How speaking versus writing to conversational agents shapes consumers’ choice and choice satisfaction

David Schindler (), Tobias Maiberger (), Nicole Koschate-Fischer () and Wayne D. Hoyer ()
Additional contact information
David Schindler: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)
Tobias Maiberger: Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences
Nicole Koschate-Fischer: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)
Wayne D. Hoyer: University of Texas at Austin

Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 2024, vol. 52, issue 3, No 3, 634-652

Abstract: Abstract The use of conversational agents (e.g., chatbots) to simplify or aid consumers’ purchase decisions is on the rise. In designing those conversational agents, a key question for companies is whether and when it is advisable to enable voice-based rather than text-based interactions. Addressing this question, this study finds that matching consumers’ communication modality with product type (speaking about hedonic products; writing about utilitarian products) shapes consumers’ choice and increases choice satisfaction. Specifically, speaking fosters a feeling-based verbalizing focus, while writing triggers a reason-based focus. When this focus matches consumers’ mindset in evaluating the product type, preference fluency increases, thereby enhancing choice satisfaction. Accordingly, the authors provide insights into managing interactions with conversational agents more effectively to aid decision-making processes and increase choice satisfaction. Finally, they show that communication modality can serve as a strategic tool for low-equity brands to better compete with high-equity brands.

Keywords: Conversational agent; Digital assistant; Chatbot; Speaking; Choice (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11747-023-00987-7 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:joamsc:v:52:y:2024:i:3:d:10.1007_s11747-023-00987-7

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.springer ... gement/journal/11747

DOI: 10.1007/s11747-023-00987-7

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science is currently edited by John Hulland, Anne Hoekman and Mark Houston

More articles in Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().