Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka inflytandet av influencers på sociala medier (SMI), elektronisk word-of-mouth (e-WOM) och upplevd kvalitet på svenska konsumenters köpintention vid skönhetsprodukter som rekommenderas av skönhetsinfluencers på Youtube. Det för att bidra till kunskap som företag kan utgå ifrån när de skapar sina marknadsföringsstrategier. Studien är en replikering av en studie av forskarna Rosaria och Luthfia (2020) som genomfördes i Indonesien och därmed användes samma metod: en kvantitativ metod via en webbaserad enkät. Den besvarades av 127 respondenter varav 91 uppfyllde urvalskriterierna då de var kvinnor mellan 17-30 års ålder som följer en skönhetsinfluencer på Youtube. Resultatet visade att SMI och upplevd kvalitet för sig har ett signifikant inflytande på köpintention, förutom e-WOM. Det visade också att alla tre har samtidigt ett signifikant inflytande på köpintention. När det gäller framtida forskning skulle det vara intressant att genomföra en kvalitativ studie om samma faktorer för att få en djupare förståelse om varför dessa faktorer har ett inflytande. / The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of social media influencers (SMI), electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) and perceived quality on Swedish consumers' purchase intention when it comes to beauty products recommended by beauty influencers on Youtube. This is to contribute to knowledge that companies can use as a starting point when creating their marketing strategies. The study is a replication of a study conducted by researchers Rosaria and Luthfia (2020) in Indonesia and thus the same method was used: a quantitative method via a web-based survey. It was answered by 127 respondents, of which 91 met the selection criteria as they were women between the age of 17 and 30 who followed a beauty influencer on Youtube. The results showed that both SMI and perceived quality have a significant influence on purchase intention, except for e-WOM. They also showed that all three factors collectively have a significant influence on purchase intention. In terms of future research, one suggestion would be to conduct a qualitative study on the same factors to gain a deeper understanding of why these factors have an influence.

The Online Clothing Reselling Platforms (OCRPs) industry foresees ongoing significant market growth, building upon the expansion it has achieved in recent years. This trend makes it essential to understand how website usability factors affect consumer behaviour and identify practical opportunities for optimization in this specific context of e-commerce. Through empirical research, this study aims to contribute to the existing gap in the literature by analyzing the effect of usability factors on purchase intention and developing a practical usability framework that can guide designers and developers towards the successful implementation of usability factors that facilitates consumer decision-making and purchase intention.  To address the research gap, a mixed-methods multiple case study approach was utilized, combining a heuristic evaluation, a survey of 186 participants, and usability testing with six participants augmented by eye-tracking software and semi-structured interviews. The research was conducted on two key OCRPs, building upon existing knowledge of website usability factors as well as empirical findings.  The results indicate that navigability, content relevance, credibility, and simplicity are positively correlated with increased purchase intention in OCRPs. The study suggests that these four website usability factors should be prioritized when designing and developing these platforms. Based on these findings, a practical usability framework was created to provide designers and developers with actionable insights that can assist them in prioritizing and optimizing website usability to increase purchase intention. The framework lists practical guidelines per usability factor and demonstrates the factors’ interdependence. The framework is designed to further enable the growth of OCRPs by increasing purchase intention through website usability.

This research was driven by Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) to examine the impact of ecological knowledge, ecological concern, and man-nature orientation on green purchasing (including both intention and actual behavior), with the moderating effect of price sensitivity and allowance and/or income. This research surveyed 602 Malaysian university students within the age bracket of 18 to 25, because this specific demographic is a sizeable market and such research is lacking in an emerging economy like Malaysia. The results demonstrated that ecological concern and man-nature orientation influenced purchase intention and actual purchase. The findings also indicated that price sensitivity and allowance and/or income moderated the relationship between behavioral intention and actual behavior. This study has two implications: (1) it extends TRA by exploring the potential moderating variables between behavioral intention and actual behavior, and its findings adds to the body of knowledge in the area of green consumer behavior; (2) marketing managers can formulate their green marketing strategies effectively by consistently driving heart-warming campaigns to create or stir consumers’ emotions. Marketers should keep in mind that Malaysians are highly influenced by man-nature relationship belief, and additionally, marketers need to be careful in justifying pricing difference between non-green and green products for consumers that are sensitive to price.

