The Effects of Brand Experience on the Perceived Value of Customers in China and Korea

Purpose - This study has the purpose to investigate causal relationships among brand experience, perceived value and brand support behavior in both Chinese consumers and Korean consumers. Furthermore, this study examined the moderating effects of interaction with customers in the relationships between brand experience and perceived value. Besides, this study tried to analyze the difference between the Korean customers and the Chinese customers in the causal relationships between brand experience and perceived value. Research design, data and methodology - Three research questions about the causal relationships between variables were presented and examined empirically in this study. First research question is about relationships among brand experience, perceived value and brand support behavior. Second research questions is about the moderating role of interaction with customers. Third research question is about the differences in the causal relationships between China consumers and Korean consumers. A total of 377 samples who had visited theme parks in China and Korea were surveyed and the research questions were examined by SPSS and AMOS. Results - First, sensory experience, emotional experience, and cognitive experience have significant causal relationships with perceived value in Both Chinese and Korean consumers. Perceived value has a positive effect on brand support behavior and interaction with customer has a moderating effect between brand experience variables and perceived value in Both Chinese and Korean consumers. Second, The causal relationship between behavioral experience and perceived value is not significant in Both Chinese and Korean consumers. Third, there were significant differences in the effects of emotional experience and cognitive experience on perceived value between Chinese consumers and Korean consumers. Conclusions - First, managers of theme park industry should design experience programs considering various brand experience variables for both Chines consumers and Korean consumers. Second, it is necessary to raise the level of customer interaction between employees and customers. Third, to strengthen both emotional experience and cognitive experience is necessary for both experience marketing programs for Chinese tourists and the strategy to enter the Chinese market.