Narrow Focusing: Why the Relative Position of a Good in Its Category Matters More Than It Should

France Leclerc (), Christopher K. Hsee () and Joseph C. Nunes ()
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France Leclerc: Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago, 5807 S. Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637
Christopher K. Hsee: Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago, 5807 S. Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637
Joseph C. Nunes: Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California, Accounting 304, Los Angeles, California 90089-0443

Marketing Science, 2005, vol. 24, issue 2, 194-205

Abstract: This research examines whether a low-ranking member in a high-status category (e.g., a low-end model of a high-end brand) or a high-ranking member in a low-status category (e.g., a high-end model of a low-end brand) is favored, holding the objective qualities of the items constant. Brand equity research suggests that the quality of a brand is more important than the ranking of a product within a brand. Our research documents a robust —whereby a high-ranking product in a low-status category is favored over a low-ranking product in a high-status category even when information on competing categories is made available. We explain this effect in terms of narrow focusing and evaluability, and we identify boundary conditions of the effect.

Keywords: brand choice; brand product management; ranking effect; narrow focusing; evaluability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (17)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:inm:ormksc:v:24:y:2005:i:2:p:194-205

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