The goal of this research was to investigate whether considering the balances of intrapersonal and interpersonal consumption would reduce consumption guilt. Feelings of guilt discourage many consumers from purchasing products and services they associate primarily with pleasure (Okada 2005), especially when consuming them is considered unhealthy or improper (Prelec and Herrnstein 1991), models or packages that are higher priced because they include unnecessary features (Nowlis and Simonson 1996), and other items whose purchase is perceived as violating social or cultural norms (Lascu 1991; Thaler and Shefrin, 1981). We show that gift-with-purchase promotions designed with careful attention to the nature of the gift and its intended user can reduce guilt by counterbalancing the self-indulgence or creating a favorable comparison with another’s consumption.
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