1.竞争与虚构定价的监管
50年前，联邦贸易委员会（the Federal Trade Commission ）停止了执行其虚构参考定价指南（fictitious reference pricing guidelines），强调价格的搜索质量，并相信竞争将消除欺骗行为。然而，这种在销售价旁边张贴虚假、虚高的比较价格的做法已经泛滥开来。在先前的分析性工作和参考定价对搜索行为和消费者选择的影响得到证实的基础上，作者们建立了一个描述性的模型（descriptive model）来解释为什么虚构的参考定价没有因竞争而消失，反而传播开来。在对模型进行一系列概括总结后，作者们考虑了可能的监管解决方案。他们提出，披露真实的正常价格收费可能是唯一可行的解决方案，可以合理地影响消费者和企业的行为。然后，根据现有文献、对从业者和监管机构的访谈、对其他国家方法的分析，以及对900名消费者的实验室研究结果，分析他们如何将“真正的正常价格（true normal price）”信息整合到交易评估中，作者提出了一系列关于要求公司披露近期商品销售价格可能产生的影响的命题，识别了与该要求相关的潜在好处和挑战。
Fifty years ago, the Federal Trade Commission stopped enforcing its fictitious reference pricing guidelines, emphasizing the search qualities of price and the belief that competition would drive out deceptive behavior. Yet this practice of posting false, inflated comparison prices alongside sale prices has proliferated. Building on prior analytic work and the documented effects of reference pricing on search behavior and consumer choice, the authors develop a descriptive model explaining why fictitious reference pricing has spread instead of being extinguished by competition. After summarizing the model with a series of generalizations, the authors consider potential regulatory solutions to the problem. They propose that disclosure of the true normal price charged may be the only solution that could plausibly influence both consumer and firm behavior. Then, based on the existing literature, interviews with practitioners and regulators, an analysis of other nations’ approaches, and the results of a laboratory study of 900 consumers to examine how they integrate “true normal price” information into deal evaluations, the authors develop a set of propositions about the likely effects of requiring firms to disclose recent selling prices for goods, identifying both potential benefits and challenges associated with such a requirement.
论文原文：Staelin, R., Urbany, J. E., & Ngwe, D. (2023). Competition and the Regulation of Fictitious Pricing. Journal of Marketing, 87(6), 826-846. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429231164640
2.营销中性别研究的过去和未来：范式、立场和基于价值的承诺
这篇系统的文献综述通过研究基于价值的承诺（value-based commitments）、理性角色（intellectual personae）和立场（stances）如何影响过去30年顶级营销期刊发表的性别研究中伦理的多样性、相关性和代价，增强了范式/形而上学分析（paradigmatic/metaphysic analyses）。理论贡献（1）解释对研究价值观和实践的承诺如何构成研究的角色和特定立场，（2）将价值承诺归因于定量/实证主义（quantitative/positivist）以及定性/新人文主义（qualitative/neohumanist）研究，以及（3）暗示有利于特定理论和程序的立场，进而使性别研究的等级发展（hierarchical development）及其在该领域的边缘化成为可能。建议详细阐述了将促进和奖励营销学术和行业中关于性别的更相关、更准确和更合乎道德的研究的分析、反思和行政培训和研究活动。这项工作能够吸引处理性别认同、社区和社会问题的人、致力于提高公司和民间组织中的性别代表性和参与度的人，以及那些关心利用更好的营销研究来创造更美好世界的人的兴趣。
This systematic literature review enhances paradigmatic/metaphysic analyses by examining how value-based commitments, intellectual personae, and stances impact the diversity, relevance, and consideration of ethics in gender research published by the top-tier marketing journals in the past 30 years. Theoretical contributions (1) explain how commitments to research values and practices constitute personae and particular stances toward research, (2) attribute value commitments to quantitative/positivist as well as qualitative/neohumanist research, and (3) implicate stances that favor particular theories and procedures and in turn enable the hierarchical development of gender research and its marginalization in the field. Recommendations elaborate the analytic, reflexive, and administrative training and research activities that will foster and reward more relevant, accurate, and ethical research on gender in the marketing academy and in industry. This work is of interest to persons dealing with gender identities, communities, and social issues, those working for greater gender representation and participation in firms and civic organizations, and those concerned with leveraging better marketing research for a better world.
