis was not supported. Apparel manufacturers, retailers, and marketers can draw implications from the study result to develop more effective marketing communication mix. Also, consumer behavior researchers can further investigate hedonic shopping behavior based on the research findings. / Graduation date: 2006

Marketers and advertisers have long searched for new and more powerful ways to measure the effectiveness of advertising. One data source that has proven useful is consumers’ moment-to-moment affective responses to advertisements. The first essay of my dissertation examines consumers’ moment-to-moment evaluations of advertisements and presents an application of principal components analysis that allows researchers to understand divergence in consumer response and link this divergence to specific elements of the ad’s storyline. While traditional research has focused on the aggregate peak, final moment and linear trend of consumers’ affect traces in predicting overall evaluations of the advertisement, this application provides better predictions of holdout evaluations. Additionally, I find these traditional measures do not provide insight into consumers’ credibility assessments of the advertisement and illustrate that these evaluations are determined much earlier in the advertisement. The second essay of my dissertation examines how important consumer characteristics (receiver factors), such as prior brand attitude and product category involvement, impact consumers’ moment-to-moment affective responses to advertisements. I also examine how these consumer characteristics moderate the relationship between consumers’ affect traces and important downstream variables such as attitude toward the ad, attitude toward the brand and likelihood to purchase the product. I demonstrate that consumers form biased evaluations based on their prior brand attitude and category involvement and illustrate how advertisers can reduce these biases resulting in greater attitude change in consumers less positively predisposed to the product. / text

The purposes of the study were to: 1) identify the underlying dimensions of consumer shopping motivations and attitudes toward online auction behaviors; 2) examine the relationships between shopping motivations and online auction behaviors; and 3) examine the relationships between shopping attitudes and online auction behaviors. Students (N = 341) enrolled at the University of North Texas completed self-administered questionnaires measuring shopping motivations, attitudes, online auction behaviors, and demographic characteristics. Using multiple regression analyses to test the hypothesized relationships, shopping motivations and shopping attitudes were significantly related to online auction behaviors. Understanding the relationships is beneficial for companies that seek to retain customers and increase their sales through online auction.

This dissertation aims to provide a deeper understanding of consumer emotions from user-generated content. In the first essay of my dissertation, “Digital Therapy for Negative Consumption Experiences: The Impact of Emotional and Rational Reviews on Review Writers and Readers,” we examine whether the manner in which a consumer writes a review can help them recover from a negative consumption experience, as well as how this influences other review readers. To test these research questions, we use a multimethod approach and collect archival data, field data, and participants’ physiological responses as well as memory recall. We employ machine learning techniques to train multilabel classifiers with review textual data and categorize online reviews into one of the three types: emotional (feelings and emotions), rational (facts, beliefs, and thought processes), and integrated (the combination of the two). We first show that, similar to writing about traumatic life experiences, when a review writer writes an integrated review about a negative experience (compared to when they only express emotional or rational aspects), they feel better afterwards and are more likely to purchase again. We also show that integrated reviews do not any have adverse effects on review readers. Finally, in two controlled experiments, we examine the underlying mechanisms for this positive effect of writing an integrated review on review writers by collecting biophysiological response data (i.e., review writers’ blood pressure and pulse) and by analyzing thought listing data. The results show that writing an integrated review about a negative consumption experience appears to lead to catharsis and cognitive reappraisal of the negative experience, which in turn lead to better outcomes. This research shows that writing online reviews can serve as a digital therapy tool that helps consumers recover from negative consumer experiences and has positive benefits for the involved firms. This has important implications for the design of review systems and for firms, especially in situations where customers have negative experiences with their products and services. The first essay of my dissertation suggests that consumers can benefit by expressing emotions (together with rational thoughts) in their online reviews. In the second essay of my dissertation, “Are Emotions Gendered? Gender Stereotypes in Online Reviews,” we examine whether the domain of online reviews is inclusive enough to allow all consumers to feel free to express their emotions. In this research, we examine whether review readers’ reactions to reviews where writers express their emotion vary with the gender of the review writer. More specifically, we examine how gender stereotypes in general, and the belief that females are more emotional than males in particular, influences review readers’ reactions to reviews as well as the manner in which review writers construct their reviews. We find that even though the domain of online reviews is a relatively private and safe place for consumers to express their evaluations of products and services, a common feature of online review system designs, that is asking review writers to provide an avatar and/or names that might reflect their gender, leads to less favorable reactions to reviews written by women (vs. men) because of gender stereotypes. Further, when the stereotype that women are more emotional than men is made salient before review writing (versus when it is not), female review writers express less emotion, possibly because emotionality has negative associations such as being “irrational,” “overdramatic,” and “sensitive.” This finding is important because other research has shown that reviews that contain more emotion are evaluated more positively by review readers. Most importantly, while we provide evidence that this stereotype is believed and has a negative impact on review writers and readers, we show that it is not true in this context – females are no more emotional than men in review writing contexts.

