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How Retailers’ Recommendation and Return Policies Alter Product Evaluations

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  • Kim, Junyong
  • Wansink, Brian

Abstract

This research investigates the interactive effects of retailers’ recommendations and return policies on consumers’ post-purchase evaluations of products which yield a mixed attribute performance. This article presents an account of the consumers’ post-purchase product evaluation process, in which counterfactual thinking plays a central role. Two studies show that consumers’ post-purchase evaluations of products, which yield a mixed attribute performance, tend to be more favorable under lenient return policies than under restricted return policies when retailers offer recommendations during the pre-purchase decision-making process, but more favorable under restricted return policies than under lenient return policies when retailers offer no recommendations.

Suggested Citation

  • Kim, Junyong & Wansink, Brian, 2012. "How Retailers’ Recommendation and Return Policies Alter Product Evaluations," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 88(4), pages 528-541.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jouret:v:88:y:2012:i:4:p:528-541
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretai.2012.04.004
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    Cited by:

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    2. Shao, Bingjia & Cheng, Zhendong & Wan, Lijuan & Yue, Jie, 2021. "The impact of cross border E-tailer's return policy on consumer's purchase intention," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    3. Joon Yong Seo & Sukki Yoon & Milena Vangelova, 2016. "Shopping plans, buying motivations, and return policies: impacts on product returns and purchase likelihoods," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 27(4), pages 645-659, December.
    4. Oghazi, Pejvak & Karlsson, Stefan & Hellström, Daniel & Hjort, Klas, 2018. "Online purchase return policy leniency and purchase decision: Mediating role of consumer trust," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 190-200.
    5. Rokonuzzaman, Md & Iyer, Pramod & Harun, Ahasan, 2021. "Return policy, No joke: An investigation into the impact of a retailer's return policy on consumers' decision making," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    6. Christian F. Hirche & Tammo H. A. Bijmolt & Maarten J. Gijsenberg, 2022. "When Offline Stores Reduce Online Returns," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-26, June.
    7. Janakiraman, Narayan & Syrdal, Holly A. & Freling, Ryan, 2016. "The Effect of Return Policy Leniency on Consumer Purchase and Return Decisions: A Meta-analytic Review," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 92(2), pages 226-235.
    8. Dutta, Sujay & Banerjee, Somak & Johnson, Aaron & Biswas, Abhijit, 2022. "Overcoming the challenge of low familiarity: Can a weakly familiar brand signal quality with exceptionally strong warranty?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 737-754.
    9. Zhou, Wei & Zhang, Keang & Zhang, Ying & Duan, Yunlong, 2021. "Operation strategies with respect to insurance subsidy optimization for online retailers dealing with large items," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    10. Greer, Dominique A. & Russell-Bennett, Rebekah & Tombs, Alastair & Drennan, Judy, 2014. "Just what the doctor ordered? Investigating the impact of health service quality on consumer misbehaviour," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 257-267.

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