Marketing serves to satisfy customer needs and wants while building strong customer relationships in an effort to gain value from customers in return. On understanding that customer satisfaction is needed for a business to survive and grow, the important role marketing plays within a business is emphasised as it contributes to overall business performance. Building relationships also emphasises the importance of communication within marketing. Traditional person-to-person word-of-mouth communication has always played a role in marketing a product or service. The evolution of technology over recent years has enabled electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), which is frequently carried out and has proven to be another effective marketing tool. Due to the fundamental role that marketing plays within a business and the frequent use of electronic word-of-mouth as a marketing tool it is important that business owners and marketers are aware of the factors influencing the effectiveness of it. This study explores eWOM from a marketing perspective, through investigating the factors that contribute towards the effectiveness of eWOM as a marketing tool. Therefore the primary objective of the study was to investigate the factors influencing effective eWOM marketing. A quantitative research approach was followed to empirically test the hypotheses and determine whether relationships exist between the four independent variables (factors influencing eWOM) and the dependent variable (effective eWOM marketing). A self-administered, five-point Likert-scale style structured questionnaire was used to obtain the data. The sample for this study comprised of 360 consumer respondents within the Nelson Mandela Metropole. An exploratory factor analysis extracted four valid constructs namely feedback, trustworthiness, social status and networking as the factors influencing effective eWOM marketing. Cronbach’s alphas confirmed the reliability of all extracted constructs. Most correlation results indicated moderate associations between the variables. However, effective eWOM marketing proved to have a strong correlation with social status. The results of the multiple regressions for the factors influencing effective eWOM marketing identified three statistically significant relationships between feedback, social status, networking and effective eWOM marketing. MANOVAS confirmed eleven statistically significant relationships of which only three were of practical significance. Practical significant relationships exist between ethnic affiliation, current position, years working experience and social status. In addition to identifying the three specific factors influencing effective eWOM marketing, namely online feedback, the need to obtain social status and the desire to engage in online networking, this study has made several contributions, specifically to eWOM marketing. This study has recommended specific online marketing strategies to increase effective eWOM for online feedback, for individuals to obtain social status and to engage in online networking. The hypothesised model developed from the study, illustrating the three factors that influence effective eWOM marketing for South African consumers, can now be used by other researchers in other countries as a framework for further testing or for businesses/marketing organisations to obtain information on the attributes to pay attention to increase the effectiveness of their eWOM marketing. The role that demographics such as ethnic affiliation, position in the business and years working experience play in satisfying the need of individuals to obtain social status in an online setting via eWOM marketing, were also confirmed. Furthermore, this study has provided practical advice to businesses/marketing organisations on how to utilise this knowledge to their advantage when wishing to stimulate eWOM conversations about their products and services. The findings of the research will also assist businesses/marketing organisations to initiate eWOM engagement and communicate more effectively with consumers online to obtain information on how to improve on and change existing products/services or the need for new product/service offerings to retain customers, ensure continuous consumer satisfaction and increase business turnover.

This research aims to investigate the effect of word-of-mouth (WOM) on the purchase of genuine and counterfeit luxury brands with a focus on the roles of attitude functions, product type, valence of WOM, and brand popularity. It consists of two experimental studies. Study 1 examines the effect of WOM on the purchase of luxury brands and attempts to investigate the mediating role of attitude functions in the relationship between WOM and purchase intentions for luxury brands, with regard to different product types and valence of WOM. Study 2 compares the effects of WOM communications with traditional advertising on the purchase of counterfeit and genuine luxury brands. It also examines the differences between popular and non-popular luxury brands. Results reveal that social-adjustive and value-expressive functions fully mediate the effect of WOM on luxury brand evaluation while partially mediate the effect of product type on luxury brand evaluation. The effect of WOM on attitude functions is more pronounced for high (vs. low) susceptibility to interpersonal influence consumers. Findings of Study 2 support the moderating role of subjective norm in the self-monitoring and counterfeit luxury brand evaluation relationship, indicating that compared to advertising, WOM is a more effective way to decrease counterfeit luxury brand consumption. Managerial implications for strategic brand management and directions for future research are discussed.

