Understanding the influence of cross-cultural Consumer-to-Consumer Interaction on consumer service satisfaction

Managing Consumer-to-Consumer Interaction (CCI) is an essential task for service providers since the presence of other consumers within the same service setting may spoil or enhance one's service experience. CCI management becomes even more critical in multicultural societies as it implies the integration of consumers from different cultural backgrounds. The present research, through an experiment in South Africa, demonstrates the fundamental influence of cultural compatibility, intergroup anxiety and cross-group contact on consumers' evaluations of CCI and their service satisfaction. Results confirm Allport's (1954) contact hypothesis within the field of marketing, and highlight its key influence on consumer behavior in a culturally diverse marketplace.

► We empirically demonstrate how cross-cultural CCI influences service satisfaction. ► Perceived compatibility with other consumers influences consumers' satisfaction. ► Felt anxiety partially explains the influence of compatibility on satisfaction. ► Out-group contact increases compatibility with culturally-incongruent consumers. ► Understanding “contact” is key within increasingly multicultural marketplaces.