Table 2.

Definitions and reflections on the concept of consumer knowledge

Author/sDefinitionQuestions and reflections
Bonti-Ankomah and Yiridoe (2006) True and justified beliefsIs the information true/correct? And what is true? There is not always scientific consensus on this. Similarly, mistaken beliefs are also stored information and affect the buying process. With limited information and, through inferences, beliefs and conclusions with an impact on behaviour can be developed. Would this not also be knowledge?
Bamber et al. (2011) Cognitive representation of product-related experience in the consumer’s memoryOne can have information (knowledge) about a product without having experience of it as a consumer
Rezvani et al. (2012) Information about functional characteristics of the product/ brandsTalking only about functional characteristics may be too restrictive (information of a symbolic and experiential nature also exists)
Kim et al. (2016) Variable that reflects the consumer’s purchase decision about a product, influenced by the properties of the product and his/her experienceConfusion of knowledge with experience. Confusion of knowledge with purchase outcome
Donoghue et al. (2016) Storage of product information that might affect the consumer’s consumption decision, in his/her memory/thoughtsAlthough consistent with the marketing approach, does consumer knowledge only consist of information related to the purchase?
Aksoy and Ozsonmez (2019) Explanation of information derived from a person’s thoughts and experiencesThere can be a significant gap between stored information and people’s abilities to explain it. Knowledge is confused with how to access knowledge

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