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Subjective and Objective Criteria in Consumer Choice: An Examination of Retail Patronage Criteria
ELIZABETH C. HIRSCHMAN,
S. KRISHNAN,
ELIZABETH C. HIRSCHMAN
Elizabeth C. Hirschman is Associate Director, Institute of Retail Management, and Assistant Professor of Marketing, Graduate School of Business, New York University.
Search for more papers by this authorS. KRISHNAN
S. Kirshnan is Assistant Professor of Marketing, College of Business Administration, Pennsylvania State University.
Search for more papers by this authorELIZABETH C. HIRSCHMAN,
S. KRISHNAN,
ELIZABETH C. HIRSCHMAN
Elizabeth C. Hirschman is Associate Director, Institute of Retail Management, and Assistant Professor of Marketing, Graduate School of Business, New York University.
Search for more papers by this authorS. KRISHNAN
S. Kirshnan is Assistant Professor of Marketing, College of Business Administration, Pennsylvania State University.
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Traditionally consumer researchers and consumer educators have made a distinction between objective and subjective evaluative criteria for consumer choice. This paper examines the validity of this distinction using data on consumers evaluative criteria for department stores. The study found evidence that consumers use evaluative dimensions composed of both subjective and objective evaluative criteria, suggesting that both types of information are necessary for choosing among department stores.
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