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Consumer Experiences and Market Resistance: An Extension of Resistance Theories Advances in Consumer Research September 29, 2006, Orlando, FL Angeline Close University of Nevada Las Vegas George M. Zinkhan University of Georgia Introducing “Market Resistance” U.S. consumers often resist not just promotional messages, but entire markets. Consumers exude behavioral resistance from hesitance to boycotts to an entire market & it’s related activities. 2 Resistance & the Marketplace "I am NOT Drinking Merlot!!!" ~Wine snob Miles before a date Merlot, the U.S. top selling red wine had been rising post-Sideways HH purchases are down 3% (vs the 12 week period in 04) Suddenly, America's favorite red wine is uncool 3 Resistance Defined In the literature: Avoidance of unpleasant or dangerous feelings (Perls et al. 1951) Desire to counteract someone else’s attempt to limit one’s choices (Brehm 1996) Non-compliance w/ a directive (Newman 2002) Feeling of ambivalence about change (Arkowitz 2002) Here, I present it as: A behavioral opposition to stereotyped statusquo behaviors and rituals 4 Importance of Resistance Research Marketing scholars often focus on enhancing persuasion or communication Why not also focus more on decreasing consumer resistance? Yet to develop an integrated theoretical perspective of resistance of the marketplace and its offerings impacts consumer behavior (Forunier 1998) Focus on the consumer characteristics that may contribute to market resistance 5 Objectives To introduce a definition of market resistance To understand and explain consumer experiences that are associated with resistance to a market and its related events To show what consumers are moving towards via their acts of resistance To expand resistance theory (i.e., to the context of a retail holiday promotion) 6 Building Resistance Theory a) b) c) Past work (e.g., Petty et al.) resistance to a message or a persuasive attack New Perspective: resistance to a series of holiday messages, promotions, marketplace activities & consumers’ built-up associations: Affective (e.g., “I hate Valentine’s Day!”) Cognitive (e.g., “I don’t believe it’s a real holiday!”) Behavioral (e.g., “I won’t buy the lovey-dovey stuff!”) 7 Exemplary Context: Resistance in the Valentine’s Holiday Market 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Established sociocultural “norms” Distinct consumer rituals Latent cultural tension: corporate objectives & promotions, consumer culture, consumers’ private intimate space, P2P relationships Economic Significance $13 Billion ’05 Some insights generalizable to other event marketing or “staged events” 8 Contextual Literature Review Gift Exchange (in Romantic Relationships) Roles & Meanings are context & occasion bound & relationship dependent (Huang & Yu 2000; Belk & Coon 1993) Pure Gifts, Altruism & Obligation (Arnould, Price & Zinkhan 2004; Polonsky et al. 2000; Otnes, Ruth & Milbourne 1994) Planned Purchases & Procrastination (Netemeyer, Andrews & Durvasula 1993) 9 Multiple Methods Employed (‘00-05) Inductive Theory (Building) Approach via: 1. Consumer Survey 2. Consumer Diaries 3. Consumer Group Interviews 4. Internet Diaries & Postings 5. Retail/E-tail Managerial Interviews 6. Retail/E-tail Observations 10 Method Sample Focus -Corporate Marketing & Retail Executives -Managers of Retail Establishments -Individual & Chain Stores -National Sample In-store aspects, targeting, positioning, pricing & promotional strategy -In store/virtual store -Retail Employees & Shoppers -Valentine’s Gift Givers -Males & Females -Various Ages -Various Relationship Statuses Interaction with various managers, employees, & shoppers on the week of & on Valentine’s Days & observatory field notes [S] (n=198) -College students -Males & Females -Age 18-28 -Currently in a romantic relationship Gift expectations, purchase motivations, timing, actual purchase behavior, comfort level & spending level, open-ended comments Consumer Diaries -Males & Females -Ages 18-47 -Various Relationship Statuses Cultural rituals, gender roles, enjoyment factor, marketing & retail associations, comparison to other holidays -Posters to online diaries & boards -Males & Females -Various ages -Various relationship status Naturalistic consumer thought -College students -Females -Age 18-22 -Currently in