This dissertation explores an unintended consequence of using personalized recommendations, that is, recommendations that are targeted to an individual consumer (e.g., personalized music playlists). I conceptualize that using personalized recommender systems can impede consumers’ learning of their own preferences and tastes from product experiences. Therefore, using these systems can decrease preference clarity, which is defined as certainty about individuals’ own preferences. For example, people may feel less certain about their own music preferences after listening to auto-generated personalized playlists. This reduced preference clarity, in turn, reduces consumer willingness to generate word-of-mouth (WOM) about their consumption experiences, such as their intent to talk about music they listened to with others, or to post social media content on their favorite musicians. Eight studies, using correlational and experimental designs and conducted with consumers who actively use personalization services (in the fashion and music domains), support this theorization. I end with a discussion of the potential theoretical extensions of this novel finding, as well as its practical implications.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Enterprises and more specifically, marketing departments, function in a complex global market, while trying to deliver products and services to satisfy the needs of consumers. It is estimated that by 2013, enterprises will be spending $4.75 trillion and consumers $330 billion by means of commercial transactions over the Internet, and that by 2050 most transactions – if not all transactions – will be e-commerce based (Laudon and Traver, 2010:1-7). The 24-hour access to a global network of markets has brought about two major challenges for most enterprises. Firstly, the Internet as a publishing platform has exponentially increased the creation and sharing of information, which has significantly increased consumers’ search cost; and secondly, as more electronic word-of-mouth (EWOM) is being generated online, a significant amount of power and influence over enterprises has shifted to consumers (Chen, Wu and Yoon, 2004:716-722; Tapscott and Williams, 2008:52-53). Ultimately, enterprises are challenged to harness the power of EWOM for more successful e-commerce strategies and increased market share. Given previous studies, it was possible to extend the theoretical framework of EWOM communication in the fields of Internet marketing and online consumer behaviour. The purpose of this study was to create two models that could measure, over time, the impact of EWOM review communication on an e-commerce platform, specifically with regard to review credibility and sales levels. In using a non-probability judgement sampling procedure, it emerged that EWOM reviews do indeed influence the sales levels of e-commerce platform Amazon.com, and that certain review factors (platform, text length, time and star ratings) significantly influenced the credibility of Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com reviews. Furthermore, it was concluded that the overall credibility of reviews increases over time as more and more online users have the ability to scrutinise it. When Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com’s reviews were compared to each other, the results indicated that Amazon.com had more reviews than Barnesandnoble.com, and that the reviews posted at Amazon.com had on average longer text lengths and were found to be more helpful than the reviews at Barnesandnoble.com. The study's major contribution is that it provides wide-ranging guidelines for usability and user experience design, sales and inventory forecasting, as well as benchmark statistics for marketing campaigns. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ondernemings, en in die besonder bemarkingsafdelings, funksioneer in ‘n komplekse globale mark, in hulle strewe om voortdurend produkte en dienste te lewer wat voldoen aan verbruikersbehoeftes. Na raming sal ondernemings teen die jaar 2013 $4.75 triljoen en verbruikers $330 biljoen spandeer aan kommersiële transaksies oor die Internet, terwyl die meeste, indien nie alle transaksies, teen die jaar 2050 gebaseer gaan wees op e-handel (Laudon en Traver, 2010:1-7). Die 24-uur toegang tot ‘n globale netwerk van markte het twee hoofuitdagings vir die meeste ondernemings tot gevolg. In die eerste plek het die Internet as uitgewersplatform die skep en verspreiding van inligting eksponensieel laat toeneem, wat verbruikers se soekkoste noemenswaardig verhoog het; en tweedens, namate elektroniese hoorsê aanlyn gegenereer word, het ‘n beduidende hoeveelheid mag en invloed van ondernemings na die verbruiker verskuif (Chen, Wu en Yoon, 2004:716-722; Tapscott en Williams, 2008:52-53). Ondernemings word dus uitgedaag om die impak van elektroniese hoorsê (electronic word-of-mouth) te ontgin om meer suksesvolle e-handelstrategieë en verhoogde winste te verkry. In die lig van vorige studies was dit moontlik om die tradisionele teoretiese raamwerk