Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Brides And Bridal Stores: Online Or Brick-And-Mortar, Libby C. Jones, Ismet Anitsal, Melek Meral Anitsal

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This paper explores the growing global bridal industry and the different trends, traditions, and aspects of specific countries' bridal industries. It outlines western and eastern traditions and how globalization contributes to their spread. A deeper focus is dedicated to the United States' bridal industry and the issues brick-and-mortar bridal boutiques face as more brides have started shopping at online bridal stores. The relationship between brick-and-mortar and online bridal stores is explored based on various propositions about the bridal industry's emerging challenges. These propositions include trust issues in the retail environment, convenience, selection of bridal gowns in different retail formats, incorporating …

Looking For Inclusivity In Higher Ed? Start In The Classroom!, Michelle C. Carpenter

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The rallying cry for inclusivity has never been greater in higher education. As professors look for ways to ensure all sociocultural perspectives are present in their course activities, lectures and discussions, many questions remain beginning with who should be addressing these issues as well as how exactly this might be accomplished. Increasingly more faculty are opening their classrooms to this discussion, even if diversity is not a required element of their course. Exit interviews conducted in Spring 2021 with senior marketing majors at a Mid Atlantic University provided an opportunity for students to share their perceptions about inclusivity and what …

Enhancing Sales Education By Incorporating An Innovative International Role Play, Diane R. Edmondson, Lucy Matthews, Hannah Makarczyk

Atlantic Marketing Journal

In today’s society, the global marketplace has become more relevant to all businesses to help ensure sustainability (Hummel, 2012). In marketing, students pursuing a career in sales can find significant opportunities; however, there are unique skills needed when selling internationally (Salesforce, 2021). Prior research has highlighted lost revenue due to internationally incompetent employees (Daniel, Xie, & Kedia, 2014). A content analysis of 139 Sales Education Foundation universities was completed to determine the extent to which international sales education is currently being incorporated in sales curriculum. Results indicate that only 6.5% include some international sales element as part of their program. …

Understanding Millennials Regarding Online Versus In-Store Grocery Shopping Preferences, Timothy L. Schauer

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Grocery shopping has changed in significant ways over the last 150 years – all to allow customers to choose their own items (Strasser, 1989). Within the last decade, large U.S. supermarkets, like Kroger, Walmart, and Safeway have rolled out online stores (Perez, 2015). However, in 2017, when the Internet-based giant, Amazon, acquired Whole Foods and developed the Amazon Go concept store, the march toward online-only sales came into question. The purpose of this research is to attempt to understand the preferences associated with Millennials regarding online versus in-store grocery shopping preferences. This paper provides the following contributions. First, it extends …

Keeping The Faith: The Impact Of Religiosity On Controversial Social Justice Advertising, Rebecca Rast, Josh Coleman, Christina S. Simmers

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Religious individuals have traditionally responded negatively to controversial advertising; however, little has been examined in their response to brand activism in the form of social justice issues. Interestingly, brands may find support from more religious individuals when promoting certain social issues. Across three studies using two social networks (Twitter and Instagram), this research demonstrates that individuals who identify as more religious (compared to those who identify as less religious) consistently display higher attitudes, intentions, and perceptions of authenticity for brands supporting social justice issues (precisely racial inequality, or “Black Lives Matter”). These findings are explained through social identity theory, in …

What's In A Name? Public Perceptions Of Multi-Level Marketing, Robert A. Peterson, Jeffrey A. Peterson

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This paper presents the results of a nationwide survey of the American public’s general familiarity with, and perceptions of, multi-level marketing, direct selling, and social selling. Survey respondents were most familiar with direct selling; there was no substantive difference in familiarity with multi-level marketing and social selling. Respondents familiar with the three terms possessed perceptions of them that were significantly more positive than were the perceptions of respondents reporting not being familiar with the terms. Across all terms, male respondents reported being more familiar with, and more positively disposed toward, them than did female respondents. Respondents 55 years of age …

Fashion And Sustainability: Consumption And Shared Responsibility, Jie Gao Fowler, Timothy Reisenwitz, Rongwei Chu

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Indulgence in fashion has been indispensable in modern societies, as it is a crucial device for self-image and identity construction. With the advanced technology and globalization of production, the fashion industry has skewed towards fast fashion, making the latest trends available to mass consumers at affordable prices. This research aims to examine how Chinese consumers perceive sustainable consumption in the context of fashion. We endeavor to explore the factors that influence the engagement of sustainable consumption. This study aims not to argue whether sustainable fashion should mobilize or replace the current fashion system but to provide evidence on consumers' perception …

Customer Perceptions Of Diversity In Health Services: How Other Customers’ Race Influences Customer Perceptions, Ayse Banu Elmadag, Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong, Brigitte W. Burgess, Mehmet Okan

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Using the Similarity Attraction perspective, this study examines racial diversity in health services. An initial review of the literature summarizes currently known findings related to the effects of Other Customers on Customer experiences in healthcare service settings. Two experimental studies, adopting Byrne and Nelson’s (1965) Similarity-Attraction perspective, test the effects of Customer-Other Customer Race (Black vs. White) interaction on Revisit Intentions and Customer Perceived Anxiety. Results indicate that Perceived Anxiety is not reduced by Customer-Other Customer race match (i.e., Black and Black, or White and White), though Other Customer Race (Black vs. White) drives Perceived Anxiety. Customer-Other Customer …

The Impact Of Verified (Unverified) Online Product Consumer Reviews On Consumer Product Attitudes, Kathryn Cort Dr., Roland Leak Dr.

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Customer product reviews are an integral component for companies conducting e-commerce, enabling them to stay connected and engaged with their consumers. However, more important these reviews are being utilized and incorporated into the marketing plans of companies. Companies can use a mixture of verified and unverified purchase badges in their displayed product reviews. This study finds that as customers are provided with this additional information to help form impressions about the products they are reviewing, customers' need for cognition ultimately determines how they utilize the presence or absence of these badges.

Ira Disclosure Framing Effects On Purchase Decisions, Eugene Cautillo, Mary M. Long

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This research examines the use of disclosures included in IRA advertisements to determine their impact on purchase decisions. Disclosures were manipulated through different framing language to examine the investor’s risk perception. The Hayes Process Model was used to test the significance of investor risk perception and risk propensity (investor’s likelihood to act on risk perception) related to framing manipulation and ultimately, the purchase decision. The level of risk propensity was then used to assess the impact on the purchase decision for investors with varying sophistication levels. Additionally, the investor’s sophistication level, determined via a series of investment questions, was also …

Adoption And Diffusion Of At-Home Medical Tests, Savannah Campbell, Mark Mitchell, Jerome Christia, Melissa Clark

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The purpose of this study is to understand the at-home medical test market including the medical and regulatory requirements to create at-home medical tests, as well as the market factors that influence consumer adoption in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. To address testing shortages of COVID-19 tests companies created at-home tests which were rapidly approved by the FDA, bringing at-home testing to the forefront.

History of at-home health testing is reviewed, the medical requirements for creating them, and how the pandemic has affected such testing. Tables are also included to demonstrate currently available tests and potential future tests. The …