Abstract
Several studies in consumer behavior have focused on consumers’ shopping orientation in terms of hedonic and utilitarian shopping. The present research advances a different perspective examining hedonic and utilitarian shopping orientations with the theoretical lenses of construal-level theory. Results from two studies indicate that hedonism relates to higher and utilitarianism to lower construal levels (Study 1). Consequently, individuals tend to prefer desirability-related options when shopping hedonically, and feasibility-related options when shopping in a utilitarian way (Study 2). The findings further show a moderating effect of construal level on the relationship between shopping orientation and choice, consistent with construal-level theory.
Highlights
Several studies in consumer behavior have focused on how consumers shop, identifying cases where consumers shop for need, alongside a “shopping as work” theme (Babin et al 1994), and other cases where shopping is instead a joy, alongside a “shopping for fun” theme (Holbrook and Hirschman 1982)
Results from the manipulation check support the manipulation of construal level: respondents exposed to high-level priming displayed higher Behavioral Identification Form (BIF) scores (MHigh = 4.35) than those exposed to low-level priming (MLow = 3.39, F(1, 109) = 5.79, p = 0.02, η2 = 0.05)
Hedonic priming increased the level of hedonism (M1 = 4.76, SD = 1.27 vs. M2 = 3.92, SD = 1.17, F(1, 272) = 14.43, p < 0.001; η2 = 0.05), and utilitarian priming increased the level of utilitarianism (M1 = 4.51, SD = 1.37 vs. M2 = 4.04, SD = 1.66, F(1, 272) = 16.02, p < 0.001; η2 = 0.05)
Summary
Several studies in consumer behavior have focused on how consumers shop, identifying cases where consumers shop for need, alongside a “shopping as work” theme (Babin et al 1994), and other cases where shopping is instead a joy, alongside a “shopping for fun” theme (Holbrook and Hirschman 1982) These shopping orientations refer to consumers’ general predisposition toward the act of shopping and are usually discussed in terms of “goal-oriented” or “utilitarian” and “recreational” or “hedonic” (see Scarpi 2012, for a review). Their contrast illustrates a heterogeneity in consumers’ subjective way of experiencing a shopping expedition, yet studies have mostly neglected to focus on consumers’ mindsets in studying shopping orientation. Construal can influence which features consumers value in product choice (Trope and Liberman 2010), how they mentally organize (Lee et al 2014), evaluate products (Lamberton and Diehl 2013), react to color (Lee et al 2014), and music (Hansen and Melzner 2014)
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