Editorial

Citation

Leventhal, R.C. (2010), "Editorial", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 27 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/jcm.2010.07727baa.001

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Journal of Consumer Marketing, Volume 27, Issue 2

What has become apparent over the last several years is that as a company becomes involved with trying to gain success in several marketplaces via a global marketing strategy, the complexity of how a consumer’s beliefs and perceptions affect a purchase decision are being examined in greater detail. With the increasing importance of consumer markets outside of North America, consumer attitudes must be addressed for each segment of the population that is to be targeted. Major changes are taking place amongst the various demographic segments of all populations, as one example, and without a better understanding of what is important to the consumer and how the marketplace should respond, success in the marketplace may be difficult to achieve. It is definitely true that today we live in a “global village” where prior marketing efforts must be redeveloped so as to allow for continuing success.

Oliver and Lee examine the US and Korean consumers’ intentions to purchase a high involvement, environmentally friendly product: the hybrid car. The authors reveal that self-image congruence and propensity to seek information about green products have strong positive relationship with intentions to purchase a hybrid car among consumers from both countries. The author’s intent is to increase knowledge about the impact of social and cultural factors on decision-making regarding hybrid cars.

Lupton, Rawlinson and Braunstein demonstrate that significant cross-national differences exist between Chinese and US university students regarding belief and perceptions of private label branding. Comparing how marketers educated consumers regarding private label products in western markets and how private label products are integrated into western markets could be used as a template for a successful rollout in Asian markets.

Helgesen and Nesset analyze associations between gender, drivers (antecedents) of store satisfaction and store satisfaction in grocery retailing. A direct significant effect of gender on store satisfaction was found when controlling for other included antecedents. For grocery retailing, the study revealed that females have higher satisfaction levels than males, but the satisfaction drivers are gender independent. Consumer behavior in grocery retailing can be enhanced by identifying and implementing an appropriate marketing strategy that is based on the understanding of the many factors and relationships that influence shoppers’ attitudes favorably.

Rajamma and Pelton explore the determinants of consumers’ propensity to choose non-conventional treatment protocols using control theory as the theoretical framework. The results of this study indicate that consumers’ health locus of control efficacy, and neuroticism impact their propensity to use non-conventional treatments. Consumers’ health value was not a significant moderator except in the case of internal health locus of control. Overall, this research provides prescriptive guidance for marketers of both non-conventional and conventional treatments, suggesting how better promotional and integrate communications may effectively serve their target markets.

Zbib, Wooldridge, Ahmed and Benlian study country of origin perceptions of Lebanese consumers in respect to a specific snack product, the correlation involved between country of manufacture and consumer behavior, purchase intent and product quality. The authors found that snack food purchases appear to be low involvement purchases based on experiential qualities. Brand awareness and purchase appears not to be linked.

Gofman, Moskowitz and Mets explore approaches to consumer-driven optimization of package design utilizing a novel modified conjoint analysis approach. The approach allows for dynamic creation and testing of a large number of design prototypes with consumers and finds optimal solutions on an aggregated, segmented (pattern-based latent mindset segmentation) and individual basis. The authors demonstrate that consumer research could and should be a central part not only at the final stages of the package design, but also at the initial stage.

Durvasula and Lysonski engage in a study to better understand attitudes towards money in China and how these attitudes affect elements of consumer behavior such as materialism and vanity. To the young Chinese, materialism is affected by the power-prestige and anxiety dimensions, but unaffected by the distrust dimension pf money attitudes. The power-prestige dimension of money attitudes affects achievement vanity. The results of this study might imply that positioning products based on the possession of money and the use of this money to indulge hedonism may resonate well with young Chinese consumers. However, some of the relationships that are examined may cause concerns to ethicists and consumer watchdogs because of the associated problems of compulsive buying and other problems, which are prevalent to consumer societies.

Prendergast, Tsang and Chan investigate the interactive influence of country of origin of the brand and personal involvement with a product on purchase intention. For marketers whose product is branded in a country with a favorable image, emphasizing the country of origin of the brand would be appropriate when communicating with low involvement consumers. Marketers whose product is branded in a country with a less favorable image ought to emphasize other peripheral cues when communicating with low involvement consumers.

In this issue you will also find our Book reviews as well as our Internet currency section.

Richard C. Leventhal