The Effect of Electronic Word of Mouth Information on Consumer Attitudes toward Nutricosmetics and Health Functional Food - Focus on the Role of Consumers Self-Regulatory Focus -

Abstract

This thesis seeks to classify the lifestyle of consumers preferring nutricosmetics or health functional food and to understand the factors of marketing communication affecting consumer attitudes toward nutricosmetics or health functional foods under Higgins's regulatory focus theory. Study 1 examines the effects of the lifestyle characteristics of female consumers affecting the purchase intention toward each of nutricosmetics and health functional foods. According to the results of multiple regression model with lifestyle and regulatory focus variables on purchase intentions, the consumers who pursue a good appearance have higher purchase intentions toward both products. Unlike health functional foods, nutricosmetic products are preferred by the consumers who actively participate in leisure and pursue wealth. Also, the higher their promotion focus, the higher their purchase intention toward nutricosmetics. Study 2 determines the most preferred platform type and description type of e-WoM according to a products perceived regulatory value. It was discovered that individuals who have high purchase intention toward health functional food prefer e-WoM messages to brand official webpage when seeking information about the products. Several implications and suggestions for future studies are also provided.