THE EFFECTS OF WORD-OF-MOUTH MESSAGE ON PURCHASE DECISION IN CREDENCE-BASED SERVICES

Abstract

Consumer choice decisions in two credence-based services –maternity clinic and kindergarten- are examined in this study. The study aimed at revealing the extent to which consumer choices in these two areas are influenced by the experiences and communications of other consumers. In other words, it purports to measure the effects of personal communications on customers’ information search and purchase decision process. Secondly, the effectiveness of a scale developed to measure the role of active information search in credence-based services is investigated. Thirdly, perceptual homophily, between sender and receiver, and sender characteristics were added to the model in a unique construct.Lastly, this study subjected these two services, based on a judgmental study conducted for classifying services. For obtained data, exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were conducted. After that, for obtained constructs, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted and by the generated models hypotheses were tested by using structural equation modeling

Keywords

• Word-of-Mouth, Message characteristics, Interpersonal communications, Credence-based service

THE EFFECTS OF WORD-OF-MOUTH MESSAGE ON PURCHASE DECISION IN CREDENCE-BASED SERVICES

Abstract

İki güvene dayalı hizmetin WOM çerçevesinde incelendiği bu çalışmada, müşterilerin doğum kliniği ve çocuk yuvası seçimi süreci konu edinilmiştir. Müşterilerin doğum kliniği ve çocuk yuvası seçiminin diğer müşterilerin deneyim ve aktarımlarından ne ölçüde etkilendiği ortaya konulmaya çalışılmıştır. Dolayısıyla, bir mesaj olarak elde edilen bilginin doğrudan bilgi edinme aktivitesine ve alışveriş kararına etkisini açıklamaya çalışmaktadır. İkinci olarak aktif bilgi arayışının rolü ile ilgili geliştirilmiş ölçeğin güvene dayalı hizmetlerdeki etkinliği gözlemlenmiştir. Üçüncü olarak mesaj veren ile alan arasındaki algısal benzerlik göndericinin özellikleri ile tek bir yapı içerisinde değerlendirilmiş ve modele dâhil edilmiştir. Dördüncü katkı, bu çalışma hizmetler arasında yargısal olarak yürütülen bir çalışmaya dayalı olarak seçilmiş iki güvene dayalı hizmete uygulanmıştır. Elde edilen verilere, ilk adımda sırasıyla açımlayıcı faktör ve güvenilirlik analizi yapılmıştır. Elde edilen yapılara doğrulayıcı faktör analizi uygulanmış ve her iki hizmet için elde edilen modeller yapısal eşitlik modeli kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir

Keywords

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