Search Results (139)

Compared to multiple other European countries, Germany still lists among those countries restricting the operation of most retail activities on Sundays as well as public holidays. For a long time, the German populace backed this decision. The COVID-19 crisis had distinct effects on retail behavior, expectations, and perceptions among broad strata of German society. To quantify these changes, this study implements the results of two surveys from 2018 and 2025. Both samples were drawn from among the population of the fourth-largest German city of Cologne and visitors to the city. The results of t-tests and multiple multivariate regression analyses indicate that visitors still attend retail Sundays for hedonistic motives, i.e., related events, but in 2025 utilitarian motives have become more essential. While the amount of money spent during retail Sundays increased, this development is primarily driven by visitors not native to Cologne. However, city events continue to draw visitors and should be continued by city management. The financial potential for retailers by abolishing the German Shop Closing Act consequently remains limited, and its abolishment would only increase the ease of shoppers. Thus, legal changes to the act will have only limited potential for urban economic development. Full article

The purpose of this study is to reveal the characteristics of wine tourists by determining their demographic and psychographic profiles, the effects of their travel motivations and lifestyles on their attitudes towards wine tourism, and the relationships between their demographic characteristics and attitudes. Based on a quantitative approach, study data were collected using a questionnaire. The sample consists of tourists who had visited a winery or participated in the vintage in a wine destination. Wine tourists’ principal motivations were pull factors and wine-related motivations. Their attitudes towards wine consumption had higher mean values than attitudes towards info-seeking, meaning that wine tourists preferred to taste wine and shop from wineries more than learn about wine. Regarding lifestyles, they were mostly innovators and experiencers. For destinations like Türkiye, wine tourism is a significant economic and sociocultural development tool. It is the first study to identify the wine tourists’ profile based on VALS-2, thereby providing a different perspective for the literature. Full article

This paper presents an approach for integrating data between a production system and its digital twin, focusing on achieving proactivity in production control. Recognizing the unique nature of each production system, this research highlights that a universal, plug-and-play solution is only partially feasible, primarily through general guidelines. The study successfully applied and automated proposed data acquisition methods, resulting in a functional, simulation-based digital twin that adheres to the latest ISO standards. The developed solution incorporates multiple data acquisition strategies, including files containing comma-separated values, a permanent connection to the production control system database, open platform communications unified architecture, and external command files for scenario alteration. The main motivation behind the presented implementation is its application on the shop-floors of small and medium enterprises, where it could provide useful tools for keeping up with the ever-rising competition in the manufacturing sector. This integrated approach allows for affordable and accurate system representation within the proactive simulation concept. The methodology was empirically validated across two distinct production systems: a lab-scale food and beverage line focusing on product tracking, and a sub-assembly line with automated guided vehicle optimization. Despite system variability, the core data acquisition methods demonstrated remarkable adaptability. Full article

As smart voice assistants (SVAs) become increasingly integrated into digital commerce, understanding the psychological factors driving their adoption or resistance is essential. While prior research has addressed the impact of privacy concerns, few studies have explored the competing forces that shape user decisions. This study investigates the dual role of privacy cynicism as a context-specific belief influencing both trust (reason-for) and perceived creepiness (reason-against)—which in turn affect attitudes, behavioral intentions, and resistance toward SVA usage, based on the Behavioral Reasoning Theory (BRT). The study used a convenience sampling method, gathering data from 250 Turkish consumers aged 18–35 through an online survey technique. The research model was analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings revealed that perceived creepiness increases resistance intention but does not significantly affect attitudes toward using SVAs. Perceived cynicism was found to positively influence perceived trust, and perceived trust, in turn, increased both behavioral intentions and attitudes toward using SVAs. Furthermore, attitudes toward SVA usage decreased resistance intention but increased behavioral intention. The results emphasize consumer trust and skepticism in AI-driven marketing. The study offers both theoretical contributions by extending BRT with a novel dual-path conceptualization of privacy cynicism, and practical implications for developers aiming to boost SVA adoption through trust-building and privacy assurance strategies. Full article

