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Impact of consumers’ effort investments on buying decisions

Vishal Lala (Lubin School of Business, Pace University, New York, New York, United States)
Goutam Chakraborty (Spears School of Business, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States)

Journal of Consumer Marketing

ISSN: 0736-3761

Article publication date: 16 March 2015

3398

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore the effect of amount of effort invested by consumers toward the purchase of a product on the amount they will spend on the product. Authors argue that greater effort on the part of the consumer will lead to an irrational focus on sunk effort causing them to spend more.

Design/methodology/approach

To explore the effect of amount of effort invested by consumers toward the purchase of a product on the amount they will spend on the product. Authors argue that greater effort on the part of the consumer will lead to an irrational focus on sunk effort, causing them to spend more.

Findings

Consumers who invest more effort in buying, spend more on the product in a bid to justify their decision to invest effort in the first place. This effect is stronger in the presence of decisional control.

Originality/value

Much academic research has examined adverse effects of effort spent by consumers and has sought to make things easier for consumers. This research shows that making it harder rather than easier, can make consumers willing to spend more money, particularly when they view themselves in control.

Keywords

Citation

Lala, V. and Chakraborty, G. (2015), "Impact of consumers’ effort investments on buying decisions", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 32 No. 2, pp. 61-70. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCM-08-2014-1090

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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