Purpose Young adults are significant contributors to food waste, a phenomenon that poses major environmental and societal challenges. This study aims to understand how to encourage them to consume their leftovers at home to reduce the amount of food wasted. Based on the Theory of Interpersonal Behavior, an explanatory model of leftover consumption is proposed. Alongside the traditional role of attitude toward the behavior, it particularly emphasizes the role of the emotion of anger felt in response to others’ food waste. Design/methodology/approach An online survey of 226 students was used to test five hypotheses using a structural equation model. Findings The anger felt in response to others’ food waste does significantly strengthen the intention to consume their leftovers, alongside the classic effect of attitude toward this behavior. This anger is partially determined by the consumer’s green identity. Originality/value This work underlines the role of anger felt in response to others’ food waste. Societal implications are outlined to inform the design of social marketing campaigns aimed at encouraging students to consume leftovers.
Purpose This study aims to clarify the relationship between brand-attribute associations and brand loyalty in the context of Japanese motorcycle manufacturers and their products. By distinguishing manufacturer- and product-related associations, it investigates how different levels of brand associations shape consumer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach A three-step mixed-method design was employed: (1) free recall elicitation of associations from motorcyclists living in Japan; (2) exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to identify the structure of brand attributes and perceived quality; and (3) structural equation modeling to test relationships among manufacturer- and product-level associations, perceived quality and loyalty. Findings Manufacturer-related associations directly influence brand loyalty, while product-related associations affect loyalty indirectly through perceived quality. The results highlight a dual-route mechanism through which corporate image and product-related attributes influence brand loyalty among motorcyclists. Practical implications For conglomerates, enhancing both manufacturer reputation and product credibility – and aligning communication across corporate and product levels – can foster consistent brand meaning and sustain long-term loyalty. Originality/value This study contributes by differentiating brand associations at corporate and product levels and clarifying their distinct pathways to loyalty. It further advances brand research by revealing a dual-route mechanism through which different types of associations influence consumer responses, while incorporating the role of brand association accessibility. Employing a three-step mixed-method design offers new insights into how corporate image and product associations jointly contribute to consumer loyalty.
Purpose This study aims to investigate how consumers respond to advertisements generated by artificial intelligence (AI) versus those created by humans and explore the psychological mechanisms underlying these responses. Specifically, it examines whether affective involvement mediates the effect of advertising source on consumer attitudes and whether this effect varies by product type (utilitarian vs hedonic). Design/methodology/approach This study consists of two online experiments. A total of 275 participants were recruited from Prolific. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses were conducted to examine the psychological mechanisms underlying responses to AI-generated versus human-generated advertisements. Findings The findings show that consumers evaluated AI-generated ads more favorably than human-generated ones, particularly for utilitarian products. Study 1 demonstrated that the advertising source influences attitudes through affective involvement, with consumers experiencing greater emotional engagement with AI-generated ads. Study 2 revealed that the positive influence of AI-generated ads was significant for utilitarian products but not for hedonic ones. These results suggest that affective involvement plays a key role in consumer responses to AI-generated advertising and that product type moderates this relationship, highlighting the importance of context in leveraging AI for marketing effectiveness. Originality/value This study addresses inconsistent findings in prior literature by shifting the focus from whether AI-generated advertisements are effective to explaining why and when they influence consumer responses. It introduces affective involvement as a key underlying mechanism and identifies product type as a critical boundary condition, thereby extending persuasion theory and advancing research on AI-generated marketing content.