a romantic relationship Rituals, meanings, traditions, purchases, meanings behind purchases & us-gifts Managerial Interviews [R]* (n=18) Observations/ Fieldwork [O] (n=41) Survey [D] (n=149) Online/ e- Diaries*** [E] (n=47) Group Interviews [G] (n=6) Consumer Characteristics Unfulfilled Expectations* -Childhood Egalitarian Expectations -Holiday Heroines -Confusion about Expectations Exclusion* - Invitation Only -A Couples’ Holiday -Self or Externally Imposed Materialism & Terminal Gift Syndrome -Sake of Gift Ritual -Deeper Meanings of Gift Exchange Obligations -Romantic, Familial, & Friendly -Gender Based -Obligatory Spending Role Exhaustion -Gender Roles -Multiple Roles Market Resistance -Avoidance -Reactance -Non-Compliance with Directive Low Need Perception* -For Holiday in General -For Specified Day to Exhibit Love Marketing Communication Environment Message Timing & Overflow -Holiday Creep -Message Overflow Commercialization of Intimacy -Tainted Love -Holiday Hype Consumer Creation - New Traditions - New Meanings -New Rituals -New Trends Corporate Ownership -Blaming Marketers & Retailers -Holiday Ownership Tradition vs. Technology -Nostalgia & the Digitization of Tradition -E-Communities & E-CMC 12 Consumer Level Focus Environments Marketing Communication Cultural Social Economic Unfulfilled Expectations Exclusion Materialism Obligations Role Exhaustion Non-Belief Market Resistance Consumer Creation Facilitating Condition 1 Shattered Expectations Consumers in new relationship Females (i.e., “heroines of the holiday) Gifts, dates, sex & intimacy Confused about partner’s expectations Childhood egalitarian expectations “I think it's up to the individual and if she or he doesn't like it then let them hate life.” [M] 14 Facilitating Condition 2 Perceived Exclusion Portrayal as “couples’ holiday” excludes many Casual daters, Non-traditional relationships Geographically separated loved ones Suggested Promotion Strategies: “Target singles or those who do not like Valentine's Day in ways to promote self-esteem or recognition of individualism” [F] “Make it Singles’ Awareness Day.” [M] “Create anti-Valentine's day cards or special rewards for singles (coupons, discounts, etc.).” [M] 15 Perceived Exclusion “Well it's been almost 2 months since Christmas, & us single folks are finally recovering from the psychological damage making it through the holiday season does to us. So as I am almost fully recuperated myself, I would like to extend a warm thanks to Hallmark, the official sponsor of Valentine’s Day, for reminding me that without a significant other, how truly worthless my life is.… In my defense, who wants to celebrate a holiday whose initials are VD anyway? ” [F, E, 2-14-04] 16 Facilitating Condition 3 Terminal Gift Exchange Gift Exchange just for the sake of it; devoid of meaning “Valentine’s Day is far too materialistically-driven.” [F] “I think the focus needs to be spending time togethernot money on each other!” [F] 17 Terminal Gift Exchange Theory in Action 18 Facilitating Condition 4 Perceived Obligations Gift purchases (often lavish) Gift(s) unnecessary to continue (LTR) Relationship investing (STR) Obligatory spending “It is a cheesy, overblown, stupid holiday to force you to spend your money on each other.” [F] “No! It's a big fake day. It makes you do things even if you don't want to.” [M] 19 Facilitating Condition 5 Role Exhaustion “It’s time to show not only love for my spouse but respect and admiration for her role as wife, homemaker and mother.” [M] Governed by gender roles “The male is the wooer.The female is to be wooed.” [F, D] Heroines of the Holiday “Marketing prepares us to be pampered.” [F, G] 20 Facilitating Condition 6 Need Perception Love should not be “reserved” for this day Society interprets it Incorrectly Celebrated in the private Sphere Marketers abuse “vulnerable” consumers “Valentine’s Day is a spiteful marketing technique designed to take advantage of people in love!” [M] “Push a "do a little something for yourself" campaign- quit marketing to people in love!” [F] 21 Need Perception Time Constraints Hate the constraint, not the concept “I think it’s a day that forces feelings we should exhibit everyday. In theory, it’s fine but we should act like this on a random Tuesday in November instead of just one day. Plus I hate the whole marketing of gifts & guilt thrown on