What Happens When Satisfied Customers Need Variety? –Effects Of Purchase Decision Involvement and Product Category on Chinese Consumers' Brand-Switching Behavior

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe current research examined the effects of customer satisfaction and need for variety on brand-switching intention among Chinese consumers, as well as the moderating role of purchasing-decision involvement. It was found that hedonic characteristics of a product significantly influenced these effects. For products with high hedonistic features, main effects of customer satisfaction and need for variety were found, regardless of the level of purchasing decision involvement. For products with low hedonistic features, only main effects of customer satisfaction were observed and they were moderated by purchasing decision involvement. Possible explanations were discussed and directions for future research were suggested.