Digital Content Management
Mohsen Sharbatiyan; Shahnam Zandieh; Hoda Baradaran Bagheri
Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the phenomenon of digital brand hate in the fashion industry and to develop a comprehensive model explaining its antecedents, mechanisms, and consequences. Despite increasing consumer–brand interactions in digital spaces, limited research has examined how negative ...
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Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the phenomenon of digital brand hate in the fashion industry and to develop a comprehensive model explaining its antecedents, mechanisms, and consequences. Despite increasing consumer–brand interactions in digital spaces, limited research has examined how negative emotions are amplified through online platforms. This study sought to conceptualize digital brand hate as a distinct construct beyond traditional dissatisfaction, focusing on how factors such as low product quality, unethical practices, and unmet expectations contribute to brand hostility in digital contexts.
Method: The research employed a qualitative grounded theory approach, using semi-structured interviews with 22 experts, including marketing professors and fashion industry executives selected through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding in ATLAS.ti software. Reliability was ensured through triangulation, test–retest reliability, and inter-coder agreement, while validity was confirmed via construct, content, and external validation procedures. The quantitative sample was considered as an unlimited sampling of clothing consumers, 384 people.In the qualitative part, a questionnaire was prepared using a qualitative method, using the structural equation technique in AMOS23 software.
Findings: The results revealed six causal conditions (e.g., poor product quality, improper pricing), five contextual and five intervening conditions (e.g., ethical violations, legal misconduct), three strategic responses (cost management, production expansion), and three main consequences (brand boycott, negative word-of-mouth, economic instability). The core category identified was brand hate, arising from unmet expectations and ethical conflicts intensified by digital interactions. Based on the results of the quantitative section, the proposed model is well-fitting.
Conclusion: The proposed Digital Brand Hate Model provides a structured understanding of how digital environments amplify consumer hostility. It offers practical strategies for fashion brands to enhance transparency, improve service quality, and engage ethically to mitigate reputational risks and foster long-term brand resilience in the digital marketplace.
Niloufar Hadinafar; Maryam Mohammi moghaddam; Mohammad Aghaei
Abstract
Purpose: This study investigates the impact of Social Customer Relationship Management (SCRM) on consumer behavior in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Iran. It specifically examines the influence of SCRM key consumer behavior variables: satisfaction, loyalty, engagement, retention, and word-of-mouth ...
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Purpose: This study investigates the impact of Social Customer Relationship Management (SCRM) on consumer behavior in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Iran. It specifically examines the influence of SCRM key consumer behavior variables: satisfaction, loyalty, engagement, retention, and word-of-mouth (WOM).Method: The research employed an applied and descriptive survey design. Data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed to consumers of SMEs in Khuzestan province, Iran, using convenience sampling method. The questionnaire included 25 items measuring six constructs: SCRM, satisfaction, loyalty, engagement, retention, and WOM. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed via Smart-PLS3 software to analyze the data and test the hypotheses.Findings: The results indicate that SCRM exerts a significant positive impact on all five consumer behavior dimensions. Path coefficients were high and statistically significant: satisfaction (β = 0.848, p < 0.01), loyalty (β = 0.827, p < 0.01), engagement (β = 0.871, p < 0.01), retention (β = 0.901, p < 0.01), and WOM (β = 0.914, p < 0.01). The model fit indices (GOF = 0.68) confirmed the robustness of the research model.Conclusion: The study concludes that SCRM is a powerful tool for enhancing consumer behavior outcomes in SMEs. By leveraging social media technologies, SMEs can improve customer interactions, personalize services, and foster long-term relationships, leading to increased satisfaction, loyalty, engagement, retention, and positive word-of-mouth. These findings highlight the importance of adopting SCRM strategies to gain a competitive advantage and achieve sustainable business growth in the digital era.
