The Impact Of Buy-Now-Pay-Later Use Frequency On Social Media Shopping, Luxury Consumption And Consumer Indebtedness, Neleen S. Leslie-Piper, Toluwani Oloke, Ficawoyi Donou-Adonsou

AMTP Proceedings 2025

This study explores the impact of BNPL usage on social media purchasing, luxury consumption, and debt accumulation. 7,371 respondents participated in this study, and 7,248 reported their BNPL usage. The results indicate that the frequency of BNPL usage is positively related to the use of the buy now button on social media, luxury consumption, and indebtedness. Results indicate that all three dependent variables are significantly predicted by BNPL use. Both direct and indirect effects were observed, indicating BNPL's role in impulsive online consumption and consumer debt accumulation.

These results underscore the need for further study on the topic. Although significant …

Examining The Roles Of Customer Relationships And Relationship Duration In Enhancing Profitability And Retention, Manisha Mathur

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Marketing experts emphasize the importance of fostering strong customer relationships to drive profitability, recognizing relationship management as a core element of marketing. However, the value of firms strategically prioritizing customers to enhance profitability has been debated in marketing literature. This study presents a conceptual framework that highlights the pivotal role of customer mapping in evaluating the effectiveness of investments in customer relationships and interaction frequency. Through empirical analysis, we seek to demonstrate how customer mapping contributes to explaining the impact of relationship investments on customer retention. Furthermore, our findings underscore the moderating effect of relationship duration.

Market Structure Evolution In The U.S. Automobile Industry: A Review Of Diversity And Concentration Metrics, P.V. (Sundar) Balakrishnan

AMTP Proceedings 2025

I examine the evolution of market structure in the U.S. automobile industry from 1937 to the present, focusing on the application of both traditional and novel diversity and concentration metrics. I use the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), Comprehensive Concentration Index (CCI), and newer metrics from fields such as ecology and genetics to uncover insights into the shifting dynamics of market power, firm turnover, and industry stability. The U.S. automobile industry, characterized by consolidation and technological advancement, provides a unique case study for analyzing long-term market evolution. I contribute to the literature by synthesizing a broad range of diversity metrics and offering …

Susceptibility To Online Shopping Influence And Online Shopping Advocacy Behavior: Role Of Trust In Online Retailers, Ainsworth Anthony Bailey, Mojisola Tiamiyu

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Despite the significant increased pace of online shopping, there remains a lack of insights on individual personality factors that drive consumers’ online shopping behaviors and their online shopping advocacy. Consequently, this research project introduces the concept of consumer susceptibility to online shopping influence (CSOSI) and explores its role in driving consumer online shopping advocacy intentions and behavior. The conceptual model contends that CSOSI drives online shopping enjoyment and satisfaction, which in turn affect consumer online shopping disposition; this disposition leads consumers to engage in greater levels of online shopping advocacy. The proposed research study also investigates the moderating role of …

Examining Net Promoter Score (Nps) For Recommending Products In Export Markets: A Case Of Turkish Products And Brands In The United States, Aycan Duran Tekoglu, Musa Pinar, Faruk Guder

AMTP Proceedings 2025

This study examines the Net Promoter Score (NPS) for recommending products in the export market by exploring the impact of various factors on NPS for Turkish products and brands in the United States. Specifically, the research considers factors that include industry or product categories, the information sources used to learn about the products, the years of purchasing, and consumer demographics. As a first study applying NPS in an international marketing context, the findings based on 427 surveys provided insights into the most purchased product categories, sources of information consumers use, NPS, and the impact of consumer demographics on NPS. Overall …

Exploring The Drivers Of Customers’ Willingness To Accept Chatbot Intervention In Service Recovery, Wen-Hai Chih, Kai-Yu Wang, Hope W. Banda

