Effects of quantity promotional frames on inaction inertia
Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics
ISSN: 1355-5855
Article publication date: 12 October 2021
Issue publication date: 5 July 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Inaction inertia is the phenomenon in which people are less likely to accept an opportunity after having previously missed a relatively superior one. This research explores how framing quantity promotions as either a freebie (e.g. “buy 1, get 1 free”) or a price bundle (e.g. “buy 2, get 50% off”) influences inaction inertia. Relevant mediators are also identified.
Design/methodology/approach
Three experiments, two using imaginary scenarios and one using an incentive-compatible design, test the hypotheses.
Findings
Consumers who miss a freebie quantity promotion express higher inaction inertia than consumers who miss a price bundle promotion. The cause of this difference is higher perceived regret and greater devaluation that result from missing a superior freebie (vs price bundle) promotion.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should examine how factors influencing perceived regret and devaluation moderate the quantity promotional frame effect on inaction inertia.
Practical implications
The findings provide insights into which quantity promotional frames practitioners should use to reduce inaction inertia.
Originality/value
This study's comprehensive theoretical framework predicts quantity promotional frame effects on inaction inertia and identifies relevant internal mechanisms. The findings are evidence that inaction inertia is caused by both perceived regret and devaluation in certain contexts. Furthermore, this study identifies the conditions in which a price bundle promotional frame is more beneficial than a freebie promotional frame.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, under Grant [MOST 109-2410-H-390 -005 -MY3]. The authors are grateful for helpful suggestions from Yun-An Yeh.
Citation
Liu, H.-H. and Chou, H.-Y. (2022), "Effects of quantity promotional frames on inaction inertia", Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 34 No. 7, pp. 1416-1435. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-05-2021-0367
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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