20 June 2006
Almost 60 per cent of consumers who participate in free trials for services feel obliged to purchase the service after the trial - even if they're not interested, a Monash University researcher has found.
Dr Kay Laochumnanvanit, who completed her PhD thesis in Monash's Department of Marketing, said although many participants were sceptical when they received a free trial offer, almost 60 per cent said they felt obliged to reciprocate the gesture.
Dr Laochumnanvanit surveyed 400 online respondents to test how they would react to four different free and discounted offers for services, such as a massage or a gym class.
"One service was provided for free, one was provided at half-cost price, one at cost price and one at the regular price," Dr Laochumnanvanit said.
"Participants' reaction to the free offer was scepticism, but they also perceived that they were receiving a favour and so felt obliged to purchase the service in the future. Most people who received the service at half cost-price felt no obligation to purchase it in the future, nor did those who received the cost price offer.
"For people receiving the free offer, even if they weren't really interested in the service, when asked afterwards if they wanted to return for a paid service, 60 per cent felt obligated to do so."
Dr Laochumnanvanit said providing customers with samples of products to try before purchasing was a widely used marketing technique, but relatively little was known about how consumers responded to free service offers.
"I evaluated how people responded to 'experience' services -- such as beauty treatments and entertainment services - and 'credence' services -- such as medical treatments and financial services -- and was surprised to find there was no significant difference of future purchase likelihood between the two," she said.
People did feel more obligated when trialling a free credence-based service, though, which is probably because these services tend to be more expensive, she said.
Further information from Ms Natasha Whalley, Media Communications, on +61 3 9905 9201 or 0437 458 457.
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