ABSTRACT

This study examines the impact of virtual influencers on consumer responses during service failures. Grounded in construal level theory, we investigate how two appearance characteristics, specifically human-likeness (human-like vs. avatar-like) and beauty type (typical vs. unique), affect social psychological distance and, consequently, coping behavioral intentions following virtual influencer service failures. We also explore the moderating roles of service failure severity and consumer attribution (internal vs. external) in the relationship between social psychological distance and their behavioral intentions. Data were collected from 304 U.S. women in their 20s and 30s. Results confirmed that human-like virtual influencers with typical beauty reduce social psychological distance, prompting greater reconciliation rather than avoidance or revenge after service failures. In contrast, avatar-like virtual influencers with unique beauty increase social psychological distance and foster more adverse behavioral intentions. Moreover, less severe service failures elicit milder consumer responses, including lower avoidance and higher reconciliation intentions, when SPD is lower; however, severe failures intensify adverse reactions, including higher avoidance and lower reconciliation intentions, when SPD is higher. Lastly, consumer attribution, whether they tend to blame internal or external cues, moderates the causal relationships between SPD and those three behavioral intentions as well. These findings suggest that marketers leveraging virtual influencers should develop tailored recovery strategies considering appearance cues of virtual influencers, social psychological distance, service failure severity, and consumers’ attribution tendencies. This research offers actionable guidance for brands featuring virtual influencers and deepens our understanding of digital-era service failures.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104426 

ABSTRACT

This research addresses the need for inclusive innovation and research in the disability-inclusive fashion domain. We conducted a qualitative study to understand the barriers that male consumers with physical disabilities face in their clothing consumption experiences by applying grounded theory. To gain a comprehensive understanding of these barriers, we explored sociopsychological and fashion consumption-related factors alongside conventional functional considerations that influence their formation. Additionally, we suggested potential solutions to mitigate these barriers. Data for this exploratory qualitative study were collected through in-depth interviews with nine disabled male participants and four caregivers, combined with participatory observation, which was instrumental in building a strong rapport between the interview participants and the researcher. The findings suggest three dimensions of the barriers—functional, sociopsychological, and fashion consumption—and underscore the importance of sociopsychological influences in shaping their clothing consumption experiences. Furthermore, we emphasize the need for a universal fashion market that embraces both disabled and non-disabled consumers regardless of their physical attributes. To achieve this new direction in the fashion domain, it is necessary to leverage fashion industry advancements, such as mass customization with cutting-edge technologies, to address these multifaceted challenges. The research outcomes contribute to the advancement of disability-inclusive fashion and aim to enhance the overall well-being of individuals with disabilities. The research outcomes contribute to the advancement of disability-inclusive fashion and aim to enhance the well-being of individuals with disabilities by providing empirical insights into their lived clothing consumption experiences and offering actionable strategies for the development of inclusive fashion products.

 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40691-025-00425-y 

ABSTRACT

Global fashion brands have embraced size-inclusive advertising featuring plus-size models, yet the responses of Asian consumers to such advertising—where the average body size of women is smaller than in Western markets—have garnered little attention. This study, utilizing the S-O-R model, aimed to investigate whether the relationships among perceived actual and ideal self-congruence, perceived attractiveness and familiarity of a fashion model, and purchase intention vary based on the body size of the fashion model. We tested the hypothesized relationships using ANCOVA, confirmatory factor analysis, and multi-group structural equation modeling, analyzing 623 online survey responses from South Korean female consumers. Actual self-congruence had a greater influence on perceived familiarity in consumers exposed to a thin-sized model compared to those exposed to a plus-sized model. In contrast, ideal self-congruence had a more significant positive impact on the perceived physical attractiveness of the plus-size model than the thin-size model. Furthermore, the plus-size model’s perceived physical attractiveness had a more significant positive effect on purchase intention than that of the thin-size model. This study highlights the importance of crafting advertising images that portray plus-size models as physically attractive to elicit favorable responses from Asian consumers.

