DOI: 10.1002/mar.21081 RESEARCH ARTICLE Will they pitch or will they switch? Comparing Chinese and American consumers Anjala S. Krishen Han-Fen Hu University of Nevada, Las Vegas Correspondence Anjala S. Krishen, Department of Marketing and International Business, Lee Business School, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154. Email: anjala.krishen@unlv.edu Abstract This study compares the conditions for consumer satisfaction and word of mouth (WOM) between Chinese and American consumers. The authors utilize a between-subjects factorial design exper- iment to investigate the effect of service experience (positive or negative) and consumption con- text (hedonic vs. utilitarian) across these two cultures. Results indicate that consumers perceive higher levels of satisfaction and switching costs, and provide higher WOM intention for positive than for negative service experiences. The relationship between service experience and perceived switching costs is further moderated by consumption context and culture. Of importance is the critical mediating role of consumer satisfaction in driving perceived switching costs and WOM intention. The comparison of Chinese and American consumers also reveals the distinct switching behaviors between the two groups of consumers, which can be explained from a cultural perspec- tive. The study findings provide insights into provider-switching and WOM-spreading behaviors by Chinese and American consumers, under hedonic versus utilitarian consumption contexts. KEYWORDS consumption context, cross-cultural word-of-mouth, hedonic, satisfaction, service experiences, switching costs, utilitarian, word-of-mouth 1 INTRODUCTION As the business world becomes less company driven and more consumer-oriented, loyalty is a critical factor for building a successful company (Ivanic, 2015). Such loyalty is difficult to earn, but in the pro- gressively socially connected world, consumers who are brand advo- cates serve as a key marketing tool (Berezan, Krishen, Tanford, & Raab, 2017). Word-of-mouth (WOM) communication includes all forms of information exchange among consumers regarding the characteris- tics and usage of particular products, services, or vendors (Hamilton, Schlosser, & Chen, 2017). In effect, as a free resource that consumers can avail of at any time and from multiple sources, WOM not only provides consumers with platforms within which to share their con- sumption stories and opinions, but it also allows them to research a seemingly independent view of a business, often fueling their purchas- ing decisions (Dimitriu & Guesalaga, 2017; Moran, Muzellec, & Nolan, 2014). WOM is therefore considered to be more credible than infor- mation from commercial sources and is effective for reducing con- sumers’ perceived risks associated with products and services (Wien & Olsen, 2014). Prior research also suggests that WOM is a valuable marketing resource and a major driver for the diffusion of new prod- ucts and services (Wien & Olsen, 2014). As such, research abounds on the motivations driving WOM, whether positive or negative, such as self-enhancement, anger and retaliation, altruism, brand love, and many others (De Angelis, Bonezzi, Peluso, Rucker, & Costabile, 2012). The present study builds on existing literature by comparing the triggers for consumer satisfaction and WOM between Chinese and American consumers. Answering a recent call for research regarding an “…additional understanding of the dynamics faced in response to problematic situations,” (Taylor, 2017, p. 518) the authors seek to fur- ther explore the drivers for positive or negative WOM in these two distinct cultures. As businesses continue to expand internationally and draw foreign consumers to the United States, understanding cultural differences between Chinese and American consumers becomes an important first step for developing adaptation strategies in foreign markets. China is emerging as one of the world's fastest growing major economies and provides many new opportunities for companies which strive to expand internationally (BBC News, 2017). Despite ample pos- sibilities for businesses to establish a presence in China, there are sev- eral obstacles to success in this market, including increasing debt lev- els, overcapacity in several industries, and a growing aging population (Kapur, 2017). As companies attempt to establish a presence in China, they will ultimately rely on both marketing campaigns and customer- to-customer (C2C) WOM from their most prominent and loyal con- sumers. Managing WOM among Chinese consumers is an integral part of delivering information and communicating with them. 210 c  2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Mark. 2018;35:210–219. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/mar