JTAER, Vol. 18, Pages 1741-1763: Influencer Engagement on Social Media: A Conceptual Model, the Development and Validation of a Measurement Scale

Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research doi: 10.3390/jtaer18040088

Authors: Nataly Levesque Frank Pons

This research aims to conceptualize, develop, and validate a specific instrument for measuring the engagement of followers towards influencers on social media, and more specifically, in this first research, on Instagram. We surveyed (in-depth interviews, and questionnaires) 32 marketing experts and 1170 Instagram followers. Based on the applications of factor analysis and structural equation modelling, we determined 21 valid items. The scale assesses the cognitive, affective, and behavioral characteristics of follower’s engagement across five dimensions. The results provide insight into the interactive, personal, and social aspects of this type of virtual engagement. It is the first scale to measure this engagement in a multidimensional framework, which advances future research. Additionally, it will help managers identify the strongest dimensions of their influencers’ engagement and thus be able to adjust marketing communication strategies to foster multidimensional follower engagement and subsequent partnerships.

JTAER, Vol. 18, Pages 1764-1796: Conceptualization and Survey Instrument Development for Over-the-Top Platforms’ Usability

Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research doi: 10.3390/jtaer18040089

Authors: Aycan Pekpazar Muhammed Cagri Coskun Cigdem Altin Gumussoy

OTT (over-the-top) streaming is a subscription-based video service model that delivers video-on-demand content, films, and series directly to end-users over the Internet, bypassing the need for traditional satellite receiver systems. The most popular OTT service providers include Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the viewership rates and subscriber numbers for OTT platforms rapidly increased. Like various other products and systems, usability problems can substantially impact user satisfaction, loyalty, and the intention to continue using OTT services. Therefore, this study aimed to conceptualize the usability of OTT platforms and develop an OTT Usability Measurement Scale for the usability evaluation of OTT platforms based on the Apple tvOS Guidelines and the literature. OTT platform usability was conceptualized with nine constructs, including Accessibility and Customization, Account Management, Data Entry and Search, Branding, Privacy, Navigation, Help, Content, and Design, and the concepts were measured with a scale including 48 items. The validity of the developed scale was tested through two separate survey studies conducted with Netflix web application users. The first survey involved 650 participants. At this stage, an exploratory factor analysis was used to evaluate the scale’s measurement properties, and the developed factor structure was confirmed. In the second stage, a survey with 600 participants was conducted, and a confirmatory factor analysis was applied to validate the scale properties. Furthermore, a nomological validation of the developed scale was performed, examining the relationship between the acquired OTT factors and elements such as continued intention to use, satisfaction, and brand loyalty. As a result of the nomological validation, it was observed that the privacy and design factors significantly affected each of the three dependent variables.

JTAER, Vol. 18, Pages 1721-1740: Bilateral Pricing of Ride-Hailing Platforms Considering Cross-Group Network Effect and Congestion Effect

Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research doi: 10.3390/jtaer18040087

Authors: Jing Li Hongfu Huang Li Li Jieyu Wu

The pricing of ride-hailing platforms (e.g., Didi Rider and Uber) is heavily and simultaneously influenced by the cross-group network effect and congestion effect. To analyze the bilateral pricing of ride-hailing platforms under the influence of these two effects, in this paper we construct a game-theoretic model under four different scenarios and analyze the equilibrium outcomes. The results show that: (1) when both passengers and drivers are sensitive to hassle costs, if the cross-group network effect on the passenger side is higher than that on the driver side, then the platform’s pricing on both sides increases with the increase in the congestion effect, otherwise the prices on both sides of the platform decrease with the increase in the congestion effect; (2) when passengers are sensitive to hassle costs and drivers are sensitive to price, if the ratio for passengers’ and drivers’ different perceptions of price and hassle cost is greater than a certain threshold, then the platform’s pricing on the passenger side increases with the increase in the congestion effect and the platform’s pricing on the driver side decreases with the increase in the congestion effect, otherwise the platform’s pricing on the passenger side decreases with the increase in the congestion effect and the platform’s pricing on the drivers’ side increases with the increase in the congestion effect; (3) when passengers are sensitive to price and drivers are sensitive to hassle costs, if the ratio for passengers’ and drivers’ different perceptions of price and hassle costs is greater than a certain threshold, then the platform’s pricing on the passenger side decreases with the increase in the congestion effect and the platform’s pricing on the drivers’ side increases with the increase in the congestion effect, otherwise the platform’s pricing on the passenger side increases with the increase of the congestion effect and the platform’s pricing on the driver side decreases with the increase in the congestion effect; (4) when both passengers and drivers are price-sensitive, if the cross-group network effect on the passengers’ side is larger than that on the drivers’ side, then the platform should decrease its pricing on both sides with the increase in the congestion effect, otherwise, if the cross-group network effect on the passengers’ side is less than that on the drivers’ side, the platform should increase its pricing on both sides with the increase in the congestion effect; (5) the platform is able to generate the highest profit in each scenario, and the results of the profit comparison between the four scenarios depends on the cross-group network effects and the congestion effects on both the passengers’ and the drivers’ sides.

