Cause-related marketing in online environment: the role of brand-cause fit, perceived value, and trust

This article explores how cause-related marketing influences consumer response in an online environment, by analyzing the relationships between consumers’ perceptions of Cause-related Marketing (CrM) and their behavioral intentions toward an online store. Data was collected through an experiment using a sample of Portuguese respondents focusing on the effects of the cause–brand fit and consumer–cause identification on online stores perception and purchase intention. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The results show that consumer–cause identification has a positive impact on perceived value and that the relationship is moderated by brand–cause fit but it does not influence online purchase intention. Brand–cause fit was shown to have a positive influence on trust and online purchase intention, which is also impacted by perceived value. Trust was found to be a predictor of perceived value but not of the online purchase intention. The main contributions of the findings include the improved understanding of the importance of the fit to consumer’s perception and efficacy for online cause-related marketing campaigns.