The Empirical Research about the Effects of Consumption Experience on Wordof-Mouth Intention
Bao-ku Li1 , Jin-zhi Jiang2
Institute of Marketing Management, Liaoning Technical University, Huludao, China
Institute of Marketing Management, Liaoning Technical University, Huludao, China
(E-mail: andyjjz1987@163.com and 349923687@qq.com)
Abstract - Which factors influence Word-of-Mouth
(WOM) Intention? How do they influence WOM Intention?
These are a focus of the researches about WOM intention.
This paper utilizes the demonstration methods of factor
analysis, multivariate linear regression to analyze the
satisfaction data by investigating some students whose have
computer. Through empirical analysis, we get the
dimensions of Consumption Experience. All four dimension
of the Consumption Experience have positive on WOM
Intention. Furthermore, the degree to which different
consumption experience influences customer satisfaction
varies. This study has some practical significance on the rich
WOM marketing theory and to help enterprises better
implement of WOM marketing strategy.
Keywords - WOM; Consumption Experience; WOM
Intention; WOM Marketing
I.
INTRODUCTION
With the development of market economy.
Consumer’s product knowledge is increasing and
consumption gradually experienced. Consumer behavior is
becoming more rational. WOM has become the most
frequently used when people make purchasing decisions of
information resources. To provide consumers with a good
consumption experience, encourage and guide them to
spread the reputation information that is conductive to
business. Gain a sustainable competitive advantage.
This paper will be on the basis of fully drawn on the
related Research and combined with the status Research
quo in WOM marketing and consumption experience. To
build a reasonable consumption experience measurement
scale. To clear consumption experience dimension
structure and proposed research model and hypotheses. To
explore the impact of the relationship between customers
consumption experience praise WOM intention.
II.
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
A. The basic connotation of consumer experience
Consumption experience can be divided into
functional consumption experience and experiential
consumption experience. Functional consumption refers to
general merchandise, consumer content in pursuit of the
functions and attributes of goods to meet consumer
demand for the consumption patterns of the target.
National Natural Science Foundation of China (71172218)
Liaoning Social Science Fund of China (2009A343)
Liaoning Excellent Talents fund of China (2009R31)
Experiential consumption for consumer content refers to
the experience goods to an exciting, memorable consumer
experience as the goal consumption patterns. Visible, there
is a clear difference between these two types of
consumption experience. Functional consumption
experience is the focus of this paper.
Consumption experience began in Holbrook and
Hirschman (1982) focus on the consumption experience.
In the book “consumption experience: fantasy, feeling, and
entertainment”, the author points out that the experience
consumption to the historical arena, marketers should pay
close attention to customers in the consumption experience
in experiential consumption [1].
Terblanche and Boshoff (2001) pointed out, only
concerned about the experiential consumption experience
and neglect of the functional consumption experience is
not appropriate. Functional consumption to bring
customers the consumption experience also can influence
customer psychology and behavior. Thus it is worth trying
that to explore around the consumption experience to the
related marketing issues [2].
Terblanche and Boshoff (2001) believe that the
consumption experience is the profound memory and
subjective experience of customer personal consumption
of a product obtained [3]. Berman and Evans (1998) believe
that retail consumption experience is all the incentive or
constraint elements of the customer contact with retailers
[4]
. Comprehensive these two viewpoints, this article
believe that the consumption experience is all the incentive
or constraint elements of the customers in order to
consume a product with the sellers of contact in the
transaction process and the profound memory and
subjective experience.
B. WOM and WOM spread
For the reputation of the research originated in the
study of Arndt (1967).He confirmed the important role of
Word-of- Mouth on new product diffusion and adoption [5].
In this study, we integrated in Arndt (1967) and
Westbrook (1987) defined on WOM: WOM is the
interpersonal communication of between the consumer and
the consumer about the product or service features, brand,
and business information and consumption experience oral
forms of interpersonal communication.
A concept closely related to WOM is WOM Spread.
Arndt (1967) defines the WOM Spread: face-to-face
verbal communication behaviors between the information
sender and information recipient. Chan (2000) believes
that WOM Spread is the sender on the elaboration of
product-related information as well as spread to other
consumer (receiver). In addition, he also believes that the
WOM Spread by the combined effects of many factors,
such as product, emotional, personal factors and so on.
Huang Xiaojun and Xu Weiqing (2004) believe that
WOM Spread is a perception of non-commercial
information disseminators and receivers on a product,
brand, organization and
informal
interpersonal
communication [6].
C. WOM Intention factors affecting willingness to study
Arndt (1967) and Dichter (1966) have been
researched the antecedent of the WOM Spread. Their
research shows the antecedent of consumers to participate
in WOM Spread is reduce the purchase dissonance,
product involvement, self-improvement, concern for
others, and the use of WOM Spread to upgrade their
status in interpersonal communication.