此研究將探討台灣消費者的消費行為對於國外知名零售絣牌Abercrombie and Fitch Co. 本品牌建立位於美國以休閒服裝為主，。此研究會探討品牌知名度， 品牌形象， 購買意向對於這個品牌。 此研究採用便利抽樣調查以定量分析取出結果。本研究採取192個樣本中34.9%為男性，65.1%為女性。研究員採用階層回歸分析調查出本研究調查。調查結果指出消費者俱有高度認知對於品牌知名度和品牌形會有嚴重影響消費者的購買意向。同時，消費者俱有高度炫耀性消費和時尚觀念對於Abercrombie and Fitch Co. 品牌知名度和品牌形的認知會增加。Abercrombie and Fitch Co. 的資訊來源大多數以網路和朋友，因此也提升消費者的品牌知名度對於此品牌。 / In this study the researcher examined the influence of Taiwanese consumers behavior towards overseas retail fashion brand Abercrombie and Fitch Co. The brand was established in the United States of America that offers a range of products such casual sportswear apparel, outerwear, and accessories for men, women, and kids. This study investigated on Taiwanese consumers brand awareness, brand image and purchase intention for the brand. A quantitative analysis will be used for this research by using convenience sampling survey which were distributed online. A total of 192 samples were used for this study (34.9%) of the respondents were male and (65.1%) were female. The researcher used hierarchical multiple regression analysis to test for the results that were needed for this study. The findings indicated that purchase intention is heavily influenced by brand awareness and brand image; meanwhile, consumers with higher levels of conspicuous consumption and fashion conscious orientations have greater brand knowledge and better brand image about Abercrombie and Fitch Co. Getting fashion information from friends and internet led to greater brand awareness about Abercrombie and Fitch Co.

本研究旨在從社會認知觀點探討顧客衣著線索與顧客購買行為線索對員工正向情緒表達之影響，以及探討員工知覺顧客社會地位與前期購買意願之中介效果。過去在員工正向情緒表達相關研究上，雖有探討顧客衣著線索與購買行為線索對員工正向情緒表達之影響，但並未深入探討其中之歷程，本研究認為認知心理學領域中之基模概念，可以解釋過去在情緒表達研究中，顧客外表與行為線索對第一線服務員工正向情緒表達影響關係的研究發現。 本研究以百貨公司化妝品專櫃之櫃員與其互動之顧客為研究對象，共觀察及記錄93筆交易互動，以實地場域之觀察法進行研究，研究結果發現，如同預期，顧客之衣著線索及購買行為線索對員工正向情緒表達皆有顯著的正向影響，顯示顧客若穿著愈高貴或是展現越多購買行為線索，員工會表現得越親切，研究結果驗證了過去情緒表達相關之研究發現；然而，員工知覺顧客社會地位與員工知覺顧客前期購買意願之中介效果並不如預期達顯著，顯示顧客衣著線索與購買行為線索並非透過激發員工對顧客社會地位與前期購買意願之基模影響員工正向情緒表達，而可能透過激發了別的基模來影響員工之正向情緒表達。整體而言，本研究所提之研究假說部分符合預期，而研究結果可對情緒表達與社會認知基模理論相關研究提供理論貢獻與實務意涵。 / According to social cognitive psychology, targets’ cues can arouse perceivers’ schemas, and then help perceivers to form an impression on the target person. This point of view can help explain the past related research on employee’s positive affective displays. According to the past researches’ research findings, customers’ clothing and behaviors have obvious effects on employees’ positive affective displays. Moreover, base on schema theory, customers’ clothing and purchase behavior cues are believed to arouse employees’ social status schema and pre-purchase intention schemas respectively, and make employees to have a perception on customers’ social status and pre-purchase intention, and therefore have different positive emotional expressions on different customers. Employees’ perception on customers’ social status and pre-purchase intention are believed to play mediator roles in those processes. This study examined the 93 face-to-face interactions between employees and customers in the department store cosmetics section. Results showed customers’ clothing and purchase behavior cues are positively related to employees’ positive affective displays, as predicted. In other words, the more dignity the customer dressed or the more purchase behaviors he/she displayed, the more positive affective displays the employee showed. However, the mediator roles of employees’ perceptions on customers’ social status and pre-purchase intention were not found in the research. Over all, part of hypothesizes are predicted. The results have both theoretical and practical contributions to emotional expression research and social cognitive research.