Purpose Technology-mediated consumption experiences can influence consumers in ways that extend beyond attitude changes or behavioural responses, inspiring curiosity and openness about the self. Focusing on augmented reality (AR) tools, this study aims to develop and validate a framework to show how technology-enabled experiences can lead to consumer self-discovery. Design/methodology/approach The study is grounded in the Thought-Emotion-Activity-Value framework, the extended self and theories of identity formation and discovery. The initial phase used Netnography and depth interviews with 22 consumers to develop a conceptual model. The second quantitative phase tested the model using data from 771 consumers, using structural equation modelling. Findings Perceived augmentation led to cognitive, affective and self-extension experiences, resulting in consumer self-discovery. Perceived realism moderates the relationship between perceived augmentation and self-extension experience. The findings explain how technology influences the formation of consumer identity. Research limitations/implications The critical theoretical contributions include establishing the role of AR in consumer self-discovery and deepening the discussions around identity development as an outcome in digital contexts. This study has used these principles of psychology to elaborate on consumers’ paths to self-discovery and to understand how AR functions as a self-exploratory tool in contexts like fashion, where genuineness, self-esteem and consumer empowerment are vital. Further, the study expands the application of the extended self-concept and the Theory of Experiential Consumption model in self-discovery contexts. The implications can be strengthened in the future by conducting the study across contexts, age cohorts and industries. Practical implications First, this study details how AR-relevant brands can enable consumer self-discovery through immersive tools and technologies. Secondly, the study establishes the importance of perceived realism and self-extension experiences. Hence, the brand should avoid manipulation and over-glamorisation of the AR images to avoid customer dissatisfaction when they recreate the experience with actual products purchased after the virtual trials. Thirdly, the study depicts the potential of AR technology to help consumers identify facets of their self-concept that they were unaware of before. Social implications AR’s self-discovery potential can have wider applications for the betterment of society. As earlier research (e.g. Laing et al., 2020) has shown, self-discovery can lead to well-being. Policymakers should enforce the inclusion of AR tools in health, education and citizen awareness. For example, AR-integrated classroom lessons will facilitate better visualisation and personalised learning. However, relevant policies and governance structures are necessary to ensure the inclusion of appropriate technology that maximises the benefits while avoiding the risks of manipulative content that promotes unrealistic expectations. Originality/value The present study advances understanding of consumer identity formation in digital contexts. Brands can use these insights to create meaningful customer experiences that support informed consumption decisions.
Purpose This study aims to rigorously investigate the underlying mechanisms driving the alignment of consumption preferences of network members, distinguishing between social influence and social selection across two product categories – a high self-congruent product and a low self-congruent product. The research draws on the theoretical foundations of similarity-attraction and social influence literature. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a mixed-method approach, a qualitative study to support the conceptual framework, followed by a panel network analysis (stochastic actor-oriented modeling) to empirically test the relationships. Findings The findings elucidate the conditions under which social selection and influence operate – for high self-congruent products, both effects are present; however, for low self-congruent products, only social influence is present. Originality/value By empirically testing the bi-directional relationship between consumers’ consumption preferences and social network, the study identifies the boundary conditions for the manifestation of similarity-attraction and social influence, underscoring the critical role of self-congruence. The study contributes to the literature on the similarity-attraction effect, formation of strong ties and consumer well-being.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the psychological and behavioral factors that explain why consumers remain engaged with artificial intelligence (AI) influencers. The study specifically explores the construct of “stickiness” – the ability of AI influencers to attract, engage and retain users over time-within the context of digital marketing and strategic brand management. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research design was used, using semi-structured interviews with 37 active AI influencer followers recruited from social media platforms. Thematic analysis, grounded in Gioia principles, was used to identify and interpret the key drivers of user stickiness. NVivo software facilitated systematic coding and theme development. Findings The analysis uncovered seven critical themes: AI influencer realism, homophily, information quality, trans-parasocial interaction, interactive stickiness, brand engagement in self-concept and followers’ escapism. Perceived realism and homophily foster trust and emotional connection, while transparent information quality and trans-parasocial interaction are associated with sustained behavioral commitment. The study develops an emergent interpretive framework to explore how cognitive, emotional and behavioral dimensions interact to shape persistent engagement and loyalty in the AI influencer context. Practical implications Brands and marketers can leverage AI influencers by prioritizing personalization, authenticity and transparency, enhancing strategic consumer engagement and brand loyalty. Social implications The study highlights potential risks associated with excessive AI influencer affiliation, particularly for vulnerable populations such as younger or socially isolated users, emphasizing the need for platform transparency, ethical content design and digital well-being protections. Originality/value This paper makes two distinct theoretical contributions. First, it conceptualizes trans-parasocial interaction as a novel AI-specific relational mechanism that transcends classical parasocial frameworks by introducing algorithmically maintained social presence, data-driven reciprocity and engineered homophily that are structurally absent in human influencer contexts. Second, the study re-theorizes six well-established engagement constructs, namely, realism, homophily, information quality, trust, escapism and identity-based brand engagement, for AI influencer settings, demonstrating that algorithmic design and perpetual availability fundamentally alter how these mechanisms are experienced. Together, these contributions extend influencer marketing theory beyond its human-centric foundations, offering academics and practitioners a richer framework for understanding non-human social actors.