Consumer awareness of prices was investigated through the use of recognition and recall tests. The objective of this research was to determine more precisely whether buyers are aware of prices they pay for grocery items. Using theories of information processing and memory led to the thesis that a recognition memory test would be more appropriate for measuring price awareness. The research method used was a combination questionnaire/ interview. Shoppers were followed and the prices of three products picked up for purchase were recorded. The subject was then approached and given either a recall or recognition test to determine whether they were aware of the prices for the products. The responses to the tests were timed and several questions concerning confidence in the answers given and frequency of product purchase were also asked. The conclusions from this research tend to support the use of recognition as an appropriate measure for tapping memory and determining consumer price awareness. That is, more buyers could correctly recognize prices than could recall prices. / M.S.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Technology: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2014. / The establishment of choice set from which consumers identify their preferred product and/brand choices arouses some interest among researchers, specifically within the context of international marketing. This curiosity about the influence of a product’s place of origin (country-of-origin: COO) on the establishment of consumer choice sets chiefly emanates from the growth of international trade and globalisation. The gap within the knowledge base surrounding consumer behaviour with respect to the purchase of foreign and domestic brands, specifically within Africa created the potential for research. As part of the evolution of COO research, this study looks into the construct of consumer ethnocentrism (CE) and its relationship with product selection and consideration. The aim behind the study can be summed up in the following objectives: firstly, to identify the moderating effects of consumer demographic variables on ethnocentric tendencies; secondly, to determine consumer attitudes towards foreign convenience goods; and, thirdly to establish the association between consumer ethnocentrism (CE) and brand selection for a consideration set. A structural model was developed illustrating the relationships (assumed) between consideration and CE. This resulted in the developed of five hypotheses. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted within Durban. A research instrument was developed combining ethnocentrism research and the concept of consideration. Within the study, an explanation of the research methodology utilised was provided. 500 questionnaires were distributed in order to obtain primary data for the purpose of the study. A presentation of the results obtained was provided. An analysis of the collected data was also provided using SPSS 21.0 with the aid of graphs and the appropriate inferential statistics. The research hypotheses were tested using an independent sample Kruskal-Wallis test and a Mann-Whitney U-test. A Spearman’s correlation test was used to test the relationship between consumer ethnocentrism and brand consideration. The chi-square test was used to test for the existence of variances within the responses provided by the respondents. The study revealed that only race had a significant relationship with consumer ethnocentrism while other demographic characteristics did not. Ethnocentric tendencies were strongest among Black South Africans. An association was also discovered between consumer ethnocentrism and the consideration of convenience products. The study, therefore, provides a better understanding into South African consumers’ selection of convenience products as influenced by consumer ethnocentrism. The theoretical and practical implications from the research findings have also been discussed within the report with the provision of suggestions regarding future research.

Thesis (MComm)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Lifestyles offer a comprehensive view of behaviour and the motives that underlie many of the purchases made by consumers. Impulsive buying behaviour is a complex phenomenon, and it has not yet been actively researched within a South African context. The aim of this study was to investigate the lifestyle of an impulsive student buyer, and to compile a lifestyle profile of such a buyer. A total of 499 respondents from the particular tertiary institution participated in the study. The sample population reflected young consumers in the age group 17 to 33 years. The students were mostly undergraduates studying in a full-time capacity. This study was exploratory and descriptive in nature. An electronic web-based survey was used as the method of data gathering. The survey was programmed and posted for a period of three weeks on the student portal of the tertiary institution where the survey was conducted. The validation of participation in the electronic survey was done in accordance with the requirements of the sample selection criteria. The questionnaire was tested during a pilot study. Factor analysis and Cronbach’s coefficient alpha was used to assess the validity of the questionnaire and to determine its internal consistency. Mean scores and standard deviations were computed to divide the data into three groups. To determine the current lifestyle dimensions of the students, the Activities, Interests and Opinion statements (AIOstatements) were factor analyzed. The factor matrix was rotated by means of an oblique rotation of axes, making use of the Direct Oblimin rotation technique. This resulted in a solution of five activity and interest factors, and two opinion factors. Mean scores and standard deviations were computed for all the valid life style characteristics. The frequency of impulsive shopping was measured through frequency distribution. Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient analysis was performed between the differentiating variables, namely lifestyle and impulsive shopping behaviour to establish the relationship between these variables. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and univariate (one way) analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to determine differences between the groups. The five activity and interest factors that were identified, included clothes shopping/clothing specific lifestyle, social interaction, media usage, fashion oriented clothes shopping/fasion oriented clothing lifestyle, and cultural activities and interests. The two opinion factors identified, were positive vision for the future and importance of training/education. However, the opinion factors did not differ in terms of statistic significance between the groups, and was therefore not used in the consequent typology of the groups. Three groups of student consumers were identified based on the respondents’ perceptions of their activities and interests, and impulsive shopping behaviour. The students were categorized into the following three groups: Group 1: Non-impulsive shoppers – Non-impulsive Conservatives/ Traditionalists Group 2: Low impulsive shoppers – Moderates Group 3: High impulsive shoppers – Impulsive Trendsetters The three groups differed in terms of their activities and interests, and impulsive shopping behaviour. The following activities and interests characteristics were considered important: clothes shopping/clothing specific lifestyle, social interaction and media usage. The activities and interests factors that are responsible for differences between the groups could provide retailers with valuable means to identify market segments, and to satisfy their specific needs. Young South African consumers should not be considered as a homogeneous group of consumers. The South African market is a highly competitive environment providing a wide variety of shops and products to consumers which can be targeted at a specific segment to exert an impact on shopping and specifically impulsive shopping. Therefore the retailer and marketer ought not to underestimate this type of shopping behaviour. Implications for retailers and marketers are stated and recommendations for future research are suggested in order to encourage further investigation in a scientific manner in the field of impulsive shopping behaviour, and lifestyle. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Lewenstyl bied ‘n uitgebreide en omvattende beeld van verbruikers se gedrag en die motiewe onderliggend aan die aankope van verbruikers. Impulsiewe aankoopgedrag is ‘n komplekse fenomeen en ‘n studierigting waarin beperkte navorsing in Suid- Afrika gedoen is. Hierdie studie poog om ondersoek in te stel na die lewenstyl van ‘n impulsiewe studente-aankoper en om dan gevolglik ‘n lewenstyltipering van hierdie student te doen. ‘n Totaal van 499 respondente het aan hierdie studie deelgeneem. Die steekproef is uit jong verbruikers in die ouderdomsgroep 17 tot 33 jaar geneem. Die studente was meerendeels voorgraads voltyds ingeskrewe studente. Hierdie studie was verkennend en beskrywend van aard. Data is deur middel van ‘n elektroniese webgebaseerde-opname versamel. Die vraelys is tydens ‘n loodsstudie getoets. Die vraelys is geprogrammeer en vir ‘n tydperk van drie weke op die portaal van die studente aan die betrokke tersiêre instansie geplaas. Die vraelys het uit vier afdelings bestaan. Die kontrole van die deelnemers aan die elektroniese opname is in ooreenstemming met die steekproefseleksiekriteria opgestel. Faktorontleding en Cronbach se koëffisiënt alfa is gebruik om die geldigheid en interne konsekwentheid van die vraelys te ondersoek. Deur gebruik te maak van gemiddelde tellings en standaardafwykings is die data in drie groepe verdeel. Om die bestaande lewenstyldimensies van die studente te bepaal, is die Aktiwiteite, Belangstellings en Opinie-stellings (AIO-stellings) aan faktorontleding onderwerp. Die faktormatriks is volgens die skuinsas-rotasietegniek met behulp van die Direct Oblimin-metode geroteer. Vyf aktiwiteite-en-belangstellingsfaktore en twee opiniefaktore is uit die data verkry. Gemiddelde tellings en standaardafwykings is vir al die geldige lewenstyleienskappe bereken. Die frekwensie van impulsiewe aankoopgedrag is deur middel van frekwensieverspreiding gemeet. Pearson se produk-moment korrelasiekoëffisiënt-ontleding is op die data toegepas om die korrelasies tussen die onderskeie veranderlikes, naamlik lewenstyl en impulsiewe aankoopgedrag, te bepaal. Meervoudige ontleding van variansie (MANOVA) en enkelvoudige ontleding van variansie (ANOVA) is gebruik om verskille tussen die groepe te bepaal. Die belangrikste aktiwiteite-en-belangstellingsfaktore wat geïdentifiseer is, sluit klereaankope/klere-spesifieke lewenstyl, sosiale interaksie, mediaverbruik, modieuse klereaankope/modieuse klere-lewenstyl en kuns en kulturele aktiwiteite en belangstellings in. Die belangrikste opiniefaktore sluit