AMTP Proceedings 2025

This study investigates the factors influencing customers' acceptance of chatbot intervention in service recovery. Drawing on the realism maximization theory (RMT) and the service robot acceptance model (SRAM), we examine the effects of chatbot message warmth and relevance on service recovery outcomes. Our findings, based on data from 319 participants, reveal that message warmth and message relevance reduce uniqueness neglect, which in turn increases perceived chatbot artificiality and reduces perceived chatbot rapport and perceived chatbot intelligence. Perceived chatbot rapport and perceived chatbot intelligence, in turn, positively impact customers' willingness to accept chatbot intervention. The mediating roles of uniqueness neglect, perceived …

Demystifying Proactive Customer Helpers: Where Do We Find Them?, Estelle Van Tonder, Sam Fullerton

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Amid the growing interest in proactive customer helpers, extant research offers surprisingly little guidance on where to find them. Of interest to this study are proactive helpers taking personal initiative in assisting other customers to avoid harmful brands. Guided by the attitude-behavior phenomenon, selected attitudes and behaviors were examined among 347 customers in the United States using survey research. Latent profile analysis aided in obtaining further clarification regarding the profile characteristics of customers who proactively assist other customers with their brand avoidance behaviors in an anti-consumption context. These profile characteristics are useful, as they provide strategic direction on where to …

Integrating Consumer Behavior Theories: Understanding Modern Consumer Decision-Making, Khusbu Rahman

AMTP Proceedings 2025

This paper synthesizes recent consumer behavior research published in the Journal of Consumer Research between 2020-2024, addressing a significant gap in the consistent application of established theories across different contexts. The study examines key theoretical frameworks, including the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Stimulus-Organism-Response model, and their application in understanding modern consumer decision-making. Through a systematic literature review of 105 articles, the research highlights the complex interplay between rational and emotional factors in consumer behavior, the importance of psychological comfort and attachment in product relationships, and the role of framing and context in decision-making. The findings emphasize the need …

The Influence Of Consumer Dispositions In Cross-Cultural Consumer Behavior: The Mediating Roles Of Cosmopolitanism, Affinity, Ethnocentrism, And Animosity, Md Abrar Fahad Khan, Attila Yaprak, Andrew Byungwook Chung

AMTP Proceedings 2025

This paper investigates how socio-demographic factors, cultural variables, and attitudes interact with positive and negative consumer dispositions—cosmopolitanism, affinity, ethnocentrism, and animosity—to influence pre-purchase, purchase, and post-purchase behaviors. Anchored in five key theories—attitude theory, laddering theory, social identity theory, self-identity theory, and identity theory—the study highlights the mediating roles of these dispositions in cross-cultural consumer behavior. Positive dispositions such as cosmopolitanism and affinity foster openness to foreign brands, while negative dispositions like ethnocentrism and animosity deter purchases of foreign products. This integrated framework offers a comprehensive understanding of consumer behavior by bridging socio-demographics, cultural influences, and psychological dispositions. The study contributes …

Exploring The Effects Of Strategic Orientation Combinations: The Moderating Role Of Industry Context, Mohammad Elayyan, Zonghui Li, Douglas Johansen, Caitlin Sockbeson, John Shaw

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Prior studies have explored the effect of market orientation and entrepreneurial orientation on firm performance separately. However, when making strategic decisions, firms often integrate marketing activities and entrepreneurial initiatives, which indicate various combinations of strategic orientation. This study employs an integrated perspective to examine the impact of various market and entrepreneurial orientation combinations on firm performance. In addition, it argues that the impact of strategic orientation on firm performance is contingent upon industry context. Using a sample of 182 manufacturing firms listed on the S&P 500, this study explores the joint effects of strategic orientation combinations (i.e., market orientation, entrepreneurial …

Applying Moral Foundations Theory To Examine Consumer Vulnerability: Evidence From Cash App, Atanas Nixon, Jiyoon An

AMTP Proceedings 2025

This study investigates how consumers' moral emotions can improve our understanding of their vulnerability in financial services from the perspective of Transformative Service Research (TSR). The study uses the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's archive of consumer complaints about Cash App, a peer-to-peer payment platform, as the empirical context. The Moral Foundation Theory, which includes five dimensions of moral concerns (care/harm, fairness/cheating, loyalty/betrayal, authority/subversion, and purity/degradation), was applied to assess consumer vulnerability. Two analyses were conducted: spatial and discourse analyses. Whereas spatial analysis was used to examine aggregated levels of moral emotions across different states, discourse analysis was conducted on …

