Search Results (1,573)

As virtual influencers gain popularity, understanding the factors driving consumer responses is essential. However, limited research explores how perceived value (informativeness, entertainment, novelty, and incentives) and consumer engagement influence purchase intention. Perceived value is a key predictor of consumer behavior, while consumer engagement enhances perceived value and marketing effectiveness. Additionally, the moderating roles of source credibility and generational cohort remain underexplored. This study examines these relationships through a survey of 331 Chinese Generation Y and Z consumers, analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results show that informativeness, entertainment, and incentives positively influence purchase intention, while novelty has a negative effect. Consumer engagement drives purchase intention and enhances perceived value. Source credibility and generational cohort moderate these effects. When source credibility is low, novelty reduces purchase intention, while incentives increase it. High source credibility makes consumer engagement more influential. Informativeness enhances purchase intention among Generation Y, whereas Generation Z is more influenced by consumer engagement. This study extends research on advertising value and consumer engagement, offering insights for brands optimizing virtual influencer marketing strategies across different consumer segments. Full article

Chronic pain is a prevalent public health concern in the United States, frequently managed with over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers without professional medical supervision. This study investigates household-level patterns of over-the-counter painkiller use utilizing a nationally representative dataset from NielsenIQ, focusing on how reported health conditions, whether self-identified or professionally diagnosed, affect purchasing behaviors. By linking consumer purchase data with self-reported ailment information, this study analyzed painkiller expenditures across different ailment types and demographic groups. Results show that over-the-counter painkiller purchases were highly symptom-driven, particularly for headache-related products, which were the most frequently purchased category across all household types. Nearly one-third of single-member households purchased over-the-counter painkillers for headaches, regardless of diagnosis type, indicating a strong role of perceived need in driving behavior. Females and older individuals more frequently reported ailments, with consistently higher proportions across both pain-related and other conditions. Nonetheless, a notable share of households reported over-the-counter painkiller use without any reported ailments. The findings suggest that diagnostic status plays a limited role in determining over-the-counter painkiller usage, emphasizing the need for improved public health messaging around safe self-medication. These insights can inform targeted education, labeling regulations, and policy interventions to support safer and more equitable pain management practices at the population level. Full article

Several empirical studies have attempted to clarify whether differences in regulations affect people’s behavior. However, due to a lack of data, few have attempted to clarify whether these differences affect the purchase of insurance. Therefore, in this study, I conducted a survey of consumers in Japan and analyzed the characteristics of those who bought bicycle insurance. My findings are as follows: First, users tend to purchase bicycle insurance in prefectures where it is compulsory. Second, bicycle users with a high level of insurance knowledge tend to purchase insurance. Third, consumers who use bicycles more frequently tend to purchase insurance. Full article

Traditional rice varieties (TRVs), shaped by generations of adaptation to local soils and climates, are often seen as less competitive than modern rice varieties (MRVs) due to lower yields. As a result, the spread of MRVs has contributed to a global decline in TRVs. However, TRVs offer notable advantages, particularly in terms of sustainability and health benefits. In light of their gradual disappearance, this study aimed to compare the nutritional quality and consumer preferences for selected TRVs and MRVs cultivated in Kerala, India. We evaluated sensory attributes and physicochemical properties to assess their influence on consumer preference. Sensory rankings were analyzed using Kendall’s W test, while multiple linear regression was used to examine the relationship between consumer preference and various quality parameters. The study found that TRVs had significantly higher antioxidant levels, while MRVs had substantially higher protein contents. Sensory evaluations ranked TRVs more favorably, with grain appearance and taste being key drivers of preference. Physicochemical characteristics also significantly influenced consumer choice. To understand how these preferences influenced purchasing behavior, we conducted exit surveys in supermarkets and applied cluster and discriminant function analyses. The results indicated that both younger consumers and senior residents preferred TRVs in terms of purchase and consumption patterns. Full article

