The Impact of Attribute-Level Product Assortment on Consumer Preferences For Variety in the Buying Process

This paper makes distinctions between variety along product-related and non-product related attributes with regard to the consumers decision process. Study 1 first demonstrates that these two types of attributes have differential effects on perceived variety. Specifically, product-related attributes make products seem most different, while non-product related attributes seem most similar. Empirical analysis of an online retailer then shows how attribute-level variety in the assortment of products searched can predict where consumers are in the decision process; consumers more likely to make a purchase search across non-product related attributes, while consumers less likely to make a purchase search across product-related attributes. In study 2, these empirical findings are replicated in a laboratory setting.



Citation:

Kristin Diehl, Cait Poynor, and Peter Boatwright (2005) ,"The Impact of Attribute-Level Product Assortment on Consumer Preferences For Variety in the Buying Process", in E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 7, eds. Karin M. Ekstrom and Helene Brembeck, Goteborg, Sweden : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 605-605.

Authors

Kristin Diehl, University of South Carolina
Cait Poynor, University of South Carolina
Peter Boatwright, Carnegie Mellon University



Volume

E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 7 | 2005



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