Abstract
Five studies across a range of domains show that consumers who can choose as manyalternatives as they wish (“flexible choice”), report more positive affective states andpurchase more than those who have to choose a pre-defined quantity of products(“constrained” choice). The benefits of choice “flexibility” are stronger in large thansmall assortments, and are replicated in field and laboratory settings: when peoplechose cookies after a meal in a restaurant, possible dating partners on a simulateddating website, energy bars from descriptions, and soaps for personal use. The findingshave theoretical implications for advancing choice-overload research, as well aspractical implications for retailers and assortment designers. Counter to traditionalrecommendations that satisfaction and purchases improve by “offering less,” ourstudies show that offering more can still lead to satisfied consumers, as long asconsumers are free to choose as much or as little as they wish.
Lingua originale | English |
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Titolo della pubblicazione ospite | Proceedings of the European Marketing Academy Conference, 49th, (63965) |
Numero di pagine | 1 |
Stato di pubblicazione | Published - 2020 |