IDENTIFYING NEGATIVE PRODUCTS: DO CUSTOMERS LIKE TO PURCHASE YOUR PRODUCTS?

Negative products/services are seen by customers as an unpleasant buying necessity to avoid or reduce some disutility. The negative concept as it relates to products/ services is based on the behavioral modification phenomena of negative reinforcement. Empirical data are presented in this article, which places fourteen product categories relative to the degree of negative perception associated with them. This procedure provides a model by which marketing executives can empirically determine whether their products/services are viewed as negative ones. This article is designed to: 1. Discuss the operant conditioning concepts of positive and negative reinforcement as they relate to purchasing and consumption behavior. 2. Suggest a pragmatic method for marketing practitioners to make distinctions between negative and positive products. 3. Aid marketers in examining the difference between the two to support the making of effective strategic and tactical decisions.