Fresh Looks, Familiar Voices: Balancing Conformity And Differentiation In Young Adult Literature Market, Nami Kim, Jiyoon An

AMTP Proceedings 2025

This study examines optimal distinctiveness strategies in the Young Adult (YA) literature market, analyzing bestseller data across visual representation, author concentration, content diversification, and linguistic evolution. Results reveal increasing visual differentiation in book covers, growing reliance on established authors, gradual expansion of content diversity, and linguistic convergence in book descriptions. These findings demonstrate how publishers dynamically adjust various product aspects to achieve optimal distinctiveness, extending optimal distinctiveness theory to brand-level strategies in cultural industries.

Comments From The Editors, Tulay Girard, Brian Whelan

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Comments from the Editors

Advancing Theory In Psychographic Market Segmentation Research, Jack A. Lesser, Suanne M. Barthol

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

For decades, marketing research has focused on identifying psychographic segments to develop corporate strategy. However, as this article contends, psychographic segmentation research has often lacked sufficient theoretical grounding, particularly in the selection of variables and underlying theories guiding these studies. To address this gap, the present study systematically reviews a broad range of segmentation studies to evaluate their theoretical contributions and identify promising directions for future research. The analysis begins by examining the theories in a comprehensive psychographic segmentation study by Lesser and Hughes (1986a), followed by a review of 38 additional studies to uncover relevant underlying theories. The study …

The Yin And Yang Of Decision Making: Strategic Planning And Improvisation In An Entrepreneurial Culture, Anton Fenik, Ernest R. Cadotte, Helena F. Allman

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Only a few empirical studies examine the influence of organizational improvisation on firm performance. Further, more insight is needed regarding the coexistence of normative (i.e., planned) and descriptive (i.e., improvised) forms of decision-making. This paper contributes to the literature by filling these gaps. It investigates the moderating effect of entrepreneurial behaviors on the relationship between improvisation and firm performance. It explores whether improvisational decision-making can improve firm performance beyond planning’s effect on firm outcomes. We employ decision theory and sensemaking literature in our conceptual model. We test our hypotheses with data from a cross-sectional managerial survey and a behavioral simulation …

A Comparative Analysis Of Passenger Demand For Two Airport Hubs In The United States, Selcuk Ertekin, Fassil Fanta

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This paper studies the passenger demand for two airport hubs in the United States using econometric time-series modeling. By focusing on the traditional determinants of demand (national income and price), this paper compares the econometric dynamics of passenger demand for a large and a small airport hub. We found that there is a sustained relationship between income, price, and revenue passenger miles over time. We also found that a shock in GDP causes a disruption that has a lasting impact on passenger demand.

Trust And Reliability Of Information Sources On Facebook For Presidential Candidates: A Study Of Voter Perceptions, Kristina Harrison, Shawn Thelen, Boonghee Yoo

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This exploratory research, utilizing both open-ended and likert-type questions, identifies who voters trust on Facebook for information about Presidential candidates as well as the benefits of using Facebook for obtaining this information. In line with Social Identity Theory, results indicate that some sources, especially those that are respected/intimate are far more trusted than others, e.g., local media, national media, and celebrities. Findings indicate that voters, drawn from a national online sample, enjoy the social aspects of connecting with like-minded individuals, use it to source information about candidates, find the platform convenient, but express some concerns over the reliability of information …

Understanding Global Street Food Consumer Behavior And Experience: A Narrative Review Of Literature And Development Of Framework, Samit Chakravorti

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This paper explores global street food consumer behavior and consumption experience. The aim of this paper is to gain a holistic comprehension of street food consumption decision making and experience through exploring nature and sources of perceptions, attitude and expectations surrounding street food, the characteristics of the product offering and the domain within which it is served and consumed. To achieve this aim the author engages in a narrative review of academic research on consumer behavior of street food, provides a holistic picture of consumption experience of street food through consolidating and interpreting research findings, and extends the theoretical understanding …

