Abstract
Previous research in the area of how individuals respond to hard-copy versus electronic communications indicates inconsistent results. Although media richness theory suggests that there is no theoretical distinction between physical, hard-copy and electronic, text-based communications, other research has shown that an individual’s response varies depending on the type of communication. The present research explores the reaction to unexpected opportunities as a function of how the communications are received—either via email or as a hard-copy. Results indicate that participants were equally satisfied to receive either an electronic or a physical gift certificate; however, they redeemed them in unequal amounts. Participants who received a physical gift card were more likely to redeem their gifts and were more likely to spend a greater amount of the total gift card than those who received an electronic one.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 108-113 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Cornell Hospitality Quarterly |
| Volume | 58 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 1 2017 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Management
Keywords
- e-commerce
- gift cards
- hospitality