Conflicting online reviews challenge the consumer's decision-making processes. Furthermore, the increase in visual content, both positive and negative, adds complexity. This study analyses conflicting online reviews based on text and photos using automatic processing patterns and conscious perceptions. The study is built on the stimulus-organismresponse model revisited by Jacoby ( 2002), and captures nonlinear eye-tracking data and a questionnaire. A fsQCA analysis suggests that the order of the positive and negative stimuli strongly influence the way respondents perceive the overall meaning of a sequence of online reviews, supporting primacy-recency effects. In addition, the visualization pattern is shown to be similar, regardless of the valence sequence of the online reviews. The visual attention paid to the pictorial content is at the expense of attention paid to the text. Theoretical contributions to the stimulus-organism-response model and managerial implications are proposed.

Brand equity is a valuable (intangible) asset for firms. Research examines brand equity from the side of consumers, firms, or other stakeholders. Consumer-based brand equity focuses on consumers and represents positive business outcomes. Despite its importance, most extant literature focuses on brand equity as a construct, thus failing to recognize the complexity of the phenomenon. This study uses complexity theory and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis to put forth an empirically validated framework that shows consumerbased brand equity as a dynamic and sequential process consisting of three blocks: Brand building, brand understanding, and brand relationships. This study provides insights into the creation process of brand equity, and helps progress the discussion from a focus on brand equity as a construct to a focus on brand equity as a process.Keywords: Brand equity; consumers; fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis; brand management 3 IntroductionResearchers widely acknowledge brand equity as a key marketing performance indicator, a source of competitive advantage, and a vital component of business success (Christodoulides et al., 2015). Although brand equity may derive from various stakeholders, consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) dominates marketing research. Despite the merits of existing research, failure to simultaneously capture the complex, dynamic, and idiosyncratic nature of CBBE highlights the need for more holistic, advanced, and actionable CBBE models that yield additional insights into the creation of brand equity .The literature on CBBE almost exclusively focuses on brand equity as a construct.Several studies (see Buil et al., 2013) suggest CBBE is an outcome of its dimensions and linearly associate numerous dimensions with overall CBBE. However, treating this undoubtedly complex phenomenon as linear might lead to simplistic or distorted interpretations. Building on previous research (e.g. Woodside, 2014), this study adopts complexity and configural theory to examine CBBE as a dynamic and evolving process that moves away from the logic that CBBE is a static and monolithic construct by shedding more light on the brand equity creation process. Academics rarely, and usually without empirical support, indicate that the development of CBBE is neither linear nor single pathway (Keller, 1993). However, the nature of the CBBE phenomenon suggests that many closely related brand concepts co-exist at different stages in the process (e.g., consumers' perceptions, feelings, relationships, and dynamic interactions) and that interrelationships among these concepts may occur (Henderson et al., 1998; Krishnan, 1996). Thus, the present study identifies CBBE as a complex system that includes separate development stages under which a sub-system of closely interrelated concepts lies, and empirically demonstrates the building blocks and various combinations that result in high CBBE. 4The contribution of this study to the literature is threefold. First, the study captures the multi-dimensionalit...

Purpose -This research seeks to accomplish two objectives: to extend the test of the functional relationship between store image attributes and customer satisfaction in the market environment of Greece; and to investigate the stability of the structural relationships between store image attributes and customer satisfaction across different customer groups. Design/methodology/approach -The literature concerning major store image attributes was systematically reviewed. After assessing the construct validity of the store image attributes based on confirmatory factor analysis, a path model specifying the relationships between store image attributes and customer satisfaction was estimated. A multigroup analysis was conducted to test the invariance of structural paths between store image attributes and customer satisfaction for different customer profiles. Findings -On appraising the store customer's personal variables four specific types of buyers, namely, the Typical, the Unstable, the Social, and the Occasional, were identified. While four of the six considered store attributes appear to be significant determinants of customer satisfaction, when examined for the degree of invariance between the four groups only Pricing and Products-related attributes were equally significant in all four groups. Research limitations/implications -The results of the study may vary with national context, size, strategic position of supermarkets, and other customer personal variables (i.e. lifestyle) suggesting future research opportunities. Practical implications -The results facilitate the comprehension of the role that specific store attributes have on the satisfaction of store visitors with different profiles. In addition, the results expand the retail manager's knowledge on consumer behaviour, with rational motives (product and price-related). Originality/value -The results expand one's knowledge on this relationship, propounding interesting empirical evidence of the model invariance among different consumer profiles.