Objectives: Online healthcare offers an effective solution to reduce regional disparities in medical access. However, building patient trust in a virtual environment, particularly amid digital divide challenges, remains critical for the sustainable development of healthcare platforms. This study investigates how doctors’ professional experience, communicated through online biographies, influences patient consultation decisions, aiming to uncover strategies that enhance trust and facilitate efficient doctor–patient matching. Methods: Drawing on trust theory and social distance theory, we develop an empirical model incorporating professional signals, follower community engagement, and sentiment intensity. Using text data and topic modeling from a leading online health platform, we analyze the impact of these factors on patient consultation behavior. Results: The findings demonstrate that professional experience significantly increases consultation purchases, partially mediated by active follower communities. Additionally, positive emotional expressions in biographies reduce perceived social distance, thereby strengthening trust and willingness to consult. These results highlight the combined effectiveness of professional signals and emotional cues in fostering patient trust. Conclusions: Strategically designed doctor profiles, integrating professional and emotional elements, can bridge the digital divide in online healthcare by enhancing trust and improving doctor-patient matching. This study advances the understanding of how online biographical narratives shape trust and decision-making, offering novel insights into the interplay of doctor-generated content, trust, and social distance. Full article

Images contain more visual semantic information. Consumers first view multimodal online reviews with images. Research on the helpfulness of reviews on e-commerce platforms mainly focuses on text, lacking insights into the product attributes reflected by review images and the relationship between images and text. Studying the relationship between images and text in online reviews can better explain consumer behavior and help consumers make purchasing decisions. Taking multimodal online review data from shopping platforms as the research object, this study proposes a research framework based on the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML). It utilizes multiple pre-trained models, such as BLIP2 and machine learning methods, to construct metrics. A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) is conducted to explore the configurational effects of antecedent variables of multimodal online reviews on review helpfulness. The study identifies five configurational paths that lead to high review helpfulness. Specific review cases are used to examine the contribution paths of these configurations to perceived helpfulness, providing a new perspective for future research on multimodal online reviews. Targeted recommendations are made for operators and merchants based on the research findings, offering theoretical support for platforms to fully leverage the potential value of user-generated content. Full article

Premium fashion brands are increasingly adopting Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to reduce costs and enhance creativity. However, consumers have mixed perceptions of clothing with AI-generated patterns (CAGPs) launched by premium fashion brands, especially in online shopping contexts where consumers cannot examine physical products firsthand. This study integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) with Customer Perceived Value (CPV) to investigate Chinese Millennials’ attitudes and purchase intentions toward online purchases of CAGPs launched by premium fashion brands. Using a purposive sampling approach, the study collected 471 valid responses from Chinese Millennials. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was then employed to test the proposed model and hypotheses. The results reveal that perceived brand design effort and perceived price value are primary drivers of purchase intention for CAGPs from premium fashion brands, while perceived aesthetic value significantly shapes consumer attitudes. The subjective norm and attitude positively influence purchase intention. This study sheds light on the roles of aesthetic, emotional, monetary and social factors in driving purchase intention, offering practical suggestions for premium brands’ product design and marketing strategies. Full article

The quality of water and its impact on consumers’ health has been studied extensively, along with concerns surrounding the use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging. This research aimed to analyze consumer behavior regarding water consumption patterns, with a focus on sustainability, packaging preferences, and perceptions of drinking water quality. Two surveys, conducted in 2019 and 2024, used a 23-question structured questionnaire to assess the public willingness to prevent water waste in the context of the circular economy. The surveys addressed consumer identification, drinking water preferences, the awareness of alternative consumption methods, and the openness to sustainable solutions such as water filters. Key quantitative findings showed a 10.4% increase in the amount of bottled water purchased in a single trip and a 12.1% rise in the frequency of weekly purchases, particularly among women and younger consumers. Simultaneously, a 4% increase in the preference for PET packaging over glass raised concerns about environmental sustainability, while the preference for tap water dropped by 5%, correlated with a 4.2% decline in the perceived tap water quality. The brand preference also shifted notably, with Aqua Carpatica rising to 38% and Borsec declining from 37% to 16%, reflecting the influence of purity-focused marketing. The novelty of the approach lay in identifying emerging trends related to sustainability, health, and circular economy principles. A comparative analysis of Romanian citizens’ responses over time highlighted changing perceptions of water use and waste reduction. To support the analysis, 13 statistical indicators were evaluated, a Spearman correlation test was applied to 13 criteria, descriptive statistics were computed, and a t-test was conducted across eight hypotheses. Full article

