Consumer durables: differentiation strategy and consumer response in relation to real and apparent risk

Indicates the ways in which manufacturers can overcome resistance to new products and states that, in response to the risk which most consumer perceive in spending large amounts of money on an unfamiliar product, manufacturers tend to keep to new product ranges which are, apparently, similar to existing products. Emphasises that prior to purchase consumers must evaluate a possible purchase to decide whether it can generate satisfaction at least as large as the price demanded for it. Concludes that herein is offered a structure against which particular problems caused by bias and inaccurate perception by consumers, of the underlying characteristics of new products can be evaluated.