Purpose

Previous research has shown that consumers prefer a bonus pack to a price discount for virtue foods, whereas they prefer a price discount to a bonus pack for vice foods. Acting as a guilt-mitigating mechanism, a price discount justifies consumers' purchasing behavior, allowing them to save money and consume less vice foods. However, for virtue foods, neither the anticipated post-consumption guilt nor the resulting need for justification lead consumers to prefer a bonus pack to a price discount. This study investigates whether product promotions remain effective with other moderating variables.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use pricing tactic persuasion knowledge (PTPK), which refers to the consumer persuasion knowledge of marketers' pricing tactics, as a lens to understand whether the power of these promotions could be enhanced or mitigated. The authors inferred that increasing the frequency of exposure to these foods could positively influence consumers' purchasing choices. They conducted three studies to examine these effects. In Study 1, using pearl milk tea (vice food) and sugar-free tea (virtue food), the authors contended that consumers would prefer a price discount when purchasing pearl milk tea, but a bonus pack when purchasing sugar-free tea. In Studies 2 and 3, the authors varied the participants' frequency of exposure to photographs of people in everyday situations with vice (virtue) foods.

Findings

In Study 1, PTPK was shown to be more predictive of consumer choices regarding price discounts and bonus packs. In Studies 2 and 3, the authors contended that increased exposure to vice (virtue) foods increases the selection of vice (virtue) foods by participants who were unaware of having been exposed to vice (virtue) foods.

Originality/value

This research has not only made quite managerial and policy implications for marketing but also brought the theoretical contributions for marketing researches. This research demonstrates that either for vice foods or virtue foods, a price discount is preferred to a bonus pack.

中文翻译：

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客户想要什么？定价策略的说服知识和曝光频率的影响

目的

先前的研究表明，对于美德食品，消费者更喜欢奖励包装而不是价格折扣，而对于副食品，消费者更喜欢价格折扣而不是奖励食品。作为一种减轻罪恶感的机制，价格折扣证明了消费者的购买行为是合理的，从而使他们能够节省金钱并减少副食品的消费。但是，就美德食品而言，既不存在预期的消费后悔感，也没有由此产生的合理理由需求，导致消费者不喜欢价格优惠的优惠包装。这项研究调查了产品促销是否在其他调节变量下仍然有效。

设计/方法/方法

作者使用定价策略说服知识（PTPK）（它是指营销人员的定价策略的消费者说服知识）作为了解是否可以增强或减弱这些促销的力量的镜头。作者推断，增加接触这些食物的频率可以对消费者的购买选择产生积极影响。他们进行了三项研究来检查这些影响。在研究1中，作者认为使用珍珠奶茶（副食品）和无糖茶（美式食品）时，消费者在购买珍珠奶茶时会更喜欢价格折扣，而在购买无糖茶时会获得额外的奖励。在研究2和3中，作者改变了参与者在日常情况下摄取副食品（虚拟食品）的照片的频率。

发现

在研究1中，显示PTPK可以更好地预测消费者在价格折扣和奖励包方面的选择。在研究2和3中，作者认为，不接触副食品的人增加了对副食品的选择。

创意/价值

这项研究不仅对市场营销产生了管理和政策上的意义，而且为市场营销研究提供了理论上的贡献。这项研究表明，对于副食品或美德食品，价格折扣优先于奖励包装。