What makes services customers say “buy it with a mobile phone”?
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the issue of word of mouth (WOM) about mobile shopping, including activities conducted by consumers using a wireless internet connection to make a purchase. The objective is to ascertain the determinants of m-shoppers’ WOM.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a causal model to examine how satisfaction, perceived control, perceived entertainment and subjective norms affect WOM about mobile commerce. The authors treated a sample of 447 Spanish mobile phone buyers and applied different sound theoretical approaches to support the research.
Findings
Shopping experience, control over the process, group influence and satisfaction with mobile purchasing affect subsequent WOM shopping recommendations by innovative and pioneer mobile shoppers. Besides, entertainment, group influence, shopping experience and perceived control influence customer satisfaction in mobile shopping contexts.
Originality/value
This research provides a better understanding of WOM regarding m-shopping and contributes by outlining important variables for recommending WOM regarding m-shopping, which is key in the m-shopping diffusion. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is a pioneer study in Europe focusing on these variables for addressing the ways of achieving m-shopper WOM and one of the few addressing WOM in the m-shopping context. This study is based on information collected from real buyers, who are pioneer in m-shopping.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors express their appreciation to the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain for funding and supporting the R&D project on distribution and innovation, of which this study is a part (reference ECO2014-53060-R).
Citation
San-Martín, S., Prodanova, J. and López Catalán, B. (2016), "What makes services customers say “buy it with a mobile phone”?", Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 30 No. 6, pp. 601-614. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-02-2015-0081
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited