The Effects of Changing Attribute Composition on Judgments About Multifunctional Products

Document Type

Article

Date of Original Version

1-2-2015

Abstract

Multifunctional products have become increasingly popular as marketers seek to attain broader customer appeal at a reduced portfolio management cost. However, when they are evaluated along with single-function alternatives, multifunctional products are less effective on common features. A potential limitation of this finding is that the attributes of multifunctional products were not allowed to vary. In two studies, we find that changing the attribute composition of multifunctional products does, in fact, eliminate, and at times even reverses, their perceived disadvantage compared with single-function alternatives. We also identify a factor that causes multifunctional products to display the highest choice and greatest perceived differentiation.

Publication Title, e.g., Journal

Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice

Volume

23

Issue

1

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