Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

An approach based on the Bass model for analyzing the effects of feature fatigue on customer equity

  • Manuscript
  • Published:
Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Integrating more features into one product makes the product more attractive, thereby increasing initial sales; however, once customers start using the high-feature product, they become dissatisfied with the usability problems caused by too many features. This phenomenon is called “feature fatigue”. Feature fatigue will lead to dissatisfaction and negative word-of-mouth, which will damage the brand’s long-term profit, and ultimately decrease the manufacturer’s customer equity. In this paper, we propose an approach based on the Bass model to analyze the effects of feature fatigue on customer equity, helping designers evaluate and alleviate feature fatigue. We integrate product capability, usability, and word-of-mouth effects into the Bass model to analyze customer purchase behavior under different product capability and usability. Then a customer equity model is proposed to calculate customer equity according to customer purchase behavior. A feature fatigue degree is defined and a feature fatigue evaluation method is proposed, providing decision supports for designers to decide what features should be added so as to alleviate feature fatigue. Finally, a case example is illustrated to validate the proposed approach.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.

References

  • Agterhuis D (2012) Effects of apps on consumer behavior of smartphones and telecommunication providers: feature fatigue vs. mass customization. Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven

    Google Scholar 

  • Alexander DL, Lynch JG, Wang Q (2008) As time goes by: do cold feet follow warm intentions for really new versus incrementally new products? J Mark Res 45(3):307–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson EW (1998) Customer satisfaction and word of mouth. J Serv Res 1(1):5–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Angelis MD (2008) The effect of adding features on product attractiveness: the role of product perceived congruity. University of Bologna, Bologna

    Google Scholar 

  • Bass FM (1969) A new product growth for model consumer durables. Manag Sci 15(5):215–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bass FM (2004) Comments on “a new product growth for model consumer durables”: the Bass model. Manag Sci 50(12):1833–1840

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bass FM, Krishnan TV, Jain DC (1994) Why the Bass model fits without decision variables. Marketing Science 13(3):203–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berger PD, Nasr NI (1998) Customer lifetime value: marketing models and applications. J Interact Mark 12(1):17–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bertini M, Ofek E, Ariely D (2009) The impact of add-on features on consumer product evaluations. J Consum Res 36(1):17–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blattberg RC, Deighton J (1996) Manage marketing by the customer equity test. Harv Bus Rev 74(4):136–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Blattberg RC, Getz G, Thomas JS (2001) Customer equity: Building and managing relationships as valuable assets. Harvard Business School Press, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Bughin J, Doogan J, Vetvik OJ (2010) A new way to measure word-of-mouth marketing. McKinsey Q 2:113–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Dodds W (1973) An application of the Bass model in long-term new product forecasting. J Mark Res 10(3):308–311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dumas JS, Redish JC (1993) A practical guide to usability testing. Ablex Publishing Corporation, Norwood

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellison G (2005) A model of add-on pricing. Q J Econ 120(2):585–637

    Google Scholar 

  • Gill T (2008) Convergent products: what functionalities add more value to the base? J Mark 72(2):46–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton RW, Thompson DV (2007) Is there a substitute for direct experience? Comparing consumers’ preferences after direct and indirect product experiences. J Consum Res 34(4):546–555

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hogan JE, Lemon KN, Libai B (2003) What is the true value of a lost customer? J Serv Res 5(3):196–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hogan JE, Lemon KN, Libai B (2004) Quantifying the ripple: word-of-mouth and advertising effectiveness. J Advert Res 44(3):271–280

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiao J, Chen CH (2006) Customer requirement management in product development: a review of research issues. Concur Eng Res Appl 14(3):173–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jokela T (2004) When good things happen to bad products: where are the benefits of usability in the consumer appliance market? Interactions 11(6):28–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalish S (1985) A new product adoption model with price, advertising, and uncertainty. Manage Sci 31(12):1569–1585

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kang KC, Cohen SG, Hess JA, Novak WE, Peterson AS (1990) Feature-oriented domain analysis (FODA) feasibility study. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh

    Google Scholar 

  • Keijzers J, Ouden ED, Lu Y (2008) The ‘double-edged sword’ of high-feature products: an explorative study of the business impact. In: Proceedings of the 32nd annual product development and management association (PDMA) international research conference, Orlando, pp 13–17

  • Kruger J, Galak J, Burrus J (2007) When consumers’ self-image motives fail. J Consum Psychol 17(4):250–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee D-S, Pan Y-H (2007) Lessons from applying usability engineering to fast-paced product development organizations. In: Aykin N (ed) Usability and Internationalization. In: HCI and Culture, 2007. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Springer, Berlin, pp 346–354

  • Lekvall P, Wahlbin C (1973) A study of some assumptions underlying innovation diffusion functions. Swed J Econ 75(4):362–377

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li M, Wang L (2011) Feature fatigue analysis in product development using Bayesian networks. Expert Syst Appl 38(8):10631–10637

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li M, Wang L, Wu M (2013) A multi-objective genetic algorithm approach for solving feature addition problem in feature fatigue analysis. J Intell Manuf 24(6):1197–1211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manzon EA (2013) Avoiding the buyer’s fallacy: consumer perceptions of products before purchase. University of Michigan, Michigan

    Google Scholar 

  • Norman DA (1988) The design of everyday things. Basic Books, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Norton JA, Bass FM (1987) A diffusion theory model of adoption and substitution for successive generations of high-technology products. Manag Sci 33(9):1069–1086

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norton JA, Bass FM (1992) Evolution of technological generations: the law of capture. Sloan Manag Rev 33(2):66–77

    Google Scholar 

  • Nowlis SM, Simonson I (1996) The effect of new product features on brand choice. J Mark Res 33(1):36–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ozer M, Cebeci U (2010) The role of globalization in new product development. IEEE Trans Eng Manag 57(2):168–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker PM (1994) Aggregate diffusion forecasting models in marketing: a critical review. Int J Forecast 10(2):353–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reichheld FF (1996) The loyalty effect: The hidden force behind growth, profits, and lasting value. Harvard Business School Press, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Rockbridge Associates (2004) National technology readiness survey. Rockbridge Associates Inc, Great Falls

    Google Scholar 

  • Rust RT, Thompson DV, Hamilton RW (2006) Defeating feature fatigue. Harv Bus Rev 84(2):98–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Sela A, Berger J (2012) How attribute quantity influences option choice. J Mark Res 49(6):942–953

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srinivasan V, Mason CH (1986) Nonlinear least squares estimation of new product diffusion models. Mark Sci 5(2):169–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sultan F, Farley JU, Lehmann DR (1990) A meta-analysis of applications of diffusion models. J Mark Res 27(1):70–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sweeney JC, Soutar GN, Mazzarol T (2008) Factors influencing word of mouth effectiveness: receiver perspectives. Eur J Mark 42(3/4):344–364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson DV, Norton MI (2011) The social utility of feature creep. J Mark Res 48(3):555–565

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson DV, Hamilton RW, Rust RT (2005) Feature fatigue: when product capabilities become too much of a good thing. J Mark Res 42(4):431–442

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu M, Wang L (2011) Feature fatigue analysis based on behavioral decision making. Paper presented at the Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM). In: 2011 IEEE international conference, Singapore, 6–9 Dec

  • Wu M, Wang L (2012) A continuous fuzzy Kano’s model for customer requirements analysis in product development. Proc Inst Mech Eng, Part B 226(3):535–546

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang C, Lee S-G, Lee J (2013) Entry barrier’s difference between ICT and non-ICT industries. Ind Manag Data Syst 113(3):461–480

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yeh C, Huang J, Yu C (2011) Integration of four-phase QFD and TRIZ in product R&D: a notebook case study. Res Eng Des 22(3):125–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 71072061).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, No. 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, People’s Republic of China

    Mingxing Wu, Liya Wang & Ming Li

Authors
  1. Mingxing Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  2. Liya Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ming Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Liya Wang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wu, M., Wang, L. & Li, M. An approach based on the Bass model for analyzing the effects of feature fatigue on customer equity. Comput Math Organ Theory 21, 69–89 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10588-014-9177-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10588-014-9177-2

Keywords