Consumer Trade‐Offs Among Flame Retardance and Other Product Attributes: A Conjoint Analysis of Consumer Preferences

Abstract

This paper reports a study of consumer choices of alternative products, based on trade‐offs among various product attributes. The methodology is a conjoint analysis of product preference rankings based on evaluations by 197 consumers of nine blanket specimens mailed to them as part of a survey. The specimens, which varied according to price, hand, care instructions and flame retardance, provided a much more realistic representation of a choice situation than either verbal or pictorial product descriptions.Results of the conjoint analysis suggest that this is an appropriate tool for examining consumer preferences. Flame retardance was found to be important to consumers in their choice of textile products, and they appeared willing to make trade‐offs among other product attributes to acquire this special property. For some consumers this might mean a willingness to pay more, to sacrifice some softness or to follow more specific care instructions. The implications of these results for public policy are discussed.