The Accuracy of Brand and Attribute Judgments: The Role of Information Relevancy, Product Experience, and Attribute-Relationship Schemata

Abstract

A multidimensional approach for accuracy of ratings is introduced that examines consumers’ abilities to assess various brands across a set of attributes and attribute performances across a set of brands. A model is presented that addresses the roles of the relevancy of information, attribute-relationship schemata, and consumers’ product category experience on the accuracy of their brand attribute ratings. Study participants were provided either with relevant or irrelevant attribute information for various automobile brands and later asked to rate the attribute performances of brands. The results indicate that the provision of relevant information in the judgment environment increases brand and attribute rating accuracy but does not favorably affect consumers’ brand attribute-relationship schemata. Rather, consumers’ product experience was directly related to their attribute-relationship schemata, which in turn were related to improved accuracy of brand and attribute ratings.

The effects of firm actions on customers’ responses to product recall crises: analyzing an automobile recall in China

“…Customers with higher levels of product experience usually perceive a lower risk, they might desire more information, prefer to seek information, and also be more likely to increase their favorable behavioral intentions (high values on behavioral intentions). Here, product experience is described as the knowledge of or familiarity with the automobile (Mason et al 2001). Customers with more knowledge or who are more familiar with cars might feel confident to judge the risk (Chang 2004), and deem that the defects of the cars were not serious or that the risk was controllable, thus feeling a lower risk.…”

“…Thus, we use product experience to replace hazard experience and define this variable as individual 'knowledge about, and familiarity with, a product category' (Mason et al 2001, 310). Previous scholars proposed that consumers' product evaluations are usually based on the exposure to product information and their usage experience of the product (Mason et al 2001). Consumers with higher levels of product experience are more willing to evaluate the product category and also have greater discernment to assess such product category (Mason et al 2001).…”

“…Previous scholars proposed that consumers' product evaluations are usually based on the exposure to product information and their usage experience of the product (Mason et al 2001). Consumers with higher levels of product experience are more willing to evaluate the product category and also have greater discernment to assess such product category (Mason et al 2001). In risky situations, consumers with more knowledge or usage experience will perceive less risk and facilitate their behaviors to reduce risk (Harris and Blair 2006;Klerck and Sweeney 2007), such as increasing their information-seeking behaviors because they feel threatened and thus require information at a higher quality level for accurate risk judgment (Trumbo, McComas, and Besley 2008).…”

The effects of firm action messages on the information processing and risk perception of customers

“…In the current study, we employed product knowledge instead of 'ability' for our HSM to fit our empirical context of product recall crisis. Previous scholars have proposed that consumers who have higher level of product knowledge are more willing to evaluate the product category, and they often have a great discernment for evaluation (Mason et al, 2001). For the other two determinants, we adopted the terms 'information insufficiency' and 'information seeking', which have been tested by Johnson (2005) in his basic HSM.…”

“…Previous scholars proposed that individuals evaluate a product based on their knowledge about it (Mason et al, 2001). However, the available product knowledge that individuals hold is usually extremely limited to allow them to accurately evaluate its risk, particularly during a crisis.…”