Journal of Marketing and Market Studies 03/2023

The article is dedicated to a particular aspect of market operations, which is entering into business relations with authoritarian governments, their agencies or other dependent entities, and functioning on the markets of countries considered undemocratic, where human rights are violated and the rule of law is restricted, and where the authorities violate human rights, restrict the rule of law and behave aggressively towards their own citizens or other countries. Running market activities in the outlined socio-political context can be regarded as a manifestation of the dark side of marketing, i.e. acting in an unethical manner and causing harm to specific stakeholders. With reference to the theory of marketing ethics and using selected empirical examples, the need to include the attitudes and behaviors of companies in such conditions in research aimed to identify and assess the dark side of marketing, especially considering the growing threats to the rule of law and basic moral norms, is indicated.

As consumers have become increasingly aware of the risks associated with the state of the environment, the quest for reduce the negative impact on the planet began, so companies had to revise their offers and learn how to communicate the eco-friendly features of their brands. One of such communication methods is to include relevant information directly on the packaging, which is efficient especially for in-store purchase situations. The main objective of the paper is to assess the impact of pro-ecological factors presented on products' packaging on the consumers' purchase intentions and the brand image. To fulfill this objective, an empirical study was carried out in an experimental technique, involving the presentation of packaging prototypes to participants and exploration of their purchase preferences. Packaging prototypes representing five different product types were used – some were characterized by pro-environmental traits, while others did not have such features. The results confirm the positive impact of pro-environmental factors on packaging on consumers' purchase intentions, as well as on brand image (eco-friendly brands were perceived as high-quality and interesting). In four of five product categories, the most of respondents would choose a brand containing pro-environmental elements. The findings indicate the potential benefits for brand owners resulting from including pro-environmental content on packaging, which can be a source of competitive advantage.

Social media have become a permanent element of the process of market communication of enterprises in the virtual space. The current state of market communication has certainly been influenced by the global COVID-19 pandemic and the transfer of most promotional activities to the online space. Progressive digitization, postpandemic experiences of social media users, changing attitudes of recipients, as well as their growing expectations towards brands contribute to a constant need to adapt communication activities in social media marketing. Along with the dynamic development of social media, we have witnessed the evolution of new phenomena and forms used in market communication. The aim of this article is to identify Generation Z's expectations towards the use of social media in companies' current promotional activities, as well as to determine the impact of content published by brands on the purchasing decisions of consumers from this generation. The empirical part of the work is an analysis of a study conducted on a sample of young consumers in order to identify their expectations regarding brand activity in social media.

The aim of the article is to identify consumer behavior on the clothing market in the context of the dynamic development of multichannel and omnichannel sales and to present the structure of this market and technological innovations occurring on it, which can support the purchasing process of clothing buyers and even create virtual reality. The initiation of multichannel sales in the clothing market has opened up new ways for buyers to make purchases and has given enterprises the possibility of transforming and improving the existing sales strategies. The time of the COVID-19 pandemic is also significant, because it has made shopping for clothes take on a different dimension. Clothing buyers are increasingly using omnichannel sales in the clothing market. Consumers also pay attention to the safety of shopping, as well as time and location convenience. The considerations were carried out using the methods of logical reasoning, critical analysis of the literature, databases of the Central Statistical Office, websites, industry reports and reports of research agencies that monitor changes in distribution and retail sales on the clothing market. The conclusions that have been presented can be used as a recommendation to take effective action by trading enterprises and initiate further considerations regarding consumer behavior on the clothing market, multi-channel sales, or the clothing market itself, its structure and modern technological solutions.