Abstracts in English and Zulu / Airline choice is of interest to both airline product development and marketing personnel and academics. While most of the studies airline choice/service quality only identify airlines service attributes essential to customers, this study employed personal values to extend and provide the reasons why airline service attributes are not or essential to passengers. Personal values are presented in the literature as the ultimate life goals individuals seek to attain in all aspects of their lives; hence, guide their behaviour. Based on this, the main objective of this study was to examine and identify the consumer (passenger) personal values that underpin the evaluation of airline service attributes used to choose an airline within the South African domestic passenger market. To achieve this objective, together with the secondary objectives, a quantitative descripto-explanatory research design was employed to guide data collection and analysis. A sample of 324 respondents was selected using a hybrid technique of convenience, and snowball sampling techniques and data were collected using both an online and hardcopy questionnaire. Data obtained were sorted and cleaned for analysis using the Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS 26) and the Analysis of a Moment Structures (AMOS Version 26) software. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to assess factor structures of observed variables and identify latent constructs. The factorability of portrait value questionnaire (PVQ) items was determined using the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Hypotheses were tested using the backward multiple regression analysis, Whitney-Mann test, Spearman correlation and hierarchical regression with Hayes’ Process Macro. The study identified five of Schwartz’s 19 refined values as significantly influencing the evaluation and prioritisation of airline service attributes. A state of indifference among customers was found when the impact of airline service attributes was tested, with only onboard services found to significantly influence post-purchase outcomes such as satisfaction, loyalty and repeat purchase behaviour. It was also found that passengers did not distinguish between low-cost and full-service carriers. Income only moderated the influence of stimulation and self-direction thought values on airline service attributes while marketing communications effort was found to have a direct than a moderating role. In the main, these findings bring a novel and rich way of explaining airline choice through personal values. The results are essential for airline market segmentation, positioning and the development of airline products or features that match passenger desired life goals (personal values) which are touted as a guide to their choice behaviour. / Ukuqoka inkampani yezindiza ozoyisebenzisa kumayelana nokuthuthukisa umkhiqizo nabasebenzi bokumaketha kanye nabacwaningi. Phezu kokuba ukucwaninga ngezindiza nokuqokwa kwazo/ ikhwalithi yesevisi kukhomba kuphela izimfanelo zesevisi ezibalulekile kumakhasimende, lolu cwaningo lumbandakanye okungamagugu abantu ukunweba nokuletha izizathu zokuthi kungani izimfanelo zesevisi zenkampani yezindiza zingabalulekile noma zibalulekile kubagibeli. Okungamagugu abantu kwethulwe ngemibhalo kwaba ngamaphupho ekusasa ahlonzwayo ezimpilweni, ngakho,ebe eqondisa indlela yokuziphatha kwabo. Kuncike kulokhu, eyona nhlosongqangi yalolu cwaningo kwaku wukuhlola nokuhlonza okungamagugu omuntu ongumthengi (umgibeli) ukusekela ukuhlolwa kwezimfanelo zesevisi ezisetshenziswa ukukhetha inkampani yezindiza azoyisebenzisa ezimakethe zalezi ezihambela ngaphakathi eNingizimu Afrika. Ukufezekisa le nhlosongqangi kanye nezinye izizathu zocwaningo, idizayini yokucwaningo ye’quantitative descripto-explanatory’ isetshenziswe ukuqokelela idatha nokuhlaziya ulwazi. Isampula yababambe iqhaza abangama-324 ikhethiwe kusetshenziswa i hybrid technique of convenience, kanye nendlela yesampula yemihlathi eyazanayo (snowball sampling), kanti idatha iqoqwe ngakho kokubili, ‘online’ namaphepha anemibuzo