Tom J. brown (2005) developed a comprehensive
model of the antecedents of positive WOM intention. (Fig
2.1) [7]
The
satisfaction
of the dealer
Positive
WOM
Customer
commitmen
t
Customer
Identification
Sundaram, Mitra and Webster (1998) believe that the
consumption experience includes four aspects: product
performance experience, complaint handing capacity, price
and value perception, the employee’s performance [10].
Further refinement of these several dimensions, we
selected 18 sub-factors that student customers may
experience in the consumption process. In order to ensure
the scientific nature of the selected variables, we
conducted customer interview and consultation with
relevant experts. Selected variables were modified based
on feedback, finalize the 15 sub-elements: unique, physical
properties, performance and compatibility, answer
purchased doubt, careful handling of complaints, upgrades,
updates, troubleshooting, value for money, reasonable
price, reasonable price, value for money, to provide fast
service, willing to help, polite, with interest to solve the
problem.
The part of WOM intention, we learn from the
previous measure and grouped into a few: the
recommended degree, to encourage the purchase, to talk
about the advantage of four dimensions.
On the basis in reference to relevant research, we are
put forward four hypotheses in this paper:
H1: The product performance experience has a
positive significant impact on the WOM intention.
H2: The price and value perception experience has a
positive significant impact on the WOM intention.
H3: The employee`s performance experience has a
positive significant impact on the WOM intention.
H4: The complaint handling capacity experience has a
positive significant impact on the WOM intention.
In summary, this study proposed a conceptual model
(Fig 3.1):
Consumption Experience
Fig 2.1 Model of antecedents of positive WOM intention
Mee-Shew Cheung (2007) extends the previous
studies. They specialize research the factors affect the
willingness of W0M intention in the cultural context. Also
have did research about consumer WOM motives of
China and the U.S. Explained the different cultural
backgrounds of the two countries led to the motive of
consumer WOM Spread was different and they have put
forward different views about WOM Spread process [8].
In summary, concluded that the theoretical studies of
WOM prior to contact with the customer consumption
experience. In fact, Westbrook (1987) pointed out that
customer purchase behavior include WOM Spread
behavior [9]. The customer experience has a very important
effect of WOM.
According to the literature findings and results above,
this paper starts from a specific consumption experience.
Directly test the role of the consumption experience on
the willingness of consumer WOM intention.
III.
THEORETICAL FOUNDATION AND
RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
Product performance
experience
Experience Reaction:
Price and value perception
experience
WOM
Intention
Employee`s performance
experience
Complaint handling
capacity experience
Fig 3.1The Effects of Consumption Experience on WOM Intention
IV.
DATA COLLECTION
The subjects selected the college students whose
have brand computer as subjects. In the actual research
methods, On the one hand distributed part of the
questionnaire in Liaoning Technical University
campus. The other hand, over the network forwards the
electronic version of the questionnaire to the students
or friends. Commissioned them to fill, release, and also
achieved good recovery.
In this study, issued a total of 300 questionnaires
and recovery of 243, have 207 valid samples, the
effective rate was 69%. Use SPSS 17.0 statistical
software for data analysis. Men accounted for 54%
percent of those surveyed, women accounted for 46%.
From the age structure of the sample of this research
concentrated between 18-35 years of age. All are
college students. This part of customers most in work
or study phase, active thinking, more human, they are
regarded as the backbone of the WOM Spread. They
are having higher motivation of WOM intention and
the influence of WOM is relatively large.
variance of 74.949% (>40%). Each factor loading greater
than 0.4, indicating that the scale has good construct
validity.
B. WOM Intention of reliability and validity analysis
Questionnaire contains four projects to measure
WOM intention. Do factor analysis of these four
measurements, the results shown in Table 5.2 and Table
5.3.It can be seen from Table 5.2, the sample of the KMO
value is 0.764 and can do factor analysis. It can be seen
from Table 5.3, four measurements of the WOM intention
produce to a factor: “WOM Intention”. This factor
explained 82.641% of the overall variance. The results
coincide with the original idea. So the WOM scale has
good construct validity.
Table 5.2 KMO and BTS results of WOM Intention
V.
