• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.154-166
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• 2019

Consumers believe it is more profitable to buy products at a discount price than at a fixed price. However, consumers who miss an opportunity for a discount would experience regret; consequently, they may also forgo a purchase despite experiencing regret if a subsequent opportunity was no more attractive than the initial one. This phenomenon has been conceptualized as inaction inertia. In this study we investigate if consumers showed behavior of inaction inertia under the situation of fashion products purchase as well as if price and involvement had a moderating effect on product purchase. The following are the results of the research based on an empirical investigation. First, according to the results of influence of inaction inertia on purchase intention, respondents exposed to scenario of experiencing similar price discount in the past, both under high-price situations and low-price situations, made statistically fewer responses than those exposed to situations without such experience; therefore, effect of inaction inertia could be confirmed. Second, the moderating effect of product price on relationships between inaction inertia and purchase intention was not statistically significant.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.195-217
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• 2018

Inaction inertia effect refers to the phenomenon wherein people who missed attractive opportunities in the past do not take any action when they are given the opportunity to receive discounts (sale). The main objective of this study was to find out how such inaction inertia effect influenced the expected regret from the action, expected regret from inaction, and purchase intention depending on the two types of consumption purposes-for pleasure and for practical use. As the personal disposition of each consumer differs from one another, it was expected that habitual purchase behavior and maximization behavior would influence the inaction inertia. An experiment was thus conducted by using a scenario to satisfy the objective of this study. Results showed that in the case of consumers whose consumption purpose was for pleasure, those who habitually purchased the same brand showed a higher level of expected regret from the action and expected regret from inaction. In the case of maximization behavior, no differences were found in the expected regret from the action between practical consumption purpose and pleasurable consumption purpose. On the other hand, differences were found in the level of expected regret from inaction, which is the case wherein consumers who missed their first opportunity to receive discounts (sale) did not make any purchase on their second opportunity for discounts (sale). Thus, inaction inertia was shown in accordance with habitual purchase behavior in the case of consumption purpose for pleasure, but it was not clearly shown in the case of consumption for practical use. This is because there is a relatively low level of justification on consumption, in the case of consumption for practical use. On the other hand, it was found that consumers with maximization behavior felt a stronger sense of regret in the case of their expected regret for inaction in consumption for practical use than in consumption for pleasure. Also, with regard to purchase intention, it turned out that only consumers with pleasurable consumption purpose had purchase intentions. Through these study results, it would be necessary to consider the consumption purpose behind the purchase of products or services, with regard to inaction inertia, depending on personal dispositions. In accordance with these study results, several theoretical and practical implications were discussed.