People Rely Less on Consumer Reviews for Experiential than Material Purchases

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 1052-1075 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hengchen Dai ◽  
Cindy Chan ◽  
Cassie Mogilner
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Word Of Mouth ◽  
Psychological Processes ◽  
Consumer Reviews ◽  
Objective Quality ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Material Purchases ◽  
Material Goods ◽  
Experiential Purchases ◽  
Prevalent Form

Abstract An increasingly prevalent form of social influence occurs online where consumers read reviews written by other consumers. Do people rely on consumer reviews differently when making experiential purchases (events to live through) versus when making material purchases (objects to keep)? Though people often use consumer reviews both when making experiential and material purchases, an analysis of more than six million reviews on Amazon.com and four laboratory experiments reveal that people are less likely to rely on consumer reviews for experiential purchases than for material purchases. This effect is driven by beliefs that reviews are less reflective of the purchase’s objective quality for experiences than for material goods. These findings not only indicate how different types of purchases are influenced by word of mouth, but also illuminate the psychological processes underlying shoppers’ reliance on consumer reviews. Furthermore, as one of the first investigations into how people choose among various experiential and material purchase options, these findings suggest that people are less receptive to being told what to do than what to have.

Experiential Purchases, Material Purchases, and Happiness: An Introduction

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 1782
Author(s):  
Jiang JIANG ◽  
Feng XU ◽  
Taoran ZENG ◽  
Yayi XU
Keyword(s):  
Material Purchases ◽  
Experiential Purchases

Comparing conspicuous consumption across different experiential products: Culture and leisure

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 430-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred Bronner ◽  
Robert de Hoog
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Behavior ◽  
Performing Arts ◽  
Classical Music ◽  
Conspicuous Consumption ◽  
Minor Importance ◽  
Cultural Events ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Social Visibility ◽  
Experiential Purchases ◽  
Cultural Marketing

Consumer behavior recently underwent three main developments: a shift from material purchases to immaterial experiences, a shift from signaling status and wealth by means of consumer behavior to signaling identity, and increased social visibility due to the growing importance of social media. These trends did arouse a renewed interest in the concept of conspicuous consumption in the area of experiential purchases. Seven different types of experiential purchases are compared as regards the role of conspicuous consumption: the main summer holiday and participation in six different types of cultural events. In the culture study, the same measurement tools were used as in the leisure study. It was found that conspicuous consumption plays a role in these types of purchases. This holds true for status demonstration as well as for identity demonstration. However, there are substantial differences between the different types of cultural events. Conspicuous consumption is important to those who attend festivals, classical music concerts, and pop concerts and is of minor importance as regards going to movies. Based on these findings, we propose a tentative theory about the relationship between conspicuous consumption and type of experiential purchase. Practical implications for marketing are sketched out. In cultural marketing for museums, the performing arts, and cinema, attention should be paid not only to the quality of the event for the self-experience, but also to its status and identity-signaling potential to relevant others.

Experientialism, Materialism, and the Pursuit of Happiness

2005 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leaf Van Boven
Keyword(s):  
Social Relationships ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Pursuit Of Happiness ◽  
Negatively Associated ◽  
Material Purchases ◽  
Experiential Purchases ◽  
Positive Feelings

Previous research indicates that materialistic aspirations are negatively associated with happiness and psychological health. Recent research extends these findings by demonstrating that allocating discretionary resources toward life experiences makes people happier than allocating discretionary resources toward material possessions. Respondents to various surveys have indicated that purchases made with the intention of acquiring life experiences make them happier than purchases made with the intention of acquiring material possessions. Thinking about experiential purchases has also been shown to produce more positive feelings than thinking about material purchases. Other studies suggest that experiential purchases make people happier because they are more open to positive reinterpretations, are more resistant to disadvantageous comparisons, and foster successful social relationships more than material purchases.

scholarly journals Consumer Information Search Behavior for Experiential and Material Purchases

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asli Elif Aydin
Keyword(s):  
Direct Observation ◽  
Information Search ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Search Behavior ◽  
Consumer Information ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Material Purchases ◽  
Information Search Behavior ◽  
Consumer Information Search

The objective of this study is to determine whether sources of information consulted and the extent of information search differ between experiential and material purchases. For this purpose two experimental studies were conducted. It is demonstrated that moving along the experiential-material purchase continuum; consumers’ reliance on personal sources, especially personal independent sources intensifies towards experiential purchase pole and decreases towards material purchase pole. In addition, for material purchases; direct observation is preferred more compared to personal sources of information. Finally, it is revealed that the total amount of search is greater for experiential purchases than material purchases. The results suggest that experiential and material purchases require different types of search conduct due to their distinct natures.