In the evolving digital marketplace, consumer behaviour is increasingly shaped by green marketing strategies, particularly in the context of sustainable consumption. This study aims to examine the mechanisms through which green content marketing and green affiliate marketing influence green variety-seeking shopping behaviours, with particular attention to the role of green shopping motives and the effectiveness of marketing strategies. As traditional retail methods face limitations, digital marketing channels provide new avenues to engage consumers through personalized and dynamic content. Using the Theory–Context–Characteristics–Methodology (TCCM) framework, this research systematically examines the existing literature to identify key theories, contexts, characteristics, and methodologies relevant to variety-seeking behaviours towards green products. The study explores the psychological and behavioural drivers behind shopping choices, offering insights into why consumers exhibit variety-seeking behaviour when purchasing green products. The results indicate that effective green content and affiliate marketing drive variety-seeking behaviour in green shopping, with consumer motives serving as a key mediating factor. The conceptual model developed in this study provides a structured understanding of how modern marketing strategies shape consumer preferences and engagement with green products. This study offers a future research agenda and practical implications for marketers and retailers. By understanding these influences, businesses can refine their marketing strategies to strengthen green shopping motives, encourage sustainable consumption over traditional consumption, and adapt to the dynamic retail landscape. Full article

This research examined the persuasive impact of social norms and financial incentive messaging for encouraging reusable bag use. In an online experiment with a nationally representative sample from the U.S. (n = 753), participants were randomly exposed to static or dynamic descriptive/injunctive norms, discounts/surcharges, combinations, or a control message. Intentions to bring reusable bags when grocery shopping, along with other key demographic and psychological variables, were assessed. ANCOVA results demonstrate the main effects of the messages. Planned contrasts revealed that injunctive norms elicited higher intentions than descriptive norms. Dynamic descriptive norms led to stronger intentions compared to static descriptive norms, with no difference shown between the two injunctive norm conditions. Notably, combining injunctive norms with either incentive boosted intentions beyond standalone messaging, supporting motivational complementarity. Norms overall outperformed incentives, but integrating social and economic appeals shows promise. The predicted superiority of experimental messages in promoting intentions, when compared to a generic pro-environmental appeal (control), was not supported. The findings advance an integrated behavior change approach highlighting normative information and incentives, shedding light on optimal messaging strategies amid pro-environmental interventions. Full article

This research explores consumer behavior in e-shopping apps, specifically focusing on how the consumers use e-carts and why they abandon them. A model based on the Regulatory Focus Theory was developed to explain the predicted relationships. The study used a self-administered survey to gather 274 qualifying questionnaires from Pakistani online buyers. The partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique was used to analyze the data. Empirical findings elaborate that the consumers’ self-suppression motivation to engage in e-shopping encourages e-cart use and decreases e-cart abandonment. Conversely, consumers’ self-expansion motivation increases e-cart abandonment. Also, visiting clearance pages increases cart abandonment. Moreover, when acting as a mediator it increases e-cart abandonment for both the self-suppression and self-expansion motivations. Furthermore, the moderating effects of product involvement were found to influence e-cart use rather than e-cart abandonment. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications for digital marketers are provided. Full article

Grocery shopping is an integral part of everyday life in every household. Due to the increasing decline in the number of grocery stores, it is difficult to find grocery shops close to home, especially in rural areas. For certain population groups, such as older people and/or people with limited mobility, people living alone and single parents, as well as households without a car, it is difficult to get groceries within walking distance. In addition, the gaps in local supply also mean a decline in the quality of life of the affected population. This study addresses the question of what role small rural grocery stores play in the shopping behavior of residents of rural areas and how they rate them. Using a quantitative consumer survey (n = 238), the shopping behavior and relationship to five sites in the Main-Spessart region of Bavaria, Germany were analyzed. The surveyed customers visit the rural stores several times a week (57.1%), especially for necessities (62.2%) and weekly shopping (13.1%). The product range (including fresh products), proximity to the place of residence, as well as the social function are most valued. Four different customer types were identified: the Uninvolved (35.6%), the Supporters (15.5%), the Motivated (25.8%) and the Socials (23.2%). The study shows that small rural grocery stores can contribute significantly to the food supply in poorly supplied areas. The degree of use varies depending on the individual life circumstances and needs. Using the location as a place for social exchange is a very relevant factor (60.5%). The targeted use of the store as a social meeting place is highly dependent on the additional infrastructure provided (e.g., a café corner). These results can help decision-makers to gain a better understanding of the users and consequently to better assess potentials of small rural grocery stores. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped various aspects of life, influencing consumer behaviors and economic activities worldwide. This paper delves into the shifts in consumer preferences and shopping patterns for gardening products and services during and after the pandemic era. Through nationwide online surveys conducted from 2020 to 2022, we analyze changes in time spent and expenses on gardening and identify key demographic and pandemic-related factors influencing these behaviors during the pandemic era. We employed both generalized and standard ordered logistic regression models to assess the impact of various variables on the ordinal dependent variable. The findings reveal a significant surge in both time spending on home gardening activities and money invested in gardening products and services, especially among individuals who considered gardening beneficial for well-being and as a family activity. Notably, the preference for online shopping and mail delivery for gardening supplies emerged as a prominent trend during the pandemic, accompanied by a significant increase in the purchase of fruit plants, vegetable plants, and seeds, indicating that primary motivation for gardening was self-food consumption. These insights provide valuable guidance for businesses in the green industry, informing production, marketing practices, and economic recovery efforts post-COVID-19. Full article

