Why Switch? Product Category–Level Explanations for True Variety-Seeking Behavior

TLDR

Variety‑seeking research has overlooked two key issues, which this study addresses. The study aims to distinguish intrinsic variety‑seeking from extrinsic derived switching and to test whether need for variety and product‑category factors jointly predict when consumers will seek variety over repeat or derived switching. They conducted a field study with Dutch consumers measuring brand‑switch intensity and motives to test the hypotheses. Results confirm that separating true variety switches from derived ones and accounting for product‑category factors explains when variety seeking occurs.

Abstract

The authors address two key issues that have received inadequate attention in the choice behavior literature on variety seeking. First, they explicitly separate true variety-seeking behavior (i.e., intrinsically motivated) from derived varied behavior (i.e., extrinsically motivated). Second, they hypothesize variety-seeking behavior to be a function of the individual difference characteristic of need for variety and product category–level characteristics that interact to determine the situations in which variety seeking is more likely to occur relative to repeat purchasing and derived varied behavior. The authors test their hypotheses in a field study of Dutch consumers, which assesses both the intensity of brand switching and the underlying motives for their switching behavior. Results support the importance of isolating variety switches from derived switches and of considering product category–level factors as an explanation for the occurrence of variety-seeking behavior.