DATA ANALYSIS
A. Analysis of the reliablility and validity of the
consumption experience
Table 5.1 Reliability Analysis results of Consumption Experience
The term
Item and
after
Item
factor
removing
Factor
α
Abbreviations
correlation
the alpha
coefficient
coefficie
nt
Physical property
0.5297
0.7831
Uniqueness
0.6633
0.7147
Factor
0.7953 Performance
A
0.7336
0.6821
satisfaction
Compatibility
0.5121
0.7886
Good value for
0.8199
0.7158
money
Factor
0.848
Reasonable price
0.7487
0.7853
B
Price is far less
0.7045
0.8433
than its value
To provide fast
0.7682
0.8224
service
Willing to help
0.749
0.8303
Factor
Refined and
0.8737
0.747
0.832
C
courteous
To solve the
problem with
0.6555
0.8667
interest
Answer the usage
0.7703
0.8165
question
Upgrade, repair
0.7117
0.8404
Factor
0.8597
D
Carefully deal
0.6959
0.844
with complaints
Troubleshooting
0.7225
0.8334
The total table of alpha coefficient=0.8826
As shown in the above Table 5.1, the level of each
factor `s alpha coefficients are above 0.7. So the high
reliability of the consumption experience scale. It can be
seen from the scale development process of this study,
every issues rose with reference to literature and
monographs. Combined with the actual integration and
sublimation, and completed under the guidance of experts.
Therefore, the scale has high content validity. In addition,
through factor analysis of the consumption experience
extracted four common factors can explain the total
KMO and BTS results of WOM Intention
0.764
Approx.Chi-Square
524.61
df
sig.
6.00
0.00
Bartlett`s Test of Sphericity
Table 5.3The factor loading of WOM Intention
Factor
loading
Measuring project
If my friends and relatives is buying computers, I
would like to recommend this brand for him
0.918
If I was helping relatives and friends to buy
computers for the decision, I would like to
recommend this brand for him
0.912
If my friends or relatives are interested in the
computer products, I will tell him the brand
advantages
0.907
If I talk about the topic of computer with others, I
told him this brand advantages
0.90
Cumulative total variance explained
82.64%
The following Table 5.4 shows: The Cronbach alpha
coefficient is 0.907 of the WOM intention. It shows that
the scale of the WOM intention has a high degree of
consistency and internal structure. In other words,
reliability is very high.
Table 5.4 Reliability analyst of WOM Intention
Cronbach α
Project number
coefficient
Measuring project
WOM Intention
4
0.907
C. Model checking
The main test of this section: test the relationship
between the consumption experience of the four
dimensions and the WOM intention. That is to verify the
assumptions H1, H2, H3 and H4.
In order to clear the role of experience effect of
WOM intention. We are use the Regression analysis
method. In order to ensure the stability of the results, it
has used forced regression and stepwise regression for
verification.
Prior to regression analysis, the first response to the
model applicable to the conditions tested. By plotting the
residuals histograms, founded that the standard residuals
of WOM intention follow a normal distribution
assumptions. It meets the assumptions of regression
analysis.
Next, we use of multiple regression analysis” forced
regression”. The analysis showed that the regression
equation F value of 64.970. Adjusted R2 of 0.645, the
D.W test value of 2.015 which means there is no
indication from the relevant circumstances. In order to test
the stability of the regression results, we then use multiple
regression analysis “stepwise regression”. Again do
regression analysis for the four dimensions of
consumption experience. The results showed that the F
value of 64.970. Adjusted R2 of 0.645, twice regression
analysis results was consistent.
Table 5.5 Results of Regression analysis
Standardized
Consumption
regression
T
experience dimensions
coefficient
P
Product performance
experience
0.455
-1.135
0.024
Price and value
perception experience
0.376
2.552
0.016
Employee`s
performance experience
0.294
5.895
0.007
Complaint handling
capacity experience
0.458
9.201
0.000
Integrated twice the results of regression analysis
(Table 5.5) we can see that the consumption experience
four dimensions of the T-test results of P reached
significantly (p<0.05). And the regression coefficients are
positive. As a result, the four dimensions of consumption
experience have a positive significant effect on the WOM
intention. It means that the assumptions H1, H2, H3 and H4
to get support. The effect sizes of each dimension of
consumption experience on WOM intention are different.
VI.
CONCLUSIONS AND MANAGERIAL
IMPLICATIONS
The subjects selected the college students whose
have brand computer survey data. To analysis the effect
of consumption experience on WOM intention. The
results show that: the four dimensions of consumption
experience have a positive significant impact on WOM
intention. The degree of this positive impact in the order
of: complaint handling capacity to experience (0.458),
product performance experience (0.455), sensory
experiences in the price and value (0.376), the employee`s
performance experience (0.294).
From the research findings and combined with the
basic idea of experiential marketing. We propose the
following recommendations for enterprises to implement
WOM marketing:
A. Based on internal marketing, to establish a good
relationship between the customer and the enterprise.
B. Provide extraordinary function experience design,
win a good reputation.
C. Create and deliver high-value experience to enhance
the WOM intention.
D. Build customer communication platform to guide
customer to participate in WOM marketing.
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