The innovation effect of user design: exploring consumers’ innovation perceptions of firms selling products designed by users

Article Type: Abstracts From: Strategic Direction, Volume 29, Issue 2

Schreier M., Fuchs C. and Dahl D.W. Journal of Marketing, September 2012, Vol. 76 Issue: 5, Start page: 18, No of pages: 5

Studies consumer perceptions of firms that sell products designed by users. Finds that, in contrast with the traditional design mode, in which professional designers employed by firms handle the design task, common design by users involves the firm’s user community in creating new product designs for the broader consumer market. Finds that common design by users does not decrease but actually enhances consumers’ perceptions of a firm’s innovation ability. This “innovation effect of user design” leads to positive outcomes with respect to purchase intentions, willingness to pay, and consumers’willingness to recommend the firm to others. Identifies four defining characteristics of common design by users that underlie this innovation inference; namely, the number of consumers, the diversity of their background,the lack of company constraints, and the fact that consumer designers actually use the designed product all contribute in building positive perceptions. Finally, identifies consumer familiarity with user innovation and the design task’s complexity as important moderators that create boundary conditions for the innovation effect of user design. Article type: Research paper ISSN:0022-2429 Reference: 41AX398

Keywords: Innovation, Product design, User design