论文原文：Peñaloza, L., Prothero, A., McDonagh, P., & Pounders, K. (2023). The Past and Future of Gender Research in Marketing: Paradigms, Stances, and Value-Based Commitments. Journal of Marketing, 87(6), 847-868. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429231154532
3.会员制免费送货的有效性——基于消费者购买行为和收入贡献的实证调查
基于会员的免费送货（Membership-based free shipping，MFS）已越来越多地被在线零售商采用。然而，对其有效性的研究不足。本研究利用在线零售商提供的消费者交易数据集，并使用堆叠双重差分法（stacked difference-in-differences approach）来量化MFS对消费者购买行为的注册效应（enrollment effect）及其对零售商的净收入贡献。有趣的是，因为MFS将大订单分解为小订单，MFS注册并没有提高注册开始时的平均消费者支出。由于在此期间运输成本增加，零售商没有获得增量净收入。然而，免费送货的好处可能会建立一个转换障碍（switching barrier），随着时间的推移，激励消费者更频繁地购买更大的订单。它最终导致支出和收入贡献的增加。MFS还增加了会员的购买种类和冲动购买。此外，作者发现，对于轻型买家（light buyers）、多样性寻求者（variety seekers）以及愿意在注册前支付运费的人，注册后的净收入贡献增加幅度更大。令人惊讶的是，MFS对重度买家（传统最有价值的消费者）的收入贡献产生了负面影响。此外，MFS可以通过减少客户流失（customer churn）来有效地加强消费者与零售商的关系。
Membership-based free shipping (MFS) has been increasingly adopted by online retailers. However, its effectiveness is understudied. This study leverages a consumer transaction data set provided by an online retailer and uses a stacked difference-in-differences approach to quantify the enrollment effect of MFS on consumers’ purchase behaviors and their net revenue contribution to the retailer. Interestingly, MFS enrollment does not lift average consumers’ spending at the beginning of the enrollment, as they break large orders into smaller ones. Retailers do not gain incremental net revenue due to the increased shipping costs during this period. However, the free shipping benefit may build a switching barrier that motivates consumers to purchase more often with larger order sizes over time. It eventually leads to increased spending and revenue contribution. MFS also increases members’ purchase variety and impulse purchases. In addition, the authors find that there is a greater increase in net revenue contribution after enrollment for light buyers, variety seekers, and those who are willing to pay shipping fees before enrollment. Surprisingly, MFS has a negative impact on the revenue contribution of heavy buyers, the conventional best-value consumers. Moreover, MFS can effectively strengthen consumer–retailer relationships by reducing customer churn.
论文原文：Guo, F., & Liu, Y. (2023). The Effectiveness of Membership-Based Free Shipping: An Empirical Investigation of Consumers’ Purchase Behaviors and Revenue Contribution. Journal of Marketing, 87(6), 869-888. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429231158116
4.“选择”最佳拼写：消费者对非常规拼写品牌名称的反应
在命名新品牌时，一种越来越常见的策略是使用其他熟悉的单词的非常规拼写（例如，“Lyft”而不是“Lift”）。然而，对于这种品牌命名策略如何影响消费者对品牌的信念以及最终他们支持品牌的意愿，人们知之甚少。八项实验研究表明，一般来说，与使用同一单词的传统拼写的品牌相比，消费者不太可能支持名称拼写非常规的陌生品牌。发生这种情况是因为消费者认为选择非常规拼写的名称是营销人员的公开说服尝试（公开的劝说尝试），因此认为该品牌不那么真诚。通过中介和调节，作者证明了这些效果是由说服知识（persuasion knowledge）驱动的，这种影响在不同类型的非常规拼写中具有稳健性。研究表明，尽管营销人员可能会为新品牌选择非常规的拼写，以积极影响消费者的看法，但这样做可能会适得其反。然而，当选择名称的动机被视为真诚时，非常规拼写的名称不会产生适得其反的效果。此外，当消费者寻求难忘的体验时，非常规拼写的品牌名称甚至可能是可取的。
An increasingly common strategy when naming new brands is to use an unconventional spelling of an otherwise familiar word (e.g., “Lyft” rather than “Lift”). However, little is known about how this brand naming strategy impacts consumers’ beliefs about the brand and, ultimately, their willingness to support it. Eight experimental studies demonstrate that, in general, consumers are less likely to support unfamiliar brands whose names are spelled unconventionally compared with brands that use the conventional spelling of the same word. This occurs because consumers perceive the choice of an unconventionally spelled name as an overt persuasion attempt by the marketer and thus view the brand as less sincere. Using mediation and moderation, the authors demonstrate that these effects are driven by persuasion knowledge and show robustness by employing different types of unconventional spellings. The studies suggest that although marketers may choose unconventional spellings for new brands with the goal of positively influencing consumers’ perceptions, doing so may backfire. However, unconventionally spelled names do not produce a backfire effect when the motive for selecting the name is seen as sincere. Further, unconventionally spelled brand names may even be desirable when consumers are seeking a memorable experience.
