Fading Optimism in Products: Temporal Changes in Expectations About Performance

Product expectations are predictions about how good a product's performance will be. A product may be chosen if it is expected to perform well, and it may lead to satisfaction if the product performance meets or exceeds expectations. This research explores how expectations can change from the t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of marketing research 2006-11, Vol.43 (4), p.26
Main Authors: Monga, Ashwani, Houston, Michael J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Customer satisfaction
Expectations
Optimization
Product choice
Studies
Temporal logic
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Product expectations are predictions about how good a product's performance will be. A product may be chosen if it is expected to perform well, and it may lead to satisfaction if the product performance meets or exceeds expectations. This research explores how expectations can change from the time a product is chosen from a set of competing alternatives to the time the product's performance is revealed. Specifically, it addresses the following question: Before the performance of a chosen product is revealed, can consumers' expectations about product performance change over time (from the prechoice stage to the postchoice stage), even as product knowledge remains the same? This research offers some notable implications for practitioners. Expectations are known to determine not only whether consumers will choose a certain product but also whether consumers will be satisfied after the actual product performance is revealed. In light of the researchers' findings, consumers should be less likely to buy such warranties soon after purchase, when they are optimistic about performance, and more likely to buy them when performance is imminent.
ISSN:0022-2437
1547-7193