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Consumer Response to Overstyling: Balancing Aesthetics and Functionality in Product Design
Author(s) -
Hagtvedt Henrik,
Patrick Vanessa M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
psychology and marketing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.035
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1520-6793
pISSN - 0742-6046
DOI - 10.1002/mar.20713
Subject(s) - product (mathematics) , context (archaeology) , key (lock) , marketing , aesthetics , product design , business , computer science , psychology , art , mathematics , paleontology , geometry , computer security , biology
Aesthetic design, or styling, is an important product attribute in today's retail environment, especially when functional demands have been met (Chitturi, Raghunathan, & Mahajan, [Chitturi, R., 2007]; Hoegg, Alba, & Dahl, [Hoegg, J., 2010]). This research note, however, focuses on consumer responses to products when perceived functionality is low. Ideally, high styling is combined with high functionality, but perceived trade‐offs may arise when styling appears to conflict with functionality. This research highlights some implications of these trade‐offs and emphasizes that they depend on usage context. Specifically, the authors demonstrate that styling can compensate for minor, but not major, flaws in functionality (Study 1). Further, the influence of styling on perceived functionality and product evaluation is less (vs. more) favorable in a utilitarian (vs. hedonic) context (Study 2). Key insights for managers based on this research are discussed.