Abstract  Background: The evolution of technology has transformed the way we shop, with BNPL services like Klarna and Qliro gaining popularity among consumers. This form of short-term financing offers flexibility by allowing customers to either pay later or divide their costs into interest-free installments. While BNPL is initially associated with online shopping, BNPL has expanded to physical stores, enabling customers to choose from even more payment options. The fashion industry has especially benefited from the evolving BNPL, as it facilitates easier exploration of new styles and product comparison from the comfort of one’s home. Furthermore, BNPL users are more likely to make purchases, spend more, and exhibit higher customer loyalty.  Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the factors affecting the intention to use BNPL technology and how they differ in an online and in-store context.  Method: For the researchers to accomplish the purpose of this study, a qualitative research strategy was applied. The empirical data was obtained through semi-structured interviews held with Gen Z participants residing in Jönköping, who had previous experience using BNPL either in-store, online, or both. The data was later analyzed and interpreted using an abductive approach, using thematic analysis.   Conclusion: The research findings indicate that multiple factors influence purchase intention when using BNPL in both online and in-store contexts. A theoretical model, previous research, and empirical findings was incorporated for the study’s revised research framework including perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived risk, trust and security pain of payment and attitudes. For the online context, gen Z perceived all factors included in the revised research framework were found to have a noteworthy influence on purchase intentions using BNPL in the fashion industry. Moreover, the study identified both differences and similarities between the online and in-store context. For the in-store context, five out of the six factors in the revised research framework were perceived to be important for gen Z when purchasing fashion. Further the study suggests that there may be relational patterns between the factors, however the study did not examine relationships or degrees of associations between the factors, leaving room for future investigation.

The purpose of this thesis is to analyse and to explore how B2C e-commerce businesses could use social media marketing strategies to increase their consumers purchase intentions on their sites. Findings enabled the development and research of a comprehensive social media marketing system which includes a general set of components and tools aiming at increasing purchase intentions on such sites. The theoretical framework of the thesis is based on literature as well as previous studies of Social Media, Social Media Marketing, Social Media Marketing System, E-commerce, B2C, Social Commerce, S-commerce, Online Purchase Intentions, Trust and Social Trust. A conceptual framework was created and led the research method which used a convergent parallel mixed method design that includes gathering and analysing both qualitative and quantitative data. The data is gathered from potential users and clients of the system and led by the user-centered design (UCD) process. The obtained qualitative and quantitative data was analysed separately and then merged together by a side-by-side comparison. With the use of this approach, several ways businesses can increase consumers purchase intentions towards their B2C e-commerce site were discovered. Social media presence, published content, publishing frequency, content type, special sale promotions and social media friends are variables that have been found to be influential upon purchase intentions. The integration of a social media marketing system combined with these variables was found to be a successful tool for B2C e-commerce businesses wanting to increase consumers purchase intention through social media networks.

Cotton makes up a majority of the world’s fiber market, with genetically engineered (GE) cotton the current staple of the US agricultural landscape. With GE cotton’s overall acceptance for US farmers and manufacturers, it is of concern that the majority of literature concerning GE crops primarily compares negative attitudes towards GE food crops in stricter economies such as the European Union. Due to the inadequate literature regarding both the market advantages and consumer perceptions of GE cotton specifically, this study was conceived to provide marketers with a baseline analysis of the factors that affect US consumers’ current attitudes (knowledge, risk perceptions, etc.) regarding GE cotton. Multiple regression analyses were used for our models which measured purchase intentions towards GE cotton and perceived risks of GE cotton based on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Paired and single t-tests were performed to predict the current positioning of GE cotton as a marketable alternative to organic and conventional cotton, and to determine which institutions consumer’s trust most for information on the risks and benefits of GE cotton. Our studies showed that while knowledge of cotton and agriculture is low, GE cotton was regarded more positively than conventional cotton with the potential to improve in consumer’s opinions. According to our findings, by efficiently communicating the benefits of GE cotton through trusted channels of communication (i.e. scientists, consumer organizations, the media), particularly addressing ethical concerns, policy regulation, and how the product is useful to the consumer individually, GE cotton could become a comparative market alternative to organic, at a greater available supply. / text

