Sales and Merchandising Commons^™

Customer Service Challenges In Omni-Channel Retailing—An Exploratory Study Of Vague Language In Retailer Customer Service Policies, Terence L. Holmes, Edward C. Brewer

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Retailers are interacting with customers via an ever-increasing number of touchpoints. The addition of social media and mobile devices to the traditional physical and virtual retail platforms has created an evolving consumer practice of using several such "touchpoints" in the course of a single purchase (the "omni-channel”). The difficulty of providing high levels of customer service has increased with the necessity of managing multiple channels under the retailer’s control and coordinating formally or informally with touchpoints not directly within the retailer’s own operations. Multiple sources of potentially conflicting information (e.g., order fulfillment) can lead to miscommunication, and thus poor service …

Using An Artificial Real-Time Response Audience In Online Sales Education To Improve Self-Efficacy In Sales Presentations: An Online Classroom Innovation, Nicole A. Flink, Desiree Cooper-Larsen

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Sales education research recently has turned its attention to using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, but much remains in our understanding of its use in the online and virtual sales education environment. AI can be useful to helping online students improve their sales presentations and vocal delivery skills. Examined through the lens of control value theory, this study is a pilot investigation into the effectiveness of using AI technology in the online classroom to help sales education students improve their vocal delivery skills in sales presentations. Based on a paired samples t-test, our results indicated that student use of AI technology …

The Role Of Social Media And Social Networking As Marketing Delivery Systems For Preventive Health Care Information, Joe Cangelosi, David Kim, Ken Griffin, Ed Ranelli

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The use of social media and social networking (SM&N) is prevalent in health care. Through social media, individuals can access information to enhance their overall health and well-being. Given that prevention is crucial to a long healthy life, as well as restraining escalating health care costs, this study offers insights into the types of social media and networking platforms that health care consumers consider most important, especially with regard to obtaining Preventive Health Care Information (PHCI). Further, it goes on to identify the demographics of persons who consider social media and social networking platforms as most important. This research used …

Destructive Selling: An Empirical View From The Perspective Of University Level Business Students, Dennis Bristow, Rajesh Gulati, David Titus, Garth Harris, Zhan Wang

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Preliminary evidence indicates that salespeople working in a variety of industries hold the perception that destructive selling (defined as the intentional use of unethical tactics including lying, misrepresenting product/service performance, misleading the client, spreading rumors about the competition, etc. by professional salespeople) does occur in the professional selling discipline. A rich history of related research provides further evidence that university students exhibit negative perceptions and attitudes towards professional selling. In the work reported in this manuscript, the authors employed the survey research method to empirically study the perceptions held by university level pre-business and business students regarding the presence of …

The History And Evolution Of The Market For ‘Delebs’ (Dead Celebrities), Denver D'Rozario, Guang Yang

Atlantic Marketing Journal

In this paper, we survey the history behind the growing market for dead celebrities (‘Delebs’) in their role of creating secondary brand associations. According to some estimates, this market is now worth $2.25 billion in annual licensing and royalty revenues (CBC 2013). We begin, by defining key terms that are used in this market. Next, we do a survey and analysis of the major events that have given rise (intentionally or unintentionally) to this market. For ease of discussion, we discuss these historical events grouped by era. We follow this with a summary of the major events and trends that …

Group Brands As An Innovative Pedagogical Tool: Using Marketing Theory In Real-World Collaborative Teaching, Cheryl A. Tokke

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This teaching and learning pedagogy paper demonstrates how group brands were used as interdisciplinary teaching tools in marketing, business, research, and social science classes by applying theories of branding, collaborative learning, affinity, and social identity in experiential learning. There were two primary reasons why this project was done. First, implementing a pedagogical tool would bring students together in a collaborative team over the period of a semester gaining a critically important business tool; the requirement of working in teams and networked relationships. Second, by enriching the curriculum of business marketing and social science courses through incorporating a semester long term-based …

Online Advertising And Consumer Behavior In Tunisia, Rabeb Hamdi, Romdhane Khemakhem

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The aim of this study was to present new mediating and moderating variables in the relationship between online advertising and purchase intention as well as visiting the store. Therefore, a qualitative study of 17 Tunisian Internet users was conducted (semi-structured interview). Results showed that the lifestyle change and the disposition to visit the store are the mediating variables between these consequences and electronic advertising (purchase intention and visiting the store). Furthermore, the involvement with the product is the moderating variable between e-advertising and lifestyle change, including disposition to visit the store.

