Utilitarian Purchases Research Articles

How consumers with hedonic (vs utilitarian) purchase motive use item-price (vs price-item) presentation order as a mechanism to justify their hedonic purchase

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the moderating role of hedonic and utilitarian purchase motives for the presentation order effect. Although past research finds that presenting item first and price later (e.g. 70 items for $29) increases consumers’ purchase intention more than presenting the information in the opposite order (e.g. $29 for 70 items), the effect was mostly examined in a hedonic consumption context. This study examines whether the effect is applicable for hedonic purchases but is less applicable for utilitarian purchases, and why.Design/methodology/approachSeven experiments tested the moderating effect of purchase motives for the presentation order effect. Two serial mediation analyses were conducted to examine the underlying mechanism.FindingsThe “item-price” (vs “price-item”) order increases hedonic purchases, but not utilitarian purchases. Because consumers feel guilty about hedonic purchases, they engage in motivated information processing to perceive greater value from their hedonic purchase when item (benefit) information is presented first and price (cost) information is presented later. Perceiving greater value reduces guilt, which consequently increases hedonic purchases. In contrast, the order effect is not observed for utilitarian purchases that do not elicit guilt. When a price discount is offered, the order effect is reversed because actual savings justify hedonic purchases better than perceived savings resulting from motivated information processing.Practical implicationsWhen promoting hedonic products, marketers are recommended to present item information before price information, unless a price discount is offered, in which case the price should be presented first.Originality/valueThis research introduces a novel moderator for the presentation order effect and a novel underlying mechanism, driven by the motivation to alleviate guilt associated with hedonic purchases.

Is online shopping addiction still a depressive illness? —— the induced consumption and traffic trap in live E-commerce

While immersive shopping has injected new vitality into China's e-commerce, it has also resulted in consumers' over-reliance on online shopping. Psychological studies have linked online shopping addiction with depression, but business practices challenge this conclusion. This study, grounded in addiction theory, developed a theoretical model, and conducted an online survey with 214 live-streaming shoppers using structural equation modeling for validation. The primary focus was on determining whether consumers truly become addicted to online shopping in the four stages of the addiction model. The study unveils the process of consumers becoming addicted to online shopping. It explores the moderating role of perceived risk in the relationship between utilitarian and hedonic purchases and online shopping addiction. The findings suggest that through tactics such as traffic promotion, traffic trapping, anchor feature utilization, and incorporation of consumer aesthetics, merchants may induce utilitarian and hedonic purchases, leading to addiction to live-streaming shopping among consumers. Furthermore, perceived risk significantly and negatively moderates the relationship between utilitarian purchases and online shopping addiction. Our research indicates that merchants intentionally create external stimuli, enticing consumers to indulge in online shopping, suggesting that online shopping addiction is not merely a simple psychological state but may be influenced by external factors. This study provides novel insights into the phenomenon of online shopping addiction while offering valuable recommendations for consumers seeking to avoid succumbing to its allure.

Should online reviews include pictures? The impact of fit between product type and online review presentation format

This article investigates the influence of including pictures in online consumer reviews on review helpfulness perceptions for different types of products (hedonic vs utilitarian). Based on the dual-process model of information processing and regulatory fit theory, the study finds that reviews composed mainly of pictures are more helpful for hedonic purchases, while reviews composed mainly of text are more helpful for utilitarian purchases. The reason is that a picture-based (vs text-based) review permits consumers to obtain more knowledge about a product’s emotional (rational) benefits, which fits with hedonic (vs utilitarian) products’ consumption motivation. Specifically, the effect of fit between hedonic (vs utilitarian) purchase and picture (vs text) presentation of a review on the review helpfulness perception is mediated by emotional (vs cognitive) engagement. JEL Classification: M31, M37

Consumption Trends During the COVID-19 Crisis: How Awe, Coping, and Social Norms Drive Utilitarian Purchases.

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis continues to worsen globally, there exists a widespread enthusiasm for buying utilitarian products in the retail market, irrespective of culture or nationality. However, the questions of whether and why being involved in a public health emergency like the COVID-19 crisis could modify consumer behaviors have been underexplored by previous literature. Drawing on the theory of awe that highlights the important role in influencing human behaviors when they are facing unexpected events that transcends the frame of existing references, the present research aims to clarify the relationship between COVID-19 involvement and consumer preference for utilitarian versus hedonic products. We collected data from 512 Chinese participants (319 women; average age 29.11 years; SD = 11.89) during the outbreak of COVID-19. The results of structural equation modeling showed that COVID-19 involvement was positively related to the preference for utilitarian products (vs. hedonic products). More importantly, this relationship could be explained via the mediated effects of awe, problem-focused coping, and social norm compliance. The present research emphasizes the non-negligible role of public health emergencies in modifying consumer behavior and the role of awe in explaining the psychological influence of public health emergencies.

