Consumption risk (PWOM acts as a reducer of perceptions of service risk) |
Ennew, Banerjee, and Li (2000Ennew, C. T., Banerjee, A. K., & Li, D. (2000). Managing word of mouth communication: Empirical evidence from India. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 18(2), 75-83.); File, Cermak, and Prince (1994File, K. M., Cermak, D. S., & Prince, R. A. (1994). Word-of-mouth effects in professional services buyer behavior. Service Industries Journal, 14(3), 301-314.); Murray (1991Murray, K. B. (1991). A test of services marketing theory: Consumer information acquisition activities. The Journal of Marketing, 55(1), 10-25.); Wangenheim and Banyón (2004Wangenheim, F. V., & Bayón, T. (2004). The effect of word of mouth on services switching: Measurement and moderating variables. European Journal of Marketing, 38(9/10), 1173-1185.); Woodside and Delozier (1976Woodside, A. G., & Delozier, M. W. (1976). Effects of word of mouth advertising on consumer risk taking. Journal of Advertising, 5(4), 12-19.); Roselius (1971Roselius, T. (1971). Consumer rankings of risk reduction methods. The Journal of Marketing, 35(1), 56-61.); Settle and Alreck (1989Settle, R. B., & Alreck, P. (1989). Reducing buyers’ sense of risk. Marketing Communications, 14, 34-40.). |
General safety: PWOM reduces general consumption risk. |
Managers’ strategies should recognize that due to the nature of services, these are more difficult to assess, and therefore the safety issue becomes critical in the purchasing decision process. |
Financial safety: PWOM reduces financial risk. It is linked to the misuse of money, the financial importance of a bad purchase, or the availability of products offering a better cost-benefit. |
Managers can boost feelings of safety in third age people by means of recommendations that clearly convey the price/quality relationship of their services. |
Physical safety: PWOM reduces physical risk. It refers to locomotion issues, mobility difficulties, non-safe areas, and poor venue structure of services. |
Managers can boost feelings of safety in third age people by means of recommendations that clearly convey locomotion, accessibility, mobility, medical area structure, and safe area issues for service consumption. |
Emotional safety: PWOM reduces emotional risk. It refers to the fact that receivers of recommendations are emotionally affected, since word-of-mouth is known to convey new experiences that are enjoyable when positive. |
Managers can boost feelings of safety in third age people by means of recommendations that clearly convey new and pleasant experiences that generate positive feelings. |
Purchase decision-making (PWOM acts as an ally in the purchase decision process). |
Allsop, Baset, and Hoskins (2007Allsop, D. T., Basset, B. R., & Hoskins, J. A. (2007). Word-of-mouth research: Principles and applications. Journal of Advertising Research, 47(4), 398-411.); Herr, Kardes, and Kim (1991Herr, P. M., Kardes, F. R., & Kim, J. (1991). Effects of word-of-mouth and product-attribute information on persuasion: An accessibility-diagnosticity perspective. Journal of Consumer Research, 17(4), 454-462.); Kisielius and Sternthal (1986Kisielius, J., & Sternthal, B. (1986). Examining the vividness controversy: An availability-valence interpretation. Journal of Consumer Research, 12(4), 418-431.); Söderlhund and Rosengren (2007); Sundaram, Kaushik, and Webster (1998Sundaram, D.S., Kaushik, M., & Webster, C. (1998). Word-of-mouth 9. In J. W. Alba, & J. W. Hutchinson (Eds.), NA - Advances in Consumer Research (pp. 527-531). Provo: UT.). |
Engagement: PWOM generates engagement in the purchase decision-making process. It is linked to involvement in and commitment to the decision process. |
Decision makers should focus on communication that will emotionally and rationally assist third age people. Engagement generated by PWOM that includes these factors is important in third age receivers’ purchasing decisions. |
Feelings of relief and comfort: PWOM generates feelings of relief and comfort in the decision-making process. It refers to receivers’ feelings, acting as a facilitator in the decision-making process. |
Decision makers should focus on communication that will emotionally and rationally assist third age people. Relief generated by PWOM that includes these factors is important in third age receivers’ purchasing decisions. |
Final research propositions |
Theoretical Propositions |
References |
Findings / New Propositions (data collected) |
Practical Implications |
Service quality perception (PWOM acts as an ally of service quality perception). |