The Effects of Online Consumer Reviews on Fashion Clothing Purchase Intention

2017 ◽  
pp. 318-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie A. Dennison ◽  
Matteo Montecchi
Keyword(s):  
Purchase Intention ◽  
Word Of Mouth ◽  
Source Credibility ◽  
Elaboration Likelihood ◽  
Consumer Reviews ◽  
Online Consumer Reviews ◽  
Peripheral Cues ◽  
Likelihood Model ◽  
Online Consumer ◽  
Significant Moderator

This chapter examines a particular type of electronic word-of mouth; that of online consumer reviews featured on fashion retailer websites, and studies the effects they have on female fashion consumers in terms of subsequent purchase intention decisions. Using the Elaboration Likelihood Model as the theoretical framework, this study has focused on examining the effects of three peripheral cues; source credibility, review volume and valance on purchase intention, and also investigated how fashion clothing involvement moderates these relationships. The results suggest that reviews that are perceived to be credible, featured in high numbers and predominantly positive all had a significant effect in increasing the purchase intention of female fashion consumers. The level of fashion clothing involvement did not appear to be a significant moderator of cue effects with the notable exception of negative reviews, which were more likely to deter purchase intention from low involvement consumers compared to high involvement consumers.

scholarly journals Competitive interactions between species of freshwater snails: I. Laboratory: Ia. General methodology

1983 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederico Simões Barbosa ◽  
Dirceu P. Pereira da Costa ◽  
Francisco Arruda
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Freshwater Snail ◽  
Current Paper ◽  
Competitive Interactions ◽  
Laboratory Work ◽  
Freshwater Snails ◽  
Technical Advance ◽  
General Methodology ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Set Up

For the development of laboratory experiments on the competitive interacitons between freshwater snail populations, special snail rooms were set up in the main building of the Research Center "Aggeu Magalhães". In the current paper, the first of a series on this subject, the general methodology of the laboratory work is described in detail. Using indoor cement channels in which a uniform seminatural environment was created, interactions of freshwater snail populations can be studied with minimal interference of the usual variables. Controlled indoor environmental techniques, as described in the current paper, may also be utilized in different types of experiments in malacology, and represent a substantial technical advance in malacological work.

scholarly journals The Role of Gastrolites on Feeding Behavior and Digestive Efficiency in the Rufous-Collared Sparrow

The Condor ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 102 (2) ◽  
pp. 465-469
Author(s):  
M. Victoria LÓpez-Calleja ◽  
Mauricio Soto-Gamboa ◽  
Enrico L. Rezende
Keyword(s):  
Digestive Tract ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Morphological Changes ◽  
Digestive Efficiency ◽  
Accidental Ingestion ◽  
Energy Demands ◽  
Zonotrichia Capensis ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Voluntary Behavior

Abstract We examined grit consumption in the facultative granivorous Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis). Grit consumption fluctuated seasonally and was significantly correlated with morphological changes in the digestive tract, and with seed size. The highest values of grit consumption and digestive tract mass were observed during winter. Laboratory experiments suggested that grit consumption was a voluntary behavior rather than the result of accidental ingestion, and favored digestibility. Grit consumption varied considerably when Z. capensis fed on different types of food, but remained constant when food availability varied. We suggest that grit consumption together with morphological changes in the digestive tract allow Z. capensis to increase energy acquisition in response to higher energy demands during wintertime.

Motivations for sharing marketer-generated content on social media: a comparison between American and Korean college students

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 206-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mira Lee ◽  
Jieun Lee ◽  
Elizabeth Quilliam
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Word Of Mouth ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Self Presentation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Us ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
Korean College Students

Purpose This study examined both American and Korean consumers’ motivation to share marketer-generated content (MGC) on Facebook and how these motives are related to the frequency of various types of sharing activities and the frequency of sharing various types of MGC. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was conducted in the US and Korea. Findings The findings demonstrated that both American and Korean consumers share MGC for several reasons: liking/helping the brand, self-presentation/social interaction, economic rewards, and entertainment. In addition to these four motivations, Korean consumers also share MGC with others to offer information that may be of use to them. These different types of motivations were associated with the frequency of sharing MGC directly from Facebook brand pages, of re-sharing what Facebook friends shared first, of adding comments when sharing, and of sharing different types of MGC differently. We found similarities and differences in the patterns of these relationships between the US and Korea. Originality/value Although many studies on electronic word of mouth (eWOM) have examined consumers’ motivations for providing consumer-generated content, research on consumer motivations to forward marketer-generated content is scarce. Additionally, earlier work examined the influences of motivation on sharing in general and on a certain type of MGC. Our findings that focused on various types of motivations to share MGC, and their influences on various types of MGC and specific types of sharing activities can provide a more complete picture than what was previously available in the eWOM literature. Further, by comparing American consumers’ motivations to share MGC on SNSs and their influences on sharing activities with those of Korean consumers, this study contributes to building a body of cross-cultural studies on consumer sharing of MGC.

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