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The impact of the passage of time on consumer evaluation of experience and credence qualities in a service

University of British Columbia

Although research on consumer evaluation/perception of attribute quality is extensive, few have investigated the factors influencing perception of credence qualities, qualities that cannot be determined immediately after product use. Two sets of credence qualities were identified, those that can be determined through the acquisition of expert information and those that are determinable only through the passage of time after product use. Using a home banking service as the experimental context, subjects used the service by requesting a specified transaction to be carried out. They learnt how accurate it was carried out either immediately or a simulated one month after using the service. It was found that how soon subjects received information about its transactional accuracy influenced their evaluation/perception of its credence qualities that are related to the passage of time (e.g. security of personal access code and confidentiality of financial record) but not those that were not related to the passage of time but could be determined through the acquisition of expert information (e.g., sophistication of computer language used). As predicted, subjects who learnt a month later that their requested transaction was accurately carried out rated security and confidentiality higher than those who received the same information but immediately after use. Those who experienced an inaccurate service rated such qualities significantly lower when they learnt of its inaccuracy a month later than immediately after use. No difference in perception was found for credence qualities that are determinable through an expert and not over time. The results suggest that similarity between the known and perceived attribute qualities in terms of whether they are revealed over time or independently of time (such as through expert information) is a major influence on consumer's evaluation/perception of credence qualities. Theoretical, methodological, and managerial implications arising from this research are furnished.

Text

2011-01-25

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/30813

Business Administration

University of British Columbia

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