Five lab studies and a field study explore how power distance belief (PDB) influences consumers' preference for mass-market versus niche brands, the underlying mechanisms, and boundary conditions. We find that high (vs. low) PDB consumers are more likely to prefer mass-market over niche brands because they tend to be risk averse, which in turn increases preference for widely used brands. Consequently, the relationship between PDB and brand preferences is mediated by risk aversion. Further, when product usage contexts are risky, low (but not high) PDB consumers' preference for mass-market brands increases, whereas offering an extended money-back guarantee increases high (but not low) PDB consumers' preference for niche brands. In addition, we find that when choosing service providers (versus choosing physical goods), low (but not high) PDB consumers are significantly more likely to prefer mass-market brands over niche brands. We conclude with the implications of these findings for marketers, such as for their segmentation and targeting endeavors. We also provide specific tools that marketers could use, both inside and outside the store, to influence consumers' preference for mass-market versus niche brands.

五项实验室研究和一项实地研究探讨了权力距离信念 (PDB) 如何影响消费者对大众市场与小众品牌的偏好、潜在机制和边界条件。我们发现，高（相对于低）PDB 消费者更有可能更喜欢大众市场而不是小众品牌，因为他们倾向于规避风险，这反过来又增加了对广泛使用品牌的偏好。因此，PDB 和品牌偏好之间的关系是通过风险规避来调节的。此外，当产品使用环境存在风险时，低（但不高）PDB 消费者对大众市场品牌的偏好会增加，而提供延长的退款保证会增加高（但不低）PDB 消费者对小众品牌的偏好。此外，我们发现在选择服务提供商（相对于选择实物商品）时，低（但不高）的 PDB 消费者更有可能更喜欢大众市场品牌而不是小众品牌。我们总结了这些发现对营销人员的影响，例如他们的细分和定位工作。我们还提供营销人员可以在店内和店外使用的特定工具，以影响消费者对大众市场与小众品牌的偏好。