International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising (85 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Segmenting Consumers on Social Networks Based on Individual Motivations for Engagement in eWOM Communication with Self-Organizing Maps  
  by Manijeh Bahrainizadeh, Hamid Izadi 
  Abstract: Social networks allow consumers to share marketing content and advertise products for free through electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) communication. Consumers regularly share eWOM regarding their motivations. Some of these motivations have been identified in previous studies. This study aimed to understand how consumers can be segmented on social networks according to the individual motivations for engagement in eWOM. A self-organising map was used for segmentation. Data were collected by sending questionnaire links to 385 Iranian users of Telegram, Facebook, and Instagram using a convenience sampling method. A total of three segments were identified: active users with low individual motivation, who spent a relatively long time on social networks, but had low individual motivations to participate in eWOM activities. Active users with high individual motivations were young users who devoted the most time to social networks and were highly motivated. Finally, inactive users with individual motivations who, despite having sufficient individual motivations, spent very little time on social networks. This study, by applying a self-organising map for segmenting consumers on social networks, provides insights into how companies should make strategies to engage consumers in eWOM communication, taking into account individual motivations.
  Keywords: electronic word-of-mouth communication; eWOM; individual motivations; segmentation; self-organising maps; SOMs; social networks.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10052688
   
  
• eWOM Consumers Tryst with Trust and Transitions A Qualitative Study  
  by Rishikesh Bhaiswar, N. Meenakshi, Deepak Chawla 
  Abstract: The study highlights how online shoppers build, erode, or make trust superfluous in obtaining eWOM communications. Further, the study traces when, why and how online shoppers transition between offline word of mouth (WOM) and eWOM communications. The qualitative investigation involved collecting data by conducting four focus group discussions (FGD) and five in-depth interviews from online shoppers purchasing electronic gadgets using eWOM information. The initial coding was used to get an overview of entire datasets, and final coding was applied to categorise data into fewer category themes and subthemes. The findings of this study unveiled that online shoppers attributed trust to the quality of eWOM information, valence, and visualisation of product information. eWOM lost trust in online communications when they experienced fake reviews and ratings, incomplete reviews or information, or untrustworthy platforms. Further, eWOM users found trust to be superfluous if they were expert consumers, or when they purchased a well-established brand. Lastly, eWOM users transitioned to offline WOM to confirm, verify, build confidence in the entire decision journey of buying high-priced electronic consumer durables (ECD)s.
  Keywords: electronic word of mouth; eWOM; trust in eWOM; distrust in eWOM; fake eWOM and transition from eWOM to WOM.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10053115
   
  
• Far More Than Just Flying! Role of Airline Brand Experience in Shaping Brand Satisfaction and Brand Loyalty  
  by Harleen Pabla, Harmeen Soch 
  Abstract: The aim of this article is to fill the gap in literature which is to examine the influence of individual brand experience dimensions on brand satisfaction and brand loyalty. For this study, a sample of the Indian aviation sector was selected since there is little data available on the aviation business in emerging economies. The study is based on primary data collected from 501 passengers who have travelled by air using structured questionnaire. IBM SPSS 24 and PLS 3.3.3 have been used to analyse and interpret data. The empirical findings demonstrate that all dimensions of brand experience impact brand satisfaction and brand loyalty with the exception of the behavioural dimension. Based on importance-performance map analysis (IPMA), sensory dimension holds more importance on brand satisfaction and the emotional dimension has a stronger impact on brand loyalty. The results of this study can assist managers in creating a more advanced experience framework to attract satisfied and loyal customers.
  Keywords: brand experience; brand satisfaction; brand loyalty; aviation sector; PLS-SEM; importance-performance map analysis; IPMA; PLS-Predict.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10053596
   
  
• The role of online travel stores’ usability in word of mouth generation, e-satisfaction, and users' purchase behavior  
  by Achilleas Barlas, Yeoryios Stamboulis 
  Abstract: The current study aims to examine online travel stores’ website usability and its relationship and contribution to online purchase intention, e-satisfaction and word-of-mouth generation. E-satisfaction was also examined as a mediating factor in the relationship between usability and word-of-mouth. Although the number of people of all ages that use these kinds of online travel stores to plan their vacation or their trips is rising annually, the research behind it is still limited. Online questionnaires were completed by 194 individuals. The outcome of the research has shown a significant role of website usability on e-consumer intention. It’s suggested that online travel stores should try to maximize users’ satisfaction with their interactions with websites. Online travel stores should try to acknowledge the needs of their online users. The results of the research come to contribute to the limited literature on the role of website usability in e-WoM and satisfaction, specifically in online travel stores. Results may be used in a practical way by administrators, designers, and marketers that operate online travel stores.
  Keywords: website usability; e-WoM; online travel stores; e-commerce; purchase intention; e-satisfaction; on-line tourism; user experience; e-tourism; e-service quality.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10053889
   
  
• The Effects of Personalization on Advertising Value and Attitude in the Case of Indonesian E-Marketplace  
  by Prima Andriani, Sahid Susilo Nugroho 
  Abstract: This study aimed to examine perceptions of personalisation, incentives, timeliness, advertising value, and attitude in Indonesian e-marketplaces. It also investigated the roles of incentives and timeliness in mediating the relationship between personalisation and advertising value. Moreover, it examined the role of advertising value in mediating the relationship between personalisation and attitude. The sample in this study is the users of e-marketplaces, with a total of 376 respondents selected by the purposive sampling method. This study used Structural Equations Modelling (SEM) to test the hypotheses proposed. The findings indicate that for personalisation in advertising to have value, a communication strategy is needed that involves incentives and timeliness in delivering advertisements so that the advertisement gets a good response from customers. This research contributes to the understanding that data profiles and track records of product searches by customers become big data to map personalised product offering strategies.
  Keywords: Advertising Value; Attitude; Incentives; Personalisation; Timeliness.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10054506
   
  
• Why do users follow sponsored influencer content? Toward a deeper understanding of consumption-related user motivations  
  by Jörg Tropp, Andreas Baetzgen 
  Abstract: Brand-related content is by no means a disruptive factor in the relationship between influencer and follower. It has a functional and social value that positively affects follower engagement and purchase intention. Based on the uses and gratification approach the aim of the study is 1) to identify the consumption-related gratifications which are sought by consumers of sponsored influencer content on Instagram and 2) to gain knowledge how these affect influencers’ advertising value, follower engagement and purchase intention. Four group discussions and a subsequent online survey among Instagram users (n = 540) are used to explore the relevant gratifications sought and their respective influence. The results demonstrate that search for consumption inspiration, reward, and quality (re)assurance, in particular, motivates users to expose themselves to influencers’ brand-related content. These gratifications have a direct and significant influence on advertising value and purchase intention, independent of influencer credibility, relationship closeness between influencer and follower, and content quality.
  Keywords: influencer marketing; brand related content; Instagram content; gratifications; advertising value; user engagement; sponsored influencer content; consumption related user motivations.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10055715
   
  
• An investigation of the effective drivers of social commerce intentions- The mediating role of trust  
  by Taanika Arora 
  Abstract: The Web 2.0 revolution and proliferation of various social networking sites across the globe have resulted in a tremendous increase in the consumer’s engagement in commercial transactions over various social media platforms. The development of social relationships leading to increased development in e-commerce has given rise to a new stream known as social commerce. However, addressing the dearth of literature in this area, the present study aims to propose a conceptual model built on s-commerce perspectives, social support, and trust transfer theory, wherein the indirect effects of s-commerce attributes (community platform and social support) on s-commerce intention through trust have been examined. The data was collected from 705 social media users and analysed using the structural equation modelling technique. The results obtained from the study confirm the significant role of s-commerce attributes (community, platform and social support) on s-commerce intention. Also, the results provide for the mediating role of trust in the relationships between s-commerce attributes on s-commerce intention. The results indicate that the proposed framework is a valid and robust tool for measuring the behavioural intention to adopt s-commerce and renders beneficial clues for practitioners, and social media marketing managers to effectively use social media platforms.
  Keywords: social commerce; trust; community attributes; platform attributes; social commerce intention; social support.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10055980
   
  
• Investigating online loyalty, attitude, credibility and moderating role of moral-identity from CRM perspective  
  by Harishchandra Singh Rathod, Vijayendra Gupta, Richa Shreevastava, Ashwin Jadeja, Krishnaba Vaghela 
  Abstract: Cause-related marketing (CRM) is widely acknowledged as a promotional marketing tool across emerging markets. CRM is a promotional activity where the company partners with a charity organisation to donate to a particular cause by purchasing a specific product. The increased competition has led online businesses to pay attention to credibility because it becomes a point for successfully realising CRM marketing strategy. Past studies have focused on the western context, and less research has been carried out in the Indian context. In the first stage of the study, we investigate the effect of company, brand and charity credibility on attitude toward the brand in the CRM context. Next, we investigate the impact of CRM brand attitude on online customer loyalty. IBM-SPSS-AMOS 22 software analysed 608 respondents through the structural equation modelling method. The results of this study have established the effect of company credibility, brand credibility and charity credibility on attitude toward CRM and its subsequent impact on online customer loyalty. Furthermore, our research ascertained the moderating role of moral identity on attitude toward CRM and online customer loyalty. The findings of this study would guide Indian marketers and retailers alongside charity managers to design effective CRM campaigns.
  Keywords: online customer loyalty; attitude toward CRM; company credibility; brand credibility; charity credibility; moral identity.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10056068
   
  
• KOC’s characteristics, KOC effectiveness and online customer engagement towards travel products: evidence from Vietnam  
  by Thu-Hang Hoang, Hong-Diem Le, Trieu-Chau Ngo, Minh A. B. Nguyen 
  Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated unprecedented technology access, especially in the tourism field when people are restricted to travel based on several lock-down regulations. This has progressively generated favourable conditions for the rise of key opinion consumer (KOCs) on multiple social media channels. However, KOC is still a novel concept that is underexplored by past literature. The objective of this study is to investigate some distinctive KOCs characteristics including five elements (expertise, trustworthiness, usage similarity, source dynamism and cognitive effort) with the moderating role of product KOC alignment that impact online customer engagement when interacting with travel-related marketing content on various social media platforms. The research adopted the PLS-SEM technique in the data analysis gained from 350 young consumers in Vietnam. The results of this paper propose the foundation for catering more effective strategies to reach higher levels of customer engagement via the use of suitable KOCs profiles and relevant choice of travel products.
  Keywords: key opinion consumer; KOC; customer engagement; e-engagement; KOC effectiveness; KOC characteristics; social media; internet marketing; travel; Vietnam.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10056135
   
  
• Growing influencer credibility to drive endorsement effectiveness: A literature review  
  by Chuong H. B. Nguyen, Joel Mero, Heikki Karjaluoto 
  Abstract: The accumulating body of research on influencer credibility that is emerging makes it relevant to reconcile the current findings in order to encourage further research. This article pursues three primary objectives: 1) it aims to define influencer credibility in the social media context; 2) it aims to develop a conceptual framework that integrates the antecedents and outcomes of influencer credibility; 3) it aims to uncover gaps in the literature and guide future research directions. Using 39 articles from 2016 to 2020, the results reveal that influencer credibility is driven by three groups of antecedents: 1) the characteristics, interactions, and relationships of influencers and audiences; 2) sponsorship disclosure; 3) the perceived fit of influencers with brands, audiences, and content. Influencer credibility is also a predictor of favourable attitudinal and behavioural outcomes, such as brand attitudes and purchase intentions. The review highlights managerial implications and issues deserving further research attention.
  Keywords: influencer marketing; influencer credibility; source credibility; sponsorship disclosure; endorsement effectiveness.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10056331
   
