Comments on: Compliments Could Earn Hairstylists Thousands More in Tips

By: Matthew

Matthew — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 17:02:00 +0000

Jean, I wouldn't say that making the right decision in choosing the brand would be a good way to put it. Well...depending on what it is. Like, a brand new pair of $150 sunglasses might make people sour after a week when they figure, "Hey...a $15 dollar pair would do the same thing and I could have bought...". It's more if buying was the idea.
Indulgent spending is viewed as a horrible thing by society, but I remember a few years back that there was a German study on how the act of buying would lower stress and then the indulgence in the item would further lower stress.
After your stress is gone, you start to second think what you did. Then you start to feel guilty over it, the voice of your mother starts yelling at you from your head about over spending on things you don't need and so on, then you get your buyer's remorse.
That's why you need marketing to say that the $150 dollar sunglasses will get you laid, or the haircut looks great on you. There's less of a chance you'll feel like an idiot for what you did.
It's a form of peer pressure and peer support rolled into one. Or more like peer pressure in peer support clothing...either way.

By: Jeremy (PsyBlog author)

Jeremy (PsyBlog author) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 22:57:00 +0000

Jean, sounds about right!

By: Jean

Jean — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 21:16:00 +0000

I think this research highlights another phenomena well known in marketing - post sale dissonance.

It is common for customers to experience concerns after making a purchase decision. This arises from a concept that is known as “cognitive dissonance”. The customer, having bought a product, may feel that an alternative would have been preferable. In these circumstances that customer will not repurchase immediately, but is likely to switch brands next time.

To manage the post-purchase stage, it is the job of the marketing team to persuade the potential customer that the product will satisfy his or her needs. Then after having made a purchase, the customer should be encouraged that he or she has made the right decision