Order-of-Entry Effects on Consumer Memory and Judgment: An Information Integration Perspective

Several studies have shown that pioneering brands are preferred to later entrants. The “pioneering advantage” is remarkably robust and has been observed across a wide variety of products and contexts. Two longitudinal experiments were conducted to investigate judgmental mechanisms that contribute to this advantage. In experiment 1, the amount of information presented was held constant across brands. Nevertheless, subjects learned more about the pioneer than about later entrants and consequently judgments of the pioneer were more extreme and were held with greater confidence. Furthermore, the pioneering advantage increased over time, especially when subjects were exposed repeatedly to the features of the pioneer. Experiment 2 demonstrated that order-of-entry effects on consumer memory and judgment are eliminated when information about a set of brands is presented simultaneously as opposed to sequentially. Furthermore, the results revealed that sequential information processing benefits the pioneer even when product information is processed incidentally. Implications of the results for understanding and managing order-of-entry effects are discussed.

[1]  N. Anderson,et al.  Averaging model analysis of set-size effect in impression formation. , 1967, Journal of experimental psychology.

[2]  S. Madigan,et al.  Intraserial repetition and coding processes in free recall , 1969 .

[3]  R. Wyer.  Information redundancy, inconsistency, and novelty and their role in impression formation , 1970 .

[4]  D. Rundus.  Analysis of rehearsal processes in free recall. , 1971 .

[5]  A. Tversky,et al.  Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases , 1974, Science.

[6]  James Shanteau,et al.  Do Consumers Evaluate Products by Adding or Averaging Attribute Information , 1976 .

[7]  T. O. Nelson.  Repetition and depth of processing , 1977 .

[8]  A. Tversky.  Features of Similarity , 1977 .

[9]  B. Fischhoff,et al.  Reasons for confidence. , 1980 .

[10]  Toshio Yamagishi,et al.  Adding versus averaging models revisited: A test of a path-analytic integration model. , 1981 .

[11]  T. Yamagishi,et al.  Initial impression versus missing information as explanations of the set-size effect. , 1983 .

[12]  Jordan J. Louviere,et al.  External validity tests of laboratory studies of information integration , 1983 .

[13]  C. Fornell,et al.  Sources of Market Pioneer Advantages in Consumer Goods Industries , 1985 .

[14]  John G. Lynch.  Uniqueness Issues in the Decompositional Modeling of Multiattribute Overall Evaluations: An Information Integration Perspective , 1985 .

[15]  M. Sujan,et al.  Consumer Knowledge: Effects on Evaluation Strategies Mediating Consumer Judgments , 1985 .

[16]  Robert P. Abelson,et al.  A Variance Explanation Paradox: When a Little is a Lot , 1985 .

[17]  Robert P. Abelson,et al.  A Variance Explanation Paradox : When a Little is a Lot , 1985 .

[18]  S. Yantis,et al.  Amount of information about the attitude object and attitude-behavior consistency. , 1985, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[19]  Stephen J. Hoch,et al.  Consumer Learning: Advertising and the Ambiguity of Product Experience , 1986 .

[20]  P. Wilton,et al.  Task, Expectancy, and Information Assessment Effects in Information Utilization Processes , 1986 .

[21]  W. T. Robinson.  Sources of Market Pioneer Advantages: The Case of Industrial Goods Industries , 1988 .

[22]  Dane K. Peterson,et al.  Confidence, uncertainty, and the use of information , 1988 .

[23]  Jordan J. Louviere,et al.  Analyzing Decision Making , 1988 .

[24]  Jordan J. Louviere,et al.  Analyzing Decision Making: Metric Conjoint Analysis , 1988 .

[25]  Carol J. Williams,et al.  The Role of Attitude Accessibility in the Attitude-to-Behavior Process , 1989 .

[26]  Ida E. Berger,et al.  The Effect of Advertising on Attitude Accessibility, Attitude Confidence, and the Attitude-Behavior Relationship , 1989 .

[27]  Stephen J. Hoch,et al.  Ambiguity, Processing Strategy, and Advertising-Evidence Interactions , 1989 .

[28]  Stephen J. Hoch,et al.  Managing What Consumers Learn from Experience , 1989 .

[29]  Gregory S. Carpenter,et al.  Consumer Preference Formation and Pioneering Advantage , 1989 .

[30]  Kent Nakamoto,et al.  Competitive Strategies for Late Entry into a Market with a Dominant Brand , 1990 .

[31]  G. Lilien,et al.  The timing of competitive market entry: an exploratory study of new industrial products , 1990 .

[32]  E. Higgins,et al.  Handbook of motivation and cognition : foundations of social behavior , 1991 .

[33]  G. Kalyanaram,et al.  Dynamic Effects of the Order of Entry on Market Share, Trial Penetration, and Repeat Purchases for Frequently Purchased Consumer Goods , 1992 .