How To Overcome Emotional Exhaustion In Sales Settings, Lucy Matthews, Diane R. Edmondson

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Are Women’S Sales Skills Better Than Men’S?, Scott A. Inks, Aberdeen Leila Borders, Deborah Lester, Terry W. Loe

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Moderating Factors On The Impact Of B Corporation Certification On Purchasing Intention, Willingness To Pay A Price Premium And Consumer Trust, Albena Ivanova, Jill Maher, Gayle Marco, Melissa Reinbold

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This study determines the impact of B Corp certification on consumers’ attitudes, consumers’ purchasing intention, and consumers’ willingness to pay price premium and investigates the moderating effect of demographics and psychographics on these relationships. A convenient sample of 133 Americans participated. Respondents were exposed to pictures of a product with and without the B Corp logo and meaning. Repeated measures on a single sample research method is applied. Findings indicate a significant overall effect of the certification with description on purchase intentions, willingness to pay a price premium and trust. Additionally, there is a significant moderating effect of consumer demographics …

Communication And Engagement Strategies For Promoting Division Iii College Sports: An Exploratory Study, Lisa D. Spiller, Dae-Hee Kim, Matt Hettche

Atlantic Marketing Journal

College sports programs are embracing promotional activities that aim to create spectators and fans for live-action events. Whereas relationship marketing and fan engagement tactics are a mainstay of professional sports organizations, their inclusion within college sports programs is not ubiquitous. This study explores the promotional strategies for college sports, surveys the sports marketing literature, and presents findings from a spectator/fan questionnaire (n = 600) conducted with full-time enrolled students for a Division III college sports team. The twofold purpose of the questionnaire was to investigate what motivates student-spectators to attend men’s college basketball games and how to increase the level …

Using The Fine Arts To Illustrate Degrees Of Innovation: From The High Renaissance To Cubism, Kimball P. Marshall Ph.D., Rene Desborde Ph.D.

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This paper applies the marketing innovation concepts of continuous innovation, dynamically continuous innovation, and discontinuous innovation to the fine arts to suggest challenges artists face in gaining acceptance of new styles. This paper reviews shifts in broad visual arts styles from the High Renaissance to Cubism in order to illustrate these marketing innovation concepts and to indicate the roles that marketing might play in generating market acceptance of new artistic styles. These marketing roles, as suggested by the four “Ps” of marketing (product, place, promotion, and price) become particularly evident with the development of Impressionism as an illustration of dynamically …

Marketing Unhealthy Foods And Beverages: Our Children At Risk, Cheryl Ward, Diane R. Edmondson, Allison Wheeley

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This paper examines the ethical dilemma created because of the largely ineffective self-regulation of the advertising industry as it relates to children and the corresponding drastic increase in childhood obesity. Unhealthy food and beverage companies are intentionally targeting children who have not yet developed the cognitive skills necessary to discern programming content from advertising. Children, who have many years of consumption ahead of them, can be an appealing target market for companies promoting products high in fat and calories. Given that existing self-regulation policies have been largely unsuccessful, four potential solutions are discussed.

Marketing Leadership In A Knowledge Economy, Myles Bassell, Sonia Lambert

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Often the most valuable assets of a marketing driven firm are intangible assets such as a brand name, intellectual capital, and the expertise and knowledge of employees. The new breed of marketing leaders understand that it is important for employees to collaborate and be engaged and that leaders must be agents of change, creative, ethical, and global thinkers who can create learning organizations. The research reveals that organizations that are going to thrive in the knowledge economy are those that have marketing leaders who can build learning organizations, encourage diversity, and ensure employees are engaged in meaningful work.

Buyer-Seller Communications: Trusted Advisor Constructs And Measurement, Stephen C. Carlson 6425540

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Attainment of the “trusted advisor” role for sales representatives in a complex sales environment is considered the pinnacle of buyer-seller relationships. This study also examines whether pervasive smartphone use particularly among the millennial generation has substantially altered behaviors in the form of communications in the buyer-seller relationship. Does replacement of face-to-face and direct verbal communications by impersonal technology based communications that removes verbal and non-verbal or behavioral forms of communications have an impact on perceptions of communication quality and trust building among the parties. As use of smartphones for text based communications is more prevalent among younger generations, can generational …

The Inherently Flawed Relationship Between Physicians And Pharmaceutical Companies’ Gifts: Tanstaafl*, David P. Paul Iii

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Pharmaceutical companies frequently give practicing physicians and physicians-in-training an assortment of free “gifts,” ranging from pens to stethoscopes to continuing medical education. In an ideal world, these gifts would not compromise, or even seem to compromise, physicians’ decision-making. Unfortunately, as we live in a non-perfect world, this paper examines how physicians have been shown to perceive such gifts, the pharmaceutical companies’ position regarding these gifts, what the theory of gift-giving and gift-receiving tells us about this behavior, and what the future may hold as healthcare becomes more transparent.