 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304989

ABSTRACT

Smart washing machine (SWM) technology is being developed at a rapid pace, but the impact of female consumers’ occupations on the acceptance of SWMs is still relatively unknown. This study aims to investigate the effect of female consumers’ occupations, including full-time housewives and employed females, on their acceptance of SWMs with 11 hypotheses using the extended technology acceptance model (ETAM). The model includes antecedents (i.e., subjective norms and product involvement with washing machines), belief variables (i.e., perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and perceived enjoyment), and acceptance intention. Female users’ occupation was applied as a moderating variable to examine the differences in the acceptance process. Data from 380 South Korean women were analyzed using multi-group structural equation modeling. The results demonstrated that full-time housewives placed greater emphasis on the utilitarian benefits of SWMs, so enhanced convenience and efficiency of laundry played crucial roles in their acceptance process. In contrast, employed females perceived that both the utilitarian and hedonic benefits of SWMs were significant indicating that the technical advances of SWMs and psychological and social pleasure were important in their acceptance process. The results have implications for the home appliance industry to establish optimal marketing and technology development strategies targeting female users with different occupations.

 https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2022.2049135  

ABSTRACT

While numerous sociopsychological factors affect one’s acceptance of cosmetic surgery, little is known about the sociopsychological influences that lead to cosmetic surgery acceptance based on one’s prior experience with cosmetic surgery. The present study identified the differences between two groups: women with cosmetic surgery experience and women without prior cosmetic surgery experience. A research model was developed with five hypotheses to identify the four sociopsychological influences on cosmetic surgery acceptance: upward appearance comparison, awareness of an emphasis on beauty ideals, internalization of beauty ideals, and body surveillance. Data were collected from 651 South Korean women in their 20s to 40s and were analyzed using second-order confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group structural equation modeling. In the cosmetic surgery group, upward appearance comparison, awareness of an emphasis on beauty ideals, and body surveillance had a positive effect on cosmetic surgery acceptance. Internalization of beauty ideals and body surveillance also had a positive effect on cosmetic surgery acceptance in the no cosmetic surgery group. Additionally, the effects of upward appearance comparison, awareness of an emphasis on beauty ideals, and internalization of beauty ideals on cosmetic surgery acceptance varied significantly between the two groups. The findings add insights on the design of therapeutic programs to prevent cosmetic surgery addiction and education programs to increase body appreciation.

 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40691-022-00318-4

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of consumers’ in-store technology experience on perceived interactivity, retail brand commitment, and revisit intention in a Korean flagship beauty store using the stimulus-organism-response model. Based on the literature review, a research framework including 10 hypotheses was developed. For data collection, a field study was conducted on pre-recruited consumers who experienced two types of in-store technology (i.e., skin imaging technology, smart vending machine technology) and answered questions. A total of 164 answers were analyzed applying confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. As all 10 hypotheses were statistically supported, this study confirmed that consumers’ in-store technology experience intensifies their per- ceived interactivity and retail brand commitment. In addition, perceived interactivity and retail brand commitment mediated the indirect and positive effects of in-store technology experience on revisit intention. This study is significant in that it identifies the positive effects of in-store technology experience on the perceptions and responses of consumers in physical stores and provides theoretical and managerial implications regarding in-store technology experience. 

https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2020.1834730

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the underlying reasons women desire to be beautiful in South Korean, Chinese, and Japanese cultures by proposing a new concept called human beauty value (HBV). This exploratory qualitative study includes a literature review in related disciplines and the results from ten focus group interviews. Based on the interviews, this study proposes four dimensions of HBV (i.e., superiority, self-development, individuality, and authenticity) and a hierarchical process among the antecedents (i.e., social comparison, social competition, and social norms), the pursuit of HBV, and the consequences (i.e., emotional, attitudinal, and behavioral aspects). Participants from each culture revealed a unique hierarchical process of HBV that reflects both cultural universality and specificity. The results of this study lead to new knowledge about East Asian women’s identities and perceptions of beauty. In addition, the proposed concept, HBV, can broaden the academic lens for beauty-related disciplines.

 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0201347