Measuring Social Influence In Online Social Networks - Focused Literature Review On Human Behaviors, Shyamala N. Chalakudi, Gnana Bharathy, Dildar Hussain, Dakshinamurthy Kolluru

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Measuring an individual's social influence (SI) capability is gaining traction with the rapid growth and expansive reach of online social networks (OSN). However, most existing frameworks and methods are confined to graphical theories or the structural properties of these networks. Even behavioral investigations are often limited to a narrow set of influencing behaviors and confront significant challenges in encompassing the breadth of human psychological characteristics. This study aims to address this gap through an exhaustive and focused literature review, concentrating on the definitions of human behavior characteristics rooted in established sociology and psychology theories. Beyond providing a comprehensive overview, the …

Comments From The Editor, Tulay Girard

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Welcome to the spring 2024 issue of the Journal of Applied Marketing Theory. The Journal of Applied Marketing Theory (JAMT) aims to provide a reputable platform for publishing academic research that advances marketing knowledge and offers insights for marketing managers.

In the current issue, we are pleased to present five manuscripts that offer unique insights into several diverse topics. Each article received praise from our review team, and we are happy to have the opportunity to present them to you in this edition of JAMT.

Empathy And Political Skill: Improving Salespeople’S Value Enhancing Behavior Performance, Megan C. Good, Charles H. Schwepker Jr.

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Little is known about the interface between empathy and political skill in sales. This study develops a model to reflect these characteristics and their impact on performance. Results from a study of 240 B2B salespeople contradict the a priori assumption that empathy may not be positively related to sales performance and challenge existing stereotypes that salespeople are not empathetic. Importantly, the findings show sellers employing empathy can generate enhanced outcomes. Also, this study extends our understanding that utilizing political influence spreads the benefit of empathy beyond the impact itself. Politically skilled B2B salespeople can better understand and display their empathy …

Emerging Themes Regarding Customer Perception Of A Third-Party Online Food Delivery Provider And The Implications For Operators, Shian-Lih Chen Mccain, Jeff Lolli, Emma Liu

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This study discusses third-party online food delivery providers' (OFDPs) continuing dominance post-pandemic and provides recommendations for providers and foodservice operators by analyzing customer comments regarding a third-party OFDP. Thematic Analysis, a data-driven inductive approach, was applied in this study to identify four emergent themes. 1) App Technology- Oriented Quality Attributes, 2) App Service-Oriented Quality Attributes, 3) Delivery Person’s Performance, and 4) Restaurant Food Quality. Technology-Oriented Quality Attributes had the highest frequency of mentions (533), followed by Deliverer’s Performance (531), Service-Oriented Quality Attributes (524), and Restaurant Food Quality (115) for a total of 1,703 mentions of which 461(27%) were positive and …

Understanding Course Success In Mandated Online Learning: The Role Of Computer And Computer- Mediated Communication Anxiety, Chris Zimmer

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, many universities shifted to fully online learning. This study contributes to the existing online learning literature by examining the connection between course success, student engagement, and levels of computer and computer-mediated communication anxiety. The research delves into understanding the impact of anxiety on course engagement and the relationship between engagement and overall course success. Regression analyses were used to test hypotheses, revealing an interaction between computer anxiety and computer-mediated communication anxiety. The study underscores the importance of student engagement with course materials, particularly for assignments that require higher-order thinking. In contrast, objective quizzes and tests that …

Whose Opinions Do We Listen To? The Influence Of Online Product Ratings And Price On Consumers, David Ackerman, Jing Hu, Barbara L. Gross

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

User-generated reviews have become important to consumers in evaluating market offerings and making purchase decisions. This study takes an overall look at the evolving sources of information from which consumers draw to get information about products and services and focuses specifically on an electronics product, a smart phone. We examine the influence of online product ratings and reviews on consumers. Results from data analysis found that online consumer ratings may have more of an impact on consumers than do the ratings of experts. Consumers were more likely to purchase products receiving high ratings from consumers despite receiving low ratings from …

