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Why Focusing on the Similarity of Substitutes Leaves a Lot to Be Desired

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  • Zachary G. Arens
  • Rebecca W. Hamilton

Abstract

Consumers frequently choose substitutes for products that are out of stock, unavailable, too unhealthy, or too expensive. A series of studies shows that focusing on differences between the substitute and the unattained alternative reduces the consumer’s desire for the unattained alternative more than focusing on similarities between them. Whether consumers were dieting, listening to songs, or consuming snacks in the lab, focusing on differences reduced their desire for the unattained alternative—and subsequent consumption of this item after consuming the substitute—more than focusing on similarities. This suggests that consumers can reduce overconsumption by focusing on how the substitutes they consume differ from the alternatives they wish to avoid.

Suggested Citation

  • Zachary G. Arens & Rebecca W. Hamilton, 2016. "Why Focusing on the Similarity of Substitutes Leaves a Lot to Be Desired," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 43(3), pages 448-459.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:v:43:y:2016:i:3:p:448-459.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jcr/ucw034
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Uzma Khan & Alexander DePaoli, 2024. "Brand loyalty in the face of stockouts," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 52(1), pages 44-74, January.
    2. Hana Trollman & Sandeep Jagtap & Frank Trollman, 2023. "Crowdsourcing food security: introducing food choice derivatives for sustainability," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(4), pages 953-965, August.
    3. Zachary G. Arens & Rebecca W. Hamilton, 2018. "The substitution strategy dilemma: substitute selection versus substitute effectiveness," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 46(1), pages 130-146, January.
    4. Rebecca Hamilton & Debora Thompson & Sterling Bone & Lan Nguyen Chaplin & Vladas Griskevicius & Kelly Goldsmith & Ronald Hill & Deborah Roedder John & Chiraag Mittal & Thomas O’Guinn & Paul Piff & Car, 2019. "The effects of scarcity on consumer decision journeys," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 532-550, May.
    5. Hoang, Dong & Breugelmans, Els, 2023. "“Sorry, the product you ordered is out of stock”: Effects of substitution policy in online grocery retailing," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 99(1), pages 26-45.

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