Consumer Perceptions and Intention to Recommend Mobile Car Markets: The Mediating Effect of Perceived Value

Abstract

The advent of COVID-19 led to a wave of Mobile Car Markets (MCMs) as the Zimbabwean government enforced localised restrictions on people's movement. As a result, MCMs have become a permanent feature in the Zimbabwean marketing landscape over the last three years. However, little empirical research is known about this phenomenon. Considering this, the study examined the motivation behind consumers' intention to recommend MCMs. A quantitative approach was adopted wherein data were collected using structured questionnaires. Data were collected from 250 respondents, conveniently selected from the high-density streets of Harare. The results, analysed using Structural Equation Modelling, revealed that perceived convenience and perceived compatibility had a significant positive impact on perceived value. Perceived convenience, perceived value and perceived compatibility had a significant effect on the intention to recommend. Further, the results also showed that perceived value did not mediate the relationship between perceived convenience and intention to recommend MCMs. However, perceived value mediated the relationship between perceived compatibility and the intention to recommend MCMs, These results offer important practical insights to marketing managers in highly informalised economies.