The Social Side of Brick and Mortar: The Impact of Brand-Related User-Generated Content on Different Consumer Typologies in Food Retailing

Abstract

Social media influences most off-line purchasing decisions, thereby impacting the relationship between retailers and (prospective) customers. User-generated content (UGC) is a means of engaging with consumers and shaping their trust perception and loyalty. Based on a sample of 967 food retail customers, we identify four segments distinct in terms of trust toward brand-related UGC, loyalty, brand-related UGC involvement, and demographics. Our findings add to the understanding of digital content marketing consequences by mapping four different brand-related UGC consumer typologies and how to best engage with the determined consumer typologies, highlighting the importance of social media for off-line businesses.