van hoorsêkommunikasie uit te brei na die veld van Internet-bemarking en verbruikersgedrag. Die doel van hierdie studie was om twee modelle te ontwikkel wat, met verloop van tyd, die impak van elektroniese hoorsêkommunikasie op ‘n e-handelplatform kon meet, met spesifieke verwysing na resensiegeloofwaardigheid en verkoopsvlakke van boeke. Deur die gebruik van ‘n nie-waarskynlikheidsoordeel steekproefprosedure, het die studie bevind dat elektroniese hoorsêresensies inderdaad ‘n invloed het op die verkoopsvlakke van elektroniese e-handelplatforms en dat sekere resensiefaktore (platform, teks, lengte, tyd en stergradering) die geloofwaardigheid van elektroniese e-handelplatforms se resensies beduidend beïnvloed het. Verder is die gevolgtrekking gemaak dat die oorhoofse geloofwaardigheid van resensies toeneem namate al hoe meer aanlynverbruikers die vermoë het om dit onder oë te kry. In ‘n vergelyking tussen die resensies van twee e-handel platforms Amazon.com en Barnesandnoble.com, is bevind dat Amazon.com meer resensies as Barnesandnoble.com het, dat die resensies op Amazon.com gemiddeld langer tekste het, en ook meer behulpsaam uit ‘n verbruikersoogpunt is as die resensies op Barnesandnoble.com. Die hoofbydrae van hierdie studie is dat dit riglyne bied aan e-handelplatforms om hul kliënte se verbruikerservaring beter te verstaan, en om sodoende beter verkope- en voorraadvooruitskattings te kan maak. Verder bied die studie ook riglyne t.o.v. doeltreffende bemarkingsveldtogte vir e-handelplatforms.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Word-of-mouth is fluid and happening everywhere. Networks are invisible and sensitive to organisational behaviour. The post-modern consumer is sceptical of advertising messages. Friends' advice is trusted more. People love to be entertained and for a story to travel it needs to be sticky i.e. have simplicity, credibility and value. The product or message must be relevant and appropriate to their lives. Influencers exist in every product category and marketers could utilise them authentically to infiltrate network hubs. However, a contagious product is needed from a trusted, loved company with a solid reputation first before any buzz or referrals could commence. Communication between the company and the subject ought to be ongoing and personal. Companies must not just aim to please, but exceed expectations in an innovative way to gain attention. A clear differentiation from competitors stated in an unconventional and memorable way is a potent combination to make an impact and be remembered. Although the black middle class presents itself as an ever-growing goldmine, this buoyant part of the South African market is still underplayed and sometimes ignored by marketers. They are indeed different from the white middle class due to their frame of reference and the context of their background and should be approached differently in a marketing sense when truly gaining insight into their attitudes, values and belief systems. Coming from a tripartheid background, black middle class women are gaining economic and influential ground by the day. Word-of-mouth is an integral part of their life and network culture, especially standing with one foot in a Western world and another in their traditional African roots and culture, thus trusted advice from relevant sources is now more needed than ever. Understanding her dreams, being able to catch the fleeting moments which provide her motivation and collaborating with her is imperative for marketers to understand if their product or brand wants to be taken with her on her success journey. As she embraces technology more and gains access to the virtual world, creating and upholding digital interaction with her becomes increasingly important. In trying economic times, conspicuous consumption by the black middle class consumer is being put on the backburner, yet it would still remain a priority for this segment of the market for years to come as the quest towards self-actualisation is ongoing. Brands must be educated to follow up on their word-of-mouth campaigns, and provide support and appreciation to their pool of network influencers. Although measuring word-of-mouth is difficult it could be measured by objectives like sales-targets, with online activity being much easier to measure. In trying economic times an insightful and impactful word-of-mouth campaign could have a much greater return on investment than utilising the same old traditional media approaches. Media planning should commence from the customer‘s point of view and not from the company‘s point of view. By doing this the customer is treated like a true stakeholder of the company. When doing media planning, historic ways of making target market contact should be ignored and planning should be done on a completely clean slate thus to enable media planners and marketers to think innovatively. By incorporating these healthy media planning practices the door is opened for a possible word-of-mouth initiative to commence and thus a competitive advantage could be gained. The