This study explores the impact of streamer expression certainty on consumer purchase behavior in live-stream e-commerce and its underlying mechanisms. Based on an empirical analysis of 3842 product live-stream data from the Douyin platform and an experimental study, the results show that streamer expression certainty has a significant inverted U-shaped relationship with consumer purchase behavior. Moderate expression certainty enhances consumers’ purchase intention, while excessively high or low expression certainty weakens its effect. Furthermore, perceived competence and perceived warmth mediate this process. Moderate expression certainty enhances consumers’ perceptions of the streamer’s professionalism and sincerity, thereby promoting purchase behavior. However, overly high expression certainty may reduce perceived warmth, leading to decreased consumer trust. This study further reveals the key role of language style in live-stream e-commerce and provides practical insights for optimizing streamers’ language strategies and improving live-stream effectiveness. The study’s limitations and directions for future research are also discussed. Full article

The clothing industry greatly impacts the global economy by producing billions of pieces of clothing and employing millions. However, it negatively impacts the environment, as it is one of the most polluting sectors in the world. This bibliometric review aims to identify influential authors and affiliations, journals, productive and cited countries, emerging and recent themes, and future research directions focusing on the dynamics of clothing brands’ sustainability practices. A comprehensive dataset from Scopus and the Web of Science contains 612 articles, and Biblioshiny and VOSviewer were used to analyze the data. Findings reveal that sustainability is not just a concern for developed countries but is also gaining attention in emerging economies like India. This bibliometric analysis presents its relationship with sustainable development goals (SDGs), combines performance analysis and science mapping of clothing brands’ sustainability practices, and evaluates thematic clusters to highlight future research scopes to fill the literature gap for further concentration on behavioral aspects, advanced supply chains, effective communication, and promoting the usage of sustainable technologies, which can help to align with business models for sustainability and resilience. Therefore, clothing brands’ sustainability practices should focus on smart and functional clothing through eco-friendly manufacturing and designing long-lasting clothes to enrich clothing performance. They should adopt innovative technologies for resource utilization, recycling, waste management, supply chain, and also emphasize communication with the consumers to encourage them to purchase eco-friendly and long-lasting clothes. Full article

Although impulsive and hedonic purchasing behaviors may seem to contradict sustainability principles, there are unexplored opportunities through which social media platforms and influencers can redirect these impulses toward sustainable actions. Young consumers, increasingly concerned about the ecological impact of their choices, can be encouraged to adopt responsible and sustainable buying behaviors when these are promoted attractively, enjoyably, and emotionally satisfyingly through social media. This research investigates how social media communication influences hedonic and impulsive purchasing behavior in the Romanian clothing market. In the context where social media is one of the main sources of information and influence for consumers, the research analyzes several determining factors of the purchase decision. Price reductions and the use of credit cards are highlighted as elements that facilitate spontaneous and hedonic targeted purchases, while the attractiveness of clothing items and the need felt play an important role in terms of the desire to buy. In addition, sources of information (such as reviews) have a major impact on consumers’ perceptions and their purchase intentions. Additionally, the study investigates factors such as overall shopping experience and its influence on consumer loyalty. It is approached from two perspectives: attitudinal loyalty, reflected in the preference for brands promoted on social media, and behavioral loyalty, expressed through repeat purchases. The results show that social media acts as an accelerator for hedonic and impulsive buying behaviors, prompting consumers to react quickly to stimuli such as discount campaigns or personalized recommendations. The conclusions highlight the importance of adopting digital marketing strategies that capitalize on the consumers emotional need while also strengthening brand loyalty. These perspectives can guide companies in the clothing industry to adapt their promotion methods to the specifics of the Romanian market and the consumer behavior. Full article