论文原文：Costello, J. P., Walker, J., & Reczek, R. W. (2023). “Choozing” the Best Spelling: Consumer Response to Unconventionally Spelled Brand Names. Journal of Marketing, 87(6), 889-905. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429231162367
5.品牌延伸成功的元分析：母品牌资产和延伸契合度的影响
鉴于品牌延伸的失败率很高，深入了解品牌延伸成功的驱动因素对于营销从业者和学者来说至关重要。先前的研究推断，母品牌资产和延伸契合度是两个关键的成功驱动因素；然而，实证结果喜忧参半。作者利用信号理论（signaling theory）、分类理论（categorization theory）和 以及一个包含1990年至2020年研究的2134个效应量的大型数据库，通过元分析来研究这些混合发现，构建实证概况。结果表明，母品牌资产（parent brand equity）和延伸契合度（extension fit）对延伸成功有正向影响。然而，这两个驱动因素的多方面维度具有不同的影响。例如，在拟合程度中，使用拟合（usage fit）的影响最弱。虽然结果表明两个驱动因素之间存在整体积极的交互效应，但考虑驱动因素各个维度的细粒度视角（fine-grained perspective）显示了差异性。例如，与母品牌资产的其他维度相比，品牌熟悉度与延伸契合度的交互效应似乎较低。此外，作者还对五组调节因素进行了全面分析：情境因素（母品牌、扩展、沟通和消费者因素）和研究方法因素。作者为品牌延伸战略的设计提供了管理和未来的研究启示。
Given the high failure rates of brand extensions, insights into the drivers of brand extension success are critical for marketing practitioners and scholars. Prior research has inferred that parent brand equity and extension fit are the two key success drivers; however, empirical findings are mixed. Drawing on signaling theory, categorization theory, and a large database of 2,134 effect sizes from research spanning 1990–2020, the authors address these mixed findings through a meta-analysis to develop empirical generalizations. The results show that parent brand equity and extension fit positively influence extension success. However, the multifaceted dimensions of these two drivers have differential effects. For example, among the fit dimensions, usage fit has the weakest effect. While the results suggest an overall positive interaction effect between the two drivers, a fine-grained perspective that considers the drivers’ various dimensions reveals differences. For example, brand familiarity appears to have a lower interaction effect with extension fit than the other dimensions of parent brand equity. Furthermore, the authors provide a comprehensive analysis of five groups of moderators: contextual factors (parent brand, extension, communication, and consumer factors) and research method factors. The authors offer managerial and future research implications for the design of brand extension strategies.
