A “double-edged sword” effect of consumer expertise on tourism loyalty

PurposeAs globalization promotes mobility and tourism around the world, the substitution effect of outbound tourism on domestic tourism becomes increasingly apparent. Knowing how to increase customers' loyalty toward domestic tourism is an urgent and critical question for policymakers and tourism managers, especially from the perspective of customer segmentation. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether and how consumer expertise affects domestic tourism loyalty. This paper also provides comprehensive research for understanding differences between married and unmarried consumers in responses to the impact of expertise on loyalty.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on a survey of 384 individuals. We use Partial least squares (PLS), a variance-based structural equation model, and statistical comparison to test research hypotheses.FindingsResults suggest that consumer expertise has a “double-edged sword” effect on domestic tourism loyalty. On one hand, it increases the perceived benefit of domestic tourism and reduces consumers' motivation to switch to outbound tourism, resulting in a higher level of domestic tourism loyalty. On the other hand, consumer expertise improves consumers' switching ability and switching opportunity to travel abroad, leading to a lower level of domestic tourism loyalty. Furthermore, this paper documents that married and unmarried customers present heterogeneous attitudes in the decision process. We found that married customers are less sensitive to the impact of consumer expertise on the perceived benefit and the impact of consumer expertise on switch ability. However, married customers are more sensitive to both the impact of perceived usefulness on the switch motivation, and the impact of switch motivation, switch opportunity and switch ability on domestic tourism loyalty.Research limitations/implicationsOur findings enrich the literature on consumer expertise and loyalty. Future studies may consider examining similar relationships by utilizing multiple research methods as well as testing the research findings and mechanisms in different contexts.Practical implicationsThis research provides practical guidance for cultivating and maintaining domestic tourism loyalty, such as consumer segmentation in terms of tourism knowledge and information.Originality/valueThis paper examines the relationship between consumer expertise and loyalty in the context of tourism and uncovers the mechanism behind it. More importantly, to our knowledge, this paper is the first to identify consumers' marital status as a key factor that influences the process of how consumer expertise affects domestic tourism loyalty.

Expanding the Task-Dominant Value Cocreation Narrative: The Role of Consumer Expertise and Social and Mental Processes

This research proposes an integral model of cocreation processes before, during, and after a trip affecting customer value and anteceded by tourist expertise. Beyond prevailing task-related (coproduction) processes and the more recently contemplated social processes, we consider mental cocreation using the concept of mental time travel (forward and backward). Findings from 428 tourist responses reveal the great potential of these novel cocreation forms, showing that imagining a forthcoming trip and remembering the travel afterwards are important affective value drivers, as is interacting with locals and employees. Overall, these play a more prominent role than task-related processes. Likewise, we found that tourist expertise is a major antecedent of cocreation and precursor of value. Managers could encourage tourist cocreation by applying customer education strategies, stimulating activities with high community contact, and using virtual tools to intensify thoughts and memories of past and future travel experiences. Technology may be key in achieving this.

Blockchain or Not? Optimal Decisions for Food Retailers Considering Consumer Expertise

This paper studies the benefit of the blockchain food traceability system (BFTS). Based on game theory and the willingness-to-pay model, pricing models are formulated considering important factors like the proportion of consumer with high expertise in traceability, risk attitude to doubtful traceability information and perceived convenience of traceability information checking. By compared the optimal total welfare under the BFTS and that under the traditional food traceability system in valuation analysis, conditions where applying the BFTS is more valuable than applying the TFTS are figured out. Finally, insightful management implications are given.

The effects of Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) on the adoption of consumer eWOM information

The purpose of this research is to explore and test the effect of electronic Word-of-mouth (eWOM) on the adoption of consumer eWOM information. Through the credibility variables of the eWOM, namely the trust of the eWOM news source, the quantity of eWOM, the quality of eWOM and consumer expertise in the case of female consumers when buying cosmetics in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. To achieve this goal, the author does conduct research by submitting an online survey questionnaire and obtained 200 valid questionnaires. The online questionnaire has targeted internet users, who have previously purchased online and read reviews online received from the provider's website. The result from Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) shows that consumer expertise has the most significant effect on consumer adoption of eWOM information while the number of eWOM has the least impact. Besides, the credibility of eWOM news sources and the quality of eWOM also indirectly affect the adoption of eWOM information. What is more, the study suggests some recommendations to cosmetic businesses so that they develop applications or websites where assessments and quality of information are relevant, and the current expertise of consumers is increasingly present.

