Interesting Results

Making an Effort Brings Rewards

A 2005 study¹ showed that consumers reward firms who appear to be hard-working, even if that hard work does not result in superior product quality or direct benefits to the particular consumer. In a series of three experiments, the author showed that consumers are grateful when an organization appears to be making an effort to do a good job, and respond by having more positive attitudes toward the organization, being more likely to choose that organization’s products, and being willing to pay more for the products. However, this effect only occurred when consumers perceived that the extra effort made by an organization was not purely an attempt to persuade them.

¹ Morales, Andrea C. (2005), “Giving Firms an ‘E’ for Effort: Consumer Responses to High-Effort Firms”, Journal of Consumer Research, 31(4), 806-812.