  
• BRAND HATE AND CONSUMERS’ RESPONSES: AN ANALYSIS IN THE OFFLINE AND ONLINE ENVIRONMENT  
  by Barbara Francioni, Ilaria Curina, Sabrina Hegner, Marco Cioppi, Elisabetta Savelli 
  Abstract: Within the studies investigating the consumer-brand relationships, brand hate has been partially disregarded as a research topic. This paper aims to extend the analysis of the brand hate outcomes by considering both their offline and online nature (i.e., offline/online negative word-of-mouth (NWOM) and offline/online complaining) and by also testing the role of concern for others and venting negative feelings as possible mediators on the relationship between brand hate and both offline/online behavioural outcomes. To reach this objective, structural equation modelling has been employed on a sample of 493 consumers. Findings reveal that concern for others is mainly involved when consumers perform NWOM in the offline context among their friends/family, while venting negative feelings is the main motive in the online context and for complaining to the company. The paper provides managerial implications useful to manage the consumers’ offline/online behaviours in the brand hate context.
  Keywords: brand; brand hate; consumer behaviour; consumer-brand relationship; concern for others; venting negative feelings; offline negative word-of-mouth; NWOM; online negative word-of-mouth.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10056990
   
  
• Examining purchase behavior through brand advertising strategy in social media fan pages: The mediating effects of consumer engagement behaviors  
  by Qazi Ahmed, Anees Wajid, Muhammad Arsalan Nazir 
  Abstract: The study aims to explore the associations of remuneration and creativity as brand advertising strategy on the purchase intention of social media consumers. The study proposes that this relationship is mediated through user-generated content (UGC) and peer influence which act as consumer engagement behaviours. We draw evidence through structured questionnaire from 673 respondents from higher educational institutes. We employed structural equation modelling (SEM) for data analysis and testing hypotheses. The results portray that remuneration imposed a significant impact on UGC and peer influence but showed an unsupportive linkage with purchase intention. Creativity exerted a significant impact on UGC, peer influence and purchase intention. Both UGC and peer influence fully mediated the relationship between remuneration and purchase intention. Contrastingly, both of these intervening variables partially mediated the relationship between creativity and purchase intention. We introduce less studied predictors of social media advertising (SMA) and provide valuable insights using the under-researched context of Pakistan. The research framework also offers some guidelines for social media researchers and practitioners.
  Keywords: remuneration; purchase behaviour; brand advertising; creativity; UGC; peer influence; social media.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10057722
   
  
• A framework for mobile social networks (SNS) advertising effectiveness attributes and its effects on the behavioral intentions of North African cyberconsumers  
  by Nesrine Mzid, Amel Chaabouni 
  Abstract: is research aims to study the main attributes that predict advertising effectiveness via the mobile social network services (SNS) and their relationship with the advertising effectiveness which influences cyberconsumers’ purchase intentions. A quantitative study was conducted on a sample of 430 Tunisian cyberconsumers (North Africa) who frequently use their mobile phones. Particularly, the theory of uses and gratifications adapted in the context of this research is used to analyse the reactions of online consumers to the use of social media. The method of structural equations based on the AMOS approach was deployed for data analysis. The results reveal a positive effect of content relevance, mobile convenience, perceived control, context relevance, personal profile convenience and social influence on effectiveness of mobile advertising via social networks services. In other words, this research provides the necessary steps for creating effective advertising messages with the aim of obtaining positive reactions to mobile advertising.
  Keywords: mobile advertising; mobile social networking service; social networking service; SNS; advertising attributes; advertising effectiveness; behavioural intentions of cyberconsumers.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10057723
   
  
• The Influence of the Use of Luxury Brands and Social Media on Self-Expansion in the Clothing Industry: Evidence from Tehran  
  by Alireza Rokhsari, Saba Ali, Hassan Tanha 
  Abstract: The luxury brand, with its capacity to create different dimensions of the brand experience, effectively strengthens the luxury brand consumer’s feeling towards himself. One of these feelings is the sense of self-expansion, which is especially attractive to generation Y; also known as millennials; because, according to their personality traits, they are seeking comprehensive progress. In this research, we have examined the effect of luxury brand experience on the relationship between quality with brand identity. This research’s statistical sample comprises 426 men and women aged 21 to 39 sample using luxury clothing brands in Tehran, and the moderating role of the novelty is investigated. They have been categorised in terms of their age, level of education, marital and income status. The finding demonstrates that the variable of self-expansion decreases with the increase in education and age, however; it has a direct relation with the marital status and financial situation.
  Keywords: luxury; self-expansion; millennials; brand experience; use of social media.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10057990
   
  
• The Effect of Self-Monitoring and Endorser Attractiveness on Online Video Advertising Responses  
  by Dongjae Lim, Jhih-Syuan Lin 
  Abstract: This study examines how self-monitoring influences the effect of physically attractive endorsers in online video ads. A series of between-subject design online experiments found that high self-monitors are more favourable and more likely to share online video ads with an attractive endorser than ads with a less attractive endorser. In contrast, individuals with low self-monitoring do not differ in their advertising responses. In addition, a moderating effect of gender influences high self-monitoring females’ favourable ad responses. In a follow-up study for provocative online video ads (e.g., nudity and sexuality), gender may limit the effects observed in the study, as males with high self-monitoring are reluctant to share such content. On the other hand, females were reluctant to share online video ads, regardless of each individual’s self-monitoring level. The study provides theoretical and managerial implications discussed in which matching individuals on self-monitoring and gender is vital for matching appropriate endorser types of online video advertising.
  Keywords: online video advertising; self-monitoring; endorser attractiveness; sex appeal; gender; share intention.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10058110
   
  
• A model for understanding the Customer Experience (CX) landscape from Business-to-Business(B2B) context: Theorization from the journey of Indian service technology firms  
  by Krishanu Bhattacharyya, Bikash Debata, Rajeev Verma 
  Abstract: Customer experience (CX) refers to the overall holistic perception of the brand in the mind of the customers. According to reputed research firm IDC, the spending in CX grew approximately from $550 Billion in 2019 to $640 Billion by 2022 (Ross, 2019). Even in 2023, majority of the companies are expected to spend higher amount in CX related spent by an average of 24% compared to last year (Gareiss, 2022). However, the recent hype cycle report from Gartner has highlighted the fact that the priorities for CX landscape are changing drastically (Davis, 2022). This paper adopts a focus group methodology and studies the concept, barriers and opportunities of CX in the B2B context of Indian service technology firms. The findings of this paper reveal that usage of right form of data clubbed with technology enablers can aid towards the positive CX experience.
  Keywords: customer experience; CX; B2B customer experience; CX process; B2B marketing; CX in B2B context; case study; qualitative research; Gioia methodology; focus group discussion.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10058898
   
  
• Technological Emergence in the Area of Personalised Advertisement Using Emergence Scoring and Topic Modelling Based on Patent Data  
  by Nishad Deshpande, Shabib Ahmed Shaikh, Alok Khode 
  Abstract: With the advent of internet, online advertisement has come a long way with personalisation based on user habits, history, etc. as compared to generalised advertisements which many times were considered as spams. The development of sophisticated algorithms and availability of data helps in identification of emerging technologies which in turn can aid technology forecasting and better decision making. Patent is an important techno-legal tool to protect innovations. The developmental aspect of a technology can be studied using patent documents. The current study uses patent dataset to analyse and evaluate patents in the field of personalised advertisement, provides state of the art and also identifies emergent concepts in this domain. The study highlights that the emergence of artificial intelligence and deep learning would drive personalisation along with user interface which may play an important role in customised content delivery as well as user experience for interactive and immersive personalised advertisement.
  Keywords: personalised advertising; targeted advertisement; web-based advertisement; patent analysis; technology trends; topic modelling; latent Dirichlet allocation; LDA.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10059309
   
  
• The mobile phone industry in the Kurdistan region of Iraq: from quality to loyalty  
  by Ahmet Demir, Najih Samin Ahmed 
  Abstract: After the COVID period, customer expectations and company strategies have changed in many markets and products. It is very important to keep up with this change in academic studies and publications, to re-identify the differences as well as the similarities, and as a result, to offer new strategic change opportunities to the market actors. In this sense, the research aimed to present a regional and comprehensive study of the mobile phone market, which is the most developing and expanding market in recent years. The study obtained data as a result of the questionnaire applied to 1,189 people who are currently using mobile smartphones in the Kurdistan region, and after passing these data through validity-reliability analysis. Through a rigorous process of validity and reliability analysis, the gathered data underwent causality analysis utilising structural equations modelling. When the results were examined, it has been determined that the product users in the market shape their purchasing and loyalty according to the brand perception of the product, rather than their own product usage experience. In this context, strategic maps were presented to market actors.
  Keywords: mobile phone product quality; dealer’s service quality; switching cost; mobile phone industry; Iraq.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10059310
   
  
• Can Virtual, CGI-Generated, Influencers Help Sell Products on Instagram? Effects of Perceived Realism and Disclosure on Brand-Related Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions  
  by Joe Phua, Nathaniel Evans, Youngjee Ko, JeongHyun Lee 
  Abstract: Virtual influencers, CGI-generated avatars with fabricated personalities, are increasingly being used by brands to advertise products on social media platforms. Applying theoretical frameworks including the match-up hypothesis (Kamins, 1990), parasocial identification (Horton and Wohl, 1956; Rubin and Perse, 1987), source credibility (Ohanian, 1990) and the persuasion knowledge model (Friestad and Wright, 1994), the current study assessed effects of perceived realism (high versus low) and disclosure (yes versus no) of a virtual influencer in an Instagram brand ad on perceived brand credibility, brand attitude, purchase intention and eWOM intention. Using a two (realism: high versus low) x two (disclosure: yes versus no) between-subjects experiment, results revealed that perceived realism exerted a significant main effect on the dependent measures, and also interacted with disclosure to influence brand-related outcomes. Further, perceived prosocial characteristics of the virtual influencer also mediated between realism and the dependent measures. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
  Keywords: virtual influencers; social media; influencer marketing; advertising.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10059311
   
  
• The Moderating Effect of Adaptive Selling Behavior on the Benefits of Social Media Usage in Sales during the COVID-19 Pandemic  
  by Arti Pandey, Peerayuth Charoensukmongkol 
  Abstract: Grounded in the media naturalness theory and compensatory adaptation theory, this research examines whether adaptive selling behaviour can be a moderator that strengthens the effect of social media usage on sales and sales performance. Survey data were collected from 227 export salespeople from 120 companies in Thailand who have begun to use social media in sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. The hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The results supported the positive association between social media usage in sales and sales performance. Nevertheless, the result from the moderating effect test revealed that social media usage in sales’ positive effect on sales performance is particularly strong among salespeople with high adaptive selling behaviour. For salespeople with low adaptive selling behaviour, social media usage in sales has a weak effect on sales performance. Our research provides implications to sales organisations, which can increase productivity of their human capital.
  Keywords: adaptive selling behaviour; sales performance; social media; marketing communication; human capital; productivity.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10059312
   
