Central to marketers’ consideration is consumer preference for the level of product variety, which impacts their purchase decisions. Variety-seeking behaviour (VSB) refers to when a person’s current choice is different from a previous choice of a similar product (sequential variety) or when they select different choices within a group of products bought in one trip (portfolio variety).
To date, research has found that VSB can be influenced by external factors (e.g., marketing strategies like new product launches or discounts), consumer’s psychological desire for variety (e.g., as they get bored with the current product, or when a new trend arises), or risk-aversion (e.g., in cases of any change in tastes/needs during the consumption period). These factors indicate how a person’s shopping behaviour is determined by the value they seek to derive from the product choice. Recent research has also found the influence of consumer’s shopping orientation, a concept that recognises how shoppers’ goals during the shopping process can be separate from what they want from the product. For example, two people may have the same product goal of buying stylish shoes but different process goals; one of them may seek to maximise their enjoyment during the shopping trip while the other may see it as a chore and buy the shoes as quickly as possible.
Adopting a process-goal mindset, this study focuses on how VSB is formed through consumer’s attitudes towards the shopping process, rather than the product. Specifically, it examines how consumers’ different process goals, or shopping orientations, impact VSB across different contexts (different product options; when choices are made separately vs. combined in product bundles; and during new product launches vs. discounts).
Method and sample
The research comprised three studies, with three online surveys conducted. Study 1 examined the relationship between shopping orientation and VSB across different brands, colours, flavours, and style options, with a sample of 200 participants based in the US and recruited
through MTurk. In study 2, 300 respondents were recruited through a panel from an Australian market research firm. Study 2 sought to replicate and extend the findings of study 1 to understand how the relationship differs when products are bought separately vs. in a bundle. Lastly, study 3 was an online survey through MTurk with a sample of 200 participants from the US. This final study investigated the different contexts of established vs. newly released products and of favourite vs. discounted brands.
Key findings
1. Higher levels of experiential shopping orientation led to more variety being sought in product choice. This suggests VBS can provide hedonic value that is congruent with the personalities of experiential shoppers. Interestingly, across different options of product colour and flavour, VSB did not seem to be influenced by shopping orientation, compared to scenarios of multiple brand options. This could mean varieties in colours and flavours provide more of a risk-minimisation benefit and that process goals can impact VSB independently from product goals.
2. Study 2 found that shopping orientation affects VSB in both single and bundled purchases. This provides further support for how shopping orientation as a driver of process goals influences variety irrespective of what the product goal is.
3. In study 3, it was shown that experiential shoppers were more likely to consult a wider range of information sources both prior and during their shopping trips when buying a brand-new market offering. They are also more deal-prone and thus more likely to buy a less favoured product on discount.
Recommendations
These results suggest that VSB can also be managed through manipulating shopping-related attitudes, besides product-related attitudes. Firstly, marketers who are sensitive to VSB need to understand how attitudes toward the act of shopping can affect whether consumers seek variety or not.
On the other hand, brands that want to encourage VSB, such as market challengers, should target the experiential shoppers by making the shopping experience more fun and stimulating through information and promotional offers. This is also relevant for firms that do not have a price advantage or are in highly price-sensitive markets but want to protect market share without having to alter prices.
Moreover, marketers should segment markets by consumer’s shopping orientation when launching new products or extensions. In trying to lure customers away from established brands and encourage VSB, it would be better to target the experiential shoppers who have higher levels of information processing, openness to learn about the new product, and therefore are more likely to adopt new product offerings.
Lead Researcher
More information
The research article is also available on eprints.