Corporate Social Media: A Typology Of Consumers, Beverly Wright, Scott Nadler, Aberdeen L. Borders, Paul H. Schwager, Ashley Sasnett

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Abstract - This consumer segmentation schema is developed using 1) number of businesses followed and 2) companies’ social posts as direct influence toward purchase decisions, as defining behaviors. The use of a theoretical progression prospective, which tracks the development of the customer engagement construct, is central to our development. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods reveals types of consumer groups and their interactions, perceptions, and involvement with Corporate Social Media (CSM). Cluster analysis produces five distinct consumer segments, and a process to help managers more effectively achieve marketing goals. The use of additional consumer metrics are recommended for …

Cause-Related Marketing: The Effect Of Checkout Charity Requests On Consumer Donation Behavior, Brian R. Kinard, Minerva Lacal Pardo

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The aim of this research was to understand better consumer reactions to donation requests when making point of purchase decisions. A between-subjects full factorial design manipulated product type (goods/services), consumption experience (frivolous/practical), and product/cause fit (strong/weak). In line with prior research (e.g., Chang, 2008; Savary et al, 2015; Strahilevitz & Myers, 1998), a scenario-based approach was employed to assess responses to the CRM manipulations. A total of 241 subjects participated in the study. Our results mirror extant research evidence on the positive effects of pairing frivolous products with donation requests. In that, positive donation behavior largely results as consumers compensate …

Couples Sleeping Apart--Separate Master Bedrooms And The Impact On The Real Estate And Related Markets, John E. Crawford

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Sleeping is a fundamental individual human need. However, most adults fulfill this need by sleeping with a partner, a behavior particularly true for married couples. A trend of couples choosing to sleep apart has emerged in recent years. For reasons practical and personally beneficial or preferred, a growing number of couples are choosing to have a home with two master bedrooms--one for him and one for her, each furnished according to the needs and tastes of the partners. Thus, some homes are being built with two master bedrooms, others are being modified to have two master bedrooms, and new empty …

The Narcissistic Salesperson: A Framework Of Their Relationships With Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, And Customer Orientation, J. Garry Smith

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Narcissistic salespersons can have detrimental effects on customer relationships and voluntary turnover. These impediments to organizational effectiveness occur through their relationships with customers, coworkers, supervisors, and the organization. Conversely, narcissistic salespersons also possess some attractive salesperson characteristics such as charm, resilience, confidence, competitiveness, and initial likeability. In this paper, I draw from the psychology, marketing, sales, and organizational literatures to develop a conceptual framework which illustrates the relationships of narcissistic salespersons with customers and critical job-related attitudes that affect their relationship with the organization. Specifically, this framework contains empirically testable proposed relationships between narcissism and the following specific outcomes of …

A Further Empirical Investigation Into The Semantic Meaning Of Advertising Price References, Jeffrey Gutenberg, James M. Quinn

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Abstract – This study extends a well-known investigation of the meaning to consumers of commonly used comparative advertising pricing claims (e.g. “compare at”) by employing a broader demographic representation of respondents than the student sample which was used in the original research. Large and statistically significant differences were found between the two groups of respondents yet the main implications for practitioners remain the same.

Salesperson Perceptions - An Examination Of Sales Manager Leadership And Salesperson Engagement, Marleen Pope

Doctor of Business Administration Dissertations

Employee engagement is vital to organizations because of its relationship with performance and retention. Specifically, salespeople, as boundary spanners, pose unique challenges to organizations. To date, the literature has given limited attention to salesperson engagement. This study explores the assertion that managers are the primary source of employee disengagement by examining the perceptions salespeople have of their sales manager and how their perceptions influence salesperson engagement. Salesperson perceptions are the focus of this study because what one perceives is one’s reality.

