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 oneʹs 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 consumersʹ evaluations of CCI and their service satisfaction. Results confirm Allportʹs (1954) contact hypothesis within the field of marketing, and highlight its key influence on consumer behavior in a culturally diverse marketplace.