Marketing Papers

Document Type

Technical Report

Date of this Version

3-2004

Publication Source

Journal of Consumer Research

Volume

30

Issue

4

Start Page

519

Last Page

533

DOI

10.1086/380286

Abstract

Increasing the actual variety of an assortment has been shown previously to increase the quantity consumed. We show, however, that consumption quantities are also influenced by the perceived variety of an assortment. In combination, six lab and field studies show that the structure of an assortment (e.g., organization and symmetry or entropy) moderates the effect of actual variety on perceived variety. We further show that it is perceived variety that in turn influences consumption quantities through anticipated consumption utility. Making salient other consumption rules, such as size of the assortment, moderates this effect. These findings are of immediate relevance to interdisciplinary researchers and to consumers and health practitioners who wish to better control food consumption.

Copyright/Permission Statement

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Consumer Research following peer review. The version of record [Kahn, B.E. & Wansink, B. (2004). The Influence of Assortment Structure on Perceived Variety and Consumption Qualities. Journal of Consumer Research 30, no. 4: 519-533] is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/380286.

Keywords

aesthetic/hedonic consumption, health, nutrition, safety, judgment and decision making, perceptual processes, variety seeking/product trial

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Date Posted: 15 June 2018

This document has been peer reviewed.