Purpose Art is a compelling human experience, and marketers are leveraging it to enrich their product design. Underpinned by art infusion theory, this study aims to examine consumer perceptions and evaluations of art-infused products. Design/methodology/approach A literature-informed qualitative study identifies 11 themes that capture consumer perceptual schema of product art infusion (PARTI). Inter-thematic relationships are then hypothesized and tested using structural equation modeling and survey data from the USA and India. Findings In both the USA and India, the results highlight aesthetic pleasure and perceived product functionality as drivers, along with product novelty and immersion as the underlying mechanisms, that foster consumer willingness to pay a premium. The aesthetic pleasure– willingness to pay a premium relationship is moderated by perceived functionality in both countries and by identity expressiveness and appearance enhancement only in India. Research limitations/implications Product novelty and immersion mediate the effect of PARTI on consumer willingness to pay a premium for art-infused products. Practical implications PARTI can enhance aesthetic pleasure and functionality, which together exert a synergistic positive influence willingness to pay a premium. In India, art-infused products are especially preferred when consumers attempt to express their identities and/or enhance their public appearance. Originality/value This research offers and empirically corroborates a conceptual framework that reveals the drivers, underlying psychological mechanisms and boundary conditions that explain how PARTI influences consumer willingness to pay a premium.
Purpose While much research has explored the global phenomenon of luxury brand consumption, few studies have empirically examined the factors influencing purchase intentions. This study aims to investigate the impact of parasocial relationships with social media influencers (SMIs) on luxury brand purchasing intentions along with the moderation of consumer xenocentrism in the context of the UAE. Design/methodology/approach The data was collected via online questionnaires from 437 buyers of luxury products in the UAE markets, following a purposive sampling method. The responses were then examined using the structural equation modeling technique. Findings The findings of this study suggest that the influence of parasocial relationships with SMIs weakens among consumers with xenocentric intentions, primarily due to the moderating effects of consumer social aggrandizement and perceive inferiority. Furthermore, consumer xenocentrism plays a pivotal role in shaping the relationship between parasocial interactions and luxury brand purchasing behavior. As a result, consumers with strong xenocentric tendencies exhibit lower perception of local SMIs when making purchasing decisions for luxury brands. Research limitations/implications The study acknowledges two key methodological limitations: the potential for social desirability bias in self-reported data and the lack of longitudinal data. Future research should adopt a longitudinal approach to examine how parasocial relationships and xenocentrism influence luxury brand purchases over time, while also exploring cultural segmentation within the UAE and the impact of demographic factors on consumer behavior. In addition, future research should examine how brand origin shapes parasocial relationships and xenocentric behavior by focusing specifically on foreign luxury brands and comparing findings across diverse cultural contexts such as the GCC, East Asia and Western Europe. Originality/value Studies have shown that consumers with high levels of consumer xenocentrism are more likely to be attracted to foreign influencers and foreign luxury brands, as they perceive them to be more prestigious and exclusive. However, the originality of this study comes from investigating the interplay of parasocial relationships, consumer xenocentrism and luxury brand purchasing intentions. Moreover, the study situates its findings within the broader international literature by drawing contextual parallels with consumer behavior in other markets, thereby contributing to the cross-cultural understanding of parasocial relationships and xenocentrism in luxury brand consumption.
Purpose The development of digital technologies has led to changes in how consumers perceive privacy. This systematic literature review (SLR) aims to introduce human–artificial intelligence (AI) synthesis (HAIS) as a novel methodology for extending traditional SLRs. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive review of the privacy literature is conducted to demonstrate the efficacy of the SLR with HAIS (SLR-HAIS) approach, using 149 articles published by top marketing journals on consumer privacy. The PRISMA approach is adopted as the organizing framework. In addition, the TCCM framework is applied in conjunction with Leximancer-driven HAIS analysis, which utilizes natural language processing techinques for thematic analysis, including text mining, topic modeling, and data visualization. Findings This review demonstrates that privacy research has not yet fully matured as a field of inquiry. A wide range of theories and methods is used, with a focus on surveys and quantitative approaches within a limited context, mainly studying Western countries and e-commerce. Of concern is the lack of behavioral research, research examining policy changes and a few studies examining moderation and mediation. This review points the way forward for researchers in this field and provides several important research avenues. Originality/value To bridge the gap between traditional systematic reviews and automated text analytics, this paper introduces the HAIS framework. The framework extends standard SLRs by using AI, specifically Leximancer, to systematically analyze future research directions suggested within the literature. This approach offers a sophisticated means of uncovering latent gaps in privacy research and establishes a scalable methodology for future literature reviews.
Purpose This research aims to explore the effects of choosing prosocial service recovery on recovery outcomes and consumer choices. It argues that consumers who choose prosocial over tangible recovery will exhibit stronger repurchase intentions when corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives are perceived as authentic. Given these benefits, the research examines factors that influence customers’ decisions to select prosocial recovery instead of tangible compensation. Design/methodology/approach Three experimental studies simulate service failures and present prosocial and tangible recovery choices. Analyses using ANOVA and logistic regression models evaluate the influence of consumer value orientation, CSR authenticity, and the framing of prosocial options. Findings Allowing consumers to choose the charitable cause significantly increases prosocial recovery preferences. Ideal-oriented individuals are more likely to choose prosocial recovery than ought-oriented individuals. CSR authenticity moderates these effects: authentic CSR enhances the impact of prosocial recovery, while inauthentic CSR undermines its effectiveness. Originality/value This research bridges service failure and recovery with CSR, offering a novel perspective on how cocreated prosocial recovery strategies impact consumer behavior. It identifies consumers’ value orientations, specifically ideal- and ought-orientations, as key predictors of prosocial recovery preference. It also introduces prosocial recovery framing strategies to boost interest in these options. The findings provide empirical support for the effectiveness of choice-based prosocial recovery and emphasize CSR authenticity as a critical success factor. Overall, this study advances the understanding of consumer co-creation in recovery and highlights the strategic value of prosocial compensation.
Purpose This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of different digital nudging architectures in promoting sustainable consumer behaviour during the shopping experience. This research addresses a critical research gap by providing the first empirical comparison of theoretically grounded digital nudging models specifically designed to foster conscious shopping decisions. Design/methodology/approach A between-subjects experimental design involving 195 participants was implemented to compare the impact of three digital nudging architectures – make together, in-sourcing and crowd-sourcing – on multiple consumer outcomes. These outcomes include engagement, perceived usefulness, willingness to pay a premium price, trust in the retailer, retailer credibility and commitment to charitable initiatives. Findings All three digital nudging architectures elicited generally positive consumer evaluations, although with differentiated outcome profiles. The only statistically significant difference concerned the perceived relevance of the initiative, which was higher in the crowd-sourcing condition than in the make together condition. Descriptive patterns further suggest that crowd-sourcing is associated with stronger relational and engagement-oriented responses, in-sourcing with higher perceived usefulness and retailer credibility and make together with stronger purchase-related responses such as intention to buy and willingness to pay a premium. Research limitations/implications Managerial implications are provided for designing engaging, ethically responsible digital nudges and sustainability campaigns in retail environments. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical study to compare distinct digital nudging architectures in a sustainability context, offering a structured, theory-driven evaluation. The study advances knowledge in behavioural marketing and digital retailing by (1) offering a structured comparison of nudging architectures for sustainability goals, (2) evaluating how such interventions influence cognitive, emotional and behavioural consumer outcomes, (3) emphasising the strategic role of retailers in digital sustainability communication and (4) addressing the ethical acceptability of nudging in preserving consumer autonomy.
Purpose Airline ads increasingly include nature imagery to enhance the (wrongfully) perceived greenness of the advertised brand (i.e. executional greenwashing). However, it remains unknown whether executional greenwashing in airline ads distracts consumers from processing the information presented in the ad and from perceivinggreenwashing. This study aims to shed light on consumers’ perceptions of greenwashing in ads, using executional greenwashing, and the role of greenwashing literacy in this context. Design/methodology/approach In an experimental eye-tracking study (n = 175), the authors manipulated environmental compensation claims, including executional greenwashing, as well as consumers’ greenwashing literacy. They measured fixation count, fixation duration, and perceived greenwashing. Findings Neither executional greenwashing nor greenwashing literacy influenced consumers’ fixation count and fixation duration of informational text boxes depicted in the ads. However, consumers perceived more greenwashing in ads with nature imagery than without it. Moreover, greenwashing literacy heightened consumers’ perception of greenwashing. Originality/value For the first time, this study showed that although gaze behavior was not affected by executional greenwashing consumers were well able to recognize greenwashing attempts.
Purpose This study aims to investigate the psychological mechanisms behind consumers switching from traditional fashion items to wearable devices, focusing on symbolic congruence and procedural switching costs. Design/methodology/approach Using smart glasses as the focal wearable, a survey of 276 South Korean adults aged 18–49 examined how perceptions of relative advantage influence adoption and switching intentions. Findings The results revealed that symbolic congruence significantly drives adoption and switching intentions, partially mediating the effect of relative advantage. Conversely, procedural switching costs did not significantly impact either intention, suggesting that they are not a significant barrier for younger consumers. Originality/value This study advances the literature by framing consumer switching from fashion items to wearable devices as an identity-driven process and by demonstrating the central role of symbolic congruence while revealing the limited influence of procedural switching costs beyond traditional function-based adoption models, particularly in understanding consumers’ attitudinal and intentional orientations toward such transitions.
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to provide a systematic review of consumers’ parasocial interaction (PSI) and parasocial relationship (PSR) with online influencers. This study aims to synthesize existing literature through an organizing framework to examine how various antecedents influence these constructs and subsequent consumer behavior and marketing outcomes in the context of online influencer marketing. Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review identified and analyzed 76 peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2023. This review synthesizes antecedents, consequences, moderators and mediators by analyzing the selected papers using a directed qualitative content analysis approach. FindingsThe results of this study highlight the role of source, message, medium and consumer-related antecedents in fostering PSR/PSI with online influencers. The review further shows that PSR/PSI contributes to the development of influencers’ social capital. While most studies focus on non-transactional outcomes, only a limited number examine transactional outcomes such as purchase, impulse buying and gifting. Finally, the synthesis underscores the underexplored role of social media characteristics and affordances in shaping the development of PSR/PSI. Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first systematic review to highlight the overlooked role of media affordances such as richness, interactivity, community and gifting in shaping PSR/PSI with online influencers. By integrating these with source, message and consumer antecedents into a unified framework, this study provides a clearer foundation for advancing theory and guiding future influencer marketing research, including implications for sustainable consumption as well as child and adolescent well-being.
Purpose With growing consumer interest in sustainability, eco-friendly labels have become a common marketing tool within the consumer-packaged goods industry. This research aims to better understand consumer perceptions and behavioral intentions toward products with eco-friendly labels. Design/methodology/approach Using a mixed-method approach across six studies, combining qualitative and experimental methods, the authors investigate how eco-friendly labels influence consumer perceptions and behavioral intentions. Findings The findings demonstrate that eco-friendly labels positively affect purchase intentions. Furthermore, healthiness perceptions and taste expectations are identified as the underlying mechanisms driving this effect. However, the effect is attenuated when labels pertain specifically to sustainable packaging claims. Furthermore, feelings of warm glow experienced from being altruistic in the intention to purchase acts as a boundary condition for these effects. Originality/value While previous research has examined the positive effects of eco-friendly labeling, the findings uncover underlying factors, namely, healthiness perceptions and taste expectations, driving this relationship, further highlighting the influence and impact of eco-friendly labels on consumer behavior.
