No abstract

Consumer perceptions of retail store attributes for a set of particular stores were examined to determine their effect on store preference. Respondents rated 13 stores. Four variables were found to affect store preference using forward stepwise logistic regression: type of clothing desired in stock, outside store appearance, shopping hours, and advertising. Significance of the effect of store attributes on store preference varied by store type. In addition, associations between customer perception of store attributes, education and age were observed. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.

The effects of consumer information and consumer sophistication on the ability of consumers to make purchases offering the greatest benefits were examined. It was found that consumer information enhances the likelihood that consumers will make efficient choices of products. Consumer sophistication was also found to be an intervening variable in consumers' use of information.

The authors use data from the 1996 and 1997 EXCEL Omnibus Survey commissioned by the American Association of Retired Persons to investigate the receptiveness of consumers 50 years of age or older to telemarketing fraud. The authors investigate elderly consumers’ receptiveness to telemarketing fraud, as reflected by a consumer's psychological orientation (willingness to listen to sales pitch and attitude toward callers) and actual engagement in risky behavior (responding to unknown callers) using setwise regression. They conclude with policy implications.

To reduce information search costs, consumers often use choice‐making aids. If these aids are to help consumers make choices consistent with their own preferences, as well as reduce search effort, they must be based on choke models consistent with consumers' true preference sets. This study used conjoint analysis to identify these ideal choice models. Thirty‐six percent of the subjects were found to use compensatory choice models and 64 percent noncompensatory models. The results suggest a need to base choice‐making aids on ideal choice models if the aid is to lead consumers to decisions consistent with true preferences.