Job-Demands Resource (J-DR) theory was used as the theoretical framework to investigate the relationships in the proposed model. First, …

Nostalgic Selling: The Louisville & Nashville Railroad And Its General Public Relations, Michael J. Landry

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This paper represents a case study of how to use historic events/artifacts in public relations and sales. It recounts how the Louisville & Nashville Railroad participated in the United States Civil War centennial celebrations by restoring a locomotive, the General, that was made famous in a daring raid conducted in that war. Using primary and secondary documents mainly from corporate archives including notes, operations manuals, public relations logs, measurements, corporate publications and oral history, the paper outlines the General’s iconic history, the purposes for its 1960s restoration to operation for the Civil War centennial, and the overarching marketing strategy behind …

Job Shadowing Experiences As A Teaching Tool: A New Twist On A Tried And True Technique, Fred H. Mader, Deanna R. D. Mader, Elizabeth C. Alexander

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This article reports an innovative twist on the use of the job shadowing experience as a means not only to provide real-world exposure for the student, but also as a way to generate real-time data from the professionals to be utilized as a basis for class discussion. Reaction from both students and professionals has been overwhelmingly positive.

Field Trip! Assessing Business Student Interest In Plant Tours And Their Product Categories, Mark Mitchell, Gregory Turner, Robert Montgomery, Mark Hartley

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Business educators are challenged daily to provide fresh ideas in the classroom and to use new methods to stimulate active learning. One option is to use manufacturing plant tours, company museums, and company visitor centers to supplement traditional classroom activities. This manuscript details this growing type of tourism (known as Consumer Experience Tourism) and identifies the product categories of greatest interest to today’s students in Business and Economics. Business educators are encouraged to more fully embrace this under-utilized resource to promote active student learning and to select those destinations of greatest interest to their particular student audiences.

Controlling And Informational Planned Behavior: Self-Determination Theory And The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Jonathan P. Leavell

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The purpose of this non-empirical paper is to explore the theoretical value of introducing constructs of self-determination theory (SDT) into the framework of the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Deci’s and Ryan’s (1985) formulation of SDT maintains an intrinsic focus while much of Ajzen’s (1985) TPB framework maintains an extrinsic focus. The incorporation of constructs based on an internal locus of causality may enhance the predictive power of TPB. Applications for practitioners and opportunities for further research are presented.

Dynamic Pricing In Major League Baseball Tickets: Issues And Challenges, John T. Drea, Andrew Nahlik

Atlantic Marketing Journal

With its origins in the airline industry, dynamic pricing has recently been extended to the area of Major League Baseball tickets in both the primary and secondary markets. The present study examines similarities in the application of dynamic pricing in the airline and MLB industries, as well as the key differences, which include the interactive effects of competitors in the airline industries and the presence of a secondary ticket market for MLB tickets. The “zone of reasonableness” concept used in freight pricing provides a useful framework for understanding the self-imposed upper and lower price limits for MLB primary market ticket …

An Exploratory Comparison Of Private And Hbcu Marketing Student Study Abroad Program (Sap) Participation Intentions, Omar Woodham, George W. Stone, Kathryn Cort, Michael A. Jones

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The current research compares two demographically diverse universities regarding their respective awareness of the study abroad programs (SAPs) offered by their school. The study focuses on each sample’s awareness of SAP opportunities (i.e., as offered by their own institution) as well as each group’s opinion of the level of university administrator effort aimed at promoting the SAP offerings at each school. The authors analyzed whether student perceptions of the level of administrator support affected student expectations regarding SAP participation prior to graduation. Given the different socio-economic characteristics of the two student samples used in the study, the authors provide additional …

Students' Attitudes Towards Textbook Types: Are Students Really Ready For E-Textbooks?, Diane R. Edmondson, Cheryl Ward

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Abstract - This study examines students’ attitudes and preferences to the four primary textbook types currently on the market. These types include hardback, paperback, loose leaf, and E-textbook. Two hundred twenty-three students currently taking Principles of Marketing from a large public university in the southeastern United States completed the survey. Results found that students still prefer paperback textbooks, even when this textbook is at a higher price than other alternatives. When students were asked their opinions on the various textbook options, it was clear that price, ease of use, health concerns, and ownership desires were the primary reasons why they …

Cueing The Customer Using Nudges And Negative Option Marketing, Clarence W. Vonbergen, Courtney Kernek, Martin S. Bressler, Lawrence S. Silver

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Abstract

Nudges—subtle, covert, and often unobtrusive interventions that take advantage of individuals’ mental shortcuts and biases—frequently change the context of people’s choices and in so doing influence individual and societal behavior. They have become fashionable in recent years, and the ability of such phenomena to bring about significant change for relatively little cost has captured the imagination of governments and businesses. One simple yet potent nudge empowered by the status-quo bias that has received increased attention involves default rules which specify the condition imposed on persons when they fail to make a decision or choice. Marketers have used default options …