Two important strategies to attenuate consumer purchase hesitation☆

Abstract

Based on collective cognitive dissonance theory and self-affirmation theory, this study examines the methods of attenuating purchase hesitation and retaining consumers’ original purchase intention of luxury goods by offering advertising messages. Two experiments were conducted to examine how purchase hesitation caused by negative feedback from peers at the purchase stage can be resolved. The results indicate that collective cognitive dissonance and self-threat at the purchase stage decreases purchase intention. Offering advertising messages containing information that supports consumer choice mitigates the negative influence of purchase hesitation on purchase intention and information search intention. Moreover, providing promotional messages to enhance self-esteem reduces consumer intention to search for additional information, but does not restore already reduced purchase intention. This study provides meaningful implications for consumer decision-making research. The findings contribute to the theoretical development of new media and future research on consumer decision-making.