  
• A Bibliometric Analysis of Historical Background and Future Avenues for the Spillover Effect of Electronic Word of Mouth on Purchase Intention  
  by Kavita Verma, Kapil Malhotra 
  Abstract: This study aims to conduct an extensive bibliometric analysis to realise the tendency of the influence of e-WOM on customers’ purchase intention literature and suggests a road map for further research in this field. By using the specified search string, 595 articles have been retrieved from prestigious journals which are indexed in the Scopus database, and RStudio combined with VOSviewer software was used to analyse and visualise the dataset from 2006 to 2022. The findings reveal a sound insight into annual publication patterns, most contributive authors, journals, institutions, countries, and articles in the e-WOM field. Bradford’s Law and Lotka’s Law contradict the observed results of the study. Moreover, bibliographic coupling provides the conceptual research frame work, and keyword network analysis recommends potential research avenues in this domain. Finally, this review shares a greater knowledge of the theme of consumer behaviour, where e-WOM has an influence on potential customers’ purchase intention.
  Keywords: bibliometric analysis; VOSviewer; literature review; consumer behaviour; electronic word-of-mouth; e-WOM; purchase intention.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10059833
   
  
• Factors Influencing Online Repurchase Behaviour of Indian Students  
  by Bindiya Tater, Kishor John 
  Abstract: This directional study measures the factors that impact student satisfaction with online purchases. The study analysed variables such as perception of beneficial educational outcomes, ease of use, utility, value, risk, trust, privacy, and online literacy level. The study involved 415 suitable tertiary students from universities and colleges, using Google Forms to collect data. The questionnaire underwent a validity test and was analysed using a multi-regression test, indicating satisfactory results. The study used three models and Cronbach’s alpha for reliability. The technology acceptance model (TAM) reveals trust, privacy, and internet literacy as key factors promoting repurchasing, while internet usage and number of purchases are less significant predictors. The study uses a novel approach to investigate the link between a student’s education, internet usage, and the frequency of online shopping purchases. The study’s findings will benefit organisations, companies, and agencies involved in online shopping by providing a model for understanding user repurchase behaviour and strategic planning.
  Keywords: attitude; behaviour; ease of use; internet literacy; perception; perceived risk; perceived value; privacy concern; satisfaction; repurchase intention.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10059834
   
  
• Search Marketing: Systematic Literature Review  
  by Nurdin Hidayah, Vanessa Gaffar, Meta Arief 
  Abstract: This study aims to systematic and thorough evaluation of the literature on search marketing (SM). To assess the evolution of SM research through time, this work synthesises the literature on SM with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) approach and divides the analysis based on theory, context, characteristics, and methods (TCCM). The examination of the literature demonstrates that research on SM is restricted to the fields of search engine marketing and search engine optimisation. We have also created an integrated conceptual framework that illustrates the interrelationships between variables based on the synthesis. In addition, we have suggested some future study topics and identified several neglected settings and priorities. This review adds to the realm of internet marketing both theoretically and practically.
  Keywords: search engine marketing; SEM; search engine optimisation; SEO; search marketing; SM; apps search optimisation.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10060120
   
  
• Analysis of Key Factors of Consumers Purchase Influenced by Internet Celebrities: Food, Cosmetics Maintenance, and 3C Game Products as examples  
  by Tzong-Ru (Jiun-Shen) Lee, Wei-Chen Chen, Ville Isoherranen, Ummul Wara Adrita 
  Abstract: This study examines key factors of the internet celebrities influence to consumer purchasing. Firstly, the literature review was used to find the key factors (KF). Then questionnaire was used to collect data from Taiwanese consumers. This was followed by the Grey Relational Analysis (GRA), in which, the key purchasing factors of all product categories were analysed on the basis of their consumer samples, followed by the KFs difference between food, 3C game, and the categories that involved the maintenance of cosmetics. The result shows internet celebrity’s usage for product promotion to influence consumers purchasing decisions is multidimensional and complex issue, and overall the credibility and linkage of the marketing message need to be aligned with the actual product quality and experience.
  Keywords: EC; community; social media; Internet celebrities.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10061005
   
  
• Influencer marketing and health repercussions: a literature review on the impact of influencers on eating behavior and body self-perception  
  by Belén Cambronero, Ana Mayagoitia-Soria, Beatriz Feijoo 
  Abstract: The aim of this article is to review the scientific literature regarding the impact of influencer marketing on eating habits and the development of attitudes related to body cult. For this purpose, the authors conducted a systematic review to identify empirical articles focused on Influencer Marketing strategies related to food or body cult published within the last 10 years. Using specific keywords, 80 articles were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and WoS databases. Finally, a content analysis of 34 selected articles was performed. The findings show that the most common objective of these studies was to examine the characteristics of influencers in terms of message effectiveness, followed by assessing the impact of influencers on eating behaviours. Regarding study results among influencer marketing strategies on eating habits, no article included positive conclusions on influencer marketing and food.
  Keywords: influencer marketing; systematic review; food marketing; body cult.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10061318
   
  
• Evaluating the varied aspects of Mobile Advertising and its implications in the contemporary market - A Systematic Literature Review  
  by Mudit Gera, Dharminder Kumar Batra, Deepak Tandon 
  Abstract: With the development of mobile technologies, businesses today have great choices to connect with their customers, regardless of their time and location, with the help of various mobile advertising strategies. Hence, it becomes essential to analyse the changes in advertising strategies and the effect mobile advertising has on customers and organisations globally. The current study aims to outline the approaches used in mobile advertising to demonstrate its substantial market effects. For this purpose, a systematic critical literature review of 83 articles is conducted, which helps discover the most prolific authors and other seminal works in the mobile advertising context. The study espouses the critical need to evaluate the impact of the unique characteristics and nature of mobile advertising on the consumer attributes that result in better-targeted advertising. It shall also help organisations and scholars analyse various aspects of mobile advertising strategies and their impact on user engagement, enhancing their effectiveness.
  Keywords: mobile advertising; mobile marketing; M-advertising; advertising effectiveness; SLR; literature review; systematic literature review; user engagement.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10061319
   
  
• Social Media Engagement and Fear of Travel: A Premium Hotel Case Study  
  by Mónica Gómez-Suárez, Monica Veloso, Myriam Quinones 
  Abstract: The aim of this study is to understand how risk perception and fear of travelling affect social media interactions in premium hotels’ reservation process. Tourists are increasingly using social media to gather reliable information for their travel judgements. Thus, this work specifically focuses on how these tourists’ decision-making process is moderated by their risk perception. The results of a process model, based on the analysis of data from an online survey with 1,279 responses, show that brand attitude mediates the positive relationship between social media engagement and reservation intention and that fear of travelling, acting as a proxy variable of high-risk perception, moderates this relationship. Thus, as their high-risk perception increases, tourists actively engaged with a hotel brand via social media increase their reservation intention. The main findings in this study therefore strengthen extant knowledge of social media users’ behaviour and comprise an effective tool for managing crises in top-tier hotels.
  Keywords: engagement; social media; risk perception; reservation intention; brand attitude; premium hotels; crisis management; moderated mediation model; process; SEM.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10061320
   
  
• INFLUENCE OF PERCEIVED QUALITY AND VALUE AND BRAND IMAGE ON BUYING BEHAVIOUR OF CONSUMERS IN RURAL AREAS WITH MODERATING EFFECT OF PERCEIVED RISK.  
  by SATHIYA PRABHU ABRAHAM, R. Ganapathi Ramasamy 
  Abstract: This research paper elucidates that that perceived quality and brand image are positively and significantly influencing buying behaviour of consumers in rural areas. Besides, interaction between perceived quality and perceived risk and interaction between perceived value and perceived risk are also positively and significantly influencing buying behaviour of consumers in rural areas. Thus, all the five hypotheses are supported by the findings and implications of the study is also discussed in this research paper.
  Keywords: brand image; perceived quality; perceived risk; perceived value.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10061375
   
  
• Mastering Online Customers` Repurchase Intentions: Covid-19 Blessing in Disguise  
  by Ayman Bazzi 
  Abstract: Owing to the internet revolution, customers’ online purchasing behaviour is witnessing a considerable increase. Simultaneously, firms are greatly concerned with retaining online customers because attracting new customers is not considered an easy job. This paper aims to investigate the antecedents of online customers’ repurchase intentions in the Lebanese hypermarket industry. Data were acquired from 392 online shoppers who were chosen based on the convenience sampling technique. A questionnaire was used to collect data, and partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to assess the validity of the proposed scales and the relationships between the study variables. The findings demonstrate that e-satisfaction, e-trust, e-loyalty, and COVID-19 situation have a significant direct effect on customers’ repurchase intentions, in addition to the indirect impact of e-satisfaction and e-trust through the mediation role of e-loyalty. Finally, in addition to contributing to the literature on online marketing, this study recommends directions for further research.
  Keywords: COVID-19 situation; e-satisfaction; e-trust; e-loyalty; customers’ repurchase intentions; hypermarket industry; online shopping; e-commerce; PLS-SEM; Lebanon.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10061571
   
  
• Unveiling the Path Forward: Exploring the Theoretical Evolution and Future Research Directions of Over-the-Top Customer Experience  
  by Neha Kalra, Pankaj Deshwal, Shiksha Kushwah, Samir Gokarn 
  Abstract: This study conducts a comprehensive examination of over-the-top (OTT) customer experience literature, employing a bibliometric analysis on 376 papers from 1989 to 2022 using the Scopus database. Utilizing analytical tools like Bibliometrix R package and VOSviewer, the research uncovers temporal evolution, trends, and networks via co-citation analysis. The findings of this study indicate that the peak in publications observed from 2014 to 2022, with 11 sub-themes identified through thematic analysis. Valuable managerial insights are gleaned, emphasizing the strategic use of OTT platform expertise to enhance customer experience. This pioneering effort comprehensively analyses cross-disciplinary literature, tracing its historical evolution, current state, and providing insights into future advancements. The study contributes a holistic understanding of OTT customer experience, guiding future research and managerial practices.
  Keywords: customer experience; management; over-the-top; technology; bibliometric analysis.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10061777
   
  
• The Effect of Social Media Types on the Relations between Information and Purchase Intention of Indonesian Clothing SMEs using Information Acceptance Model (IACM)  
  by Rizqa Amelia Zunaidi, Benazir Imam Arif Muttaqin, Titah Yudhistira 
  Abstract: The rise of social media users has encouraged producers (including SME clothing industry) to market their products through social media. The advertisements posted by SMEs are expected to increase the intention of consumers to buy their products. Each social media type has certain characteristics that are different from others. Therefore, it is necessary to study the effect of advertising information on consumer intentions to buy products from the SME clothing industry in each type of social media. We use the information acceptance model as our problem-solving framework, with social media types as moderating variables. We include three social media types: networking-based social media, content sharing-based social media, and blogs and microblogs social media. We use SEM multi-groups to study the moderation effect of social media types. From the multi-group SEM analysis, the result showed that there is a significant moderating effect of the social media types on the research model.
  Keywords: information acceptance model; IACM; clothing SME; social media; multi-group SEM.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10061778
   