網路購物興盛、社群網站湧現以及資訊搜尋的方便性，持續性資訊搜尋成為購買決策很重要的影響因素。本研究先蒐集相關文獻與彙整搜尋動機的元素，共包括九種資訊搜尋動機，分別是：探索動機、滿足動機、價值動機、思想動機、產品提供豐富度、產品資訊提供、方便性、角色動機以及社交動機，並將這九種元素歸納為三種資訊搜尋動機，分別是：享樂性、功利性以及社交性，再探討搜尋動機與持續性社群網路資訊搜尋對購買意圖的影響關係。本研究透過網路發放問卷，有效樣本共480份，採用量化分析，並以最小平方法(PLS)進行有效樣本之實證分析。 本研究經因素分析發現，探索動機與滿足動機同屬於一種構面，本研究將此構面命名為：「探索滿足」；產品提供豐富度、產品資訊提供、方便性同屬於一種構面，本研究將此構面命名為：「資訊可得」；角色動機與社交動機同屬於一種構面，本研究將此構面命名為：「社交需求」。此外，在思想動機與價值動機方面，本研究則是分別重新將這兩種構面命名為：「資訊潮流」與「優惠需求」，以更符合理論邏輯與這兩種因素的意涵。 本研究結果顯示：研究分析歸納的五種資訊搜尋動機：探索滿足、資訊潮流、資訊可得、優惠需求、社交需求，對於持續性社群網路資訊搜尋皆具有正向的影響；持續性社群網路資訊搜尋對購買意圖亦具有正向的影響關係，而產品需求強度對於持續性社群網路資訊搜尋與購買意圖之間的關係則是不具有調節效果。這代表無論消費者對於產品是否有需求，只要平時在社群網站上瀏覽到產品的相關資訊時，就能影響人們購買意圖的產生，這間接證實了非計劃購買發生的可能，也突顯了持續性資訊搜尋的重要性。最後，本研究結果期望可以提供個人或業者於社群網站上的產品銷售策略之經營與學術未來研究之方向。 / Due to the flourishing of Internet shopping, the emergence of social network sites and the convenience of information search, ongoing search has become a very important purchase decision factors. In this study, we collected relevant literature and aggregated a total of nine kinds of search motivations, namely: adventure, gratification, value, idea, product offerings, product information, convenience, role and social. The nine search motivations are summarized into three search motivations, namely: hedonic, utilitarian and sociality. Then, we explore the effect relationship for the search motivations and ongoing social network information search to the purchase intentions. Then, we did questionnaires via the internet and a total of 480 valid samples were received, after that, we used quantitative analysis and used partial least square (PLS) to conduct empirical analysis. By factor analysis, we found that adventure motivation and gratification motivation belonged to the same factor, we named “exploration meet”. Product offerings, product information and convenience motivation belonged to the same factor, we named “information availability”. Role motivation and social motivation belonged to the same factor, we named “social needs”. In addition, we re-named idea motivation to “information trend” and value motivation to “preferential needs” to make these two kinds of factors be more consistent with logical and theoretical implications. The result of this study showed that the five kinds of search motivations: exploration meet, information trend, information availability, preferential needs and social needs all had positive impacts on ongoing social information search. Ongoing social information also had positive impacts on purchase intentions. But the product needs intensity didn’t have a moderating effect between ongoing social information search and purchase intentions, this result not only indirectly confirmed possibility of unplanned purchase, but also highlighted the importance of ongoing search. Finally, the results of this study could be expected to provide marketing strategy for persons or industries on the social network sites and could be referred for the future of academic research.

No description available.

By measuring intentions to purchase, this research gives insight into environmental attitudes, pressures to purchase environmentally friendly apparel, factors that inhibit environmentally friendly apparel purchasing, awareness of environmentally friendly apparel purchase options, and marketing insight into the eco-friendly consumer. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) was used to assess consumer purchasing intentions for environmentally friendly apparel. The TPB consists of a three-pronged measurement: individual attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Individual attitudes were gauged on three dimensions which included environmental attitudes, demographic patterns, and environmentally friendly apparel purchase intentions. Subjective norms involve social pressure to engage in eco-friendly behavior, perceived individual environmental impact, and desire for uniqueness in dress. Finally, perceived behavioral control was studied through previous environmentally friendly apparel purchases, accessibility of environmentally friendly apparel purchase options, and cost of environmentally friendly apparel. The results revealed that individual environmental attitudes, social pressure to behave environmentally friendly, perceived individual environmental impact, desire for uniqueness in dress, past environmentally friendly apparel purchases, accessibility of environmentally friendly apparel purchase options, and cost of environmentally friendly apparel all have an impact on intentions to purchase environmentally friendly apparel. The variable with the strongest relationship to intentions was social pressure. A demographic profile of intent to purchase environmentally friendly apparel, however, was not possible with this sample. This indicates there is not specifically one type of person who purchases environmentally friendly apparel.

