People

A new study co-authored by Prof. Theresa Kwon, Assistant Professor of Marketing at HKU Business School, helps explain why clutter lingers in shared homes. Writing in a recent Vox feature, Prof. Kwon and Prof. Peggy Liu of the University of Pittsburgh show that while people are quick to make buying decisions on their own, they often hesitate to let go of things without checking in with their partner first.

What influences consumers to make product decisions alone versus with household partners? This research examines how consumers’ preference for solo or joint decision-making with household partners varies between product acquisition and disposal stages. Ten pre-registered studies demonstrate that for many household products, consumers are more likely to choose joint (vs. solo) decision-making with household partners for disposal than for acquisition. This asymmetry occurs because disposal (vs. acquisition) increases perceptions of the potential for infringement on a household partner’s rights, which increases the desire for clarity about a partner’s product valuation and thus the choice of joint (vs. solo) decision-making with one’s partner. The authors identify three process-consistent boundary conditions, wherein this acquisition-disposal asymmetry is mitigated: (1) when the product cannot be used by one’s partner, (2) when considering decisions with non-household members (e.g., non-cohabitating close friends) instead of one’s household partner, and (3) when the product’s price exceeds the household’s typical budget. Moreover, the authors discuss implications of this acquisition-disposal asymmetry for consumer well-being and marketing strategies, including its potential to cause delays in disposal decisions relative to acquisition decisions. This research contributes to understanding household decision dynamics and identifies a novel contributor to overaccumulation of household products.