Touchpoint

Abstract: Technology enables a firm to produce a granular record of every touchpoint consumers make in their online purchase journey before they convert at the firm's website. However, firms still depend on aggregate measures to guide their marketing investments in multiple online channels (e.g., display, paid search, referral, e-mail). This article introduces a methodology to attribute the incremental value of each marketing channel in an online environment using individual-level data of customers' touches. The authors propose a measurement model to analyze customers' (1) consideration of online channels, (2) visits through these channels over time, and (3) subsequent purchases at the website to estimate the carryover and spillover effects of prior touches at both the visit and purchase stages. The authors use the estimated carryover and spillover effects to attribute the conversion credit to different channels and find that these channels' relative contributions are significantly different from those found by oth...

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the impact electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) has had on the hospitality and tourism industry and to discuss changes that will affect its future. The paper’s touchpoint is our earlier paper (Litvin et al., 2008), which proposed that eWOM was to become a major influence as a conduit of travelers’ views and opinions. Design/methodology/approach The article summarizes arguments in our earlier paper, describing ways in which eWOM has evolved into the influential system it has become, with special emphasis on the growth of mobile media as a platform for eWOM dissemination. Findings We conclude that eWOM has fulfilled its promise to become a major influence on the hospitality and tourism industry and will continue to play an essential role in hospitality marketing for the foreseeable future. Practical implications We provide examples of successful media campaigns and propose strategies for hospitality and tourism businesses. Originality/value eWOM has emerged to becom...