Latent demand and the browsing shopper

Abstract

This article explores ways of making sense of unplanned purchases on shopping expeditions without seeing shopping as lacking any systematic foundations or reflecting some kind of pathology. The analysis employs both introspection and inputs from cognitive science and focuses on shifts from planned search to browsing in response to promotional cues encountered whilst navigating malls that are designed to promote browsing behaviour. Browsing is examined both in terms of its socio-psychological foundations and with respect to a variety of kinds of latent demand. The economic psychology of attention is examined as are a variety of factors that bring browsing processes to a close. The paper concludes with a discussion of the significance of the analysis in terms of the path dependence of economic systems. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Discretionary Expenditure and Tourism Consumption: Insights from a Choice Experiment

“…What matters in the majority of economic models of the consumer is that the marginal utility derived from a commodity divided by the marginal utility of a dollar of income is equalized across all options available, be they product categories or products (see, e.g., Silberberg, 1978;Ch 8). Little if anything is said about the way in which purchases are made or how the individual prioritizes specific types of expenditure (short of a marginal utility ranking) (Earl and Potts, 2000). What little additional theoretical and empirical emphasis is given to broaden expenditure modeling is found in what are known as extended linear expenditure system (ELES) models, which aim to explain general expenditure patterns but still do not go much beyond a basic utility maximization model.…”

The Identification and Implementation of Key Competitive Factors for Tourism Based Firms

“…The advantages of recognising more fully, the importance of the concept of latent demands can perhaps be better perceived when it is appreciated that most economic theories of consumer behaviour portray the consumer as having to optimise utility in terms of established, ordered preferences, within the context of a known budgetary constraint (Earl and Potts, 2000). In addition, within the marketing literature the consumer is often seen as highly purposive, gathering information about a range of purchasing options, evaluating these, making choices and then undertaking the preferred purchase.…”

“…However, marketing researchers (Rook 1998), draw attention to empirical evidence which indicates that a surprisingly large proportion (over fifty per cent in some cases) of products and services that are purchases are in fact, unplanned. Earl and Potts (2000) point out that purchases of consumers are in part determined by needs that have yet to be identified and defined as 'expected', but which consumers have 'at the back of their minds'. In this context consumers have latent demands for products and services, which have not been clearly established prior to the actual purchase decision.…”

Effects of Web Browsing Motivation and Retail Strategy on Purchase Conversion Behavior for Apparel

“…그러나, 온 라인 맥락에서 브라우징은 새로운 자극요소나 경험에 의 해 구매가 이루어질 수 있다는 점에서 목적지향적인 (goal-directed) 탐색행동으로 변화될 수 있는 실용적 개 념이 더욱 중요하게 논의되고 있다 (Fu & Salvendy, 2002;Song & Salvendy, 2003). (김영미, 이영선, 1998;정혜영, 2001;Bloch et al,1989;Earl & Potts, 2000) (Bloch & Richins, 1983). 전통적으로 브라우징은 특별한 구매욕구 또는 구매결정과는 독립적인 탐색행동으로 쇼핑경험 과 정의 한 부분으로 보고 사회심리적 동기에 의해 개념화되 고 있다 (김영미, 이영선, 1998;정혜영, 2001;Bloch et al, 1989;Earl & Potts, 2000).…”

“…(김영미, 이영선, 1998;정혜영, 2001;Bloch et al,1989;Earl & Potts, 2000) (Bloch & Richins, 1983). 전통적으로 브라우징은 특별한 구매욕구 또는 구매결정과는 독립적인 탐색행동으로 쇼핑경험 과 정의 한 부분으로 보고 사회심리적 동기에 의해 개념화되 고 있다 (김영미, 이영선, 1998;정혜영, 2001;Bloch et al, 1989;Earl & Potts, 2000). Bloch와 Richins ( …”