论文原文：Peng, C., Bijmolt, T. H. A., Völckner, F., & Zhao, H. (2023). A Meta-Analysis of Brand Extension Success: The Effects of Parent Brand Equity and Extension Fit. Journal of Marketing, 87(6), 906-927. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429231164654
6.将非促销产品放在促销产品附近的消极影响和积极影响
本研究调查了快速消费品的价格促销如何影响线上或线下替代产品的销售。对超市酸奶数据的分析发现，当非促销产品是促销产品的有力替代品时，促销产品的价格下降1%会导致近距离产品的销售额下降0.25%，但远距离的产品的销售额没有变化——消极促销邻近效应（a negative promotion-proximity effect）。然而，当非促销产品是促销产品的弱替代品时，促销产品的价格下降1%会导致近距离产品的销售额增加0.10%，但远距离的产品的销售额没有变化——这是一种积极促销邻近效应（a positive promotion-proximity effect）。随后的研究表明，这些效应的发生是因为近距离强替代品更有可能与促销产品一起进入考虑集（consideration set；消极促销邻近效应），而近距离弱替代品更有可能被对促销产品不感兴趣的消费者看到和考虑（积极促销邻近效应）。
This research investigates how a price promotion on a fast-moving consumer good influences the sales of substitute products in a retail shelf or online display. An analysis of supermarket yogurt data finds that when nonpromoted products are strong substitutes for the promoted product, a 1% decrease in the price of the promoted product results in a .25% decrease in the sales of proximal products but no change in the sales of distal products—a negative promotion-proximity effect. However, when nonpromoted products are weak substitutes for the promoted product, a 1% decrease in the price of the promoted product results in a .10% increase in the sales of proximal products but no change in sales for distal products—a positive promotion-proximity effect. Subsequent studies show that these effects occur because a proximal strong substitute is more likely to enter a consideration set with the promoted product (negative promotion-proximity effect) and a proximal weak substitute is more likely to be seen and considered by a consumer who is not interested in the promoted product (positive promotion-proximity effect).
论文原文：Kan, C., Liu, Y. (Lucy), Lichtenstein, D. R., & Janiszewski, C. (2023). The Negative and Positive Consequences of Placing Nonpromoted Products Next to Promoted Products. Journal of Marketing, 87(6), 928-948. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429231172111
7.体力劳动的意义阻碍了消费者采用自动化产品
技术变得越来越自动化，能够在没有人为干预的情况下代表消费者完成任务。例如，机器人吸尘器清洁地板，而烹饪机则自行按照食谱烹饪。这些自动化产品将消费者从他们过去手动执行的日常琐事中解放出来。目前的研究表明，一些消费者从完成此类体力劳动中获得意义，而体力劳动的这种意义是采用自动化产品的障碍。一系列现场和实验研究表明，在体力劳动构念的意义（meaning of manual labor construct）上得分高（相对于低）的消费者往往对自动化产品的评价较低，采用它们的频率也较低。然而，突出生活中意义的其他来源（alternative sources of meaning in life）可以作为一种补救措施，以增加这些消费者对自动化产品的采用。其中一种策略是强调通过使用自动化产品获得的时间可以用于有意义的活动，从而抵消体力劳动对自动化产品采用的不利影响。研究结果表明，对提供自动化产品的公司来说，强调需要为消费者提供有意义的体验是有效的干预措施。
Technologies are becoming increasingly autonomous, able to complete tasks on behalf of consumers without human intervention. For example, robot vacuums clean the floor while cooking machines implement recipes on their own. These autonomous products free consumers from daily chores that they used to perform manually. The current research suggests that some consumers derive meaning from completing such manual tasks, and that this meaning of manual labor acts as a barrier to the adoption of autonomous products. A series of field and experimental studies shows that consumers who score high (vs. low) on the meaning of manual labor construct tend to evaluate autonomous products less favorably and adopt them less frequently. However, making alternative sources of meaning in life salient can serve as a remedy to increase autonomous product adoption among these consumers. One such strategy is to emphasize that the time gained through the use of autonomous products can be spent on meaningful activities, thus offsetting the detrimental effects of meaning of manual labor on autonomous product adoption. The findings suggest effective interventions for firms that offer autonomous products while stressing the need to provide meaningful experiences to consumers.
论文原文：de Bellis, E., Johar, G. V., & Poletti, N. (2023). Meaning of Manual Labor Impedes Consumer Adoption of Autonomous Products. Journal of Marketing, 87(6), 949-965. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429231171841
