The Role of Collaboration in Consumers’ In-Store Decisions

ABSTRACT - Despite the frequency and importance of joint consumption decisions, most consumer research focuses on decision-making by individuals. The research that does examine joint decision-making tends to assume that such interactions are a bargaining process where one individual can only Awin@ at the expense of the other. In contrast, the present research develops and tests a model of how consumers collaborate within a traditional Abricks and mortar@ retail environment. The hypothesized model posits that in-store collaboration between pairs of retail shoppers is facilitated by aspects of their relationship (shared goals, pre-visit planning, and power symmetry), and influenced by retail (the degree to which the salesperson uses coercive influence and the retail ambiance) as well as situational factors (time pressure and budget constraints). In turn, collaboration is thought to lead to higher decision quality and smaller deviations between consumers’ planned and actual expenditures. The results have important implications for the quality of in-store decisions, and the methods used by retailers to affect in-store purchase behaviors.

Citation:

Robert J. Fisher (2001) ,"The Role of Collaboration in Consumers’ In-Store Decisions", in NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 28, eds. Mary C. Gilly and Joan Meyers-Levy, Valdosta, GA : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 251.

Advances in Consumer Research Volume 28, 2001     Page 251

THE ROLE OF COLLABORATION IN CONSUMERS’ IN-STORE DECISIONS

Robert J. Fisher, University of Western Ontario

ABSTRACT -

Despite the frequency and importance of joint consumption decisions, most consumer research focuses on decision-making by individuals. The research that does examine joint decision-making tends to assume that such interactions are a bargaining process where one individual can only "win" at the expense of the other. In contrast, the present research develops and tests a model of how consumers collaborate within a traditional "bricks and mortar" retail environment. The hypothesized model posits that in-store collaboration between pairs of retail shoppers is facilitated by aspects of their relationship (shared goals, pre-visit planning, and power symmetry), and influenced by retail (the degree to which the salesperson uses coercive influence and the retail ambiance) as well as situational factors (time pressure and budget constraints). In turn, collaboration is thought to lead to higher decision quality and smaller deviations between consumers’ planned and actual expenditures. The results have important implications for the quality of in-store decisions, and the methods used by retailers to affect in-store purchase behaviors.

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