11.3 A Western Marketing Medley

Product reviews are an important source of information for consumers when making purchase decisions. Previous research has shown that negative reviews can be more helpful than positive reviews, particularly when they express emotions such as anxiety or anger. This study investigated the effects of anxiety and anger on the perceived helpfulness of product reviews. The results showed that anxious reviews were perceived as more helpful than angry reviews. Future research should investigate the possible role of a positivity bias in the evaluation of negative reviews when the emotional content displays a level of uncertainty.

In this research, we delve into the intersection of cryptocurrency consumption and knowledge levels within Generation Z, based on a qualitative survey executed in March 2023. The survey pool included undergraduate students from universities in the Midwest and West of the United States. Our findings revealed a considerable association between cryptocurrency engagement and knowledge depth. Participants with shallow understanding, primarily fueled by non-authoritative sources, displayed limited trust and engagement with cryptocurrencies. Contrastingly, those with comprehensive knowledge, derived from authoritative sources, were more inclined to partake in cryptocurrency purchases. The study provides a novel perspective on consumer behavior literature by applying information processing theory to the field of cryptocurrencies. It also generates significant insights for industry practitioners, underlining the demand for veracious educational resources, the importance of cultivating trust, and the strategic potential of social media as an educational tool in the cryptocurrency sector. Finally, we argue that recognizing and addressing the varied needs within the Generation Z demographic is pivotal for effective engagement and successful strategies in the cryptocurrency market.

The present research aims to reconcile previous literature s by investigating how review volume and financial constraints moderate the mediation process between valence and purchase intention. Two lab experiments were conducted, revealing that review volume and consumer’s financial constraints act as boundary conditions for the effect of valence on purchase intentions, through conflict and relational benefit/trust. Specifically, the studies indicate that higher review volume intensifies the negative impact of conflict on relational benefit/trust, and the benefits of relational benefit/trust are weaker when consumers have high financial constraints. These findings enhance our understanding of establishing online relationships and provide valuable insights for marketers to effectively leverage online reviews. ​The work offers marketing managers a new perspective on how to maintain a reciprocal consumer-firm relationship in the context of UGC dominated online media. First of all, as the findings suggest the joint effect valence and volume on relationships, marketers need to realize that the online relationship is not deteriorated abruptly with a small amount of negative information. It is the accumulation of the adverse effect that triggers the altered perception about the firm, indicating marketers to allocate their resources on dealing with the information that has significant negative potential, especially those that result from severe conflicting events. At the same time, the findings indicate that online relationships are not equally important for all consumers at all times, suggesting marketers to tailor their marketing strategy accordingly. For instance, for consumers who are at high financial pressure, non-relationship factors play a determining role in decision making. In these cases, the investment in online relationship marketing may not as effective as it should be for those who are less financially stressed.

Universities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) are facing tough competition from universities within the region as well as nationwide. The purpose of this research is to analyze the need of universities to engage in the promotional activities in GTA. Data was collected from universities in the GTA, and analysis identified the reasons why universities engage in promotional activities. Later relevance of the results is discussed in the context of the published literature. Findings provide the information on factors that universities consider important to engage in promotional activities. Finally, a concluding thought, limitations and directions for future research are provided. Note: Complete paper submitted. However, if accepted i shall be publishing Summary Brief (also uploaded) in conference proceedings.