Webcare Framing: How Small Changes Make a Significant Difference in Bystanders’ Minds

By conducting three experimental studies, this research contributes to the scientific knowledge about the effects of different forms of webcare framing (classic, non-classic) on complaint bystanders. Initial findings of the first study on classic framing indicate that by-standers’ webcare judgments and brand attitude are affected by goal framing. However, the effect of attribute framing appears to be ambiguous. Two subsequent scenario-based experiments show that both bystanders’ level of empathy towards fellow shoppers and perceived failure size strongly affect their reactions to different forms of webcare framing.