An experiment in price perception error

TL;DR

This study investigates how individual demographic and attitudinal factors influence consumers' errors in perceiving product prices, revealing key predictors and developing a comprehensive price perception model.

Contribution

It introduces a seven-factor latent variable model of price perception error, integrating demographic and decision-making influences based on empirical data.

Findings

Most respondents underestimated or overestimated prices

Brand loyalty and income significantly predict perception errors

Demographics and decision-making factors strongly influence price perception

Abstract

The process of consumer decision-making is multidimensional, and price perception is a very important but still not well-understood dimension for both marketers and consumers. Although heuristics or mental shortcuts are seen as biased and can cause decision errors, consumers tend to use price knowledge heuristics for purchase decisions, sometimes relying on old information. This study examined the effects of individual attitudinal and demographic factors on the ability of 351 respondents to correctly guess the prices of 13 products and services using ANOVA and the development of a seven-factor price perception model using latent variable analysis. While most respondents preferred to either research prices first or compare prices to a similar product, they either systematically underestimated or overestimated the prices of the products. In the ANOVA, brand loyalty, importance of substitute products and knockoff products, how financially well-off the respondent household was growing up, product quality importance, haggling tendency, and level of income were statistically significant predictors of price perception error. Latent variable analysis revealed that demographics, decision making, and price sensitivity factors had the greatest influence on price perception error. Level of education and income, frequency of regret, coupon importance, and how respondents chose to save or spend money were significant latent variables.