The “easy win” preference: Negative consumption experiences, incompetence, and the influence on subsequent unrelated loyalty behavior

Abstract

How firms directly interact with consumers is crucial in establishing and maintaining loyalty. Yet, consumerism does not exist in a vacuum and therefore it is likely that consumers approach new experiences while still undergoing feelings from prior unrelated experiences. Three studies highlight that negative consumption experiences can enhance loyalty towards unrelated brands and products that consumers already prefer and patronize (e.g., increase repurchase intentions, decrease switching behaviors). We argue that this occurs because some negative consumption experiences can threaten consumer competence perceptions, which then drives consumers to be more loyal in subsequent unrelated decisions because they want an “easy win.” Overall, results suggest that positive loyalty behaviors can emanate from consumer experiences completely outside a firm’s control, but that these firms can act as a safe haven, providing hurt consumers with a stable offering, helping them regain their competence.