A Review of Psychological Research on Consumer Promotions and a New Perspective Based on Mental Accounting

Abstract

The paper reviews theoretical perspective applied to the study of consumer response to promotions. These include adaptation level theory, assimilation contrast theory, attribution theory and the attitude model. It finds that these theoretical approaches have had a single product focus in evaluating consumer response to promotions. It suggests an alternative perspective based on mental accounting theory to evaluate consumer response to promotion from a multi-product perspective. Based on this perspective, the paper examines the psychological processes that lead to a positive cross-product impact of a promotion (i.e., increase in sale of regular priced products during a promotion).

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