JTAER, Vol. 18, Pages 1700-1720: The Business Digitalization Process in SMEs from the Implementation of e-Commerce: An Empirical Analysis

Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research doi: 10.3390/jtaer18040086

Authors: José Manuel Santos-Jaén Fernando Gimeno-Arias Ana León-Gómez Mercedes Palacios-Manzano

The main objective of this research is to carry out a comprehensive analysis of how e-commerce affects the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Mexico. This study will pay special attention to the role of business digitalization and the optimization of operational processes in this context. Our research involved creating a partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) to examine our hypotheses. According to our research, incorporating e-commerce, digitalizing business processes, and improving operational efficiency significantly contribute to corporate performance. Our results show direct effects that, together with indirect effects of business digitalization and operational efficiency, enhance the positive influence of online commerce. This research fills a gap in the literature by investigating the relationship between e-commerce, business digitalization, operational efficiency, and business performance. It provides essential insights into the direct impact of e-commerce on corporate performance and the indirect impact through the mediation of business digitalization and operational efficiency. The results show significant implications for business managers, as the findings can help them to invest in technologies that foster e-commerce, which, by improving business digitalization and operational efficiency, will result in better corporate performance and the ability to adapt to today’s turbulent environment.

JTAER, Vol. 18, Pages 1687-1699: Could Food Delivery Involve Certified Quality Products? An Innovative Case Study during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Italy

Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research doi: 10.3390/jtaer18040085

Authors: Mattia Rapa Vanessa Giannetti Maurizio Boccacci Mariani Federico Di Francesco Alessandro Porpiglia

This study evaluates the feasibility of a new food delivery service involving only food products with quality certification. In particular, through an ad hoc survey, it evaluates the influence of consumers’ personal characteristics and choice motives on joining this innovative service and the willingness to pay of the respondents. A survey was completely anonymously and voluntarily administered during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. A total of 630 answers were collected. Logit and ordinal logit regression were carried out to analyze data. Women and respondents who have more leisure time are more likely to join the service. The analysis of choice motives suggests that consumers more concerned with food quality, and those devoting a higher weekly budget to buying groceries are more likely to be interested in the proposed service. Individuals willing to buy groceries based on certifications and organoleptic properties and people who habitually consume one to five meals outside were more likely to be willing to increase their weekly budget to join the service. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating the influence of personal characteristics and choice motives on an innovative food delivery service involving only certified quality products in Italy.

JTAER, Vol. 18, Pages 1637-1659: Do Electronic Coupon-Using Behaviors Make Men Womanish? The Effect of the Coupon–Feminine Stereotype

Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research doi: 10.3390/jtaer18030083

Authors: Chenyan Gu Liang Hu Xi Lei Defeng Yang

Why are men less likely to use electronic coupons than women? Previous studies have explained the gender difference in coupon usage by exploring roles within the household and personality traits of the sexes. However, this research offers a novel explanation for this phenomenon, that men’s reluctance to use e-coupons may derive from the prevalent stereotype that e-coupon users are feminine. Because of the feminine stereotype associated with e-coupon usage, acquiring and using e-coupons are inconsistent with men’s gender identity. Five studies combining real data analysis, an online survey and experiments are used to support the previous notion. Using e-coupon acquisition data from a platform, study 1 tests whether females are more likely to acquire and use e-coupons than males in the real world. Study 2 experimentally tests the coupon–feminine stereotype. Study 3 explores the mediation effect of gender identity threat. Study 4 and study 5 consider two boundary conditions under which male consumers may be motivated to use e-coupons: when male consumers’ masculine identity is affirmed, and when the association between e-coupons and femininity is weakened. The results explain the gender difference in e-coupon usage from the novel lens of the coupon–feminine stereotype, offering a new and important perspective to explore the effect of gender identity on coupon use. Practical implications such as breaking the coupon–feminine stereotype, adopting a masculine design and communicating an affirmation of gender identity are further discussed.

JTAER, Vol. 18, Pages 1660-1686: Content Quality Assurance on Media Platforms with User-Generated Content

Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research doi: 10.3390/jtaer18030084

Authors: Xingzhen Zhu Markus Lang Helmut Max Dietl

This paper develops a duopoly model for user-generated content (UGC) platforms, which compete for consumers and content producers in two-sided markets characterized by network externalities. Each platform has the option to invest in a content quality assurance (CQA) system and determine the level of advertising. Our model reveals that network effects are pivotal in shaping the platforms’ optimal strategies and user behavior, specifically in terms of single vs. multi-homing. We find that when network effects for producers are weak, consumers tend to engage in multi-homing while producers prefer single-homing. Conversely, strong network effects lead to the opposite behavior. Furthermore, our model demonstrates that user behavior and network effects dictate whether a platform is incentivized to incorporate advertisements and/or invest in CQA. Generally, weak network effects prompt a platform to invest in a CQA system, unless both consumers and producers engage in multi-homing. Our model’s results highlight the importance for platform companies to evaluate the extent of network effects on their platform in order to anticipate user behavior, which subsequently informs the optimal CQA and advertising strategy.