Path to Purpose? How Online Customer Journeys Differ for Hedonic Versus Utilitarian Purchases

The authors examine consumers’ information channel usage during the customer journey by employing a hedonic and utilitarian (H/U) perspective, an important categorization of consumption purpose. Taking a retailer-category viewpoint to measure the H/U characteristics of 20 product categories at 40 different retailers, this study combines large-scale secondary clickstream and primary survey data to offer actionable insights for retailers in a competitive landscape. The data reveal that, when making hedonic purchases (e.g., toys), consumers employ social media and on-site product pages as early as two weeks before the final purchase. By contrast, for utilitarian purchases (e.g., office supplies), consumers utilize third-party reviews up to two weeks before the final purchase and make relatively greater usage of search engines, deals, and competitors’ product pages closer to the time of purchase. Importantly, channel usage is different for sessions in which no purchase is made, indicating that consumers’ information channel choices vary significantly with the H/U characteristics of purchases. The article closes with an extensive discussion of the significant implications for managing customer touchpoints.

The Role of Hedonic and Utilitarian Motives on the Effectiveness of Partitioned Pricing

The present research investigates how purchase motives (hedonic vs. utilitarian) influence the effectiveness of partitioned versus combined pricing. Across four studies, we find that compared to combined pricing, partitioned pricing increases hedonic purchases, but not utilitarian purchases. We find this happens because consumers considering a hedonic purchase tend to feel anticipated guilt associated with their hedonic spending, and partitioned pricing is used as a guilt-mitigating justification for the spending. Specifically, consumers with a hedonic purchase motive underprocess a surcharge, which enables them to perceive the price of the product as lower than the actual, combined price. This lower price perception helps consumers justify their hedonic purchase as an act of saving money, and as a result, alleviates guilt. These effects are magnified among consumers who have high disposition to feel consumption guilt. When a price discount is offered, it attenuates the effectiveness of partitioned pricing because the price discount serves as a more effective justification by offering actual saving, not just the perception of saving. Our findings contribute to the pricing literature by uncovering a motivational factor influencing the effectiveness of partitioned (vs. combined) pricing, and offer a useful pricing guideline to product managers based on the product-pricing fit revealed in our research.

The Role of Hedonic and Utilitarian Motives on the Effectiveness of Partitioned Pricing

The present research investigates how purchase motives (hedonic vs utilitarian) influence the effectiveness of partitioned versus combined pricing. Across four studies, we find that compared to combined pricing, partitioned pricing increases hedonic purchases, but not utilitarian purchases. We find this happens because consumers considering a hedonic purchase tend to feel anticipated guilt associated with their hedonic spending, and partitioned pricing is used as a guilt-mitigating justification for the spending. Specifically, consumers with a hedonic purchase motive under-process a surcharge, which enables them to perceive the price of the product as lower than the actual, combined price. This lower price perception helps consumers justify their hedonic purchase as an act of saving money, and as a result, alleviates guilt. These effects are magnified among consumers who have high disposition to feel consumption guilt. When a price discount is offered, it attenuates the effectiveness of partitioned pricing because the price discount serves as a more effective justification by offering actual saving, not just the perception of saving. Our findings contribute to the pricing literature by uncovering a motivational factor influencing the effectiveness of partitioned (vs. combined) pricing, and offer a useful pricing guideline to product managers based on the product-pricing fit revealed in our research.

Purchase decision and purchase delay of hedonic and utilitarian products in the face of time pressure and multiplicity of options

Purpose Time pressure may change how people behave. The multiplicity of options and the nature of the products, hedonic or utilitarian, might increase the complexity of the choice and alter the effects of time pressure. Combining both factors, the purpose of this paper is to verify the moderating role played by the nature of the products observing the relationship between interaction (time pressure × multiplicity of options) and choice delay. Design/methodology/approach A two-level factorial experimental design was applied (time pressure: with; without) × 2 (number of alternatives: two; six) × 2 (type of purchase: hedonic; utilitarian), with mixed design, considering the purchase delay a dependent variable. Findings The results signal that the nature of the products moderates the effects of the interaction between time pressure and choice overload in purchase delay. Utilitarian purchases are more susceptible to the effects of time pressure and options overload than hedonic purchases. Originality/value The interaction between time pressure and choice overload, researched in previous works, influences in different ways the purchase of utilitarian or hedonic products. This differentiation, taking into consideration the type of product, brings new perspectives on the purchase decision process and provides theoretical and practical information on the effects of information overload and time pressure over the consumer decision-making process.

