Personal antecedents of perceived deceptive pricing in online retailing: the moderating role of price inequality

Abstract

This research examines the personality, cognitive and emotional antecedents of deceptive price perceptions that occur in price inequalities. We draw on appraisal theories to examine the extent to which these relationships are different depending on two situations: consumers who are exposed to an advantaged situation (lower price) and those exposed to a disadvantaged situation (higher price). Data from 994 individuals in the online hotel booking context show that the direction of the price inequality significantly influences the way in which both personality and the attributional–emotional process affect perceptions of deceptive pricing. Our findings provide a better understanding of this subjective, complex, but also increasingly prevalent phenomena of price inequality and perceived deceptive pricing in online retailing. Implications for theory and management are discussed.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Online survey questionnaire

Have you ever booked a flight or a hotel room online?:

□ YES (continue with the survey)

□ NO (abandon the survey)

1.1 Introduction

This survey is part of a research conducted by the University of Murcia. The answers will be treated statistically and never individually, so the information you provide will be used only for academic purposes, being totally anonymous and confidential. THANKS A LOT FOR YOUR COOPERATION.

• 1. Please indicate the number of online travel reservations (hotels, flights, etc.) that you have made on any website in the last 12 months:___

The following scenario describes a possible situation where you book a hotel room online. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ IT CAREFULLY.

Imagine that…

You and some friends decide to spend a weekend in Salamanca at the end of November this year. In order to avoid reservation problems, you all agree that each one will look for the hotel room on their own. With this idea in mind, you search the Internet and find a well-located 4-star hotel with good prices on a travel website. After reading various opinions and confirming through the photos that the hotel is fine, you book a standard double room for two nights without the possibility of cancellation for a total price of 150 euros (breakfast not included).

Now imagine that…:

After making your reservation, you talk to your friends because you want to find out which place they have booked. It turns out that one of them has also booked a room, same as yours (standard double, without breakfast or the possibility of cancellation) in the very same hotel as you. However, surprisingly, you friend tells you that he got the room for 110 euros (40 euros less than you) for the same two nights in the same travel website that you used.

• 2. Please, indicate how you would feel after knowing that the price of your friend’s reservation was 110€, while yours was 150€:

	1	2	3	4	5
	Not at all	Very little	Somewhat	Very	To a great extent
Angry	□	□	□	□	□
Upset	□	□	□	□	□
Annoyed	□	□	□	□	□

• 3. If the situation described earlier in the scenario had actually happened to you, please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statements, where 1 = “strongly disagree” and 5 = “strongly agree”:

	1	2	3	4	5
	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
This site is not entirely truthful about its prices	□	□	□	□	□
This site uses misleading prices to convince consumers to purchase their products	□	□	□	□	□
This site takes advantage of less experienced consumers to convince them that they have the best prices	□	□	□	□	□
This site exaggerates the attractiveness of its prices and promotions	□	□	□	□	□

• P4. How would you explain that you paid more than your friend? This is due to…

	1	2	3	4	5
	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
…The discriminating pricing policies of the site that would identify me	□	□	□	□	□
…The site would apply some targeted promotional price	□	□	□	□	□
…The site would apply some pricing tactic to benefit only a part of its customers	□	□	□	□	□

At this point, in relation to the situation described earlier in the scenario, please answer the following questions:

• The scenario describes the booking of a (mark only one option)

Hotel room	□
Flight ticket	□
Train ticket	□

• In the scenario, you end up paying (mark only one option):

Same as your friend	□
Less than your friend	□
More than your friend	□

The following questions refer to your way of being. Please, answer them honestly as there are no correct or incorrect answers.

• P5. Please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statements, where 1 = “strongly disagree” and 5 = “strongly agree”:

	1	2	3	4	5
	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
Most businesses are more interested in making profits than in serving consumers	□	□	□	□	□
Companies see consumers as puppets to manipulate	□	□	□	□	□
To make a profit, companies are willing to do whatever they can get away with	□	□	□	□	□
I honestly feel I’m just more deserving than others	□	□	□	□	□
I demand the best because I’m worth it	□	□	□	□	□
People like me deserve an extra break now and then	□	□	□	□	□
In dealing with people, it is best to tell them what they want to hear	□	□	□	□	□
Never tell anyone the real reason you did something unless it is useful to do so	□	□	□	□	□
Lying is necessary to maintain a competitive advantage over others	□	□	□	□	□

Appendix 2

See Table 6.

Table 6 Definitions of the variables in our framework