  
• Effects of website service quality on booking intentions in the hotel industry: The mediating role of E-customer satisfaction and E-customer trust  
  by Mushref Mohammed, Shenbei Zhou 
  Abstract: This research investigates the effects of hotel website service quality, electronic customer satisfaction, and electronic customer trust on booking intentions. The paper also aims to assess the mediating role of e-customer satisfaction and e-customer trust in the correlation between website service quality and hotel booking intentions. A proposed research model builds upon existing literature and is empirically examined through structural equation modelling (SEM) using data from 425 hotel consumers who responded to an online and offline survey questionnaire in Nanjing. Smart-PLS 4 was applied to analyse the data and test the hypotheses. The results confirmed that hotel website service quality significantly and positively impacted e-customer satisfaction, e-customer trust, and hotel booking intentions. Both e-customer satisfaction and e-customer trust effectively mediated the relationship between hotel website service quality and hotel booking intentions. All hypotheses related to direct connections and mediating effects were supported. This research provides valuable information to the hotel industry, which can help them improve their website service quality and encourage customers to make bookings. This study provides valuable insights into the effects of website service quality on booking intentions in the hotel industry and the mediating role of e-customer satisfaction and e-customer trust.
  Keywords: website service quality; booking intentions; electronic customer satisfaction; ECS; electronic customer trust; ECT; hotel industry.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10062544
   
  
• Misinformation effects and rational advertising: consumer responses to advertising claims verifiable by Blockchain-supported QR codes  
  by Ian Brennan, Juyun Cho 
  Abstract: Prior research indicates that post-consumption exposure to transformational advertising induces a misinformation effect (i.e., subjects falsely recall a more favourable consumption experience). The present study utilises a laboratory experiment to examine the extent to which such a misinformation effect may be induced by exposure to blockchain-supported, informational advertising which purports to transfer a claim about an attribute (product freshness)
  Keywords: false memories; blockchain; misinformation effect; informational advertising; QR codes; credence claim; product freshness; taste recall.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10062545
   
  
• INFLUENCE OF ADVERTISEMENT ON BUYING BEHAVIOUR AND BRAND LOYALTY THROUGH BRAND AWARNESS OF CONSUMERS IN RURAL AREAS WITH MODERTING EFFECT OF PERCEIVED QUALITY  
  by SATHIYA PRABHU ABRAHAM, R. Ganapathi Ramasamy 
  Abstract: This study found that advertising positively affects customer purchase behaviour. Brand loyalty affects advertising and customer purchases. Brand awareness and loyalty are also affected by perceived quality. Advertisements and brand awareness may also affect client purchases, the study found. Advertising and client purchases are mediated by brand awareness. The study also found that advertising and brand awareness boost consumer loyalty. Quality perception affects brand identification, loyalty, and customer purchase behaviour, according to this study. Brand awareness influences consumer purchase and loyalty. Products’ perceived quality mediates this connection. Rural customers exhibit a positive, statistically significant relationship between quality, purchasing behaviour, and brand loyalty. Therefore, all hypotheses are supported. This study may help marketers and managers improve client buying behaviour through focused advertising across consumer segments. Managers and marketers must create and implement successful promotional tactics to boost brand recognition, market share, and competition.
  Keywords: advertisement; brand awareness; brand loyalty; buying behaviour; perceived quality.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10063306
   
  
• PRIORITIZING FACTORS AFFECTING ONLINE SHOPPING BEHAVIOUR: A FUZZY AHP APPROACH  
  by Ishani Patharia Chopra, Tanu Jain, SANJAY GUPTA 
  Abstract: Digitalisation has raised the interest of a number of people in online shopping. The humongous growth of online shoppers has enhanced the challenges for e-retailers to understand the dynamic online shoppers’ behaviour Therefore, the present study aims to understand the priority assigned to various factors that affect online shopping behaviour. Data was collected from 641 Indian online shoppers through a well-structured questionnaire using the snowball sampling technique. The result of fuzzy-AHP method indicate that habit (H) is the most important factor determining online shopping behaviour whereas social influence (SI) and hedonic motive (HM) are the least influential ones. Moreover, the most influential sub-criterion is the filter option of shopping websites that eases customers to access what they want. The present study offer practical implications to help e-retailers for developing effective strategies to overcome the challenges of attracting and satisfying online customers.
  Keywords: buying behaviour; fuzzy analytical hierarchy process; F-AHP; online customers; online shopping behaviour; online shopping motivation; young customers.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10063307
   
  
• CONSUMER CHOICES IN THE FOOD MARKET: HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION  
  by Kristína Predanócyová, Peter Šedík, Elena Horska 
  Abstract: Food choices are influenced by current trends, rising consumer demand for healthy diet, and a growing interest in sustainable consumption. This study aimed to assess consumer attitudes toward healthy and sustainable consumption and a consumer survey was conducted in the Slovak Republic with 1,400 participants in 2022. Using statistical methods four latent dimensions related to these attitudes were explored (special diet, sustainable behaviour, healthy diet, and traditional Slovak diet). Using these dimensions, we identified four consumer clusters and analysed the differences among them. Findings indicate that Slovak consumers behave responsibly, actively reduce food waste, prefer fresh foods, practice waste separation and consume fruits and vegetables. Study brings a novel perspective on consumer behaviour in the food market, emphasising the aspect of health and sustainability in food choices. Moreover, consumer segments were created based on different attitudes toward healthy and sustainable consumption.
  Keywords: clusters; food choice; healthy consumption; sustainable consumption; Slovakia.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10063308
   
  
• The Impact of Conspicuous Consumption Posts on Social Media Users’ Attitudes Towards Luxury Brands  
  by Xiaofeng Jia, Soyeon Ahn 
  Abstract: Social media platforms have transformed the way individuals express their lives, with Instagram standing out as a prominent platform for sharing visually appealing posts. It has become a popular trend for individuals to use social media to publicise their extravagant lifestyles. Consequently, luxury brands have capitalised on social media to cultivate relationships with potential customers, thereby enhancing brand experiences and bolstering sales. To optimise promotional strategies, understanding the essential characteristics of brand-related posts that influence users’ attitudes is imperative. This study employed a 2
  Keywords: luxury branding; social media; Instagram; conspicuous consumption; pride expression; social media influencer; SMI; brand prominence.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10063920
   
  
• THE IMPACT OF ELECTRONIC WORD OF MOUTH (eWoM) ON ONLINE PURCHASE INTENTION OF GENERATION Z IN VIETNAM  
  by Vien Bui Van, Hung Le Nguyen Duy, Dung Le Van, Vi Vu Huynh Mai, Phuong Ha Anh 
  Abstract: In Vietnam, word of mouth (WoM) is a critical reference channel for consumers in the shopping process, especially online shopping. Vietnam has been witnessing a turning point in the e-commerce industry. This commercial boom has accelerated the growth of eWoM in Vietnam and brought new opportunities as well as challenges for digital marketing. E-commerce is a general buying trend among young people and generation Z. The study focuses on analysing the influence of the eWoM on generation Z’s online purchase intention through mediating factors, including Attitude toward behaviour, Perceived behaviour control, and subjective norms. With 1520 valid observations were used to test the relationships through structural equation modelling (SEM). The research results show that the proposed hypotheses are accepted, statistically significant, contributing to supporting, proving, and extending the previous hypotheses, and are consistent with reality. Accordingly, four factors affecting the acceptance of eWoM are eWoM quality, eWoM reliability, consumer experience knowledge, and consumer interest. The Acceptance of eWoM influences the online purchase intention of generation Z in Vietnam through three mediating factors: attitude toward behaviour, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control.
  Keywords: eWoM quality; eWoM reliability; consumer experience knowledge; consumer interest; electronic word of mouth; eWoM; attitude toward behaviour; perceived behaviour control; subjective norms.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10063921
   
  
• Influence of motivation and vlogger characteristics on information adoption: The mediating role of flow experience  
  by Neha Zaidi, Ajay Kumar, Pallavi Tyagi, Vandana Ahuja 
  Abstract: This study investigates the influence of motivation and vlogger characteristics on information adoption through parasocial interaction (PSI) and flow experience. Further, the impact of parasocial interaction on flow experience and information adoption has been studied. The study considers hedonic and utilitarian motivation and four vlogger characteristics (physical attractiveness, expertise, trustworthiness and homophily) as influencing factors of parasocial interaction which leads to information adoption. A sample of 254 respondents was analysed. The result shows that both hedonic and utilitarian motivations have a significant positive influence on parasocial interaction. Moreover, vloggers’ attributes, trustworthiness, expertise and homophily significantly influence parasocial interaction. Homophily and expertise are the strongest predictors of parasocial interaction. However, physical attractiveness has shown an insignificant influence on PSI. The study’s findings will assist marketers in selecting the most motivational and influential vloggers and in designing suitable content to engage with customers and affect their purchase decisions.
  Keywords: parasocial interaction; PSI; information adoption; motivation; flow experience; influencer marketing.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10063922
   
  
• Fostering Word-of-Mouth through Consumer App Engagement in the Banking Industry  
  by Claudia Leticia Preciado-Ortiz, Ainhize Gilsanz, JULEN CASTILLO APRAIZ 
  Abstract: Currently, smartphone applications are essential tools. We provide insights of how word-of-mouth is achieved through consumer app engagement by building on the technology acceptance model. We demonstrate that hedonic characteristics, perceived benefits, and social acceptance are essential variables to consider when designing branded mobile applications as a tool to generate brand engagement. Furthermore, based on the importance-performance analysis, social acceptance is the key construct managers should invest on if brand engagement is to be enhanced. Besides providing an understanding of consumer engagement antecedents, we demonstrate that brand app engagement positively and significantly impacts the level that customers engage in word-of-mouth. We apply partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to primary data from a sample of 152 banking app users from Spain.
  Keywords: hedonic features; perceived benefits; social acceptance; brand app engagement; word-of-mouth; WOM; partial least squares structural equation modelling; PLS-SEM.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10064068
   
  
• Metaverse! Intersection with Artificial Intelligence (AI): A Qualitative Study focusing on building Great Customer experience  
  by Vijay Kumar Jain, Pooja Gupta, Shrish Singh, Vijay Prakash Anand, Shubhendra Singh Parihar 
  Abstract: Companies perceive the metaverse as a novel approach to interact with clients and generate fresh commercial prospects. Metaverse is one method for creating a brand that resonates with consumers on an emotional level and spurs success, demand, and enduring client loyalty. Both metaverse marketing and in-person brand encounters require the same essential elements in order to produce engaging and authentic brand experiences. The goal of the current study is to determine what motivates consumers to adopt metaverse technology, which enables businesses to engage with clients in ways that set them apart. The current analysis finds links between the factors of metaverse adoption and prioritises them using the DEMATLE technique. Promoting metaverse marketing will be made easier for marketers because it gives businesses a rare opportunity to look into new directions for growth, customer outreach, and regular shopper involvement.
  Keywords: digital ownership; artificial intelligence; virtual and augmented reality; non-fungible tokens; NFT; blockchain based operations; immersive environment.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10064392
   
  
• Exploring Generation Z's Use of the Reputation Heuristic When Processing Memetic Advertisements  
  by Christopher Vardeman 
  Abstract: Advertisers have shown increasing interest in using internet memes to advertise to younger demographics on social media. However, scholarly research pertaining to memetic advertising remains limited. Using the heuristic-systematic model, this study demonstrates via two discrete samples of Generation Z participants (n = 416 and n = 288) that the reputation heuristic influences attitudes toward memes intended as brand advertisements. A successfully replicated 2?2 between-subjects experiment reveals that Generation Z consumers evaluate advertising memes containing real brand names more favourably than memes containing fictitious brand names, and that this effect is amplified when participants are primed to consider brand reputation. This suggests that using internet memes as advertisements may be a more worthwhile endeavour for established, reputable brands than for new or unfamiliar brands due to consumers’ associative considerations of name recognition, brand knowledge, and credibility. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.
  Keywords: advertising; brand advertising; digital advertising; experimental research; marketing; memes; heuristics; priming; psychology.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10064393
   