When Consumer Brand Advocacy Goes Bad: A Study Of Key Drivers Of Extreme, Negative Activism, Esta D. Shah, Julia E. Blose, Reagan C. Kilpatrick

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This paper uses an active, two-party political landscape in the U.S. as a testing ground to study the effects of an individual’s level of perceived political identification, fantasy proneness, and conspiracy mentality as possible antecedents of extreme, negative activism (e.g. attacking a police officer) undertaken to protect one’s brand community. Two independent, national surveys conducted one week prior to the November 2020 presidential election (N=481) and again in March 2021 after the presidential transition (N=465) allowed us to study the relationship between the three variables among U.S. citizens with liberal or conservative perceived political identifications, and measure likelihood to engage …

Effects Of Humorous Language In Social Media And Fandom Levels On Sport Consumers’ Merchandise Value Perceptions, Conner Martin

Honors College Theses

Licensed sports merchandise is a sports business sector that is projected to surpass $39.8 billion by 2027. This study examines the influence of humor in social media posts on consumers’ perceived valuations of licensed sport merchandise—specifically, apparel—with consideration to their team fandom. Guiding by Cue Utilization Theory (CUT), the research model assessed the extrinsic cues of team fandom and humor in shaping consumer perceptions, while controlling for product type (high-cost, low-cost), humorous caption (version 1, version 2), generation (Zoomers, Millennials, Gen Xers, and Boomers), and gender (male, female, non-binary). Fans of South Georgia Tormenta FC, a professional soccer club, served …

Medical Tourism In The Post-Covid Era: Cultural Differences In Attitude Formation, Helena F. Allman, Anton P. Fenik, Hilmi A. Atadil

AMTP Proceedings 2024

Rising health care costs in the United States have been historically shown to increase the U.S. consumers’ interest in medical tourism. The number of uninsured people in the United States is still astronomically high compared to other advanced economies around the world. As a result, medical tourism was on the rise for decades prior to Covid. The pandemic introduced certain stressors and higher levels of risk associated with both the travel and medical treatment services. While the majority of the U.S. population now has some kind of Covid immunity, the long term mental effects of Covid stress in everyday decision …

The Significant Role Of Seo In Effective Web Marketing, Ramtin Ranjpour

AMTP Proceedings 2024

With the ever-rising popularity of online shopping, the power of web marketing has become more essential than ever. And search engine optimization (SEO) plays a huge role in web marketing. This paper is a critical literature review that goes over the important scholarly and non-scholarly works of influential experts in SEO. It serves as a fun and engaging introduction for anyone interested in learning about SEO, specifically about its importance, benefits, top strategies, rivals, and how it can be combined with other marketing methods. The hope is that it helps individuals and small business owners with their web marketing and …

Confidence In Personal Style: A Self-Empowered Path Toward Sustainable Clothing Consumption?, Catherine A. Roster

AMTP Proceedings 2024

This study examined the impact of clothing style confidence on sustainable clothing behaviors. An Internet survey was conducted with a valid sample of 560 U.S. residents equally split by gender between the ages of 25 to 65 purchased from Prolific. Five sub-dimensions of the Clothing Style Confidence scale (i.e., style longevity, aesthetic perceptive ability, creativity, appearance importance, and authenticity) were predicted to positively influence four dependent variables: clothing care and maintenance, purchase of environmentally friendly apparel, likelihood of clothing rental, and interest in upcycled clothing. PLS-SEM was used for data analysis. For both males and females, higher style confidence was …

Conflicted Positioning: Product Positioning When Market Segments Have Conflicting Risk Goals, Richard Flight

AMTP Proceedings 2024

ABSTRACT

In some product and service categories concern for physical risk as a result of the product or service rendered is an inherent barrier to purchase. Meanwhile, the same perceived danger attracts thrill seekers who want (or need) a sense of adventure. In this exploratory research, the question of motive for and emotions associated with learning how to fly a plane are explored. When prompted risk is cited oftentimes as both a deterrent to engage in the activity and a motive to pursue it. This presents product and brand managers with the question of how to simultaneously assuage risk-related fear …