Allsop et al. (2007Allsop, D. T., Basset, B. R., & Hoskins, J. A. (2007). Word-of-mouth research: Principles and applications. Journal of Advertising Research, 47(4), 398-411.); Liljander and Strandvik (1995Liljander, V., & Strandvik, T. (1995). The relation between service quality, satisfaction and intentions. In D. Kunst, & J. Lemmink (Eds.), Managing Service Quality (pp. 45-63). Vught: Paul Chapman.); Mazzarol, Sweeney, and Soutar (2007Mazzarol, T., Sweeney, J. C., & Soutar, G. N. (2007). Conceptualizing word-of-mouth activity, triggers and conditions: An exploratory study. European Journal of Marketing, 41(11/12), 1475-1494.); Tax, Chandrashekaran and Christiansen (1993Tax, S. S., Chandrashekaran, M., & Christiansen, T. (1993). Word-of-mouth in consumer decision-making: An agenda for research. Journal of Consumer Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction and Complaining Behavior, 6, 74-80.). |
Knowledge acquirement: PWOM generates knowledge and detailed information in regards to the service. Detailed descriptions allow receivers to develop cognitive judgments and rational service perceptions. This significantly influences quality perception and service reputation. |
Companies can also add value to word-of-mouth by means of detailed service messages that allow third age receivers to develop cognitive judgments and rational perceptions. This greatly influences the perception about the quality and reputation of the service and, consequently, of the company. When they have detailed information, third age consumers are better able to decide or act as senders of recommendations as well. |
Conservative purchase behavior (PWOM acts as a reducer of third age conservative behavior). |
Anderson (1998Anderson, E. W. (1998). Customer satisfaction and word of mouth. Journal of Service Research, 1(1), 5-17.); Drolet, Lau-Gesk, Williams, and Jeong (2010Drolet, A., Lau-Gesk, L., Williams, P., & Jeong, H. G. (2010). Socioemotional selectivity theory: implications for consumer research. In A. Drolet, N. Schwarz, & C. Yoon. (Eds.), The aging consumer: Perspectives from psychology and economics (pp. 51-72), New York: Routledge.); East et al. (2014East, R., Uncles, M. D., & Lomax, W. (2014). Hear nothing, do nothing: The role of word of mouth in the decision-making of older consumers. Journal of Marketing Management, east, 30(7/8), 786-801.); Pandraud, Laurent, and Lapersonne (2005); Lambert-Pandraud and Laurent (2010Lambert-Pandraud, R., & Laurent, G. (2010). Why do older consumers buy older brands? The role of attachment and declining innovativeness. Journal of Marketing, 74(5), 104-121.); Myers and Lumbers (2008Myers, H., & Lumbers, M. (2008). Understanding older shoppers: A phenomenological investigation. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 25(5), 294-301.); Phillips and Sternthal (1977Phillips, L. W., & Sternthal, B. (1977). Age differences in information processing: A on the aged consumer. Journal of Marketing Research, 14(4), 444-457.); Wallach and Kogan (1961Wallach, M. A., & Kogan, N. (1961). Aspects of judgment and decision making: Interrelationships and changes with age. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 6(1), 23-36.). |
Social network: PWOM generated by social networks reduces conservative purchase behavior since third age people are more socially isolated and have less information for decision-making. |
Marketing managers should develop communication strategies designed to mitigate the conservative behavior of third age consumers, They can apply social influence principals by means of recommendations to induce and assist elderly consumers in their consumption decisions since they are, to a certain extent, more socially isolated and have less information for decision making. |
Confidence in the sender: PWOM generated by people that are trusted by third age receivers reduces their conservative purchase behavior. It is a reflection of the receiver’s confidence in and proximity and affectivity with the sender. Greater attention is paid to established emotional contacts and less attention in obtaining new information sources, which results in third age consumers focusing more on the people they know well and trust. |
Managers should work with senders of recommendations that third age consumers know well, for instance, public figures and influencers who inspire confidence, with proximity to or affective ties with third age individuals. |
Positive expectation and curiosity: PWOM that generates positive expectations and curiosity in third age people reduces their conservative purchase behavior. The expectation and curiosity lead to open-minded behavior toward the purchase intention. |
Marketers should include in recommendations messages that arouse expectations, enthusiasm, satisfaction, and curiosity in third age consumers. For instance, they should maximize the strength of positive messages, generate positive brand perceptions, and convey vibrant or impactful information that awakens the attention and positivity of this age group. |
Enthusiasm: PWOM that generates enthusiasm in third age people reduces their conservative purchase behavior. |