Purpose Ethical elaboration is an aspect of product involvement and this research examines the relationship between involvement and ethical consumption providing a more holistic understanding of ethical decision-­making. This paper identifies antecedents of both low and high involvement ethical product decision-­making at farmers’ markets, and with sustainable and energy efficient features in the housing market, respectively. Design/methodology/approach These aims are achieved through semi-­structured and in-­depth interviews with consumers and sellers of ethical products across low and high involvement domains. Findings The empirical investigation reveals new insights into the constructs considered when purchasing high involvement ethical products. Barriers are discussed and findings examine the relationships between trust, information, ethical motivation and signalling. Research implications A research process framework for the study of ethical decision-­making is presented, demonstrating that constructs are approached differently between involvement levels. A conceptual model providing steps for transferring knowledge gained from the research to practice is also developed. Practical implications This research aids in the dispersion of information among stakeholders so that sustainability and energy efficiency can be part of the standard real estate conversation. Social implications Sustainability and energy efficiency (SEE) housing is seen as a niche market and this research will help alter the behaviour of the stakeholders in order to incentivise consumers to change their purchase patterns to include SEE features. Originality/value Most of the work on ethical consumption deals with low-­involvement products. This study addresses high-­involvement ethical consumption within the housing market through a qualitative approach.

Background: Despite the growing research on consumer behaviour among various consumer segments, refugees as a consumer segment remain understudied. Factors such as favourable immigration policies have resulted in Sweden's rising refugee population. This growing consumer segment encounters unique challenges linked to a multitude of factors. It is crucial to study these factors to understand the role it plays in shaping refugees' consumer behaviour. Understanding refugees' consumer behaviour is necessary to encourage social inclusion, aid in their economic integration, and direct marketing efforts. Purpose: This research study explores consumer behaviour and the acculturation process of refugees in Sweden. The purpose is to understand the influence of socio-cultural factors on refugees' consumer behavior and their acculturation process. It also investigates the external influences and their role in shaping refugees' consumer behaviour and acculturation.  Method: This study follows a qualitative design whereby 12 interviews were conducted with refugees residing in Sweden. Given the research aims an exploratory design was deemed appropriate. The philosophical framework that guided the study was the interpretivism paradigm. The study is primarily based upon an inductive approach whereby the data collected was coded, analysed, and interpreted using thematic analysis.  Conclusion: The results show that socio-cultural factors which include demographic variables (age, length of residence, education level), cultural values, ethnic identity, and language shape refugee consumer behavior and acculturation. The findings also show that external influences which include income, social media, peers, marketplace cultures, and laws &regulations play a role in the refugees' consumer behaviour. Younger, more educated refugees and those with longer residency integrate faster. Strong ethnic identity persists through consumption choices. Language proficiency is crucial to participate in the market effectively. Income constraints necessitate budget-conscious strategies, leading to social and economic exclusion. Social media and friend networks provide the necessary support to navigate the new market. Swedish laws and regulations and a cashless marketplace create barriers, emphasizing the need for economic integration strategies.

No / The trend towards internationalisation in many service industries has increased the need for both managers and academics to collect cross-cultural/national consumer-perceived service quality data. Failure to establish cross-cultural equivalence and to detect differences in cross-national response bias will, however, affect data comparability, may invalidate the research results and could therefore lead to incorrect inferences about attitudes and behaviours across national groups. By initially focussing on developments in the mono-cultural service quality literature, a framework is presented whereby academics and managers can assess the potential impact of these international measurement issues. Existing cross-cultural service quality literature is reviewed and the extent to which these issues are addressed is highlighted. Methods for detecting and correcting cross-national response biases are discussed.

