Publications
Publication details [#1018]
Gu, Yangjie, Simona Botti and David Faro. 2013. Turning the Page: The Impact of Choice Closure on Satisfaction. Journal of Consumer Research 40 (2) : 268–283. 16 pp.
Publication type
Article in journal
Publication language
English
Place, Publisher
Chicago: The University of Chicago Press
Abstract
Consumers tend to revisit their choice and the alternatives they have rejected after making a purchase decision: this can result in a lower level of satisfaction with the selected alternative. In this paper, the authors focus on the notion of 'choice closure', i.e. the psychological process by which consumers come to perceive a decision as final. Through four experimental studies, they show that physical acts that are metaphorically associated with the concept of closure (placing a lid over something; closing a book, or turning a page on the alternatives) can activate choice closure, especially in the context of difficult choices (e.g., when consumers choose from extensive assortments). The findings suggest that subtle cues, which do not alter the actual context of choice, can inhibit consumers' tendency to reconsider their decision and make belated comparisons with the discarded options, thus improving satisfaction.