The Paralyzed Customer: an Empirical Investigation of Antecedents and Consequences of Decision Paralysis the Paralyzed Customer: An Empirical Investigation of Antecedents and Consequences of decision Paralysis

Abstract

This article makes a further contribution to the identification of effects on consumer choice behavior under high product variety. Based on previous research a structural equation model is developed that involves both quantitative and qualitative characteristics of variety. Therefore a novel construct is introduced that refers to the tendency to disengage and evade the choice process by choosing an avoidant option. In order to evaluate consequences of these tendencies toward paralysis, their impact on customer satisfaction is assessed. The model is empirically tested with regard to the German cellular phone market. Implications for business practice and future research are deduced. [url]: http://www.acrwebsite.org/volumes/1006816/eacr/vol9/E-09 [copyright notice]: This work is copyrighted by The Association for Consumer Research. For permission to copy or use this work in whole or in part, please contact the Copyright Clearance Center at http://www.copyright.com/. 417 European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 9, © 2011 the Paralyzed Customer: An Empirical Investigation of Antecedents and Consequences of decision Paralysis Frank Huber Gutenberg, University of Mainz, Germany Sören Köcher, TU Dortmund University, Germany Frederik Meyer, Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany Johannes Vogel, Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany ABStRACt This article makes a further contribution to the identification of effects on consumer choice behavior under high product variety. Based on previous research a structural equation model is developed that involves both quantitative and qualitative characteristics of variety. Therefore a novel construct is introduced that refers to the tendency to disengage and evade the choice process by choosing an avoidant option. In order to evaluate consequences of these tendencies toward paralysis, their impact on customer satisfaction is assessed. The model is empirically tested with regard to the German cellular phone market. Implications for business practice and future research are deduced