  
• Demystifying Neuromarketing: A Bibliometric Review and Future Research Agenda  
  by Arabinda Bhandari 
  Abstract: Neuromarketing has received much more attention in understanding consumer behaviour for long. However, the field has been divergent and fragmented. Therefore, this article aims to conduct a comprehensive review of existing literature to understand the integrated picture of this field. This study employs a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis for reviewing the existing published articles. Systematic literature review helps to understand the breadth and bibliometric analysis helps to understand the development of the field. Based on 746 Scopus-indexed articles since 2005 emphasizes an updated classification of neuromarketing tools, identified different clusters, and its year-wise, theme-wise research progression. The study also analyses the mostly used theory-context-characteristic-methodology based on (TCCM) framework to explore the present scenario and to give future research directions in neuromarketing research.
  Keywords: neuromarketing; neuromarketing tools; literature review; bibliometric analysis; consumer behaviour; TCCM framework.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10064394
   
  
• A Scientometric Assessment of Blockchain in Marketing  
  by Nii Nookwei Tackie, Thomas Anning-Dorson, Bright Senanu 
  Abstract: This study examines the current state of the marketing and blockchain conversation among scholars. The research, using WoS and Scopus databases, evaluated 402 documents to assess metric impact, publication sources, authorship, and publications. Conceptual and intellectual structure analysis was also performed. Results indicate that in marketing scholarship, blockchain technology and its application within marketing is largely in a conceptual phase. The study suggests that value assignment in consumer behaviour will drive the empirical wheels marketing scholars need to inform and direct practice and policy. The findings aim to inform future scholarly conversations towards value creation necessary for the adoption of blockchain technology in marketing.
  Keywords: Blockchain; marketing; fourth industrial revolution; 4IR; marketing technology.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10064746
   
  
• Antecedents and Consequences of Brand Hope in Online Shopping  
  by Mina Omrani, Reza Salehzadeh, Hassan Esmailian 
  Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of perceived brand quality, perceived brand social value, and social media brand engagement and customer experience management on brand hope, as well as the impact of brand hope on brand love, loyalty and trust. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire to collect data from a sample of 345 online stores consumers. The content validity of the questionnaires was confirmed by expert’s opinion and the construct validity was confirmed by factor analysis. The reliability of the questionnaires was confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha method. Structural equation modeling was used to test the research hypotheses. According to the research findings, perceived brand quality, perceived brand social value, social media brand engagement, and customer experience management had a significant effect on brand hope. Also, brand hope had a significant effect on brand love, loyalty, and trust.
  Keywords: Brand Hope; Brand Love; Brand Trust; Brand Loyalty; Social Media Brand Engagement; Customer Experience Management.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10064747
   
  
• The influence of social media advertising on consumer’s brand behaviour: A case of Malaysian Gen Y and Gen Z  
  by Brian Kee Mun Wong, Jia Yi Chua 
  Abstract: The paper aims to assess the effectiveness of social media advertising on brand awareness, interest, desire, and action (AIDA) among Gen Y and Gen Z consumers in Malaysia. Ego involvement and brand popularity were introduced into the AIDA model to reflect consumers’ behaviour in modern advertising. An online questionnaire was deployed, where a total of 435 (229 Gen Y and 206 Gen Z) usable samples were collected and analysed using AMOS-SEM. Social media advertising is effective in creating brand awareness and brand interest. However, the effect on brand desire and brand action was only significant on Gen Zs. Ego involvement positively moderates the relationship between brand awareness and brand interest. However, brand popularity only mediates brand awareness and brand action among Gen Y consumers. The findings suggest the need for marketers to craft different social media advertising and brand popularity strategies at different levels of brand AIDA.
  Keywords: social media advertising; branding; AIDA; Gen Y; Gen Z; Malaysia.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10064748
   
  
• What Enhances e-loyalty of Bank Customers Comprehend the Moderating Role of Customers Demographics  
  by Priya Rani, Pritpal Singh, Robin Kaushal 
  Abstract: The study aims to examine the moderating role of customer demographics in e-service quality
  Keywords: E-loyalty; E-banking service quality; customer demographics; E-satisfaction; India.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10064749
   
  
• Navigating the Banking Landscape: The Power of Social Media Communication  
  by Attia Abdelkader Ali, Ahmed A. Khalil, Gamal S. Alhawbani 
  Abstract: This research aims to determine the effect of each user-generated (UG) and firm-created (FC) communication on the customer’s behavioural intentions (CBI) with the role of overall brand equity (OBE) and brand attitude (BA) in this relationship by applying it to the banking industry. The study was conducted quantitatively, and data were collected from 249 Egyptian bank customers using a web-based questionnaire. The research data were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). This research concluded that UG and FC communication positively and significantly influenced CBI, OBE, and BA. Moreover, there was a positive relationship between OBE, BA, and CBI. Besides, OBE and BA mediate the relationship between UG, FC communication, and CBI. The outcomes of this research give Egyptian bank executives and brand owners crucial marketing communication on the content of brands on social media platforms.
  Keywords: social media communication; SMC; banking industry; behavioural intentions; brand attitude; BA; overall brand equity; OBE; Egypt; user-generated.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10064750
   
  
• Insights for NGOs helping older adults: a social network analysis in X-Twitter  
  by Ana Pedreño Santos, Rafael Carrasco 
  Abstract: Several governments are putting the focus on policies aimed at a better integration of older people into society and an improvement in their quality of life. NGOs helping older adults are crucial to these policies communication and implementation. This research analyses the communication (80,640 original tweets of 40,094 users) carried out by 99 NGOs helping older adults, through the social network X-Twitter. The objective of this research is to analyse the format, polarity and objectivity of the messages published, relating each of these variables to the engagement generated, to establish the characteristics of the communication that achieves the greatest engagement. Sentiment analysis is used for this purpose. The results show that most NGOs helping older adults, use X-Twitter for informative purposes and communicate with neutral polarity. This limits the engagement and the possibilities of creating larger communities within the network and diminishes their potential to denounce injustices.
  Keywords: older adults; elderly adults; seniors; NGO; communication; social media; X; Twitter; network analysis; sentiment analysis.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10065231
   
  
• The emotional connection between customer happiness and brand love on customer loyalty  
  by Gina Pipoli, Gustavo Rodríguez, Enver Tarazona 
  Abstract: This study aims to analyse the role of service quality, customer satisfaction, customer happiness, and brand love on customer loyalty. A total of 823 responses from Peruvian customers were obtained through a digital form and analysed using structural equation modelling. The results show that customer happiness has a positive effect on brand love, and that both variables significantly influence customer loyalty. Additionally, service quality has a positive influence on customer satisfaction, which has a positive impact on brand love and customer happiness. This research contributes to the scarcely explored relationship between customer happiness and brand love despite the emotional connection present in these variables, as well as their effect on customer loyalty. It also helps to differentiate between the roles of customer satisfaction and happiness. Therefore, marketing managers should invest in customer happiness and brand love actions to maintain brand loyalty.
  Keywords: customer happiness; brand love; customer satisfaction; customer loyalty; service quality; emotional connection; consumer behaviour; subjective well-being; customer delight; fast-food.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10065232
   
  
• Does better community experience lead to higher brand love and community engagement? Examining their roles on brand equity  
  by Amanish Lohan 
  Abstract: This study seeks to examine the role of brand community experience in determining brand love and brand community engagement for the participants of the community. It also examines the impact of brand love and brand community engagement on brand equity. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire based on measurement of variables adopted from earlier studies. A total of 390 usable responses were collected through online brand community members. Results were analysed using SPSS and AMOS. The results suggest the role of community experience is pivotal in determining the positive or negative impact on brand love and brand community engagement. The study also shows that participants who engage more within the community and possess feelings of brand love have a higher brand equity as part of the community. This study explores several relationships which are not found in prior literature. The role of community experience is still nascent and its impact on constructs like brand love or brand equity is not found in literature. The study also provides a fresh perspective to examine the behaviour of brand community members through experience and community engagement.
  Keywords: online brand communities; community experience; brand love; brand community engagement; brand equity; e-word of mouth; eWOM.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10065233
   
  
• The Path toward Users' Active Participation in social media: a moderation study  
  by Narges Hazari, Mohsen Akbari, Milad Hooshmand Chaijani 
  Abstract: In the 21st century, the development of information and communications technology has created unlimited communication facilities between companies and their customers and has made it possible for customers to access products and services at any time and place through online platforms such as Instagram. In this regard, the present study has been conducted to investigate the impact of Instagram contests, user emotions, user experiences, and brand awareness on their active participation (engagement) with the company, taking into account the moderating role of users’ type. For this purpose, an Instagram contest was designed and 300 responses were collected for statistical analysis. The collected data were analysed by structural equation modelling and the partial least squares. According to the results, there is a positive, direct and significant relationship between the investigated variables, but the moderating role of the users’ type was not confirmed.
  Keywords: social media strategy; user feeling; user experience; user engagement; active participation; brand awareness; Instagram contest features.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10065750
   
  
• Integrated Paid, Owned, and Earned Media: A Hybrid Review with Lexicometric Analysis and Research Agenda  
  by Sudharshini Vasan, Nimit Gupta, Akshat Aditya Rao 
  Abstract: As digital communication advances, marketers have moved closer to connecting with the end customer via paid, owned, and earned media (POEM) channels. Despite various studies on paid, owned, and earned media, integrated POEM media research is now more important than ever in the digital ecosystem for effective communication. A comprehensive analysis of articles is very important to understand the current and future of marketing communication. This study aims to examine the literature on integrated POEM marketing by performing a hybrid review of 70 articles using the structured review method and lexicometric analysis. The structured review involves analysing the literature based on the theories, context, characteristics, and methods (TCCM) framework. A lexicometric analysis is performed to identify clusters, interlinking between concepts, and hierarchical grouping of classes using IRAMUTEQ software. Furthermore, the study develops a conceptual framework and offers future research directions in terms of theories, context, characteristics, and methodology.
  Keywords: systematic literature review; paid media; owned media; earned media; POEM; lexicometric analysis; TCCM framework; advertising.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10065751
   
  
• Instagram as a Social Media Sales Channel: Acceptance and Perception of Social Commerce Functions on Instagram  
  by Oliver Roll, Vanessa Wellpott 
  Abstract: Since the use of social media to make purchases is novel, its acceptance and the associated perceptions are of interest. The present study investigates customer acceptance of social commerce on Instagram. The research model is based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and additional factors that previous research has ascertained to be essential in social commerce contexts. Based on a review of relevant literature, a questionnaire is developed and used in an online survey. Structural equation modelling is applied to analyse the responses of 246 participants. The empirical findings indicate that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and trust have significant positive influences on the intention to engage in social commerce, which in turn impacts actual use behaviour. No evidence is found to support the proposed impacts of facilitating conditions and enjoyment expectancy in this context. Practical implications for sellers and Instagram are derived.
  Keywords: social commerce; s-commerce; Instagram; social shopping; social media; e-commerce; electronic commerce; UTAUT; unified theory of acceptance and use of technology.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10065752
   
