Beyond form and function: Why do consumers value product design?

Abstract

Product design is often the first point of contact between the product and the buyer in retail aisles and search results on the Internet. Researchers and managers understand that product design is important in consumer and buyer behavior, yet they may not clearly and fully grasp the broad values that product design creates for consumers. Based on an extensive qualitative study that integrates previous value typologies, this research shows that product design can create not only “form” and “function” related value but also a self-expressive dimension (social and altruistic value) that is communicated through the design's holistic properties. After developing and testing a reliable and valid scale for this value typology, this research demonstrates that consumers who have higher design acumen tend to perceive aspects of self-expressive value more than consumers with low design acumen. Finally, the implications for research and practice are considered here.