Online customer-to-customer interactions, customer–firm affection, firm-loyalty and participation intention
Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics
ISSN: 1355-5855
Article publication date: 4 May 2020
Issue publication date: 12 October 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the impact of three types of online customer-to-customer interaction qualities on customers' participation intention through customer–firm affection in online mass service contexts to address the influence of several types of intercustomer interactions.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were amassed using retrospective experience sampling. The hypothesized relationships were examined utilizing structural equation modeling.
Findings
The results demonstrate that the perceived quality of the friend-interaction (e.g. [non-]verbal online interaction with friends), neighboring customer-interaction (e.g. [non-]verbal online interaction with stranger users) and the audience-interaction (crowding) has a significant impact upon customer participation intention, mediated by customer–firm affection.
Research limitations/implications
This research was performed in the situation of online mass services (e.g. massively multiplayer online role-playing games). Future studies could extend the findings by conducting further studies across various types of services and by comparing results across different categories of mass services (e.g. hedonic vs utilitarian).
Practical implications
Online mass service marketers should focus on facilitating all three types of online customer-to-customer interactions (i.e. friend-, neighboring customer-, and audience-interaction). For example, online game developers may need to require users to communicate and collaborate with not only friends but also stranger users to progress and succeed in online multiplayer games.
Originality/value
The current study differs from prior research by addressing the influences of not only online intercustomer interaction qualities but also customer–firm affection on customer participation intention.
Keywords
Citation
Choi, B. and Kim, H.S. (2020), "Online customer-to-customer interactions, customer–firm affection, firm-loyalty and participation intention", Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 32 No. 8, pp. 1717-1735. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-07-2019-0450
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited