Understanding the impact of recipient identification and discount structure on social coupon sharing: The role of altruism and market mavenism

DOI

10.1002/mar.21555

Abstract

This study investigates consumers’ sharing of social coupons, a novel and understudied marketing strategy in which a consumer receives a coupon set where one coupon is meant to be kept and redeemed, while the other is meant to be shared with a secondary recipient. Linking the literature on marketing promotions, social influence, sharing motivations, and consumer characteristics, we examine how identification of a specific secondary recipient (e.g., family member vs. co-worker) and coupon discount structure (e.g., equal discount for both the sharer and the secondary recipient vs. a structure favoring one of the parties) affect social coupon sharing. Four experimental studies demonstrate that consumers are more likely to share social coupons when socially close to the identified recipient and when discount structure benefits the secondary recipient due to enhanced feelings of altruism. These effects are particularly impactful for individuals low in market mavenism, whereas individuals high in market mavenism share regardless. These findings enhance theories on behavioral pricing, social influence, and sharing motivations. Results indicate that current practices in the marketplace may not all be strategically sound and that practitioners should carefully consider how identification and discount structure are employed to maximize social coupon sharing.

Document Type

Restricted Article: Campus only access

Publication Date

7-30-2021

Publisher Statement

Copyright © 2021, Wiley Periodicals LLC.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21555

The definitive version is available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mar.21555

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