Online or in-store: unravelling consumer’s channel choice motives

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to compare online and in-store shoppers motivations based on product type.Design/methodology/approachMeans-end approach was used to extract motivational factors that drive shoppers channel choice for hedonic and utilitarian products. A total of 100 respondents were interviewed using laddering technique. Hierarchical virtual maps were constructed to determine values associated with attributes and consequences identified by the consumer.FindingsShopping motivations differed for online and in-store shoppers based on product type. Variety, value for money and delivery were important attributes for online shoppers. In-store shoppers looked for social interaction and personalized attention. Convenience, affordability and gratification were unique online consequences, while nostalgia and loyalty benefits were specific to in-store hedonic purchases. Self-confidence, availability of wider choices and in-store shopping experience were the values sought for hedonic products. Control of shopping experience was the desired value for utilitarian purchases irrespective of channels.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to shopping motivation research by comparing motives of online and in-store shoppers for hedonic and utilitarian products.Practical implicationsRetailers need to enhance online trust and strengthen in-store customer service for hedonic products. They should also work on the online delivery capabilities and in-store personalized services for utilitarian purchases.Originality/valuePrior research on deconstructing channel choice motivations based on product type is sparse. This paper uses hierarchy of means-end elements to illustrate attributes and consequences that drive consumer motives and values.

The effects of promotions on hedonic versus utilitarian purchases

Because it is harder to justify hedonic purchases than utilitarian purchases, it is proposed that promotions will have a stronger positive effect on the purchase likelihood of hedonic than utilitarian products. This and related propositions are tested in multiple studies using a variety of product categories and promotions. The results demonstrate that promotions are more effective in driving purchase decisions when: (a) the product is hedonic rather than utilitarian; (b) the product is framed as more hedonic; and (c) the consumer has a hedonic rather than utilitarian consumption goal. Consistent with our conceptualization, the enhanced impact of promotions on hedonic purchases is attenuated when: (a) the hedonic product is intended as a gift for others; (b) consumers can construct justifications for their purchase ahead of time; (c) consumers are not accountable for their decisions; and (d) the promotion is contingent on purchasing additional product units (i.e., a quantity discount like “Buy 10, get 50% off”). Importantly, the present research reconciles and explains the seemingly inconsistent prior findings regarding the effects of price versus quantity promotions.

Perceived social support reduces the pain of spending money

People experience pain when they spend money. Because previous studies have shown that perceived social support reduces physical pain, this research examined whether perceived social support reduces spending pain. Our studies showed that both real and recalled social support reduced spending pain (Studies 1–3) and that perceived social support reduced the perceived importance of money as a protection mechanism, which in turn reduced spending pain (Studies 1 and 3). Moreover, the pain-buffering effect of social support was stronger for hedonic purchases than for utilitarian purchases (Study 2). This research broadens our understanding of the factors that enhance consumer experiences and the relationships among love, security, and pain.

Self expression versus the environment: attitudes in conflict

Purpose – This paper aims to present the findings of a survey into attitudes towards the environment and the pro-environmental behaviours of young adults in Vietnam. Design/Methodology/Approach – An online survey was administered to university students in Vietnam’s two most populous cities, Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City (N = 391). Findings – The results suggest that environmental considerations are not taken into account in young Vietnamese adults’ purchase intentions. This is more evident in expressive purchases, but also, to some degree, in utilitarian purchases. Practical implications – For the marketers of environmentally friendly products, this represents at least two key challenges: first, to try to shift the attitudes of young adult consumers towards thinking of environmental friendliness as an attractive characteristic and status-filled activity for potential expressive purchases. Second, making environmentally friendly alternatives of expressive goods more visible and more widely available in Vietnam. Social implications – Non-government organisations and governments seeking to protect the environment need to consider this unique dynamic in social marketing campaigns to increase the desirability of pro-environmental product choices and other pro-environmental behaviours. Originality/value – This paper examines pro-environmental behaviours and intentions of young adults in Vietnam for the first time. The paper establishes that self-expression is more important than the environment, and it is also evident that these young consumers are still vulnerable to perceived social pressure when it comes to expressing themselves.