Although digital hoarding behavior does not directly affect physical space, with the popularization of cloud storage services, its impact on energy consumption has become increasingly significant, posing a challenge to environmental sustainability. This study focuses on the factors influencing consumer digital hoarding behavior on e-commerce platforms, aiming to provide management decision-making references for e-commerce enterprises to deal with consumer digital hoarding phenomena and improve transaction effectiveness. Based on the Motivation–Opportunity–Ability (MOA) Theory and through the Adversarial Interpretive Structure Modeling Method (AISM), this study systematically identifies and analyzes the influencing factors. The findings reveal that emotional attachment, burnout, and fear of missing out are the main motivational factors directly affecting consumer digital hoarding behavior, with strong interconnections between these factors. Perceived usefulness and platform interaction design are significant opportunity factors, indirectly affecting digital hoarding behavior by improving user experience and satisfaction. E-commerce platform convenience, anticipated ownership, perceived economic value, emotional regulation ability, auxiliary shopping decision-making, perceived behavioral control, and information organization ability are the foundational and intermediate factors. The research results emphasize the importance of understanding consumer digital hoarding behavior in the context of sustainable development. This is not only conducive to optimizing the shopping cart function and data management strategy of e-commerce platforms and improving transaction conversion rates but also provides a reference for policymakers to formulate data management and privacy protection policies. Full article

In the online shopping context, brands aim to achieve a high level of profit by providing better customer satisfaction by using various artificial intelligence tools. They try creating a satisfactory customer experience by creating a system that provides never-ending customer support by using dialog-based chatbots, especially in the field of customer service. However, there is a lack of research investigating the impact of business and customer-based chatbot activities together on online purchase intention and the intention to reuse chatbots. This research considers the use of chatbots as a marketing tool from both customer and business perspectives and aims to determine the factors that affect the customers’ intention to purchase online and reuse chatbots. Accordingly, the impact on customer satisfaction with chatbot usage, which is based on chatbots’ communication quality and customers’ motivations to use chatbots, on online purchase intention and intention to reuse chatbots was examined. Through an online questionnaire with two hundred and ten participants, employing structural equation modeling, we revealed that customer satisfaction with chatbot usage has a greater impact on the intention to reuse chatbots than on online purchase intentions. In addition, chatbot communication quality has a greater impact on customer satisfaction with chatbot usage than customers’ motivation to use chatbots. To solidify these findings, confirmatory factor analysis, along with reliability and validity assessments, were implemented within the analytical framework to provide robust support for the study’s hypotheses. These findings not only provide empirical evidence and implications for companies in online shopping but also extend the understanding of AI tools in marketing, highlighting their subtle impact on consumer decision-making in the dynamic digital marketplace. Full article

