Date of Award
Spring 5-2019
Document Type
Honors Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Department
Business Administration
Advisor/Committee Chair
Aleksandra Kovacheva, Ph.D.
Abstract
Consumers are becoming increasingly self-oriented in their purchase and consumption behaviors. Self-gifts have proliferated on the market, especially self-gifts that contain an element of surprise, which can be seen with the rise in popularity of subscription boxes. Surprise has been found to enhance the function of self-gifts, but it can also result in post-purchase regret if the surprise did not meet consumer expectations. Typically, individuals consume self-gifts as forms of indulgences, rewards, and as mood-regulatory devices. Based on these findings, this paper examines the relationship between three mood conditions (positive, neutral, and negative) and consumers’ likeliness to purchase a surprise product as a self-gift when experiencing each of these moods. The end of this paper also provides implications for marketers regarding surprise self-gifts, and calls for a discussion for further research.
Recommended Citation
Morrow, Kelly, "You Might Just Surprise Yourself: When Will Consumers Purchase a Surprise Product as a Self-Gift?" (2019). Business/Business Administration. 57.
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/honorscollege_business/57