this one day.” [M, S] “I think if you love someone, you don't need a special day to show it. Every day is suitable for this.” [M, E, 2-15-00] “I hate this day, b/c there are so many people who interpret it in a wrong way. If we love someone we'll always22 love forever & ever. No matter what day it is.” [M, E, 2-0600] Findings in line with Resistance Theory (Consumers) will actively counteract (marketers) attempts to limit choices (Brehm 1996) (Consumers) will not be likely to comply w/ specific or prescribed behaviors A motivation to oppose (retailer) suggestions sparks others to be “non-participators” Some persuade others to be “non-participants” There are different levels of resistance, each needing their own study and definition 23 Theoretical Domain Contribution Definitions Proposing Here Change-oriented process following Resistance stereotyped sequences of status quo behaviors (e.g., holiday activities) Resistance Theory Psychology, Mass-Com, Sociology: (e.g., McGuire 1964, Brehm 1996, Newman 2002, Petty et al. 2004) Consumer opposition to traditions in the marketplace, with the purpose of creating new behaviors Market Resistance* (e.g., hesitates to participate in market activities, does not participate, actively boycotts an entire market) Shopper hesitates to visit, avoids, &/or Retail encourages others to avoid specific Resistance retailers related to the market Gift Resistance Consumer sets price limits to gift exchanges, does not give gifts at all, & /or encourages others not to engage in gift exchange Implications For Consumers: Remember key meanings (i.e., love) behind purchases Include “excluded” segments (e.g., w/ singles’ gift registries, singles events, e-dating sites) Consumer creation via acts of Voluntary Simplicity Create new traditions with new meanings during market “staged” events 25 Next Steps Consumer-level facilitators are just one component of the integrated theoretical perspective. Work needed on the marketing communication-level facilitators Work needed on the socio-cultural facilitators Work needed on degrees of resistance of the marketplace 26 Shopper Characteristics -Unfulfilled Expectations -Perceived Exclusion -Lack of Perceived Meaning -Perceived Obligations -Role Exhaustion -Non-Belief -Values Communication Environment -Information Overload -Corporate “Ownership” -Marketers’ Misinterpretation -Technology Glitches Market Resistance -Passive Resistance -Active Resistance* Socio-Cultural Environment -Reference Group -Gender Roles -Individualistic Culture 1. Hesitation -Shopping Procrastination -Purposeful Delay -Voluntary Simplicity 2. Restriction -Price Ceilings -Self Gifts -Retail Resistance - Gift Resistance 3.Non-Participation -Non-Recognition -Non-Searching -Non-Browsing -Non-Shopping -Non-Buying 4. Activism* - WOM(-) -Resistance ecommunities -Mobilization -Demobilization RESERVE SLIDES 28 Unfulfilled Expectations + Perceived Exclusion + Terminal Gift Exchange + Perceived Obligations + Role Exhaustion + Holiday Non-Belief Message Overflow Shoppers’ Heightened Opportunities (Holiday Excitement) + Shopping Procrastination Market Resistance* + OverCommercialization + New Technology to Old Tradition - + ++ Retailers’ Holiday “Ownership” - ++ + + + Price Sensitivity/ Self-Imposed Ceilings - + Self Gift Giving Retail/E-tail Activity Facilitating Conditions: Communication Environment Message Overflow OverCommercialization Corporate Holiday “Ownership” New Technology to Old Tradition Retail Outcomes Selected Predictor + + + + Market Resistance - Retail/E-tail Activity -Searching -Browsing -Shopping -Buying -Positive WOM Focused Research Stream: Marketplace Activities & IT Study 1: The Evolution of Technology & Consumer Dating Behaviors Study 2: e-Dating: A Social Exchange Theory Perspective Study 3: A Holiday Loved & Loathed: Consumer Rituals for Valentine’s Day Study 4: A Retail & e-tail Perspective of Valentine’s Day Activities Today’s Focus: Study 5* Market Resistance Building Theory (Resistance to Marketplace Activities) 31 Multi-Method Data Analysis Survey data- correlations, cross tabs Qualitative data-iterative analysis via RQs & extant themes Axial, open, & selective coding Reveal emergent patterns & themes (Wolcott 1990) Focus on themes of retail importance or theory advancement Use suggested approaches (Spiggle 1994) to increase validity & reliability 32