How cultural differences affect consumer price fairness perceptions. An interesting research article shows the differences in perception of price fairness between the US and China. The findings are in line with the Hofstede theory on cultural dimensions. China is a relationship oriented collective society where as the US is a society which scores high on the individuality dimension.
Researchers found that American consumers in general tended to see things as fair if they got the bargain and unfair if they didn't, regardless of whether the shopper they were being compared to was a friend or a stranger. Chinese consumers, on the other hand, cared more about how they stacked up against their friends. "The Chinese were less affected by what a stranger paid than what a friend paid, whereas Americans were uniformly sensitive to price discrimination,' the researchers report.
They also explored whether customers' relationship with the seller -- first-time buyer versus loyal customer -- affected their feelings of fairness in the price they paid. For American consumers, it did not seem to matter much whether they were a first-time or loyal customer: It was fair if they got a lower price and unfair if they paid more regardless of their relationship with the seller. Chinese consumers, on the other hand, tended to be more bothered if they paid a higher price as a loyal customer. Chinese consumers "were more sensitive...to the nature of the vendor-customer relationship."
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1906
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