  
• Beyond likes and shares: The secret to building stronger brands on social media from a privacy calculus perspective  
  by Sohail Ahmad, Li Liang, Ahmad Iqbal, Irshad Hussain 
  Abstract: Nowadays, social media platforms are becoming an integral part of marketing strategies. Social media success is measured by consumer engagement. This new technology gives organisations new ways to communicate with consumers. To engage with consumers, the organisation created online communities. Despite their significance, there is still a lack of understanding of what keeps users actively engaged in online communities. The study investigates the influence of social media marketing activity in building brand loyalty through community engagement. Moreover, to understand community information disclosure concerns, this study determines the influence of privacy calculus on community engagement. We developed a conceptual framework using SOR, S-D logic, and privacy calculus theories. Using purposive sampling, online surveys were conducted from 465 global cosmetic brand followers on social network sites. This study found that SMMa has a massive potential to build brand loyalty and community engagement is the crucial mediator between SMMa and brand loyalty.
  Keywords: SMMa; community engagement; brand loyalty; privacy calculus; SOR theory; S-D logic theory.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10065753
   
  
• The role of information attainment on Front-of-Package labels and individual empowerment impacting boycott behavior  
  by Frédéric Bally, Caroline Gauthier, Patricia Baudier 
  Abstract: In response to consumer’s growing attention to the products they consume, front-of-package (FOP) labels have been developed to help them make healthier choices. This research aims to analyse the impact of information attainment on both FOP efficacy and individual empowerment and to measure the influence of FOP and individual empowerment on boycott behaviour. A quantitative approach was selected and a total sample of 353 respondents was collected and analysed using a partial least squares approach. The results show that information attainment affects two variables related to efficacy, namely consumer understanding and helpfulness, and three components of individual empowerment, namely consumer competence, self-determination, and consumer feelings of impact. Furthermore, our study reveals that boycott behaviour is determined by helpfulness and feelings of impact. This research provides better understanding of how consumers perceive FOP labels, how consumers are empowered, and how this influences behaviour.
  Keywords: information attainment; consumer empowerment; front-of-package; FOP labels; consumer behaviour; boycott; health; marketing; quantitative study; food label.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10066307
   
  
• How do social media marketing activities affect willingness to pay price premiums?  
  by Huyen Nguyen Thi, Ngoc Nguyen, Thao Cao Anh 
  Abstract: Based on the S-O-R framework and the Brand value chain framework, this study is to examine the effect of social media marketing activities (SMMAs), brand knowledge, and brand trust on consumers’ willingness to pay price premiums. The cross-sectional study design was applied. Data were collected from 540 social media users in Vietnam applying snowball sampling technique via an online survey. Partial least squares algorithm, bootstrapping, and blindfolding were applied to evaluate the measurement model and test the research hypotheses. The findings indicate that SMMAs have indirect positive effects on willingness to pay price premiums through the brand image but not through brand awareness and brand trust. Social media marketing activities could be used as marketing tools to improve customers’ willingness to pay price premiums, spread brand knowledge, and improve brand trust. To improve consumers’ willingness to pay price premiums, SMMAs should focus on creating a positive brand image. Furthermore, brands should use the brand image as a key performance indicator of SMMAs.
  Keywords: social media marketing activities; SMMAs; brand knowledge; brand trust; brand image; willingness to pay price premium.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10066308
   
  
• The mediating role of online repurchase intention in stimulating the relationship between esatisfaction, e-WOM, e-trust and e-loyalty  
  by Younes Kohail 
  Abstract: The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of e-satisfaction, e-WOM, and e-trust on e-loyalty, as well as the mediating role of online repurchase intention between these variables. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse data collected from 315 participants. The findings indicate that e-satisfaction and e-trust were found to positively affect e-loyalty, while e-WOM was found to have no effect on e-loyalty. The results also showed that online repurchase intention mediates the relationship between e-satisfaction, e-trust, and e-loyalty. The originality of the current study is threefold. First, it indicates that online repurchase intention is a predictor of e-loyalty which is a new contribution to the current literature. Second, this study explains the internal mechanisms of the relationship between e-satisfaction, e-trust, and e-WOM and e-loyalty. Third, the current study shows the role online repurchase intention as a mediator to explain the internal mechanism of the causal relationship between e-satisfaction, e-trust, and e-WOM and e-loyalty.
  Keywords: e-satisfaction; e-WOM; e-trust; online repurchase intention; e-loyalty.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10066309
   
  
• Covert Advertising or Sincere Recommendation? Effects of Social Media Influencers’ Recommendation Post on Consumer Engagement  
  by Jiang Luo, Qin Yuan, Yushi Jiang, Jingpeng Li 
  Abstract: Enterprises are trying to connect with consumers through social media influencers’ post in order to improve product placement conversion rates, but little consideration is given to the negative reactions of posts that being regarded as a covert advertising rather than a sincere recommendation. The present research investigates influencer-product congruence and advertising disclosure as two driven factors that lead to differential consumer engagement in the context of social media recommendation. Specifically, influencer-product congruence is benefit to consumer engagement, while advertising disclosure is detrimental to consumer engagement. The former as a bottom-up processing mode, an increased perception of congruence between influencer and product with higher affective motives inference and lower calculative inference results in reduced advertising recognition toward the recommendation post, and then enhance consumer engagement. The latter as a top-down processing mode, advertising disclosure with higher calculative motives inference results in enhanced advertising recognition toward the recommendation post, and then reduce consumer engagement. Additionally, influencer-product congruence can moderate the mediating effects of calculative motives inference and advertising recognition on advertising disclosure and consumer engagement. We present the results of three experiment studies and discuss theoretical and practical implications.
  Keywords: influencer-product congruence; advertising disclosure; motives inference; advertising recognition; consumer engagement.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10066310
   
  
• Examining smart shopper goals on online opinion seeking in an omnichannel context  
  by Akos Nagy, Adam Hepworth 
  Abstract: Customers’ shopping journey is made increasingly complex in omnichannel environments. What motivates their shopping decisions and how they construct their journey? This research examines the impact of smart shoppers’ goals on online opinion seeking, channel preferences, and their research shopping behaviour. We leverage a PLS-SEM-based model to analyse a panel of 1,000 respondents. Results indicate that when shoppers pursue hedonic goals (i.e., they want to gain smart shopper feelings), they are more likely to seek others’ online opinions (i.e., online customer reviews) and engage in research shopping. However, when utilitarian goals, such as saving effort is pursued, then online opinion seeking is less likely to occur. Further, shoppers’ channel preference for seeking information online increases their likelihood for webrooming, while shoppers’ channel preference for shopping online decreases webrooming but enhances showrooming behaviour. We discuss theoretical and managerial implications of the research.
  Keywords: smart shopper goals; research shopping; omnichannel; online opinion seeking; eWOM; channel decisions; channel preferences; PLS-SEM; hedonic goals; smart shopper feelings.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10067108
   
  
• Decoding the Influence: A Meta-analysis on Social Media Influencer Marketing  
  by Xiaofeng Jia, Yang Yi, Soyeon Ahn 
  Abstract: Over the last couple of years, the exponential expansion of social media influencers (SMIs) has led to the widespread adoption of influencer marketing into business strategies. Recognizing the significance of understanding how SMIs effectively engage with their audiences, industrial professionals and researchers highlight the crucial role of influencer marketing in enhancing brand visibility, reaching targeted demographics, and driving business growth. Despite the growing attention, there has been limited effort to identify the factors of SMIs associated with consumers’ decision-making processes. This meta-analysis quantitatively synthesized 215 effect sizes derived from 88 empirical studies that relate the source characteristics of SMIs (perceived credibility, expertise, attractiveness, and similarity) and a psychological factor (parasocial interaction) with customers’ attitudes and purchase intentions of the brands or products. The results indicate that all five factors have significant and positive relationships with consumers’ brand attitudes and purchase intentions. In addition, they are related to outcomes in a similar manner in terms of their magnitude and direction. This indicates that each SMIs’ characteristic holds comparable importance in influencing consumer brand attitudes and behavioral intentions.
  Keywords: social media influencers; influencer marketing; social media; consumer behavior; meta-analysis.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10067109
   
  
• Signals Speak Louder than Words: Navigating Information Asymmetry through Information Quality and Social Media Use  
  by Priyadarshi Ranjan, SUSMITA EKKA, G.V.R.K. Acharyulu, Mohan Venkatesh Palani 
  Abstract: The problem of information asymmetry presents a significant obstacle for online marketplaces because of the numerous buyers and sellers on these platforms, which creates adverse selection. Such information asymmetry affects consumer trust and behavior. To mitigate this issue, operators of online marketplaces endeavor to disseminate clear and distinct signals through the caliber of information, presentation of their websites, and utilization of social media, thereby enabling consumers to make informed decisions. This study employs signaling and expectation-confirmation theories to investigate the combined effect of website information quality and social media in creating signals about anticipated product quality. Primary data were gathered from a diverse group of students and analyzed Pls-SEM. The results indicate that website information quality conveys positive signals, whereas social media sends negative signals regarding the expected product quality. Online marketplaces should limit the number of ads for social media users because they are generally well-informed about new opportunities.
  Keywords: Online Shopping; Information Quality; Social Media Use; Expectations; Product Quality; Trust; Purchase Intention; Signaling.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10067110
   
  
• Role of artificial intelligence in digital marketing: a bibliometric analysis  
  by Prince Vohra, Vikas Deep 
  Abstract: This research conducts a bibliometric analysis to map and assess literature on artificial intelligence (AI) in digital marketing from the past 14 years. It identifies major gaps and suggests future research directions. Utilising the Scopus database, the study examines 173 publications from 2010 to 2023 with VOSviewer to analyze interconnections, clusters, and citations, creating a text-based map. These publications involve 485 authors, 124 journals, 62 countries or territories, and 340 institutions. Notable works include Ma & Sun (2020) and Dwivedi et al. (2021), with
  Keywords: digital marketing; artificial intelligence; AI; bibliometric analysis.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10067111
   
  
• Understanding Loyalty and their Main Antecedents in the e-banking Sector: A Bibliometric Analysis  
  by Pedro Cuesta Valiño, Natacha Lopez-Hernando, Cristina Loranca-Valle 
  Abstract: This study collates a thorough review of the academic-scientific literature on e-loyalty through a bibliometric study conducted on 238 references related to the loyalty of e-banking users between 1997 and 2022. The results of this analysis indicate that the main variables involved in banking e-loyalty are: satisfaction, trust, service quality and word of mouth. These variables have been extensively studied in the marketing literature. However, there is very little research on e-banking relating all these variables. The main contribution of this paper is the relevant information obtained on the state-of-the-art loyalty in the e-banking sector, identifying the variables where the literature relies on the most to explain e-loyalty through new technologies. This study is especially interesting for researchers in this area. In turn, it is relevant for managers of financial institutions since this compilation can help implement new strategies in their digitisation processes based on scientific literature.
  Keywords: e-banking; m-banking; e-loyalty; satisfaction; trust; service quality; word of mouth; bibliometric analysis; antecedents of loyalty; literature review.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10067113
   
