This exploratory research examines how the COVID-19 pandemic led to increases in consumers’ social media marketing behaviors in the United States (U.S.). Previous research on the impact of a pandemic has focused on behavior for preventive health, however, little attention has been given to the impact of a pandemic on consumer behaviors. To bridge this gap, the Consumer Decision-Making Model was used as a framework to investigate changes in consumers’ social media behaviors as they preform various consumer decision-making processes. More specifically, a questionnaire was used to collect survey data from 327 U.S. consumers. Analysis of Variance tests were performed to examine mean differences in consumers’ use of social media as a consumer decision-making tool. The findings showed that consumers have increased their utilization of social media as a tool for identifying products, collecting information on products, evaluating products, and making product purchases. Thus, the findings demonstrate the growing importance of social media marketing since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Given that the COVID-19 pandemic is a global phenomenon, the findings likely can be extrapolated across many nations. Suggestions are provided to help businesses adopt to changes in consumers’ social media behaviors as they relate to the consumer decision-making processes.

Change is inevitable. As such, all global economies are susceptible to being impacted by a catalyst capable of altering the economy as well as the behaviours of consumers within that economy. COVID-19 may prove to be such an economic catalyst. This research examines the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 healthcare pandemic and the United States (US) government’s pandemic interventions on US consumers’ behaviours.This study provides a critical analysis of published findings across healthcare and marketing to examine macro changes in US consumer decision-making behaviours. To get a baseline for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumers’ perceptions, we collected survey data from consumers and compared their behaviours pre- and post-declaration of the pandemic. The findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has altered consumers’ product needs, shopping behaviours, purchasing behaviours as well as their post-purchase satisfaction levels. For example, since the start of the pandemic, consumers are avoiding publically consumed products and have increased their virtual shopping and online purchasing behaviours. Findings also suggest that it may now be more difficult for marketers to gain customer loyalty because consumers’ satisfaction levels have decreased.Never before has a health pandemic caused the US to mandate business closings or to hinder marketing operations across so many economic sectors, simultaneously. As such, the novel coronavirus and the resultant US governmental pandemic mitigation actions are unique. This research offers original findings on shifts in consumers’ decision-making behaviours. Marketing implications concerning an emerging post-pandemic marketing landscape are provided.

Background: Telemedicine provider success requires patient satisfaction. The SERVQUAL model was used to identify the most salient telemedicine patient satisfaction dimensions. Materials and Methods: The author surveyed 440 telemedicine patients using Likert items to examine satisfaction levels. Four performance dimensions of telemedicine service were identified and examined. Factor analysis was used to validate the telemedicine performance dimensions measured, and regression analysis was used to test the effects of the service performance dimensions on telemedicine patient satisfaction. Results: The SERVQUAL model provided reliable measures of satisfaction dimensions. Four dimensions of satisfaction were identified, and patient-centered care was shown to be the most significant dimension. Patient perceptions of health benefits received from the telemedicine service were also found to impact patient satisfaction. The other two dimensions, monetary and non-monetary costs, did not have a significant effect on patient satisfaction. Discussion: Patient satisfaction was effectively measured as a multidimensional construct by using the service-marketing SERVQUAL model. The value that patients place on provider “soft skills” (i.e., bedside manner) during provider–patient interactions was demonstrated. Therefore, health care providers could develop and embrace patient-centered communication, such as having an empathetic and caring attitude, showing responsiveness to the emotional needs of the patient, and providing assurance to the patient to improve telemedicine patient satisfaction. Conclusions: The SERVQUAL model is useful to create a comprehensive, multidimensional construct for telemedicine patient satisfaction, which can lead to improved telemedicine patient satisfaction. The multidimensional approach highlights satisfaction dimensions where targeted improvements are most appropriate and, thus, can provide more focused practice guidance to providers.

Background: A multi-dimensional telemedicine patient satisfaction measure is utilized to provide managerial insights into where service improvements are needed and factors that impact patient service perceptions. This research explores the influence of patient demographics on telemedicine satisfaction. Four dimensions of telemedicine patient satisfaction (health benefits, patient-centered care, monetary costs, and non-monetary costs) were compared across patient gender, income, and education levels. Methods: A survey of 440 US telemedicine patients on patient satisfaction was measured with Likert scale items to create a multi-dimensional construct using the SERVQUAL model. MANOVA, ANOVA, and linear contrasts were used to examine the impact of patient demographics on telemedicine satisfaction dimensions. Results: The findings revealed that patient demographic characteristics moderated various dimensions of their telemedicine experience satisfaction. Satisfaction with telemedicine health benefits was moderated by patient gender and income levels. Patient-centered care was moderated by patient gender, income, and education levels. Satisfaction with the monetary cost of telemedicine was associated with patient gender and education level. Patient education level influenced their satisfaction with telemedicine non-monetary costs. Discussion: Notable trends include generally higher patient satisfaction for women and those with lower education levels. Patient income showed mixed trends regarding the four dimensions of patient satisfaction. Improvements in patient health literacy along with customized services may improve telemedicine patient care satisfaction and health outcomes. Conclusions: Measuring telemedicine patient satisfaction with a multi-dimensional assessment tool provides insights into how patient demographics influence perceptions of services received. The findings highlighted perceptions of telemedicine patient satisfaction dimensions that differed across patient demographics and provided insights into their overall impact on telemedicine patient satisfaction.

This research examined the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on social media marketing in India. There is little research on the impact of a pandemic on consumer behaviors. To address this gap, this exploratory study surveyed Indian consumers’ social media behaviors. Observations from 313 Indian consumers were collected to compare how their social media behaviors for consumer decision-making have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic started. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to test mean differences in social media behaviors prior to and after the COVID-19 pandemic began. The findings demonstrated increased usage of social media as a tool for consumer decision-making. With the global reach of the COVID-19 pandemic, the implications of a growing prominence of social media in consumer-decision making are likely relevant to most nations. Recommendations for the use of social media as a marketing tool are provided.

The 2019 COVID-19 pandemic led to an economic slowdown worldwide and shook the investment world. Pharmaceutical investments were influenced by the anticipation of COVID-19 vaccine developments. Our study examines the real-time impact of public announcements concerning COVID-19 vaccine developments on stock returns and volatilities for Pfizer, Moderna, and the S&P 500. Market Return and Information Event methodology were used to analyze stock activities immediately before important public COVID-19 vaccine development announcements related to Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. This methodology was employed for vaccine news announcements between 2 January 2020 and 4 March 2022. Stock returns and volatility were analyzed with time-series regression analysis. Findings demonstrated that increased trade volatilities occurred immediately prior to COVID-19 vaccine development news was made public. Specifically, Pfizer stock returns were significantly higher (above the mean) immediately before positive COVID-19 vaccine development information was made public. Also, increased volume volatility was observed for Pfizer, Moderna, and the S&P 500 index stocks immediately before positive vaccine development information concerning Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were made public. These findings suggest that the vaccine information may have been leaked before being made public. If so, the findings may indicate that investors were taking advantage of insider information while trying to mitigate the appearance that they engaged in insider trading.