purpose of this literature study, which includes expert interviews, is to explore current word-of-mouth literature and tools available in light of globalisation enabling virtual communities and overlaying this with psychographical models available in South Africa, particularly focusing on the black middle class woman‘s evolvement sustaining cultural roots and traditional networks yet opening up to a changing media environment. The research question for this study thus is: How can brands and organisations utilise word-of-mouth marketing to reach and resonate with the modern emerging black middle class woman in South Africa today? / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Word-of-mouth is vloeiend en vind orals om ons plaas. Netwerke van mense is onsigbaar en sensitief vir die gedrag van enige onderneming. Die postmoderne verbruiker staan skepties teenoor advertensieboodskappe. Vriende se advies is meer betroubaar. Mense hou daarvan om vermaak te word en vir ʼn storie om te versprei is ʼn tipe volhoubaarheid nodig, dus die storie moet eenvoudig wees en kredietwaardigheid hê. Die produk of boodskap moet op hul lewens van toepassing wees en aldus relevansie hê. Die kategorie waarin elke produk geplaas word, huisves invloedryke verbruikers en sodoende kan bemarkers op 'n natuurlike wyse bestaande netwerke binnedring. ʼn Onderneming met ʼn eerbare reputasie wat geliefd en betroubaar is moet ʼn opwindende of opspraakwekkende produk kan lewer alvorens enige gonsing of reaksie in die mark kan geskied. Kommunikasie tussen die onderneming en die invloedryke persoon in eersgenoemde se teikenmarknetwerk moet deurgaans op persoonlike vlak geskied. Ondernemings moet poog om nie net aan hul verbruikers se verwagtinge te voldoen nie, maar om dit te oortref op 'n innoverende manier wat die aandag trek. ʼn Duidelike onderskeid tussen mededingers moet op ʼn onkonvensionele en indrukwekkende wyse plaasvind om sodoende ʼn volhoubare indruk te maak. Alhoewel die swart middelklas ʼn vinnig-groeiende goudmyn is, word hierdie uiters winsgewende sektor van die Suid-Afrikaanse mark steeds onderskat en somtyds deur bemarkers geïgnoreer. Die swart middelklas is immers verskillend van die wit middelklas as gevolg van hulle verwysingsraamwerk en agtergrond en moet dus anders in ʼn bemarkingskonteks benader word. Te meer gesien in die lig van hul opvattinge, waardes en geloofsoortuigings. Swart middelklas vroue, komende van ʼn drie-dubbele apartheids-agtergrond, styg in rasse skrede op ekonomiese vlak uit en raak veral invloedryk op vele gebiede. Hoorsê of oorvertellings is ʼn integrale deel van hulle lewens- en netwerkkultuur, veral as in ag geneem word dat sy met een voet in die Westerste kultuur en die ander gewortel in haar tradisionele Afrika kultuur staan. Daarom is vertrouenswaardige advies van relevante bronne nou meer nodig as ooit. Indien bemarkers daarin wil slaag dat sy hul produk of handelsmerk steeds bly gebruik soos sy meer suksesvol raak, moet hulle haar drome en die vlietende oomblikke wat haar motiveer verstaan en ook met haar bande smee. Soos sy meer vertroud raak met tegnologie en toegang verkry tot die virtuele wêreld, sal die skepping en behoud van digitale interaksie met haar al hoe belangriker word. Alhoewel duidelik waarneembare handelsmerkverbruik deur die swart middelklas tydens moeilike ekonomiese tye verflou of afplat, sal dit tog vir diesulkes nog jare 'n prioriteit bly soos wat hul konstante strewe na selfaktualisering daagliks aanhou groei. Handelsmerke moet daarna streef om gedurende word-of-mouth bemarkingsveldtogte sake konstant te bly opvolg. Hulle moet ook hul waardering toon aan diegene wat die grootste invloed het op ander in hul geïdentifiseerde netwerke van verbruikers en hulle aldus ondersteuning bied. Alhoewel die meting van word-of-mouth bemarking moeilik is, kan meting wel plaasvind deur doelwitte soos beoogde verkoopsyfers daar te stel. Aanlyn aktiwiteite is aansienlik makliker om te meet. Ondernemings kan heel moontlik ʼn groter verdienste-teenoor-investeringsmarge verkry, die resessie in ag genome, deur eerder indrukwekkende word-of-mouth veldtogte, geskoei op goeie markinsig te gebruik, as om terug te val op dieselfde ou tradisionele mediabenaderings. Die doel van hierdie literatuurstudie, wat ook onderhoude met kenners insluit, is om huidige word-of-mouth tegnieke en beskikbare literatuur te ontplooi teen ʼn agtergrond van globalisering wat skepping van virtuele gemeenskappe tot gevolg het. Hierdie inligting word dan gekorreleer met verskeie psigografiese modelle van die Suid-Afrikaanse swart middelklas mark. Hierdie studie fokus ook noukeurig op die vooruitgang van die swart middelklas vrou. Alhoewel sy nog haar tradisionele sosiale netwerke en kultuurgrondslag behou, stel sy haarself tog oop vir ʼn vinnig veranderende media-omgewing. Die navorsingsvraag van hierdie studie is dus: Hoe kan handelsmerke en ondernemings “word-of-mouth” bemarking gebruik om die ontluikende, moderne swart middelklasvrou in Suid-Afrika effektief te bereik en by haar aanklank te vind?