  
• “Moderating Role of Trustworthiness in Actual Usage of Online Shopping among Northern-Indian Consumers- An Extension of TAM”  
  by Neha Rani, Harbhajan Bansal 
  Abstract: This study aims to examine the factors that influence consumers’ attitude towards online shopping by extending the TAM. Additionally, to examine the role of trustworthiness as a moderator in the relationship between consumer attitude and actual usage. The demographic under observation is Northern-Indian online shoppers, using a convenience sampling technique. A total of 364 relevant responses were obtained and analysed using SPSS 26 and SmartPLS 4.0. The findings revealed that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of online shopping had a favourable impact on consumers’ attitude about it whereas perceived risks associated with online shopping negatively influenced consumers’ attitude. Furthermore, results demonstrated that trustworthiness significantly moderates the relationship between CA and AU. Various studies has explored the variables influencing customers’ attitudes towards online shopping, but no mediating or moderating variables have been proposed to aid in the explanation of indirect impacts. The current article fills the gap by addressing the perceived risk and the moderating influence of trustworthiness in TAM. The current study, like every survey-based study encounters the issues caused by self-desirability biasness. However, the writers made an effort to reduce these limitations by using the proper statistical techniques.
  Keywords: extension of technology acceptance model; TAM; trustworthiness; consumer attitude; online shopping; perceived risk.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10067114
   
  
• INSTAGRAM INFLUENCERS CREDIBILITY & ITS EFFECT ON BRAND CREDIBILITY, PERSONALITY & PURCHASE BEHAVIOR  
  by Megha Sharma, Vinod K. Singh, Naman Sharma, HARISH KUMAR, Anuj ., Priyanka Purohit 
  Abstract: This paper aims to examine the mediating effect between brand credibility on purchase behaviour and Instagram food influencers credibility with the moderating relationship of the personality trait. A survey was conducted on 312 consumers of India who follow Instagram food influencers by applying purposive sampling and data was analysed by using exploratory structural equation modelling (SEM) with bootstrapping using Smart PLS3. This study is beneficial for marketers and experts in the competitive market of South Asia. This is one of the few studies that examined the effect of Instagram influencers credibility on brand credibility in the food sector by examining the relationship of personality on it. This study improves the knowledge of the relationship between brand credibility and purchase behaviour of consumers. And, this study provides a broad scope for marketers, influencers, and experts.
  Keywords: Instagram influencers credibility; brand credibility; purchase behaviour; influencer marketing; Big 5 personality traits; Instagram food influencers and consumers.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10067115
   
  
• Revitalizing Traditional Multi-purpose Skincare Brands through Functional Utility: Mediating role of Television Advertising  
  by Tarunija Chandra, Vibhuti Tripathi 
  Abstract: This study investigated the impact of functional utility on the revitalization of multipurpose skincare brands and the mediating role of television advertising in these relationships. 257 usable responses were collected from people using multipurpose skincare brands. EFA and CFA were used to explore and validate the factors. The results showed that functional utility significantly impacts the revitalization of multipurpose skincare brands. Television advertising partially mediated between functional utility and revitalization of multipurpose skincare brands. The study represents a novel attempt to highlight the importance of brand revitalization in bringing back traditional skincare brands by focusing on functional utilities through the medium of television advertising.
  Keywords: Functional Utility; Revitalization; Television Advertising; Skin care; Multi-purpose brands.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10067479
   
  
• The effect of social media influencer on consumer purchase intention in the banking industry  
  by Farzana Parveen Tajudeen, Siow Wan Kuan, Nina Sakinah Ahmad Rofaie 
  Abstract: This research aims to examine the effects of social media (SM) influencer on consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions in the banking industry within the Malaysia context. A total of 324 survey responses were collected from social media users who have at least one banking product and follow at least one SM influencer in the finance industry. The results demonstrate that there is a significant positive relationship between SM influencers’ characteristics such as perceived attractiveness, perceived trustworthiness, perceived source homophily, and consumers’ attitudes towards content generated by SM influencer. The findings also shows that consumers’ attitudes positively influence purchase intentions. Moreover, a mediating influence is also found for brand trust on the relationship between consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions. The study findings could serve as decision support for marketers to justify the adoption of influencer marketing as an alternative marketing strategy.
  Keywords: Banking industry; brand trust; consumers’ attitudes; influencer marketing; perceived source credibility; perceived source homophily; purchase intention; social media influencer.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10067480
   
  
• THE IMPACTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA-BASED INFLUENCERS ON CONSUMER INTENTION IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE: AN APPROACH FROM STORYTELLING MARKETING PERSPECTIVE  
  by Hoang Khuong Duy Tran, Thanh Nhan Truong 
  Abstract: The study aims to identify the specific storytelling factors and their respective degrees of influence on consumer behavior. A survey was conducted anonymously with 308 participants in Vietnam who were active social media users familiar with and/or following content creators specializing in food and beverage topics across various social media platforms. The findings reveal that Hedonic Content Experience and Mental Image Processing exhibit contrasting effects on Brand Perception. While Hedonic Content Experience positively influences Brand Perception, Mental Image Processing diminishes it. Overall, Brand Perception positively influences Consumer Intention. Additionally, Hedonic Content Experience also directly contributes to Consumer Intention. This study elucidates consumer behavior trends regarding the consumption of products promoted by content creators on social media platforms within the food and beverage domain. The discoveries indicate a preference among consumers for content with clear storytelling elements that satisfy their entertainment preferences, rather than content solely focused on product imagery retention.
  Keywords: Storytelling; social media; influencer marketing; food and beverage; hedonic content; mental image; narrative processing.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10067481
   
  
• Examining the relationship among sensory brand experience, brand love, brand advocacy and brand commitment using a comparative study of three brands of social networking sites  
  by Abhay Jain, Suzanee Malhotra 
  Abstract: This paper seeks to analyse the impact of sensory brand experience of three popular brands of SNSs on the feelings of brand love for the millennials. Further, the impact of brand love on brand advocacy and brand commitment for the three brands is examined. Using self-administered online survey questionnaire responses collected from 750 active millennial users of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, the research hypotheses are evaluated using factor analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM). The findings support that sensory brand experience has an impact on brand love and that further brand love also impacts the advocacy and commitment for the brands. This study seeks to enrich the brand love literature by exploring sensory brand experience (a sub-dimension of broader brand experience notion) which has not been extensively studied in the past, that too for millennials from an Indian sub-continent perspective.
  Keywords: brand advocacy; brand commitment; sensory brand experience; brand love; millennials; social networking sites; SNSs.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10051725
   
  
• Online brand experience for a tourist destination and its influence in behavioural intentions in post-visit stage  
  by Lina Marcela Padilla-Delgado, Alexander Zuñiga-Collazos 
  Abstract: Nowadays, in order to attract more tourist attention, destinations have decided to focus on marketing, in particular, the experience a tourist may involve before, during and after engaging with the destination. The present study aims to work on the gap of quantitatively test and analyse the six dimensions of online brand experience and its relationship with behavioural intentions. The research methodology proposes a model using a sample of 112 national tourists who have visited the City of Cali. The data analysis is performed through a partial least squares (PLS) model using the SMARTPLS software. The study identifies positive and direct relationships between brand experience and the behavioural intentions of the national tourist in post-visit context. It highlights the role of the different media platforms within the path of living the brand experience in an online context.
  Keywords: brand experience; online platforms; recommendation intention; re-purchase intention; tourism destination; social media platforms; sensorial dimension; social dimension; interactive dimension; intellectual dimension; comportamental dimension.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10053471
   
  
• Model of consumers' stockpiling behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic  
  by Md. Monirul Islam, Fathema Farjana Hani 
  Abstract: This study aims to determine and discuss how perceived threat of COVID-19 disease, exposure to social media, and self-efficacy influence perceived risk and fear of product shortage; and how perceived risk and fear influence consumers' stockpiling behaviour. A questionnaire was created in Google forms and used to collect data from 290 household consumers. After testing the scale items' reliability and validity, structural equation modelling (SEM) and hypothesis tests were used to validate the model. The findings indicate that perceived threat COVID-19 disease and self-efficacy positively influence perceived risk, perceived threat of COVID-19 disease, self-efficacy, and perceived risk affect fear insignificantly, and fear and perceived risk significantly affect stockpiling behaviour. Besides contributing to the literature, this research helps to explore customers' stockpiling behaviour, providing knowledge that will pave the way to balancing the demand and supply in the market. With knowledge of the stockpiling behaviour that occurs during the pandemic, marketers and policymakers in every country can take proactive measures.
  Keywords: COVID-19; stockpiling behaviour; non-perishable goods; self-efficacy; perceived risk; fear.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10055932
   
  
• Discovering the art of advertising using neuromarketing: a literature review on physiological and neurophysiological measures of ads  
  by Letizia Alvino, Carolina Herrando, Efthymios Constantinides 
  Abstract: This study expands the domain of neuromarketing (and/or consumer neuroscience) by providing an overview of the current state of the art and the future directions of neuromarketing research for digital, social, and mobile marketing. Using a scoping review, we analyse the use of neuroscience tools in different contexts, such as digital marketing, social media, and mobile marketing. We selected a total of 68 articles in the field. Our findings indicate that neuromarketing contributes to studying online advertising in areas such as effectiveness, persuasion, preferences, feature salience and user experience. We find that eye tracking and electroencephalography are the most used tools in neuromarketing research. Our findings also indicate that two new techniques are currently used to test online advertisements: voice analysis and breathing analysis.
  Keywords: consumer neuroscience; neuromarketing; literature review; DSMM marketing; online advertising; advertisement; digital marketing; social media and mobile marketing.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10061525
   
  
• Clicks to comfort: the magic of social media marketing in the hotel service industry  
  by Iman Aghaei, Elham Sekandari 
  Abstract: Given the prominence of using social media as a marketing technique and the lack of attention to how to benefit from this method in the hospitality industry, this study aims to investigate the interrelationships between perceived social media marketing, brand attitude, purchasing intention, post-purchase behaviour of hotels' customers, and brand cognition as a moderator. The data were collected from 259 customers of four international hotels in Istanbul, Turkey. The results were analysed using the PLS-SEM approach by SmartPLS 3 software. The findings illustrate that social media marketing had a significant effect on brand attitude, and brand attitude had a positive impact on customers' purchase and EWOM intention. Moreover, the moderation test indicates that social media marketing is more positively related to brand attitude when brand cognition increases. From a practical view, hotel managers and associated decision-makers may use these findings to develop well-designed and valuable advertising campaigns using social media.
  Keywords: brand attitude; brand cognition; consumer behaviour; electronic word of mouth; EWOM; perceived social media marketing; purchase intention.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10063310
   
  
• Emerging research on integration of blockchain in marketing: a bibliometric analysis  
  by Nikhil Khajuria, Suresh Kumar Kashyap 
  Abstract: Blockchain is a revolutionary, decentralised, repeatable distributed ledger technology that has the power to transform the conventional business landscape in marketing. This study includes a bibliometric analysis of academic literature on the uses, and effects of the adoption of blockchain-based technology in marketing. With a final sample of 109 papers published between 2016 and 2023, first, we identified literary elements that had a significant impact based on highly cited articles, keywords, authors and publications. Afterwards, through a systematic review of academic literature of implication of blockchain in marketing, this study provides the potential application of blockchain in seven core marketing areas namely transactions between the parties, disintermediation, data and data analytics, digital marketing, privacy and security, loyalty programme and payment. This study adds great value to scholars by providing insight into trends and keyword patterns. Finally, the study suggests various lines of inquiry for additional studies on the subject.
  Keywords: blockchain; marketing integration; bibliometric analysis; citation analysis; keyword analysis.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10063309
   