JTAER, Vol. 18, Pages 1619-1636: How Digital Financial Inclusion Boosts Tourism: Evidence from Chinese Cities

Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research doi: 10.3390/jtaer18030082

Authors: Chi Zhang Yayu Liu Zhengning Pu

It is crucial to explore the impact of digital financial inclusion on tourism for national economic development. This paper utilizes panel data from 256 prefecture-level cities in China between 2011 and 2019 to examine the influence of digital financial inclusion on tourism. The findings demonstrate that digital financial inclusion significantly contributes to the development of the tourism industry. Notably, its coverage breadth, depth of use, and level of digitalization also have positive effects. Mechanism analysis reveals that digital financial inclusion facilitates the growth of tourism by supporting the development of tourism enterprises and enhancing consumer spending. Heterogeneity analysis further reveals regional and urban disparities in the promotion of digital financial inclusion, with the effect being more pronounced in the eastern region and larger cities. In comparison to existing studies, this paper delves into the mechanisms through which digital financial inclusion impacts tourism, as well as investigates regional and city size discrepancies. Consequently, governments should strive to foster the development of digital financial inclusion to attract market players and promote the advancement of residents’ consumption, thereby bolstering tourism development.

JTAER, Vol. 18, Pages 1601-1618: The Role of Influencers in Live Streaming E-Commerce: Influencer Trust, Attachment, and Consumer Purchase Intention

Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research doi: 10.3390/jtaer18030081

Authors: Nan Chen Yunpeng Yang

Live streaming e-commerce has emerged as a novel online marketing model. Drawing upon influencer marketing theory, this study examines the mechanisms through which influencers (live streamers) promote consumers’ purchase intention in the context of live streaming e-commerce. A sample of 449 valid questionnaires was utilized to test the proposed theoretical framework. The empirical research findings reveal that customer experience significantly and positively impacts both influencer trust and influencer attachment. Furthermore, trust and attachment established with live streamers are identified as two effective mechanisms influencing consumer decision-making. Notably, influencer attachment exhibits a stronger influence on consumer purchase intention compared to influencer trust. By comparing the effects of Taobao and Douyin live streamers on stimulating consumption and purchase intention, the study demonstrates that live streamers play a crucial mediating role between customer experience and consumer purchase intention. Specifically, the results indicate that consumer purchase intention influenced by top Taobao streamers is stronger than that of Douyin streamers, whereas influencer attachment for Taobao streamers is relatively weaker than that for Douyin streamers. These findings provide theoretical and managerial implications for platforms and live streamers seeking to stimulate robust purchase intentions among consumers by fostering attachment relationships. The establishment of an emotional connection between the live streamer and the audience proves particularly valuable in increasing purchase intention. This research contributes to the understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving consumer behavior in the context of live streaming e-commerce. It emphasizes the significance of customer experience, influencer trust, and influencer attachment as key drivers of consumer purchase intention. The findings offer valuable insights for platforms and live streamers to optimize their strategies and enrich user data labels in order to enhance consumer engagement and stimulate purchase intentions. Ultimately, this research contributes to the advancement of the live streaming e-commerce field, strengthens the application of data elements in live streaming e-commerce marketing, and guides effective decision-making by industry practitioners.

JTAER, Vol. 18, Pages 1560-1579: A Segmentation Study of Digital Pirates and Understanding the Effectiveness of Targeted Anti-Piracy Communication

Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research doi: 10.3390/jtaer18030079

Authors: Bong-Keun Jeong Sarah S. Khan Bomi Kang

The objective of this study is to improve the effectiveness of anti-piracy educational strategies by identifying unique digital pirate segments and delivering personalized campaign messages to the target audiences. In the first study, we introduced a segmentation study of digital pirates based on different types of risks involved in pirating activities. We identify four digital pirate segments (anti-pirates, hard-core pirates, performance-sensitive pirates, and finance-sensitive pirates), each demonstrating distinctive characteristics. Further profiling of the segments revealed different risk perceptions regarding gender and piracy experience. In the second study, we conduct an experiment to test the effects of targeted campaign messages for the newly identified pirating segments. Our results show that targeted piracy campaign messages have a significantly higher message persuasiveness, while they damage the attitude towards piracy. However, we found that the targeted piracy campaign messages have a marginal effect on changing the intention to pirate. Findings from this study offer useful implications for the design and implementation of anti-piracy educational campaigns.