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PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine how robotic anthropomorphism and personalized design may affect consumers' reactions to brands after service failure.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted two studies based on cognitive appraisal theory and artificial intelligence device acceptance theory. Study 1 explored the mechanisms by which the type of anthropomorphic design of the service robot (humanoid robot/nonhumanoid robot) influenced revisit intention after service failure through a one-factor between-subjects design based on a restaurant dining scenario. Study 2 was based on a hotel check-in scenario and explored the moderating effect of robot personalization design on the above mechanisms through a 2 (anthropomorphic design: humanoid robot/nonhumanoid robot) × 2 (personalized design: self-name/no name) between-subjects design.FindingsStudy 1 shows that consumers have higher performance expectations for nonhumanoid robots, leading to a higher tolerance for service failure, which in turn generates higher revisit intentions. Study 2 shows that consumers' performance expectations are significantly enhanced after custom naming of humanoid robots, so the serial mediation mechanism for the effect of robot anthropomorphic design on revisit intention does not hold.Originality/valueThis study extends the research of artificial intelligence device acceptance theory in the field of service failure and exploratively proposes an intervention mechanism for the negative effects of the anthropomorphic design of service robots.

AbstractTechnical language refers to field‐specific professional terms that are unfamiliar to general consumers. Despite consumers' lack of familiarity with technical language, it is still used in advertisements for various products. Here, we find that technical language reduces consumers' willingness to purchase the advertised products because such language reduces their processing fluency (Study 1 and Study 2). We further show that (1) when consumers have relevant knowledge (Study 3) and (2) when the advertised product is a typical technology product (Study 4), the negative effect of technical language is attenuated. Together, these three findings constitute evidence that processing fluency is a mechanism by which consumers' purchase intention is decreased following their exposure to technical language in advertising, suggesting that using technical language in ads may not be the best option.

Purpose This paper aimed to explore the influence of envy on impulsive consumption from aspects of the internal psychological mechanism and boundary conditions.Design/methodology/approach Based on social comparison theory, four studies were conducted in this research: The first study explored the effect of envy on impulsive consumption; the second study explored the moderating effect of self-monitoring and the mediating effect of materialism; the third study explored the moderating effect of product type and the fourth study explored the effectiveness of social comparison contexts on the arousal of envy.Findings Study 1 showed that envy could significantly trigger consumers' impulsive consumption. Study 2 indicated that participants experiencing self-monitoring had a higher level of materialism and a stronger propensity to consume impulsively once the emotion of envy emerged. Study 3 suggested that when participants were more envious, their levels of materialism increased with more impulsivity to buy material products. Study 4 revealed that upward comparisons led to a higher level of envy and re-validated the mediating role of materialism between envy and impulsive consumption.Research limitations/implications This study provides evidence for the association between envy and consumer behaviour and clarifies the underlying mechanisms of the relationship between envy and impulsive consumption.Practical implications Marketers could take advantage of consumers' envy after social comparisons without damaging brand image.Originality/value First, this study extended the effects of envy on consumer decisions, suggesting that envy stimulates impulsive consumption by increasing consumers' materialism. Second, this study revealed the boundary condition of product type, namely, material and experiential.

AbstractBrand anthropomorphism is one of the most widely used marketing strategies, and numerous studies have confirmed the positive effect of anthropomorphism on consumers' brand attitude. However, anthropomorphism does not always produce positive effects in particular conditions. This study focuses on the interaction effect of brand anthropomorphism and brand distinctiveness on brand attitude and tests the mediating effect of warmth and competence using the Stereotype Content Model. The results of two experiments show that brand anthropomorphism positively predicts consumers' brand attitude, and brand position (distinctiveness vs. popularity) moderates this relationship. Anthropomorphism may improve consumers' attitudes when the brand is positioned to be popular but has no effect on consumers' attitudes when the brand is positioned to be distinctive. Additionally, warmth (not competence) mediates the interaction effect of anthropomorphism and brand position on brand attitude. This study expands the extant knowledge on anthropomorphism and stereotypes in the field of consumption psychology and provides marketers with more rational strategies when applying anthropomorphism in marketing campaigns.