Purpose: Based on the cue utilization theory and congruity theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating effects of perceived quality on the relationships between category characteristics and purchase intention for private labels. Design/methodology/approach: To examine the research hypotheses, the authors conducted a questionnaire survey on 703 adult consumers in China. Findings: The results show that perceived quality fully mediates the relationships between category complexity, risk importance, category quality variation, product signatureness and purchase intention. In addition, consumers’ knowledge moderates the relationship between perceived quality and purchase intention. The implications and future research directions are discussed in this study. Originality/value: The results show that the category complexity is positively related to consumers’ perceived quality. Although opposite to the conclusions in prior research, the findings are consistent with the unique phenomenon in China, that is, to label the name and location of the contract manufacturers. The authors investigate the moderating role of consumer knowledge, which will provide meaningful guidance for the Chinese retailing market.

Purpose: Limited research has explored why and how cause-related marketing on social media influences consumers' responses. Drawing upon balance theory and consistency theory, this study aims to identify the mechanism of cause-related marketing on social media.Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from a sample of 360 users of cause-related marketing campaigns on social media and analyzed using structural equation modeling in Mplus 8.0.Findings: The three types of congruence – self-image congruence, brand-image congruence and value congruence – can serve as sub-dimensions of perceived fit between a consumer, brand and cause of a cause-related marketing campaign on social media. Importantly, these perceived fit sub-dimensions positively influence community identification and, therefore, influence consumer citizenship behaviors.Practical implications: The findings provide theoretical and practical contributions for a brand to undertake cause-related marketing on social media.Originality/value: This study clarifies the myth of the perceived fit of cause-related marketing on social media and examines the perceived fit sub-dimensions’ mechanism of consumers' responses through community identification.

With the accessibility of customers’ purchase history and the development of data analytics, firms that have a better understanding of customer behaviours might charge different prices to their repeat and new customers. This mechanism is referred to as behaviour-based pricing (BBP). We model the competition of two vertically differentiated supply chains to study the strategic interaction between upstream contract choices (long-term or short-term) and downstream pricing mechanisms (BBP or not). We show that manufacturers always prefer long-term wholesale contracts. The adoption of BBP will decrease the profits of both manufacturers and the reseller that sells a low-quality product. However, the reseller that sells a high-quality product can benefit from BBP under certain conditions. Interestingly, when the resellers have the power to determine the type of wholesale contracts, a hybrid configuration where one supply chain uses a long-term contract and the other uses a short-term contract, could occur in equilibrium. Moreover, we find that the customers have a higher surplus under BBP, whereas the short-term wholesale contract can further increase the surplus.

Purpose: Interactivity is the key to developing digital branding. However, existing research on brand interactivity outcomes is inconsistent and fragmented, lacking a systematic empirical exploration of its effects on consumer responses in the digital context. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing upon the cognition-affection-conation (CAC) framework as our theoretical compass, a meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize and analyze empirical evidence from 144 samples involving 57,952 participants to assess how and when digital brand interactivity influences consumers’ multilevel responses. Findings: Our narrative unfolds with digital brand interactivity as the catalyst, fostering positive consumer behaviors – brand loyalty and purchase intention – through a sequential dance of cognitive mindset shifts (brand experience, engagement and attitude) and affective resonance (trust and emotional attachment). A moderation analysis adds depth, revealing stronger effects in B2C settings for lesser-known brands with hedonic interaction content and among individuals with a collectivist orientation. Practical implications: Our findings serve as a roadmap for targeted digital marketing strategies, guiding brands, consumers and contextual aspects to optimize the performance of digital branding by harnessing the full potential of digital interactivity. Originality/value: This study introduces a framework combining CAC and brand-consumer psychology to understand how interactivity affects consumer responses in digital contexts. It delves into dynamic shifts moderated by brand characteristics, consumer traits and contextual factors, offering a holistic view of digital branding’s impact on interactive marketing.

Purpose: In the digital era, creativity is pivotal in marketing, particularly in advertising, where mobile short-video advertising (MSA) has surged in popularity. However, the mechanism of how advertising creativity influences consumer decision-making remains understudied. We scrutinize how MSAs’ creativity influences consumers' purchase and sharing intentions. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses 40 selected creative MSAs to collect a total of 666 valid questionnaires. Findings: The results show that the exertion of creativity in MSAs positively impacts consumer intentions through perceived surprises and mental simulation, with the optimal stimulus level moderating these effects. Practical implications: Our findings provide practical recommendations for brands and advertisers, mainly in terms of the impact of advertising creativity on advertising content strategy, helping them to create effective advertising to capture market and traffic by focusing on the content (relevance) and format (novelty) of advertising. Originality/value: This study conducted in-depth research using the cognitive-affective-behavior (CAB) paradigm, integrated with mental simulation theory and the optimum stimulation level theory. Innovatively, we developed a model of the consumer decision-making process based on creativity, which enhances the research on the mechanisms underlying the consumer decision-making process.