ebuzelwa ukuthola okuthile. Idatha etholakele ihlukanisiwe yenzelwa ukuhlaziyeka kahle kusetshenziswa iStatistical Product neService Solutions (SPSS 26) kanye ne-Analysis of a Moment Structures (AMOS Version 26) software. I-Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) yenziwe ukuze kuhlolwe ukuthi izakhiwo eziyizimiso ukuqaphela okuguqukayo kwabuye kwaqashelwa ne-identify latent constructs. I- factorability yeportrait value questionnaire (PVQ) izinto zanqunywa kusetshenziswa iconfirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Umbono ube usuhlolwa kusetshenziswa ibackward multiple regression analysis, Whitney-Mann test, Spearman correlation ne hierarchical regression ene Hayes’ Process Macro. Lolu cwaningo lube nezinkomba ezinhlanu zika’Schwartz’s 19’ ezingamagugu acwengisisiwe abe nomthelela wazo ethonyeni lokuhlola nokubeka phambili kwezinkampani zezindiza izimfanelo zesevisi. Kutholwe isimo sokunganaki kubagibeli uma kuhlolwa izimfanelo zesevisi yenkampani yezindiza, kuphela nje isevisi yangaphakathi endizeni ithathwa njengebaluleke kakhulu enomthelela emiphumeleni yokuthenga kamuva okubalwa kukho ukwaneliseka kwabagibeli, ukwethembeka nokuphinda kuthengwe amanye ngokuzayo. Kutholakele ukuthi abagibeli abakwazanga ukwahlukanisa phakathi kosizo olusezingeni eliphansi nalolo olusezingeni eliphezulu. Inzuzo ibe nomthelela kuphela ekukhuthazeni isiqondiso ngasinye ngokwamagugu okuziphatha ezinsizeni zesevisi yenkampani yezindiza ngakolunye uhlangothi ezokuxhumana kwezezimakethe kuyimizamo etholakele kube neqondile kuneqhaza elisezingeni elilinganayo. Ngokwesidingo, lokhu okutholakele kwethula indlela entsha ecebileyokuchaza ukuqokwa kwezinkampani zezindiza ezisethenziswa abantu abawuhlobo oluthile. Imiphumela ibalulekile emakethe yezinkampani zezindiza ukuze kwahlukaniswe, kubekwe endaweni, kuthuthukiswe imikhiqizo yezinkampani zezindiza noma izinto ezithandwa abagibeli nezidingo zabo zempilo okuyizona eziwumhlahlandlela wokuqoka inkampani abazoyisebenzisa / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)

This bachelor’s thesis is a quantitative study examining the factors influencing the Green Purchase Intention of (green) skincare among European consumers. The underpinning theory for this paper was the Theory of Planned Behavior and its influencing constructs such as Attitude, Subjective Norm, and Perceived Behavioral Control, as well as various selected determinants such as Environmental Concern, Environmental Knowledge, Health Concern, Injunctive Norm, Descriptive Norm, Electronic Word-of-Mouth, Price Sensitivity, Availability, and Perceived Consumer Effectiveness. The determinants were selected after conducting a literature review that primarily consisted of secondary data in the form of research articles dealing with the same research area of Green Purchase Intention. In order to collect primary data relevant to this study, an online survey in the form of a questionnaire was employed. Overall, 385 respondents from various European countries took part in this study. The survey sample was statistically tested using the SPSS AMOS and SPSS software. This was done in order to utilize the data collected fully. Therefore, two hypothesis models were constructed for this study. The results of Model 1, which were tested using SPSS AMOS denoted that Attitude had a significant relationship with Green Purchase Intention of green skincare products. The results of Model 2, which were tested using SPSS showed that Environmental Concern, Environmental Knowledge, Health Concern, and Perceived Consumer Effectiveness had a significant positive relationship with Green Purchase Intention. Thus, as a result, this study offers findings that manufacturers and retailers of green skincare could use to advance their marketing strategies. Primarily, it can be argued that green skincare brands should focus on targeting consumers who are already environmentally conscious rather than trying to gain over consumers with no environmental knowledge and concern. However, we do not deem our results sufficient enough to allow us to provide further managerial contributions.

