Consumer purchase decisions in a retail environment: The effects of product systems and retail shelf space on consumer product preferences.

摘要

The ever-changing retail environment has caused manufacturers and retailers to reexamine their product marketing strategies and propose creative merchandising tactics in order to remain competitive. This dissertation is inspired by several years of related experience in the consumer products industry with Procter & Gamble. In essay 1, I provide an overview of the dissertation and rationale for the following two studies. In essays 2 and 3, I examine two innovative merchandising strategies, product systems and retail shelf space, which have been utilized by both marketers and retailers to capture more sales and build market share. I investigate consumer preferences for product systems based on types of goals and product attributes (essay 2) and preferences for high and low tier brands based on retail shelf space and similarity salience (essay 3). In essay 2, types of goals (i.e. broad and specific) and product attributes (i.e. shared and unique) are identified as essential factors in influencing preferences for product systems and their driver products. I demonstrate that consumers prefer (1) an entire product system containing products with unique attributes when pursuing broad goals, (2) an individual driver product that is part of a system rather than an exact stand-alone product, and (3) an individual driver product when pursuing a specific goal. In essay 3, I consider how preferences for high and low tier brands are affected by the brand's amount of shelf space and consumers' perceived similarity to other shoppers (similarity salience). I confirm that an increase in shelf space benefits low tier brands, but not high tier brands. In addition, I show that when shopping with other similar shoppers, an increase in shelf space strengthens preferences for the low tier brand, but not the high tier brand.