Energy-efficient consumption has become a strategic priority to mitigate global climate change and enhance national energy security. While social media has reshaped online consumption behavior, the mechanisms through which these digital platforms influence energy-efficient purchasing remain underexplored. This study extends the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) by integrating price perception variables and applies multi-group structural equation modeling to examine how social media shapes Chinese consumers’ intentions to purchase energy-efficient air conditioning. The results show that (1) social media exposure strengthens energy-efficient purchasing intentions indirectly via behavioral attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control; (2) price perception is negatively associated with purchase intention; and (3) these effects vary by age cohort, gender, and income—Generation Z and female consumers are more susceptible to social media influence, while low-income groups exhibit heightened price sensitivity. These findings advance TPB theory and offer guidance for digital platform policies aimed at promoting energy-efficient consumption. Full article

The objective of this study is to analyze the current situation of out-of-home catering (OHC) in Germany concerning the use of regional organic food using a case study; we also aim to determine the potential and challenges that exist in increasing the proportion of regional organic food in OHC. The food purchasing data from three canteens of the company were analyzed concerning regionality, seasonality, and organic share. The companies’ employees were asked about their willingness to pay and their attitude towards regional organic food using an online questionnaire. A price comparison between organically and conventionally grown food was carried out with food wholesalers’ product price lists. The study confirms the potential to increase the share of regional organic food in OHC. With their private purchasing behavior, eating habits and willingness to pay a surcharge for organic quality in the company restaurants, the consumers confirm that they support an increase in the regional organic share. Regional organic food could be purchased from (organic) wholesalers. However, the study also shows that the cost of sourcing organic food is on average 50% higher than that of conventional food and that this price markup is the main reason for consumers not buying organic food. Full article

Addressing the pressing global challenge of environmental sustainability, this study investigates novel pathways through which egoistic motivations—specifically personal health benefits, economic advantages, and perceived social status—influence green purchasing behavior among Chinese consumers. Employing an integrated approach that combines the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and self-identity theory (SIT), the research analyzes data from 361 Chinese consumers using advanced statistical techniques, including structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings reveal unique insights: personal health benefits and economic advantages emerge as significant drivers of green purchasing behavior, while perceived social status exerts an indirect effect through symbolic benefits. This study breaks new ground by demonstrating the dual mediating role of symbolic and functional benefits in linking egoistic motivations to green purchasing behavior. The results underscore the importance of developing marketing strategies that highlight personal health and economic savings, complemented by symbolic benefits, to effectively promote green products. Policymakers are encouraged to incorporate these nuanced motivations when designing incentives and regulations to enhance sustainable consumption practices. Full article

Commuting plays a critical role in shaping sustainable transport systems, yet understanding the diverse preferences of commuter groups remains a challenge for policymakers. As cities aim to promote sustainable transport, it is essential to better understand the factors influencing travel behaviors. This study investigates the commuting preferences and behaviors of urban employees in Italy, focusing on identifying distinct user profiles and their implications for policy development. Using a dataset of 2301 participants from Italian cities, the research analyzed transport mode choices, willingness to adopt sustainable transport options, and perceptions of public transport (PT) services, including factors such as travel time, proximity to PT stops, cost, and comfort, rated on a four-point Likert scale. K-modes clustering was employed to segment participants into three clusters based on their travel behaviors. The results revealed three distinct user profiles: (1) car-dependent users with negative perceptions of PT, driven by family obligations and dissatisfaction with PT services; (2) individuals who primarily use cars but are somewhat open to improvements in PT; (3) individuals willing to adopt alternative mobility options, including active and shared transport modes. Significant differences were found across clusters in terms of mode choices, willingness to use sustainable transport, and satisfaction with PT services. Notably, employees showed limited interest in alternative sustainable transport modes such as e-scooters and walking, with 73% and 66% of participants expressing little or no interest, respectively. Despite incentives such as company subsidies for purchasing bicycles or e-scooters, 58% of employees remained uninterested in adopting these alternatives. Additionally, employees’ perceptions of PT services revealed dissatisfaction with factors such as travel time, comfort, and punctuality, with over 70% rating these aspects as “Poor” or “Fair”. These findings suggest that improving the quality of PT services, particularly in terms of travel time, punctuality, comfort, and cost, should be a priority for enhancing user satisfaction. This research provides valuable insights for policymakers seeking to reduce car dependence and promote sustainable urban transport planning. Full article