  
• Augmented reality marketing in online retail industry: the moderating role of personality traits  
  by Claudia Gita Hapsari, Haris Maupa, Otto Randa Payangan 
  Abstract: Augmented reality has been hailed as the future of online retailing due to its ability to improve the online shopping experience at the pre-purchase stage. Based on the stimulus-organism-responses theory, this research investigates how augmented reality features influence customers' evaluation of hedonic value and utilitarian value, which in turn positively influence their online impulse buying intention. This research also explores how personality, measured by the big five personality traits, moderates the effect of customers' internal evaluation on their online impulse buying intention. The novel findings confirm that augmented reality features positively influence hedonic value and utilitarian value, which in turn positively affect their online impulse buying intention of makeup products. This research also finds that extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism moderate the effect of utilitarian value on online impulse buying intention. On the contrary, only neuroticism moderates the effect of hedonic value on online impulse buying intention.
  Keywords: augmented reality; AR; online impulse buying intention; big five personality traits.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10065749
   
  
• Relationship between escape from negative feelings, gratitude, altruism, and willingness to donate on Instagram: a structural equation modelling approach  
  by Phuong Viet Le-Hoang 
  Abstract: The purpose of this research is to identify and measure the relationship between escape from negative feelings, gratitude, altruism, and willingness to donate among Instagram users. The study collected 504 valid questionnaires through online and in-person survey methods. The results of the data analysis show that escape from negative feelings affects gratitude, gratitude affects altruism, and altruism affects users' willingness to donate. The study provides insights into the relationship between escape from negative feelings, gratitude, altruism, and willingness to donate on the social networking platform Instagram. As a result, it helps businesses launch effective advertising and branding campaigns. At the same time, as companies develop their brand stories, they will attract and entertain users. Ultimately, this generates sales profits.
  Keywords: escape from negative feelings; gratitude; altruism; willingness to donate; WTD; Instagram.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10067112
   
  

Special Issue on: Digital Marketing in the Next Decade - a Futuristic Agenda

• Antecedents and Consequences of Prosumption in GenZ: Vietnam Case  
  by Phuong Nhi-Pham Nguyen, Minh Le 
  Abstract: Prosumption has been a proactive way to enhance consumer-brand interactions and create greater loyalty, brand engagement, and happy experiences. Building on the self-determination theory, our study suggested the proposed framework consisting of critical determinants and relevant outcomes of prosumer behaviours. Data was collected from online service brands, and structural equation modelling was applied for statistical analysis. The results illustrate that prosumption is positively guided by intrinsic and extrinsic drivers. The intrinsic reasons, including curiosity, self-actualisation, and leisure explicitly urge users to engage in prosumption activities. Along with these findings, the extrinsic motivations consisting of financial motivation, social recognition, and the desire to belong to a community well explain the underlying factors driving prosumer behaviours. The exploratory research also emphasises the causal associations between prosumer behaviours and brand loyalty, brand attachment, and transcendent customer experiences. The paper contributes to the prosumption literature and comprehensively supports managers in developing effective strategies for better matching customers’ needs and providing a more personalised self-service experience. Limitations and future research directions are also discussed in this article.
  Keywords: intrinsic motivations; extrinsic motivations; brand loyalty; brand attachment; transcendent customer experiences; TCEs; Vietnam.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10059832
   
  
• THE IMPACT OF PERCEIVED NEED, CURATED OFFERING, INFLUENCER ENDORSEMENT AND ONLINE CUSTOMER REVIEW ON ONLINE REPEAT PURCHASE INTENTION  
  by Priyanka Aggarwal, Kavita Chauhan 
  Abstract: This empirical research study aims to investigate the effect of four main
  Keywords: connect strategy; perceived need; curated offering; influencer endorsement; online customer review; OCR; online repeat purchase intention; ORPI; scale development.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10061317
   
  
• ONLINE SHOPPING & FASHION APPAREL BRANDS: FACTORS INFLUENCING GEN Z BEHAVIOUR  
  by Jahanvi Jahanvi, Meenakshi Sharma 
  Abstract: An examination of previous research on online apparel shopping behaviour in developing countries revealed that research conducted on Gen Z is somewhat limited. The purpose of the study is to quantitatively examine the factors that influence Gen Z online apparel shopping behaviour. This model is empirically tested using an online survey from a convenience sample of 390 participants and analysed using multiple regression analysis. The findings of the study indicate that four variables (website characteristics, brand-related factors, individual factors and shopping orientation) have a direct influence on Gen Z online apparel shopping behaviour. Shopping orientation and brand-related factors have the highest positive effect on Gen Z online apparel shopping behaviour, followed by website characteristics and individual factors.
  Keywords: Gen Z; online shopping; apparel; consumer behaviour.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10061779
   
  
• Evaluating the Relative Effect of Instagram & Celebrity Influencers on Brand Attitude and Purchase Intention among Generation-Z: A Fashion Industry Perspective  
  by HIMANSHI SHARMA, M.A. Sanjeev, Thangaraja Arumugam, Abhishek Ray 
  Abstract: This study compares the influence of celebrity and social media influencers on the fashion purchase intention among Indian Generation-Z - the most prominent online consumers of the category. The study investigated influencers direct and brand attitude-mediated influence on brand purchase intention. Message processing involvement (MPI) is the moderating variable for the celebrity/influencer-brand attitude relation based on the elaboration likelihood model. The study is a cross-sectional descriptive causal investigation using chain referral sampling. The study results indicate social media influencers' positive brand attitude-mediated effect on online fashion purchase intention. However, the brand attitude-mediated influence of celebrity endorsement on purchase intention was negative. MPI significantly moderated both attitude pathways, indicating high consumer involvement for the category. The study results can help improve the promotional efforts of online fashion marketers targeting millennials. The study contributes to the body of knowledge through improved comprehension of the effect of endorsements on millennial fashion customers.
  Keywords: influencer marketing; message process involvement; MPI; brand attitude; purchase intentions; celebrity endorsements.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10063919
   
  
• Gimmick Estimation in Video Advertisements by Scene Analysis with Interpersonal Theory  
  by Daiki Uehara, Fumiko Harada, Hiromitsu Shimakawa 
  Abstract: Small business owners try to advertise their products with SNS commercials of their own making to save marketing costs. However, they have seldom met a success in this trial, because an effective commercial that moves the emotions of customers is still largely dependent on the art of experts. They lack a guideline to make effective commercials for themselves. Story-telling movies are often used for commercials because sophisticated scene developmentwouldwork well to achieve empathy from customers. The paper aims to identify gimmicks in story-telling commercials that effectively get empathy from the customers. Analysis of physiological reactions from persons viewing various story-telling commercials shows that their pupils and EDA respond strongly to commercials that move them. Scrutinizing the biological response according to the scene development of the commercial, the paper investigates what kind of storytelling commercials are likely to appeal to customers. The study confirms scene development utilizing ups and downs in interpersonal relationships works well as a gimmick.
  Keywords: Commercial; Movie; Emotions; Cognitive Engagement; Emotional Engagement; Behavioral Engagement; Physiological Reactions; Scene Development; Interpersonal Theory; Gimmicks.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2024.10064751
   
  
• Digital marketing strategy adoption for online brand presence: real estate agents’ perspectives in Cape Town  
  by Kuhle Zwakala, Llewellyn Church 
  Abstract: The adoption of technology to construct a digital marketing strategy is crucial for brand competitiveness. The implementation of a digital marketing strategy is dependent on employees’ attitudes and behaviour towards using technology. However, the role of employees in building online brand presence seems to be neglected in extant literature, we explored real estate agents’ use of digital marketing strategies to build online brand presence in the real estate sector in Cape Town. This study empirically explored the applicability of the technology acceptance model in a new context. An interpretivist exploratory qualitative research was adopted. Individual face-to-face depth interviews were conducted with real estate agents to determine their perceptions of usefulness and ease of use, attitude towards use, and behaviour towards the use of technology to build real estate online brand presence. Interviews were audio recorded, then transcribed to textual format whereafter ATLAS.ti software was used for data analysis. This study found that real estate agents applied various digital marketing strategies such as social media, YouTube, websites and e-mail marketing to build online brand presence in the Cape Town real estate sector. Moreover, the technology acceptance model is applicable in the same sector.
  Keywords: technology acceptance model; TAM; digital marketing strategy; real estate agents; Cape Town.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2025.10065229
   
  
• Impacts of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) from social networks sites (SNS) on the intention to purchase tourism accommodation of Gen Z in Vietnam  
  by Long Nguy?n, Dung Hoàng, Thong Huy Vu 
  Abstract: Social networking sites (SNSs) have recently significantly spread electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) amongst Gen Z tourists in Vietnam. However, the underlying process by which customer-to-customer (C2C) eWOM from SNSs affects tourism consumers has yet to be thoroughly studied. The author of this paper introduces a comprehensive research model that concentrates on the impacts of C2C eWOM using the information/persuasion relationship as regards the intention to make purchases. This research gathered data from 371 Vietnamese participants through traditional paper questionnaires. The collected quantitative data was processed through SPSS. The statistical results suggest that perceived persuasiveness, expertise, and trustworthiness positively correlate with eWOM usefulness from SNSs. Also, eWOM usefulness was confirmed to increase the probability of eWOM adoption, which, in turn, can boost the purchase intention toward the tourism accommodations proposed in the eWOM. This empirical study can enable marketers to understand the impacts of eWOM from SNSs, especially from key opinion leaders (KOLs), on consumer purchase behaviour of tourism products. Accordingly, our findings can inspire marketers to plan and execute effective SNSs marketing campaigns to generate trustworthy and valuable C2C eWOM, thus increasing the intention to purchase tourism accommodations.
  Keywords: electronic word-of-mouth; eWOM; social networking sites; SNSs; Gen Z; tourist; purchase intention; tourism accommodation; Vietnam.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2025.10065754
   
  
• Exploring the Evolution of Mobile Tourism Applications in Business and Social Sciences: A Bibliometric Review Spanning 2013-2022.  
  by Priyanka Chadha, Sanath Krishnan Menon, Rajat Gera, Sanjeev Bansal 
  Abstract: This paper conducts a bibliometric analysis of Scopus-indexed publications in the domain of mobile tourism apps (MTA) within business management and social sciences. Covering articles from 2013 to 2022, the study identifies trends, themes, and research gaps. By analysing 61 articles using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer interfaces in R Studio, the research highlights productivity metrics, authorship, citations, and keywords. The MTA field’s intellectual structure reveals a focus on technical, user-centric, and market-related dimensions of mobile apps in tourism, particularly at the nexus of technology, sustainability, and the tourist experience. Notably, sustainable tourism potential and digital transformation of leisure stand as core themes. Niche subjects delve into location-based services and personalised mobile experiences. Emerging trends encompass AI, VR, and tourism management, reflecting the pursuit of innovative technologies for enriching tourist encounters. The findings guide future research directions, underscoring the ever-evolving landscape of MTA research.
  Keywords: mobile apps; mobile tourism; bibliometric analysis; Biblioshiny; VOSviewer; sustainability; cultural heritage; augmented reality; virtual reality.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2025.10065755