Incense is essential in religious ceremonies, even in relatively new religious and spiritual movements such as New Age and Neopaganism. These garner little attention from ethnobotanists, although they trigger an international trade in wild-harvested plants. In this paper, we studied the botanical ingredients of smudge sticks (dried plant bundles burned for purification) in the Netherlands, and people’s motivations to use them posing the following questions: what plant species are included in smudge sticks? what are they used for? and are exotic plants preferred over native Dutch plant species? We visited online and physical shops in Dutch cities, acquiring a total of 29 different smudge sticks containing at least 15 species. We held semi-structured interviews with 11 users, vendors, and herbal experts, and collected data from 33 questionnaires. Salvia apiana L. was most frequently found, along with North American species of the genus Artemisia. The rise of the New Age movement resulted in North American ritual plant species being easily available in (online) shops in the Netherlands and smudge sticks being used for personal protection and cleansing. Despite the smudge sticks’ commercial demand, there is no data regarding the pressure on wild populations of species used in these bundles. For the preservation of these species it is crucial that scientific monitoring of their harvest is undertaken in the future. Full article

This study considers ways to increase the consumption of sustainable fashion given the significant environmental and social damages associated with the industry. A series of experiments were conducted examining the impacts of choice architecture (nudges) under field conditions in collaboration with one of Israel’s largest shopping centers. This study sought to identify which interventions at the retail level successfully motivate sustainable fashion behavioral change regarding purchases and willingness to pay more, along with agreement with several statements regarding the climate crisis and sustainable fashion. Among the types of nudges examined in this field study were providing information, increasing accessibility to sustainable alternatives and appealing to social identity in relation to demographics and green self-image. This study found that offering alternatives to consumers constituted the most effective way to “nudge” consumers toward more sustainable purchasing behavior. Nonetheless, this does not negate the contribution of providing information and strengthening social norms regarding sustainable fashion. Additionally, in all groups, most participants reported that they did not know how to distinguish between sustainable and non-sustainable fashion, nor did they believe that the clothes they purchased were actually sustainable. The findings emphasize the need for policies that will increase the accessibility of sustainable fashion. Full article

Across the world and within Europe, a growing number of consumers are choosing to buy gluten-free products. Motivations for a gluten-free diet and the consequences of consuming gluten are varied, from a medical necessity for those diagnosed with celiac disease to a range of health complications and discomfort for those who are gluten-intolerant. In this research, 7296 gluten-free consumers across 13 European countries responded to an online survey on the 33 types of gluten-free products purchased, how frequently they purchased them, their satisfaction with gluten-free quality and availability, the problems they have experienced, and the strategies they have employed to cope with these problems. The investigation examines whether and how these consumer attitudes and behaviors differ between those diagnosed with celiac disease, those who are gluten-intolerant, and those who are caregivers for others with a gluten-free diet. The results show that significant differences existed for all these habits and issues across the three gluten-free consumer groups. Specifically, caregivers purchased most of the gluten-free product types more frequently than the other two groups, experienced more availability problems, and were more likely to shop at multiple stores or make their own gluten-free products. Celiac-diagnosed consumers tended to buy gluten-free products more frequently than those who are gluten-intolerant, and they tended to be the most satisfied with the quality and range of gluten-free offerings. Despite purchasing frequency differences between the groups, the results suggest a similar hierarchy of gluten-free products that could provide the foundation for a European gluten-free food basket. Full article

Using survey data from three dwelling types in Jakarta, we examine how dwelling type, socioeconomic identity, and commuting distance affect women’s travel-mode choices and motivations behind women’s choices for nearby and distant non-working trips. We compared the performance of the multinomial logit (MNL) model with two machine-learning classifiers, random forest (RF) and XGBoost, using Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) for interpretation. The models’ efficacy varies across different datasets, with XGBoost mostly outperforming other models. The women’s preferred commuting modes varied by dwelling type and trip purpose, but their motives for choosing the nearest activity were similar. Over half of the women rely on private motorized vehicles, with women living in the gated community heavily relying on private cars. For nearby shopping trips, low income and young age discourage women in urban villages (kampungs) and apartment complexes from walking. Women living in gated communities often choose private cars to fulfill household responsibilities, enabling them to access distant options. For nearby leisure, longer commutes discourage walking except for residents of apartment complexes. Car ownership and household responsibilities increase private car use for distant options. SHAP analysis offers practitioners insights into identifying key variables affecting travel-mode choice to design effective targeted interventions that address women’s mobility needs. Full article