Previous empirical research and anecdotal accounts suggest that “subclinical narcissism” or “average Joe’s narcissism” is one of the most prevalent social phenomena in many parts of the world. Research also suggests that there will be an unprecedented escalation “in average Joe narcissists” among future generations of consumers. The objective of this study is two-fold. The first objective of this study is to explore the moderating effect of the individual’s level of narcissistic personality on their word-of-mouth (WOM) communications. The second objective of this study is to explore the boundary conditions of the first objective. The data were collected from a large number of consumers through Amazon Mechanical Turk. The results support many of the hypotheses accordant with the characteristics of the subclinical narcissistic individual. Specifically, the moderating effect of an individual’s level of narcissistic personality trait on the decision to engage in different types of WOM communications varies across the tested contexts. This study is intended to respond to social scientists' recent call for studies that investigate the fundamental motives behind the individual’s propensity to engage in WOM communication as a function of individual characteristics. The results of this study provide some prescriptive guidance to help companies target appropriate consumers to increase the effectiveness of WOM communication. In addition, this study explores the effect of individual and contextual differences on consumers’ willingness to engage in different types of WOM communication.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Strategic Marketing, Johannesburg, 2016 / This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the influence electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) engagement and brand image have on purchase intention. The study was based on understanding factors influencing football fans’ consumption behaviour in relation to sports, specifically football. The study involved different aspects, including the impact of social media and branding on consumer behaviour. The literature consulted assisted with conceptual model and hypotheses development, around which the study was centred. Data for this study was collected from 260 Orlando Pirates FC fans at the Sebokeng branch, where participants were all supporters of the football club which was the subject of the study. Data was collected through a self-administered survey. Using the SPSS 22 and AMOS 22 packages to analyses the data, all the hypotheses were confirmed at 99% confidence level. E-WOM proved to be the most influential factor on fans’ consumer behaviour towards purchase intention while engagement showed the least. The conclusion and recommendation section was informed by the results following the data analyses. Recommendations which emanated from the findings were split between marketing practitioners and academic researchers. Maintaining a positive brand perception proved to be beneficial for brands based on the outcomes of the study. The outcomes also proved that the participant ranked engagement on the club’s Facebook page as the lowest factor t influence their consumer behaviour. As there are few studies on fans’ consumption behaviour in the sports environment, let alone football in South Africa, it would be interesting to see more studies done in this field in future. / GR2018

Empowered by information technology, modern consumers increasingly rely upon online word-of-mouth (WOM--e.g., product reviews) to guide their purchase decisions. This dissertation investigates how WOM information is processed by consumers and its downstream consequences. First, the value of specific types of word-of-mouth information (e.g., numeric ratings, text commentary, or both) was explored for making forecast. After proposing an anchoring-and-adjustment framework for the utilization of WOM to inform consumer forecasts, I support this framework with a series of experiments. Results demonstrate that the relative forecasting advantage of different information types is a function of the extent to which consumer and reviewer have similar product-level preferences ('source-receiver similarity'). Second, I investigate the process by which dispersion--the degree to which opinions are divided for a product or service--in WOM is interpreted. Using an attribution-based approach, I argue that the effect of WOM dispersion is dependent on the perceived cause of that dispersion, which is systematically related to perceptions of preference heterogeneity in a product category. For products for which preferences are expected to vary, dispersion is likely to be attributed to the reviewers rather than the product itself, and therefore tolerated. I provide evidence for my hypotheses in a series of experiments where WOM dispersion is manipulated and respondents make choices and indicate purchase intentions.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2009. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 115-119).

This master’s thesis in Library and Information Science examines the phenomenon ”pop up library” and how public libraries are working with projects within this area. The method to collecting data is qualitative interviews with represents from five libraries in Sweden. The theoretical framework mainly consists of theories from mar- keting management especially adapted for non-profit organizations and libraries. The main results of the study shows that the purpose of why the libraries are using this method is to attract new users, make the library more available, marketing the library, work with reading promotion, start up and/or develop cooperation’s with other organizations or units within the municipality. One desire with the pop up libraries is to attract people to also visit the physical main library but there is also a fear among the informants that some people will think that the pop up library is the only library in the community. Common factors seen in my informants view of pop-up library are: temporary, unexpected and adapted for the target audience and the environment. Pop up libraries is much about relationships, to build and develop relationships with both partners and prospective users. Pop up libraries can be seen as buzz marketing, an effective way to advertise with small means. By making them into "a hot topic" it generates a buzz and publicity in local media. The pop up libraries in this study are primarily implemented as projects, funded by external project funding. They do not require as much resources to implement but is more difficult to engage in regular activities. The opportunities that libraries see with the pop up library concept is to continue to reach out to new audiences by using new creative ways. This is a two years master’s thesis in Archive, Library and Museum studies.