Purpose Understanding sustainable consumption is essential for responsible marketing and societal wellbeing; motherhood identity transitions provide a relevant and novel context for exploration, as mothers are influential agents of socialisation and change. This study aims to explore practices, motives and tensions around sustainable consumption in motherhood identity transitions. Design/methodology/approach An interpretivist philosophical position was adopted. Interviews were conducted with a purposively sampled group of UK residents, comprising 22 first-time and experienced mothers whose babies were born in the previous twelve months. Findings Having a new baby brings about distinctive opportunities for sustainable practices: this group of mothers demonstrates a circular “ecosystem” of sustainable consumption, which involves opting for products that are considered good quality and durable, reusing items and exchanging them. Thrift and organic consumption align with “good mother” ideology, while sustainable consumption can be positioned as a form of “relational consumption”, facilitating the development of evolving mother identities. Research limitations/implications Highlights directions for future research such as how sustainable consumption interacts with competing identity imperatives. Practical implications Enhanced understanding of this, and other, transitional identities can impact responsible marketing and social policy interventions for sustainable consumption in the context of motherhood and beyond. Social implications Informs how motives for mothers’ sustainable consumption interact with the (re)construction of personal and social identities at a time of change, with implications for associated wellbeing. Originality/value Provides a novel explanation of the nature of, and need for individual responsibility, “good mother” ideology, and social affiliation within relational communities as motives for sustainable consumption practices among transitional mothers.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework that examines the effects of incidental emotions on choices in self-control dilemmas. The framework predicts that the effect of emotions depends on the hedonic and non-hedonic needs they activate and the extent to which emotional consumers expect the virtuous and gratifying options in the choice dilemma to facilitate these needs (i.e. their instrumentality toward the activated needs). The framework helps develop propositions for the self-control effects of six commonly experienced emotions: happiness, sadness, pride, guilt, anger and anxiety. Design/methodology/approach The author uses a choice model to develop a conceptual framework that predicts the effects of incidental emotions on self-control. Findings The choice model identifies four processes through which emotions affect self-control choices: (1) emotions decrease self-control by activating hedonic needs, while (2) they increase self-control by activating non-hedonic needs. Decreasing (increasing) the instrumentality of the gratifying (virtuous) option toward these hedonic (3) and non-hedonic needs (4) increases self-control. Research limitations/implications The choice model applies only to the effects of incidental emotions. Practical implications The framework predicts the effects of incidental emotion on self-control, including in consumption contexts, such as impulsive spending or unhealthy eating. The model provides strategies for enhancing self-control among emotional consumers. Originality/value This paper is the first to conceptualize an overarching framework that proposes broad mechanisms through which all emotions affect self-control. It yields novel predictions about the effects of various incidental emotions.
Purpose Despite increasing ethical awareness, many consumers who express favorable attitudes toward vegan cosmetics fail to act on these intentions. This study aims to address the attitude-intention gap by exploring how specific motivations (identity-based vs self-oriented) and contextual factors shape consumer behavior in the vegan cosmetics domain.Design/methodology/approach Based on data from 299 Brazilian consumers, the authors applied structural equation modeling to examine key antecedents of attitudes and their effect on purchase intentions, along with three moderators: vegan lifestyle, product availability and length of vegan cosmetics use.Findings Environmental awareness, concern for animal welfare, perceived quality and trust positively influence consumers' attitudes toward vegan cosmetics consumption, whereas health consciousness and social influence show no significant results. The relationship between attitude and purchase intention was significantly moderated by ethical lifestyle, product accessibility and length of vegan cosmetics use, revealing when attitudes are more likely to convert into intentions.Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that not all motivations for ethical consumption exert the same influence on consumer behavior. The authors show that motivations grounded in ethical values, such as concerns for animal welfare and environmental preservation, are more likely to be integrated into one's moral identity, and therefore have a stronger impact on attitudes and intentions. In contrast, motivations tied to health or social influence appear more situational and less enduring. This distinction offers a novel lens through which to understand the attitude-intention gap, highlighting the importance of identity congruence in shaping consistent ethical consumer behavior.
PurposeThis study aims to examine how the sequence of cross-device online behavioral advertising (OBA) affects ad avoidance, drawing on communication privacy management (CPM) theory. It explores perceived privacy invasiveness as a mediator and cross-platform delivery as a moderator.Design/methodology/approachTwo experiments were conducted. Experiment 1 assessed the impact of cross-device sequence on perceived privacy invasiveness and ad avoidance. Experiment 2 investigated how cross-platform transfer moderates the relationship between sequence and perceived privacy invasiveness.FindingsWhen OBA shifts from smartphone to computer, the change from a device with higher self-connection to one with lower self-connection disrupts privacy boundaries, increasing privacy invasiveness and ad avoidance. Conversely, OBA flowing from computer to smartphone maintains stable privacy boundaries, reducing perceived privacy invasiveness and ad avoidance. Moreover, when OBA occurs across different (vs the same) platforms, the turbulence between the collective privacy boundaries of the two platforms strengthens (vs weakens) the relationship between cross-device sequence and perceived privacy invasiveness.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors influencing OBA avoidance, offering valuable insights into consumer privacy boundary management and advancing theoretical frameworks.Practical implicationsAdvertisers should optimize sequences across devices to reduce avoidance and minimize cross-platform transfer to avoid heightened privacy concerns from information transfer between platforms.Originality/valueThis study offers novel insights into how device sequence affects OBA avoidance, integrating CPM theory. It explores the underexamined role of cross-platform transfer in shaping privacy perceptions, contributing new theoretical perspectives to digital advertising.
