William H. Motes

Professional versus generic retail services: new insights

The recognition of services as a distinct type of product requiring distinct marketing approaches is a relatively recent development in the literature. While scholars have examined decision‐based differences between the marketing of services in general and the marketing of tangible products, few have had as their primary focus differences in client behavior relative to professional versus other services. Thus produced is the impetus for the study reported here. Focusses on identifying strategically useful distinctions between consumer external search and evaluation activities for professional versus generic retail services. Examines the advisability of assuming that what occurs relative to the search and evaluation of tangible products or services in general will automatically be mirrored in an among‐services setting.

A longitudinal field test of stockout effects on multi-brand inventories

Stockouts do present a threat to a brands stability in the marketplace. But is that threat as significant as one might initially be led to believe? The results of this study, as well as two prior efforts of similar methodology (Charlton and Ehrenberg 1976; Motes 1980), would suggest not, at least in the context of multi-brand inventories. It is strongly suggested that retailers, as well as manufacturers, need not be overly concerned about protracted adverse effects emanating from temporary stockouts at the retail level.

Purchase experiments of extra-ordinary and regular influence strategies using artificial and real brands

Abstract We apply basic tenets from operant conditioning and cognitive decision theory to test the impacts of immediate and long-term impacts of extra-ordinary and regular influence strategies on consumer brand choice. Seven hypotheses are tested in an in-home experiment with 114 subjects assigned randomly to five groups. Hypothesis 1: Most consumers in a new environment (e.g., with three to four brands per product category) initially try all available brands. Hypothesis 2: Across purchase periods, unassisted by extra-ordinary influence strategies, a brands penetration rate (i.e., share of customers buying the brand) declines in the long run. Hypothesis 3: Across purchase periods unassisted by extra-ordinary influence strategies, the average buying frequency per buyer (BFB) for a brand remains stable. Hypothesis 4: Substantial increases (decreases) in a brands penetration occurs during periods when extra-ordinary (i.e., assisted trial) influence strategies are implemented, e.g., price decreases (increases) influence substantial penetration increases (decreases). Hypothesis 5: Most of the impacts on penetration resulting from extra-ordinary influence strategies disappear in subsequent unassisted purchase periods. Hypothesis 6: However, the relatively small long-term impacts of extra-ordinary influence strategies may be substantive, e.g., the negative long-term effect reported by Doob et al. (Doob AN, Carlsmith JM, Freedman JL, Landauer TK, Tom Jr. S. Effect of initial selling price on subsequent sales. J Pers Soc Psychol 1969;11:345–50.). Hypothesis 7: Increases and decreases in brand purchases are associated with positive and negative attitude shifts toward the brand, respectively. Hypothesis 8: The NBD/LSD models are accurate in forecasting penetration and buying frequency in unassisted (i.e., ordinary influence) purchase periods. The findings support all hypotheses except Hypotheses 3 and 7. Implications for developing a theory of influence strategies on short-term and long-term behavior are discussed.

Replication of Pricing Effects on Brand Choice Behaviour

Present data suggest that planned price increases should be carried out gradually in small systematic increments. However, an identical approach would not seem necessary for price reductions. This is the third in a series of related experiments on brand choice behaviour, the major interest of which lies in the effects of introducing and withdrawing a price increase/reduction over a protracted period. The effects of each price change are assessed through the use of an interrupted multiple time‐series design with an equivalent no‐treatment control group. Various extensions to previous research are offered, and it is found that the effects of reduction extend beyond the promotional period. Price increases appear to have an effect on penetration only, but a stronger effect is measured than for a decrease.

What Our Doctoral Students Should Know about the Publishing Game

Doctoral candidates who aspire toward academic careers in marketing often discover that research performance is generally recognized as a component of exceptional importance relative to the attainment of professional goals. Nothing is more demanding, yet continuously expected, of full-time, tenure-track professors. Outlined and discussed here are numerous points that may better prepare our students to meet these future demands.

A longitudinal test of price effects on brand choice behavior

Abstract The introduction and withdrawal of marketing variable inputs at various intervals of time and the subsequent observation of their impact on buyer behavior provide an invaluable aid as to how certain promotional changes work. Results of the present longitudinal experiment using a consumer panel of 133 households provide further evidence that for artificial brands, penetration and repeat buying can be influenced significantly by the introduction and retraction of a substantial price reduction. Yet, the effects on penetration are consistently greater than the effects on repeat buying. After-effects appear negligible. These results generally confirm prior research findings.

Evaluating Consumer Profiles of General Response, Direct Response, and Reader Service Inquirers from Magazine Advertising

Abstract How does the profile of consumers who use magazine reader service compare with the profile of consumers who respond directly to advertisers or who request information independently unrelated to advertising? The results of a large-scale survey of inquirers indicate that direct response inquirers are more likely to buy the product advertised and produce greater revenue per inquiry compared with magazine reader service and general response inquirers. Data analyzed from 7,101 respondents to a 12 item questionnaire sent to 12,984 inquirers indicate substantial differences in consumer profiles between general response, direct response and reader service inquirers.

Examing the effects of positive social labeling, time, and request sizes on compliance in a multistage marketing survey context

Following the lead of Reingen and Bearden (1983), this study examines the effectiveness of positive social labeling, particularly in conjunction with other factors, as a means of influencing verbal and behavioral compliance in a multistage marketing survey context. Such results offer a systematic extension to the labeling literature and provide further insight into labeling’s role as a practicable method of shaping and stimulating respondent behavior.

Self-Ascribed Occupational Status and Beauty Salon Patronage: A Focus on Employed Women

The present research extends the work of others who have studied the relationship between women’s occupational self-perception and consumption patterns and behavior. Its purpose was to focus on employed women and study differences, if any, among three occupational self-perception groups (homemakers, working women, and career women) in terms of beauty salon patronage variables. Areas of potential differences which were investigated included: (1) decision factors influencing beauty salon selection, (2) information source importance in beauty salon selection, and (3) behavioral variables. Implications of the findings are discussed and ideas for future research are suggested.

Bottom line research for advertising media decisions

The need to measure real value in the form of net revenue produced per cost incurred in print media research is emphasized. The results of a large scale pilot research project support the usefulness of such measures. The performances of eight magazines in generating real value in a tourism promotion program are compared. Survey data from 1,961 inquirers from an advertisement placed in the eight magazines indicated substantial differences in the performances of the magazines.