Exploring the Relationship between Form Features and Price Perception

Abstract: Price is undeniably a critical factor that shapes consumers' decisions when navigating the intricate landscape of purchasing. Within the realm of consumer behavior, studies have shed light on a fascinating phenomenon: consumers tend to assess the internal cues of a product, particularly its form, when gauging product quality during the purchasing process. Only when form falls short as a judgment criterion do they turn to external cues, such as price. This leads to an intriguing inference — the form of a product significantly influences its perceived price. In light of this, our study is committed to delving deeply into the complex interplay between form features and the perception of price, with the aim of pinpointing specific design elements that enhance consumer perceived price. To focus on the interaction between form features and the perception of price, we eliminate the potential impact of color and material. Thus, this study selects glass perfume bottles with relatively simple colors and materials as the research objects. The study adopts a two-stage experimental approach conducted in the form of focus groups. In the first stage, five high-involvement consumers with over 25 perfume purchasing experiences discussed together to choose seven bottles that are unanimously considered high-priced perfume bottle samples. In the second stage, five expert designers with over 15 years of design experience are invited to extract the design features from the samples selected in the previous stage. The results of this study indicate that specific design features contribute to people's perception of higher prices. Examples of such features include the simulated diamond surface cut, an overall aspect ratio close to 16:9, small and delicate decorations, and clearly demarcated lines between the cap and body. The findings thereby provide valuable insights for designers and strategic recommendations for businesses in terms of pricing strategies.

Keywords: Features, Price Perception

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005140

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