An investigation into price-quality tradeoffs: the effects of order of presentation and presentation of outlying alternatives

In virtually every buying decision, consumers must make tradeoffs among levels of product attributes. One of the most frequent kinds of tradeoffs is that between price and quality. This research investigates the effects of two controllable variables on price quality trade offs; the price/quality order in which alternatives are presented and whether alternatives outside the range of buyer expectations (outliers) are presented. The level of the final reference point is suggested to mediate order and outliers effects on the dependent variables of evaluation, search length, price-quality choice, and satisfaction. In addition, the effects of order and outliers on buyer-seller relationship quality are examined. A measurement problem precluded determination of final reference point as a mediating variable, but the other effects were as predicted by final reference points. Presenting alternatives in a descending order of price and quality resulted in less search than an ascending order. Primacy effects were evident as the descending order also resulted in choices of higher price and quality than both ascending and random orders. Moderate outliers also resulted in higher price-quality choices than either no outliers or extreme outliers, but only when presented in a descending order. There were no significant effects on evaluation of alternatives. Perceptions of buyer-seller relationship were better when alternatives were presented in an ascending order as compared to a descending order, but were not affected by presenting outliers. Buyer’s satisfaction was lower when an extreme outlier was included in choice set presented in an ascending order.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Marketing

Department dc:contributor.department

Marketing

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1996

Author dc:creator

• DeMoranville, Carol W.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Klein, Noreen M.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Brinberg, David L.
• Keith, Janet E.
• Hauenstein, Neil M. A.
• Smith, Ruth Ann

• reference points
• outliers
• order
• choice
• sequential search

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-06062008-151454

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/38010