positiewe toekomsvisie en belangrikheid van opleiding in. Die opiniefaktore het egter nie statisties beduidend tussen die groepe onderskei nie en is gevolglik nie in die tipering van die groepe gebruik nie. Drie groepe studenteverbruikers is geïdentifiseer, gebaseer op die respondente se persepsie van hul lewenstyl en impulsiewe aankoopgedrag. Die drie groepe is soos volg gekategoriseer: Groep 1: Nie-impulsiewe kopers – Nie-impulsiewe Konserwatiewes/ Tradisioneles Groep 2: Lae impulsiewe kopers – Gematigdes Groep 3: Hoë impulsiewe kopers – Impulsiewe Tendensaanwysers Die drie groepe het volgens hul impulsiewe aankoopgedrag en aktiwiteite en belangstellings verskil. Die volgende aktiwiteite en belangstellingseienskappe is oor die algemeen die hoogste aangeslaan: klereaankope/klere-spesifieke lewenstyl, sosiale interaksie en mediaverbruik. Die aktiwiteite en belangstellings wat beduidend tussen die groepe onderskei, kan moontlik aan kleinhandelaars waardevolle inligting bied om marksegmente te identifiseer en om aan die behoeftes van die onderskeie verbruikersgroepe te voldoen. Jong Suid-Afrikaanse verbruikers behoort nie as ‘n homogene groep verbruikers beskou te word nie. Die Suid-Afrikaanse mark is hoogs kompeterend met ‘n wye reeks winkels en produkte wat op ‘n spesifieke segment gerig kan word om sodoende ‘n impak op aankope en spesifiek impulsiewe aankope uit te oefen. Die kleinhandelaar en bemarker behoort derhalwe nie hierdie tipe aankoopgedrag gering te skat nie. Implikasies vir die kleinhandelsektor en bemarker is gestel en aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing word gemaak ten einde toekomstige navorsing op ‘n wetenskaplik gefundeerde wyse op die gebied van impulsiewe aankoopgedrag en lewenstyl aan te moedig.

Thesis. (M. Tech. (Dept. of Marketing, Faculty of Management Sciences)) -- Vaal University of Technology, 2011. / The underlying determinants of how and why people shop has been a topic of study for many years, when typologies of shopping styles were developed. These studies have been successful in demonstrating that some shoppers display consistent shopping orientations that can be diametrically opposed, for example, the functional shopper versus the recreational shopper. This study concentrates on purchasing patterns of consumers by examining the decision-making styles of Generation Y consumers with regard to fashion apparel. The study reports on various stages that consumers undergo when confronted with a decision situation. These stages are outlined as need recognition, information search, pre-purchase evaluation, purchase, consumption and post-consumption. The buying behaviours influencing consumers were categorised into internal and external factors. The internal factor includes perception, motivation, learning, attitudes, personalities, self-concept, lifestyle and demography. The external factors comprised the following variables, namely, cultural background, subculture, family influence, and the social factor. The general characteristics of Generation Y were briefly discussed. Various dimensions used to measure consumer decision-making styles were reviewed in the study related to perfectionism, brand consciousness, novelty-fashion consciousness, recreational consciousness, price-and-value-for-money consciousness, impulsiveness and confusion as a result of overchoice of brands. The study adopted quantitative approach. A structured questionnaire was used to survey 230 students who were selected using non-probability convenience sampling. Seven dimensions measuring consumer decision-making styles were found to be applicable within the Generation Y context. These consumers were profiled as being quality conscious, brand conscious, novelty-seeking, hedonistic, confused by overchoice, habitual, brand loyal and fashion conscious. Differences were found between consumers who are confused by overchoice and younger Generation Y consumers. Younger consumers were found to be more confused by overchoice compared to their older counterparts. It is suggested that apparel retailers should try to use communication channels which will be more understandable by Generation Y consumers, and they should provide information that assists buyers to make a rational decision in the buying process. Differences were also confirmed between habitual, brand-loyal consumers and age. It was found that younger consumers are more likely to be loyal to specific brands as compared to their older counterparts. Differences were noted between brand conscious, confused by overchoice and gender. Brand consciousness was regarded as a reflection of men‟s desire to use shopping as a demonstration of their superiority, as well as being beneficial because they reduce search costs. It was revealed that males were more brand conscious than their female counterparts. It also highlighted that males were more confused by overchoice than females. The study found that the majority of Generation Y does pursue quality, even if it means paying higher prices. It is recommended that retailers should continue to emphasise their well-known brand names and set prices at levels where consumers perceive the quality of the product by its price. Retailers should focus on diverse designs, sizes and colours in their product assortment and range. The introduction of new products through the use of fashion shows, fashion magazines and advertisements may provide added advantages in terms of brand awareness / Central Research Committee of the Vaal University of Technology