WhatsApp communication service

The purpose of this study is to explore the pros and cons of WhatsApp communication service and its likely effects on consumer behavior and one’s perception of luxury brands. Design/methodology/approach This study conducted 27 in-depth interviews with UK-based participants. This study used NVivo12 t...

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محفوظ في:
التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
المؤلف الرئيسي: Mrad, Mona (author)
مؤلفون آخرون: Farah, Maya (author), Mehdi, Nour (author)
التنسيق: article
منشور في: 2022
الوصول للمادة أونلاين:http://hdl.handle.net/10725/14036
https://doi.org/10.1108/QMR-10-2021-0132
http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.php
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/QMR-10-2021-0132/full/html
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author Mrad, Mona
author2 Farah, Maya
Mehdi, Nour
author2_role author
author
author_facet Mrad, Mona
Farah, Maya
Mehdi, Nour
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Mrad, Mona
Farah, Maya
Mehdi, Nour
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2022-09-23T11:21:57Z
2022-09-23T11:21:57Z
2022
2022-09-23
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 1352-2752
http://hdl.handle.net/10725/14036
https://doi.org/10.1108/QMR-10-2021-0132
Mrad, M., Farah, M., & Mehdi, N. (2022). WhatsApp communication service: a controversial tool for luxury brands. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 25(3), 337-360.
http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.php
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/QMR-10-2021-0132/full/html
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv en
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Qualitative Market Research
dc.rights.*.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv WhatsApp communication service
a controversial tool for luxury brands
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
description The purpose of this study is to explore the pros and cons of WhatsApp communication service and its likely effects on consumer behavior and one’s perception of luxury brands. Design/methodology/approach This study conducted 27 in-depth interviews with UK-based participants. This study used NVivo12 to thematically analyze the collected data. Findings The findings indicate that perceived communication convenience, searching for prepurchase information, intimate consumer–brand relationship, perceived self-worth and the thrill of a new service positively contribute to luxury customers’ acceptance of WhatsApp communication usage. Nevertheless, many factors including push promotional strategy, poor service quality, brand “massification” effect, deficient sensory experience, fear of financial risk and deceptive practices, all curbed the participants’ acceptance of this communication platform. When service is poor, all these factors jeopardized the luxury image, causing an impaired brand image, accompanied with negative word of mouth and in some instances, unexpected anticonsumption reactions. Research limitations/implications This study carries the limitations of any exploratory and qualitative research. Therefore, future research should replicate this study in other areas and for other instant messaging platforms. Practical implications The implications of this study serve as a reference for luxury brands’ managers when managing their WhatsApp service. This study provides important insights into the risk of using WhatsApp by luxury brands to communicate with customers. The overall conclusion is that WhatsApp communication service requires a close, supervised and innovative use to benefit luxury brands. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the topic of WhatsApp usage as a communication mean in the luxury industry is still largely underexplored, hence filling a gap in the literature that needs to be addressed given its significant implications.
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
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id LAURepo_0cc87d3819c979f5cbf0c57c8ebf2ebb
identifier_str_mv 1352-2752
Mrad, M., Farah, M., & Mehdi, N. (2022). WhatsApp communication service: a controversial tool for luxury brands. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 25(3), 337-360.
language_invalid_str_mv en
network_acronym_str LAURepo
network_name_str Lebanese American University repository
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spelling WhatsApp communication servicea controversial tool for luxury brandsMrad, MonaFarah, MayaMehdi, NourThe purpose of this study is to explore the pros and cons of WhatsApp communication service and its likely effects on consumer behavior and one’s perception of luxury brands. Design/methodology/approach This study conducted 27 in-depth interviews with UK-based participants. This study used NVivo12 to thematically analyze the collected data. Findings The findings indicate that perceived communication convenience, searching for prepurchase information, intimate consumer–brand relationship, perceived self-worth and the thrill of a new service positively contribute to luxury customers’ acceptance of WhatsApp communication usage. Nevertheless, many factors including push promotional strategy, poor service quality, brand “massification” effect, deficient sensory experience, fear of financial risk and deceptive practices, all curbed the participants’ acceptance of this communication platform. When service is poor, all these factors jeopardized the luxury image, causing an impaired brand image, accompanied with negative word of mouth and in some instances, unexpected anticonsumption reactions. Research limitations/implications This study carries the limitations of any exploratory and qualitative research. Therefore, future research should replicate this study in other areas and for other instant messaging platforms. Practical implications The implications of this study serve as a reference for luxury brands’ managers when managing their WhatsApp service. This study provides important insights into the risk of using WhatsApp by luxury brands to communicate with customers. The overall conclusion is that WhatsApp communication service requires a close, supervised and innovative use to benefit luxury brands. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the topic of WhatsApp usage as a communication mean in the luxury industry is still largely underexplored, hence filling a gap in the literature that needs to be addressed given its significant implications.Published2022-09-23T11:21:57Z2022-09-23T11:21:57Z20222022-09-23Articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/article1352-2752http://hdl.handle.net/10725/14036https://doi.org/10.1108/QMR-10-2021-0132Mrad, M., Farah, M., & Mehdi, N. (2022). WhatsApp communication service: a controversial tool for luxury brands. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 25(3), 337-360.http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.phphttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/QMR-10-2021-0132/full/htmlenQualitative Market Researchinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:laur.lau.edu.lb:10725/140362022-09-23T11:23:13Z
spellingShingle WhatsApp communication service
Mrad, Mona
status_str publishedVersion
title WhatsApp communication service
title_full WhatsApp communication service
title_fullStr WhatsApp communication service
title_full_unstemmed WhatsApp communication service
title_short WhatsApp communication service
title_sort WhatsApp communication service
url http://hdl.handle.net/10725/14036
https://doi.org/10.1108/QMR-10-2021-0132
http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.php
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/QMR-10-2021-0132/full/html