Consumerism and the Materiality of Music Books

Well-to-do amateur musicians were consumers of luxury goods. Consumer culture in the early American republic was heavily reliant on imports. Not only was sheet music imported, often from Britain, but the raw materials out of which manuscript books were made relied on global trade. Although amateurs’ music books were not particularly fine, making the books required time, expense, and effort—all of which meant they were considered luxuries. The music books of Sarah Brown [Herreshoff] and Elizabeth Van Rensselaer demonstrate the importance of consumer expertise and decision-making, while their elite upbringing in wealthy homes contextualizes their collecting habits. Furthermore, Sarah Brown’s family wealth stemmed from overseas trade, including the transatlantic slave trade, implicating her privileged music consumerism with regimes of oppression. The refined and leisurely labor of collecting and creating music books is contrasted with the invisible, immiserated labor of foreign workers who produced the raw materials of those same books.

The impact of food traceability system on consumer perceived value and purchase intention in China

PurposeBased on the involvement and customer-delivered value theories, this paper proposes a comprehensive framework with which to examine the relationships between food traceability system, consumer perceived value and purchase intention. The study also investigates the moderating role of consumer expertise in the relationship between food traceability system and perceived value.Design/methodology/approachSurvey approach is the primary data collection tool, through which a total of 238 useable responses were obtained. Structural equation modelling is employed to examine the hypothesized relationships among all variables.FindingsThe findings show that the information quality, perceived reliability and product diagnosticity of food traceability system affect consumer perceived value, and the perceived value and purchase intention are positively associated, while consumer expertise acts as a moderator on the relationship between food traceability system and consumer perceived value.Originality/valueThis study sheds light on how consumer perceived value of food traceability system can enhance their intention to purchase traceable food. It contributes to the theory of customer-delivered value and involvement as well as traceable product marketing strategies. From a managerial perspective, guidelines are provided for traceable food producers and marketers to implement reasonable strategies to attract consumers to purchase and promote the sustainable development of food industry.

Principles and strategies for involving patients in research in chronic kidney disease: report from national workshops

Background There is widespread recognition that research will be more impactful if it arises from partnerships between patients and researchers, but evidence on best practice for achieving this remains limited. Methods We convened workshops in three Australian cities involving 105 patients/caregivers and 43 clinicians/researchers. In facilitated breakout groups, participants discussed principles and strategies for effective patient involvement in chronic kidney disease research. Transcripts were analysed thematically Results Five major themes emerged. ‘Respecting consumer expertise and commitment’ involved valuing unique and diverse experiential knowledge, clarifying expectations and responsibilities, equipping for meaningful involvement and keeping patients ‘in the loop’. ‘Attuning to individual context’ required a preference-based multipronged approach to engagement, reducing the burden of involvement and being sensitive to the patient journey. ‘Harnessing existing relationships and infrastructure’ meant partnering with trusted clinicians, increasing research exposure in clinical settings, mentoring patient to patient and extending reach through established networks. ‘Developing a coordinated approach’ enabled power in the collective and united voice, a systematic approach for equitable inclusion and streamlining access to opportunities and trustworthy information. ‘Fostering a patient-centred culture’ encompassed building a community, facilitating knowledge exchange and translation, empowering health ownership, providing an opportunity to give back and cultivating trust through transparency. Conclusions Partnering with patients in research requires respect and recognition of their unique, diverse and complementary experiential expertise. Establishing a supportive, respectful research culture, responding to their individual context, coordinating existing infrastructure and centralizing the flow of information may facilitate patient involvement as active partners in research.