Consumer confusion in German food retailing: the moderating role of trust

Abstract

Purpose – Due to the rising number of product, service, and shopping possibilities available to consumers, food shopping has become increasingly more complex. As a result, consumers can become confused, and this state of confusion may influence their purchase behaviour (e.g. may cause them to not buy a product) and the personal needs they have in a shopping environment (e.g. certification to signal product quality, salesperson consultation for assistance in decision making, or governmental regulation). However, trust can reduce complexity, and may thereby moderate the influence of consumer confusion for negative outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to identify outcomes of consumer confusion and to investigate the moderating role of broader-scope trust on the negative outcomes of this confusion. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual model was developed to study potential negative outcomes of consumer confusion. In order to assess consumer confusion and the degree of negative outcomes, a telephone survey method for the questionnaire was applied, querying 516 participants who regularly bought food products. Findings – The results clearly suggest that consumer confusion evokes various negative outcomes that are of relevance for food retailing. The intensity of the influence of consumer confusion on several of those negative outcomes could be decreased by broader-scope trust. Further, an interaction effect linked to gender was observed. Originality/value – To the best of the knowledge, this is the first international journal publication on the moderating role of trust on the outcomes of consumer confusion.

Perception of Store Owners on Marketing of Processed Peanut Products in Central Java

“…The results of their research state that there is a relationship between promotion of buying decisions. The other researchers, such as Wobker et al (2015), also confirm that there is a relationship between promotion and buying decision. Then, the researcher concluded that there is a relationship between promotion and buying decision.…”

“…This result can also be interpreted that any promotional enhancement will increase consumer's buying decision of processed peanut food products in Central Java. Blattberg et al (1995) and Wobker et al (2015) state that promotion is a marketing activity that seeks to disseminate information, to influence and remind target markets of the company and its products to be willing to accept, buy and be loyal to the products offered by the company. This study supports the previous studies conducted by Huang and Yang (2015) and Wobker et al (2015).…”

“…Blattberg et al (1995) and Wobker et al (2015) state that promotion is a marketing activity that seeks to disseminate information, to influence and remind target markets of the company and its products to be willing to accept, buy and be loyal to the products offered by the company. This study supports the previous studies conducted by Huang and Yang (2015) and Wobker et al (2015). In particular, this study has differences with previous studies in looking at the promotional variable of the respondents.…”

“…Promotion is communicating information between sellers and potential buyers or others to influence attitudes and behavior (Blattberg et al, 1995;Tan and Bogomolova, 2016). Promotion is company's communication to consumers towards products or services produced in an effort to build a favorable relationship (Wobker et al, 2015;Blattberg et al, 1995). Building a good customer relationship requires more than just developing a good product, attractive product pricing, and providing the product to targeted customers (Blattberg et al, 1995).…”

“…All forms of communication must be planned and integrated into a carefully integrated marketing communication program. In addition to the importance of establishing and maintaining various types of relationships, good communication is an essential element in company's efforts to build a profitable customer relationship (Wobker et al, 2015). A product that is properly, routinely and intently promoted can influence consumer's buying decisions (Wobker et al, 2015).…”