Consumer varied purchasing behavior: Definition, taxonomy and scale development

Nonloyal consumer purchasing behavior has long been a topic of interest to marketers. A good deal of evidence unearthed suggests that many consumers do not buy the same brand time after time and may rarely remain brand loyal over the long-term. Progress in understanding nonloyal purchasing behavior is limited due, in part, to the lack of attention paid to defining the construct and its domain. The Determinants of Consumer Varied Purchasing Behavior (DCVPB) Scale developed in the study permits marketing managers and researchers to identify the facets of nonloyal purchasing behavior, termed Consumer Varied Purchasing Behavior, underlying consumer purchasing behavior for a brand or product category in question. Moreover, an Extended Taxonomy of Consumer Varied Purchasing Behavior (CVPB) is offered. It is needed to revamp and reorganize better the existing terms and add new, relevant dimensions to the structure. All forms of explicable nonloyal purchasing behavior are viewed as explicable brand switching. It is classified into four subcategories termed: (1) past purchase dissatisfaction; (2) promotion effect; (3) hybrid; and (4) CVPB. As postulated here, CVPB is defined as any explicable consumer choice that differs from its predecessor for reasons other than dissatisfaction with the past brand and/or pure promotion effect. Instead, CVPB is motivated by one of thirteen facets or determinants of consumer varied purchasing behavior (DCVPB). CVPB is marked by either exploratory behavior (i.e., absolute or relative novelty seeking) or variety seeking among known brands alternation among known brands, (i.e., alteration among known brands, switching among known brands to enjoy a simple change of pace). The study revealed thirteen facets of CVPB, which include: (1) affiliation, (2) change in constraints, (3) change in feasible set, (4) change in other environmental factors, (5) change in tastes, (6) decision uncertainty, and (7) desire for the unfamiliar. Other dimensions include: (8) desire for variation among known brands/products, (9) distinction, (10) information seeking, (11) multiple situations, (12) multiple users, and (13) physiological influences. Analysis suggests that the scale meets rigorous standards for reliability and validity. The DCVPB Scale is a diagnostic test revealing to managers the facets causing CVPB in the product/service-market of interest.