The Effects of Time Pressure on the Choice of Package Shape
This study aimed at exploring the type of packaged products consumers would choose and buy depending on the existence of and difference in time pressure. It also investigated how the selecti...
The Effects of Time Pressure on the Choice of Package Shape
This study aimed at exploring the type of packaged products consumers would choose and buy depending on the existence of and difference in time pressure. It also investigated how the selective response of consumers, driven by their preference, would actually materialize. Therefore, experiments were conducted to test whether a different time pressure (high vs. low) would lead consumers to purchase a product in different packaging (simple vs. complex), that is, to see how consumers react to a different product packaging (simple vs. complex) under a different time pressure (high vs. low).
To that end, the following hypotheses were formulated before the experiments. First, consumers would prefer a product in a simple-shaped packaging to a product in a complex-shaped packaging under high time pressure (Hypothesis 1). Second, when time pressure is low, consumers would prefer a product in a complex-shaped packaging over a simple-shaped packaging (Hypothesis 2). For the verification of these hypotheses, the products used for the experiments were divided into two groups: those in simple and stable packaging with regular and consistent lines and those in complex packaging with irregular, non-uniform, and curved lines.
More specifically, when presenting each product (bottled water and isotonic drink), Experiment 1 provided three packaging options (simple vs. average vs. complex packaging), whereas Experiment 2 provided two options (simple vs. complex packaging). The study analyzed how the subjects responded to a product in different packaging and which product they liked better. It found that (1) a larger proportion of people in the high time pressure (immediate consumption) group selected the option in simple packaging and (2) more people in the low time pressure (consumption scheduled in a month) group chose a product in complex packaging than those who did not.
Taken together, these findings supported the two proposed hypotheses. Finally, the paper also discussed the academic and practical implications, limitations of the study, and a direction for future research.