Introduktion: Att skapa en stark kundupplevelse har inom de senaste åren blivit en fokuspunkt inom marknadsföring bland både ledande företag och forskning. De flesta studier inom kundupplevelse har behandlat kundupplevelsen i fysisk handel och inom e-handeln. Nu har ytterligare en handelsvariant, liveshopping, skapats som ser ut att slå igenom världen över. Precis som kundupplevelsen designas effektivast på ett visst vis när den sker i fysiska handeln och på ett annat vis när den sker i e-handeln, anser vi att det borde finnas en optimal design för kundupplevelsen inom liveshopping. Syfte: Denna studie syftar till att undersöka hur kundupplevelsen i e-handelsformatet liveshopping kan designas för att påverka konsumenters köpintention positivt. Frågeställningar: Hur påverkar konsumenternas kundupplevelse dess köpintentioner vid liveshopping? Vilken roll spelar typ av värd för konsumenters köpintentioner i liveshopping? Vilken roll spelar graden av personlig interaktion för konsumenters köpintentioner i liveshopping? Metod: Denna magisteruppsats använder sig av kvantitativ strategi, deduktiv ansats, tvärsnittsdesign och enkätmetod. Studiens insamlade data analyseras med variansanalyser i SPSS. Resultat: Studien kommer fram till att den underhållande och sensoriska, den informativa samt den sociala dimensionen av kundupplevelsen påverkar köpintentionerna i liveshopping positivt. Studien visar även att desto mer personlig interaktion i liveshopping, desto högre köpintentioner har konsumenterna samt att en produktexpert leder till högre köpintentioner än en influencer. Kunskapsbidrag: Studien bidrar med kunskap om kundupplevelsen i ett nytt ehandelsformat, liveshopping. / Background: Creating a strong customer experience has in recent years become a focal point in marketing among both leading companies and academic research. Most studies within customer experience have studied the customer experience in physical stores and e-commerce. However, a new shopping format, live shopping, has hit the market around the world. Just as the customer experience is designed more efficiently in a certain way when it takes place in physical store and in another way when it takes place in e-commerce, we believe that there should be an optimal design for the customer experience in live shopping.  Purpose: This study aims to investigate how the customer experience in the ecommerce format live shopping can be designed to positively influence consumers' purchase intention.  Research questions: How does perceived customer experience affect purchase intentions in live shopping? What role does the choice of host play in consumers' purchase intentions in live shopping? What impact does the degree of personal interaction have on consumers' purchase intentions in live shopping?  Methodology: This master's thesis uses quantitative strategy, deductive approach, crosssectional design, and questionnaire method. The collected data is analyzed with variance analysis in SPSS. Conclusion: The study concludes that the entertaining and sensory, the informative and the social dimension of the customer experience positively affect the shopping intentions in live shopping. The study also indicates that more personal interaction in live shopping leads to higher purchase intentions. It also indicates that product experts lead to higher purchase intentions than influencers.  Contribution: The study contributes with knowledge about the customer experience in the new e-commerce format, live shopping

Small apparel retailers face extreme competition with larger retailers. Large retailers have the upper hand in resources to stay updated with various trends, specifically social media. Social media has lowered the barriers to enter the retail industry. However, once these small retailers enter, half of them fail because they don't attract and retain customers. Small-medium enterprises (SMEs) greatly impact the economy, so it is important to study various facets of their business to increase performance. The purpose of this study is to investigate customer's development of social capital (i.e. affiliation, responsiveness, shared values, norm of reciprocity) in small apparel retailer's Instagram page that ultimately lead to purchase intentions for the retailer. Perceived benefits (i.e. perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment) are also investigated in relation to purchase intentions. More specifically, social bonding, brand identification and trust are examined as mediating variables between the perceived level of social capital, perceived benefits and purchase intentions. Over a 3-month period, 200 responses were collected from students at a southern university. The findings reveal that younger customers develop a relationship with retailers on Instagram and it transfers to behavioral outcomes towards the retailer. The theoretical contribution of this study draws from the lack of literature for small apparel retailer and social capital built in Instagram, leading to purchase intentions. Managers can implement the findings into their social media marketing strategies to improve business performance. Lastly, this study has methodological limitations that creates opportunity for future studies.