Yes / Marketers have realized the importance of assessing consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) before introducing green products across different target audience. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relative influence of consumers’ pro-environmental behaviours (PEBs) and environmental locus of control (ELOC) on their WTP for green products. The study sample consisted of 256 Indian consumers which were recruited with the help of convenience sampling. A structured questionnaire was administered with scales that were well established and that have been used in previous research. Data were analysed with the help of CFA and structural equation modelling to test the relationship of ELOC and PEB anon WTP. Second, clustering respondents according to their PEB and ELOC has been done to find its differential effect on WTP with the help of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Findings of the study highlight that WTP for green products is significantly predicted by two variables which are in following order: PEB and ELOC. Results of cluster analysis and MANOVA revealed that WTP differ significantly with the level of intensity of ELOC and PEB among Indian consumers. It advances the body of knowledge centred on the interplay of the PEB and ELOC to WTP for green products. Additional work is clearly required to consider the wide range of potentially relevant variables like brand image, prices, advertisements and product quality that ensures the generalizability of findings. The hypothesis framed, tested and inferences made can form a basis of extremely valued toolkit for those green marketers who take caution when planning their marketing and communications strategies to stimulate the WTP by conveying a reason and motivation to act environmentally. In this study, an understanding of WTP for green products is developed. The much required knowledge gap in terms of interplay of ELOC and PEB on WTP has been filled with the help of the present study. It has been identified that those consumer groups who displays higher PEB and ELOC forms the primary target audience for green product marketer.

No / This SpringerBrief offers a state of the art analysis of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) communications and its role in marketing. The book begins with an overview of traditional word-of-mouth (WOM) and its evolution to eWOM. It discusses the differences between traditional and online WOM. The book examines why people engage in eWOM communications, but also how consumers evaluate its persuasiveness. It also looks at the effects of eWOM. The book identifies current gaps in the eWOM research, but also highlights future directions for this growing field. eWOM is an important marketing technique in brand communications, and it plays an important role in modern e-commerce. Marketers become extremely interested in enhancing the power of eWOM developing loyalty programs and building brands. Studying the effect of eWOM can be beneficial for companies. This book should be a good resource for scholars and practitioners that need to understand the pervasive effects of eWOM.

Yes / The purpose of this paper is to provide response around three commentaries: Lowe’s view on key mechanisms through which greater transparency could influence consumer product evaluations (Lowe, 2015); Kuah and Weerakkody’s critical assessment on whether cost transparency is good for consumers (Kuah and Weerakkody, 2015); and Singh’s perspective on what is behind the price tag and why companies should embrace cost transparency (Singh, 2015). Design/methodology/approach – This is a response to the aforementioned commentaries, from the authors of “Should Consumers Request Cost Transparency?”. Findings – The authors call for empirical studies to shed light on issues, including, but not limited to, drivers and challenges/barriers of making unit cost available; appropriateness of unit cost information for different category of products; information overload caused by cost transparency; effect of availability of unit cost on the consumer decision-making; empowerment of consumers through unit cost information; impact of cost transparency on realisation of fairness, differentiation, competitive advantage and sustainability for businesses; and impact of cost transparency on market dynamics and consumer behaviour. Originality/value – Given its potential impact on both theory and practice, the arguments presented for and against provisioning of unit cost information to consumers is an issue worthy of further debate and empirical investigation.

Yes / A systematic review of the literature of guilt in consumer behavior revealed a lack of diversity in respect of various factors that affect the elicitation of guilt-induced behavior. These factors are the cause of guilt (self, society, others/action, inaction); the form in which guilt manifests (anticipatory, reactive, existential); and moderators (culture, demographics, narratives). Implicitly, the review illustrated that researchers exhibit a tendency towards assessing reactive guilt caused by the self in individualistic cultures. Such findings cannot be generalized to encompass other forms of guilt that had alternate causes, nor be applied in collectivist cultures. Such considerations are imperative, due to guilt’s inherent complexity. Therefore, this review provides a guide for future research based on these factors, and introduces e-guilt, as sufficient evidence suggests that online settings present incomparable circumstances where one’s behavior is visible and irretrievable.