近年來，全球女性保養品市場呈現穩定成長，雖然保養品以往都被視為屬於「女性領地」的產品，但全球男性保養市場不僅從2012年起就持續成長，未來前景也是相當看好。 有別於以往以性別（sex）做為市場區隔，消費者的性別認同及性傾向，已逐漸被用於區隔目標消費者，且同性戀消費者更因為其相較於一般異性戀男性的消費能力較強，而被視為「夢幻市場 （Dream Market）」。然而，現今台灣在該領域相關的研究文獻，卻往往只探討生理性別，忽略生理性別和性別認同之間的落差，如此將導致與性別相關的行銷研究有扭曲或偏頗的現象。 因此本研究希望能將性別認同與性傾向等因素，納入研究消費者購買保養品行為之考量因素，彌補理論和實際狀況的落差，期能研究出不同性別認同、性傾向的消費者，對不同定位保養品購買意願的差異，並根據該研究結果，給予保養品廠商一些行銷上的建議，讓其在釐清品牌定位時更有方向，並以更有效率、更適切的方式與顧客溝通。 本研究將影響保養品的購買意願從「性別認同」、「性傾向」、「獨特性需求」、「從眾行為」、「產品涉入」、「在意社會觀感程度」、「品牌知覺」、「品牌性別」、「品牌態度」等九大方面著手。 本研究以問卷方式獲取初級資料，收獲有效問卷共 375份，經過統計迴歸分析後發現，「性別認同」、「在意社會觀感程度」、「品牌知覺」和「品牌態度」此四項，最顯著影響消費者購買保養品意願。另外，雖然「性傾向」並沒有對購買意願產生影響，但卻有可能透過「在意社會觀感程度」干擾購買意願。而還有其他顯著影響因素待於研究中一一闡述。 / Recently, the global market of female skin care products has grown a steady pace. Although, the skin care products are usually regarded as female products, the global market of male skin care products has grown fastly since 2012 and market analysts are optimistic about its future. In the past, we usually only use “sex” to segment a market, but gender identity and sexual orientation are gradually used to target customers now. Moreover, gay customers are regarded as a “Dream Market” because they have greater purchasing power than heterosexual men do. However, existing studies still tend to probe into sex and neglect the differences between sex and gender identity. Therefore, this research takes gender Identity and sexual orientation into consideration when conducting the behavior of purchasing skin care products, and the dependent variable” purchase intention” is leveraged by “Gender Identity”, “Sexual Orientation“, “Product Involvement”, “Need for Uniqueness”, “Conformity Behavior”, “the Degree of Concerning with Social Perception”, “Brand Attitude”, “Brand Gender”, “Brand Perception”. Among influential factors, “Gender Identity”, “the Degree of Concerning with Social Perception”, “Brand Attitude”, and “Brand Perception” contribute significantly to purchase intention. Although sexual orientation does not lead to purchase intention, it may affect purchase intention through influencing the factor of “the degree of concerning with social perception”. Other factors affecting the behavior of purchasing skin care products will be further discussed in this research.