Recent years have witnessed growing consumer interest in sustainable fashion and circular economy trends that focus on the make, use, and recycling. In several developed countries, consumers are more willing towards second-hand consumption. In India, the consumer attitude towards second-hand shopping has been slightly negative for several reasons. Moreover, India has been subjected to little or no research on consumer behavior. The aim of the study is to examine Indian consumers’ purchasing behavior associated with second-hand fashion in India and Sweden. Therefore, to address this issue and to gain a deeper understanding of consumer behavior while purchasing second-hand fashion, the study employed a qualitative approach combined with a case study research design. The in-depth semi-structured interviews involved fourteen Indian participants living in India and Sweden. The empirical data collected through the interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis, which yielded various themes and sub-themes. Two established frameworks in consumer behavior have been employed in analyzing the themes and sub-themes. The framework developed by Guiot and Roux has been used to confirm the motivational factors towards second-hand shopping. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) framework has been used to understand influential factors on consumer behavior towards second-hand shopping. The Guiot and Roux model analyses three key motivators that persuade consumers to purchase second-hand, which are economic, critical, and hedonic motivators. The theory of planned behavior framework analyses three perspectives of consumers, namely attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control and its influence on consumer intentions and behavior towards second-hand fashion consumption. The analysis and discussion provide influential factors and barriers towards the purchase intentions of Indian consumers. The study’s findings showed differences in the opinions of Indian consumers living in India and Sweden regarding second-hand consumption in general. While the Indian participants (Non-Buyers) in India refrained from giving second-hand fashion a chance, the Indian participants (Buyers) in Sweden were more open towards second-hand fashion. Different factors affect consumer behavior in different ways; factors like price, purchasing options, quality, and awareness regarding second-hand consumption have a positive influence, whereas factors such as hygiene, fashionability, personal values, and beliefs against second-hand consumption have a negative influence. Based on the findings from the analysis, possibilities to reinforce second-hand fashion consumption in India have also been discussed. Since the study has been conducted in a qualitative way, this paves way for future quantitative verification.

Background: Influencer marketing is a rather new marketing strategy where companies use influencers to promote their products and services on their own social media platforms. Previous studies have shown that companies use influencer marketing for creating purchase intentions for the consumer, whereas other studies have indicated three different characteristics of an influencer, authenticity, attractiveness and trustworthiness, that are important to possess in order to be able to influence its followers, which is why this study wanted to do a combination of these types of studies. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explain the relationship between influencers’ characteristics and consumers’ purchase intentions. Methodology: This quantitative study used a deductive approach and had an explanatory purpose, along with a cross-sectional research design. This study also presented a new model, including three hypotheses that assumed a positive relationship between the characteristics of an influencer and consumers’ purchase intentions. In order to collect data, a questionnaire was shared online, both through a convenience sampling technique and a snowball sampling technique, which resulted in 195 responses that passed the qualification questions. Findings: Two of the hypotheses within the proposed model were rejected, which meant that Authenticity and Attractiveness of an influencer did not show to have a positive relationship with consumers’ purchase intentions. Hypothesis 3 (H3) was however accepted, and it was shown that 14,8 % of consumers’ purchase intentions is explained by influencers’ Trustworthiness.   Conclusion: This study contributes with the theoretical implications that there is a relationship between the characteristic Trustworthiness of an influencer and consumers’ purchase intentions, along with the managerial implications which helps companies and marketers to know what characteristics to look for in an influencer when they want to create purchase intentions for consumers. Keywords: Attractiveness of an influencer; authenticity of an influencer; influencer characteristics; influencer marketing; influencers; purchase intentions; social media; trustworthiness on an influencer.