Modelling e-commerce customer reactions. Exploring online shopping carnivals in China

Abstract

This research investigates customer reactions by exploring satisfaction(SAT), complaints(CC) and loyalty(CL) in an online shopping carnival(OSC) context in China. Expanding the American Customer Satisfaction Index(ACSI) model by including e-commerce corporate image(ECCI) next to customer expectations(CE), perceived quality(PQ), perceived value(PV), SAT was determined, while CC and CL were estimated based on SAT. For estimating CL, ECCI was added. 300 valid questionnaires were collected from Chinese shoppers with OSC experience. The research hypotheses were tested through Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling. The results prompt five key paths influencing SAT and CL. No significant impact on and of CC was identified. ECCI significantly impacted on CC, SAT and CL. This study provides in the context of OSCs a new research perspective of customer reactions, centred on satisfaction, emphasising the role of image on expectations, satisfaction and loyalty, and incorporating customer complaints to quantify negative aspects of shopping experience in determining customer loyalty. E-commerce companies should deliver unforgettable customer experience through building a long-lasting image, offering consistent quality and delivering clearly-delineated value, as antecedents of satisfaction and loyalty. The model can be further expanded by exploring the consequences of customer loyalty on potential buying behaviour, focusing on purchasing intention and recommendations.

Consumption Behavior Prediction Based on Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithm

“…However, because the investigation was limited to four cities from the tier 1 bunch of social marketplace utilization, it was recommended that they also cover other geographic areas when examining OSC behavior. Initial data collection involved 357 questionnaires, however, after eliminating the invalid ones, 300 valid surveys (84.03 percent) were kept (Liu et al [31]).…”

The effect of new e-commerce platform’s OSC promotion on consumer cognition: from cognitive legitimacy and cognitive psychology perspective

“…In China, online shopping on platforms such as Alibaba and JD.com has become a well-established behavior. The shopping carnivals hosted by Alibaba or JD.com attract a massive population to their platforms every year ( Zhang, 2014 ; O’Sullivan, 2016 ; Yan et al, 2016 ; Liu et al, 2021 ; QuestMobile, 2022 ; XinhuaNet, 2022 ).It can be inferred that Alibaba and JD.com have gained significant recognition from key stakeholders—the public—and have achieved a high level of cognitive legitimacy. However, the new e-commerce platform chosen for this study has a very low market share in China, and the participants surveyed were not familiar with the platform.…”

“…Firstly, OSC attracts consumers who actively monitor and participate in related events, exemplifying the promotion’s distinctive draw ( O’Sullivan, 2016 ). Previous research has indicated that OSC commonly provides significant discounts ( Lennon et al, 2011 ; Liu et al, 2021 ), which are especially attractive to cost-conscious consumers. These individuals are inclined to follow their preferred brands and engage with promotions on online shopping platforms, eagerly anticipating the most advantageous deals.…”

“…The findings suggest that new platforms can enhance perceived cognitive legitimacy through carnival promotions, consequently boosting consumer purchase intentions. While existing literature predominantly views carnivals as marketing tactics ( O’Sullivan, 2016 ) or promotional strategies that may trigger herd behaviors or other forms of social influence ( Lennon et al, 2011 ; Zhao et al, 2019 ; Liu et al, 2021 ). This study proposes that carnivals can also serve as a viable method for new platforms to establish legitimacy.…”

Early different cognitive processes evoked by carnival vs. general promotions when shopping online: An ERPs study

“…As a new type of event marketing and holiday promotion, online shopping carnivals are regarded to be the most successful type of promotion campaign. Characteristic examples are the DOUBLE ELEVEN online shopping carnival held since 2009 by Taobao&Tmall ® in China or Cyber Monday in the United States ( Swilley and Goldsmith, 2013 ; Liu et al, 2021 ). It has been shown that an artificial online shopping carnival can stimulate consumption by offering pronounced discounts and by creating a festive atmosphere ( Yu et al, 2018 ; Xu et al, 2020 ).…”