RESEARCH
Over the last decades, consumers in highly developed markets have experienced two important trends: (1) they have more and more options from which to choose, but they are frequently overwhelmed by the choice prospects; (2) they spend more and more of their disposable income on consumption experiences (e.g., dining out, seeing movies, vacationing). My research focuses on both of these developments.
When, Why, and How Consumers Benefit from a Large Number of Choices
In one stream of research I strive to understand when, why, and how consumers benefit from the ubiquitous array of choices in highly developed markets. In doing so, I examine the role of marketer-provided product organizations in the form of (1) orderings and (2) categories. My research shows that the presence or absence of marketer-provided organizations, either in the form of orderings or in the form of categorization, critically determines (a) how consumers search and (b) whether or not providing more choices benefits consumers. When assessing benefits to consumers and marketers, I examine a range of objective (preference match/decision quality, prices paid) and subjective outcomes (satisfaction with the shopping experience and the chosen option). While both orderings and customizations are powerful tools, my research provides a nuanced understanding of how different types of marketer provided organizations benefit consumers and marketers (e.g. more or less accurate orderings, benefit-based vs. attribute-based or complement-based vs. substitute-based categorizations).
How People Evaluate Experiences That Unfold Over Time
In another stream of research I focus on how people evaluate experiences. Characteristics of experiences are that (a) they unfold over time and (b) consumers’ judgments of them are greatly impacted by what occurs before and after these experiences take place. For example, a vacation provides enjoyment over the days it takes place, but anticipating and planning that vacation may also affect one’s evaluations of the experience, both while it unfolds and retrospectively. Furthermore, memories of the vacation are important to people. What people remember and share with others can also affect their retrospective evaluations of the experience.
My research in this area tries to understand which factors influence peoples’ evaluations of experiences. I consider (1) the nature of the experience itself, (2) the activities and events that take place during the experience, and (3) information and psychological processes that precede or follow the experience. These factors can affect evaluations of an experience not just while it unfolds, but also retrospectively.