Exploring the Problem‐Prone Consumers: Hypotheses and Empirical Findings

An attempt to profile the problem‐prone consumer shows that some are more apt than others to perceive problems, and this propensity relates positively to experience of related problems. Lack of economic, health, social and intellectual resources was found to be a less positive influence. However, frequency of marketplace participation was discovered, by means of a mailed questionnaire, to be the strongest factor in the probability of perceiving consumer problems. Most consumers have few bad buying experiences, but it is vital to handle these seriously and to identify the problem‐prone. Although disadvantaged consumers may seem less exposed to problems, this may be due to a difference in aspirations and subjective perceptions, which should be further studied.