The interplay of word-of-mouth and customer value on B2B sales performance in a digital platform: an expectancy value theory perspective
Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing
ISSN: 0885-8624
Article publication date: 20 October 2021
Issue publication date: 23 May 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Building on the expectancy value theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of word-of-mouth (WOM) and customer value (i.e. functional value and ease-of-doing-business value) on B2B business performance in the B2B sales process.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors develop a framework to understand how B2B WOM and customer value influence supplier sales performance. This model was tested using structural equation modeling with a sample of 220 suppliers on Alibaba.com.
Findings
The empirical findings demonstrate that B2B WOM valence and volume have positive influences on the number of quotations and the number of transactions, respectively. Additionally, B2B WOM volume mediates the relationship between operational performance and the number of transactions. Response rate mediates the relationships between response time and both the number of quotations and the number of transactions, respectively.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the industrial marketing of B2B sales on the digital platform by investigating two influencers on sales performance: WOM and customer value.
Keywords
Citation
Mai, E.(S). and Liao, Y. (2022), "The interplay of word-of-mouth and customer value on B2B sales performance in a digital platform: an expectancy value theory perspective", Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Vol. 37 No. 7, pp. 1389-1401. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-05-2021-0269
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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