Abstract

Although recent studies have explored the antecedents of customer engagement behavior (CEB), few empirical studies have explored the mechanisms that connect these antecedents to CEB. From self-concept perspective, this research uses experimental and survey methods to explore the influence of the type of customer-invested resource (time vs. money) and customers’ regulatory focus (promotion-focused vs. prevention-focused) on CEB and the mechanisms that underlie these processes. The results of three studies show that promotion-focused customers initiate more recommendations and complaints when time (vs. money) spent in the shopping experience is emphasized, whereas this effect does not exist for prevention-focused customers. A self-concept connection mediates the moderating role of regulatory focus in the relationship between types of resources and recommendations, whereas this mediating role of self-concept connection does not exist with complaining behaviors. In summary, the influence of customer-invested resources on CEB varies according to a customer’s regulatory focus.

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