Customer complaint situations: An equity theory perspective

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of equity and outcomes in customer complaint situations. The study utilized a 2 × 2 within-subjects design with equity (inequity, equity) and outcomes (low, high) as the independent variables. The dependent variables were perceived equity, behavioral intentions, resentment, and guilt. Subjects were 128 students from a large western university. It was hypothesized that high outcome situations would be perceived as more equitable than low outcome situations, regardless of equity condition; high outcome situations would yield more favorable behavioral intentions, regardless of equity condition; subjects would perceive more resentment in inequitable, low outcome situations; subjects would perceive more guilt in inequitable, high outcome situations. Hypotheses 1, 2, and 3 were supported. Hypothesis 4 was not supported. Implications for customer complaint handling practices were discussed. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

[1]  Norman H. Anderson,et al.  Multidimensional input in equity theory. , 1979 .

[2]  M. Ross,et al.  Egocentric Biases in Availability and Attribution , 1979 .

[3]  B. Wernerfelt,et al.  Defensive Marketing Strategy by Customer Complaint Management: A Theoretical Analysis , 1987 .

[4]  R. H. Evans,et al.  An Application of Equity Theory to Buyer-Seller Exchange Situations , 1978 .

[5]  Marsha L. Richins.  Negative Word-of-Mouth by Dissatisfied Consumers: A Pilot Study , 1983 .

[6]  J. E. Swan,et al.  Consumer perceptions of interpersonal equity and satisfaction in transactions: A field survey approach. , 1989 .

[7]  J. Arndt.  Role of Product-Related Conversations in the Diffusion of a New Product , 1967 .

[8]  R. Fisk,et al.  Disconfirmation of Equity Expectations: Effects on Consumer Satisfaction With Services , 1985 .

[9]  Mary Jo Bitner,et al.  Evaluating service encounters: The effects of physical surroundings and employee responses. , 1990 .

[10]  R. Bagozzi.  Marketing as Exchange , 1975 .

[11]  V. Folkes,et al.  The Availability Heuristic and Perceived Risk , 1988 .

[12]  M. Gilly,et al.  Post-Purchase Consumer Processes and the Complaining Consumer , 1982 .

[13]  David Mazursky,et al.  A Longitudinal Assessment of Consumer Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction: The Dynamic Aspect of the Cognitive Process , 1983 .

[14]  J. Brehm,et al.  Explorations in Cognitive Dissonance , 1962 .

[15]  Susan B Miller.  The Shame Experience , 1985 .

[16]  Victor P. Buell,et al.  Handbook of modern marketing , 1972 .

[17]  J. E. Swan,et al.  Postpurchase communications by consumers , 1989 .

[18]  J. S. Adams,et al.  Inequity In Social Exchange , 1965 .

[19]  JANICE LINDSAY-HARTZ,et al.  Contrasting Experiences of Shame and Guilt , 1984 .

[20]  Ralph L. Day,et al.  Modeling Choices Among Alternative Responses to Dissatisfaction , 1984 .

[21]  J. Traupmann,et al.  Equity: Theory and Research , 1978 .

[22]  Mary C. Gilly,et al.  Postcomplaint Processes: From Organizational Response to Repurchase Behavior , 1987 .

[23]  G. Haines,et al.  The Theory of Buyer Behavior. , 1970 .

[24]  W. Bearden,et al.  Selected Determinants of Consumer Satisfaction and Complaint Reports , 1983 .

[25]  E. Walster,et al.  REACTIONS TO CONFIRMATIONS AND DISCONFIRMATIONS OF EXPECTANCIES OF EQUITY AND INEQUITY , 1974 .

[26]  R. Day,et al.  New dimensions of consumer satisfaction and complaining behavior : papers from the Third Annual Conference on Consumer Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction and Complaining Behavior, Chicago, Illinois, October 5-7, 1978 , 1979 .

[27]  A. W. Wicker,et al.  Perceived fairness and pleasantness of social exchange situations: two factorial studies of inequity. , 1970, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[28]  Richard L. Oliver,et al.  An Investigation of the Interrelationship Between Consumer (Dis)Satisfaction and Complaint Reports , 1987 .

[29]  Claes Fornell,et al.  Consumer input for marketing decisions: A study of corporate departments for consumer affairs , 1976 .

[30]  Adams Js.  Towards an understanding of inequity , 1963 .

[31]  Keith P. Sentis,et al.  Fairness and preference , 1979 .

[32]  Ralph L. Day,et al.  Consumer satisfaction, dissatisfaction, and complaining behavior : papers from a marketing research symposium, School of Business, Indiana University, Bloomington, April 20-22, 1977 , 1977 .

[33]  B. Anderson,et al.  Reactions to Inequity , 1969 .

[34]  R. Westbrook.  Product/Consumption-Based Affective Responses and Postpurchase Processes , 1987 .

[35]  J. E. Swan,et al.  Equity and Disconfirmation Perceptions as Influences on Merchant and Product Satisfaction , 1989 .

[36]  R. Oliver.  A Cognitive Model of the Antecedents and Consequences of Satisfaction Decisions , 1980 .

[37]  R. H. Waterman,et al.  In Search of Excellence , 1983 .

[38]  Richard P. Bagozzi,et al.  Marketing as an Organized Behavioral System of Exchange , 1974 .

[39]  Duane F. Alwin,et al.  Distributive Justice and Satisfaction with Material Well-Being , 1987 .

[40]  G. W. Walster,et al.  New directions in equity research. , 1973 .

[41]  A. Bandura.  Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory , 1985 .

[42]  G. C. Homans,et al.  Social Behavior: Its Elementary Forms. , 1975 .

[43]  L. Festinger,et al.  A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance , 2017 .