The timestamp effect: How prior contribution timing shapes future donations

Hospitality businesses often partner with charitable organizations to raise funds for their sustainability initiatives through online donation platforms. A notable feature on these online platforms is the timing of previous donations, indicating whether a campaign has recently received a contribution (recent) or if it has been a while since the last contribution (distant). Despite the prevalence of prior donation timing information and its visibility to potential donors, it remains unknown how the recency of previous donations influences consumers. This research bridges this gap by examining how recent (vs. distant) prior donation timing influences consumer inferences and donation intentions. Study 1 demonstrates that a recent (vs. distant) prior donation timing enhances perceived velocity, leading to higher donation intentions and amounts. Study 2 examines the moderating role of matching gifts, and the results indicate that when a matching gift is absent, a high (vs. low) perceived velocity leads to greater donation intentions. However, the effect is attenuated when a matching gift is present. Study 3 marginally supports the moderating role of spatial distance, showing that when campaign beneficiaries are located far away, a high (vs. low) perceived velocity increases donation intention. However, this effect is attenuated when beneficiaries are nearby. Together, this study adds to the donation literature and provides practical implications for hospitality businesses that utilize fundraising as part of their sustainability initiatives.