Yes / Reviews and ratings of consumers towards a product impact consumer decision-making and their perceptions. Such information is key in measuring consumer satisfaction and net promoter scores. However, when the reviewed products are refurbished, consumer reviews become more important because information influences consumer behaviour and attitude toward looped products. This research explores the decision-influencing attributes of consumers while purchasing refurbished goods using quantitative and qualitative methods. Online after-sales 1986 laptop customers’ review and rating data in the public domain were analysed to reveal the decision-influencing attributes and their impact on potential consumers. The study envisions assisting the operations of sellers in the refurbished market by strengthening their businesses' value proposition and stimulating reverse logistics entrepreneurs to use the opportunity. Review data containing lifecycle valuation of old laptops induced feature extraction by machine learning applications. It is beneficial to sellers in the refurbished product segment. It provides information to strengthen their value proposition and is informative to entrepreneurs wanting to enter the segment. Based on the text analysis of consumer reviews, the study's results show that price, brand, design, performance, services, and utility influence consumers. The frequency analysis technique was used to extract attributes, followed by content analysis and feature selection using SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) for exploring correlations between features and star ratings. Lastly, multinomial logistic regression was used to validate the generated model. The results show that brand, design, price, and utility are the most prominent attributes influencing consumers' decision-making with positive sentiments. In contrast, performance and services often generate neutral and negative sentiments. / The full-text of this article will be released for public view at the end of the publisher embargo on 27 Dec 2024.

Yes / Electricity Suppliers in competitive electricity markets commonly respond to prices changes which are fluctuating over time, but most consumers respond to the price changes as reflected on their electricity bills. Almost all consumers pay fixed tariffs for their consumption without distinctions based on usage time, so these consumers have had no incentives to reduce their use during the peak times. This paper aims to analyze the influence of different tariff schemes on consumer behaviours in UK domestic buildings. A realistic half hourly electricity load profile for different types of UK households that based mainly on public reports and statistics has been generated. This load profile data were used to help calculate the expected change in consumers' bills under standard tariffs offered from different suppliers to what the cost of electricity would be under time varying tariff (economy7 tariff) and to estimate of how much consumers would shift their load in response to price changes without changing total consumption, for which the results are presented and discussed / MSCRC

Šio darbo tikslas yra išnagrinėti vartotojų elgseną renkantis maitinimo įmonę Skuodo rajone. Magistro darbe yra išanalizuoti ir susisteminti įvairių Lietuvos ir užsienio autorių teoriniai bei praktiniai vartotojų elgsenos tyrimai, pateikti vartotojų elgsenos modeliai, vartotojų klasifikacija, išsamiai atskleisti vartotojų elgseną lemiantys veiksniai, taip pat aptarti maitinimo paslaugų rinkos ypatumai. Atlikta Skuodo rajono maitinimo įmonių vartotojų ir savininkų apklausa bei analizė, kuria siekta ištirti Skuodo rajono teikiamų maitinimo paslaugų būdingus bruožus, identifikuojant vartotojų elgseną lemiančius veiksnius. Patvirtinamos autorės suformuluotos mokslinio tyrimo hipotezės, kad renkantis maitinimo įmonę Skuodo rajone vartotojus labiausiai įtakoja išoriniai veiksniai, taip pat patvirtinama, jog maitinimo įmonių personalo profesinės žinios bei asmeninės savybės turi didelę reikšmę vartotojų elgsenai. Hipotezė, kad maitinimo įmonių paslaugomis dažniausiai naudojasi dirbantys vidutinio ar jaunesnio amžiaus asmenys, neturintys išlaikomų vaikų, yra patvirtinama tik iš dalies. / The purpose of this work is to analyse consumer behaviour in choosing catering services within the Skuodas district. This master‘s final paper analyses and systemises theoretical and practical research of consumer behaviour by various Lithuanian and foreign authors. It also presents methods of consumer behaviour, exhaustive factors which determine consumer behaviour and discuss features within the catering market. Catering services customers and owners were questioned and analysed within the Skoudas district, with the aim of investigating the catering industries identifying features which determine consumer behaviour. Author‘s formulated hypothesis, which proved that: external features have the biggest influence in deciding which catering establishment to use within the Skuodas district; company personnel‘s professional knowledge and also personal features have a huge meaning for consumer behaviour. Hypothesis, that was proved partly was: most catering companies use middle aged or young adolescent workers, who do not have dependent children.