팽창가격할인에 관한 선행연구가 여러 제품들을 위한 할인방식들(예: 최대할인, 범위할인, 최소할인)이 소비자의 반응에 미치는 영향을 비교 분석하고 있다. 그러나 매장관리자는 판매하는 제품들 중 일부 브랜드를 선정하여 그 라인에 대한 할인을 제안할 수 있다. 이런 관점에서 본 연구는 특정 브랜드의 제품계열 할인 시 이에 대한 정보를 안내하는 효과적인 방법을 분석했다. 본 연구의 초점은 크게 두가지로 구분될 수 있다. 첫째, 본 연구는 팽창가격할인의 효과가 특정 브랜드에 적용되었을 경우에도 같은 방식으로 나타날 것이라는 가설을 설정했다. 둘째, 본 연구는 팽창가격 할인방식과 가격대의 상호작용효과를 설정했다. 즉, 본 연구는 팽창가격 할인방식의 효과는 할인되는 품목의 가격대가 높을수록 그리고 그브랜드 인지도가 높을수록 크게 나타날 것이라고 예측한다. 본 연구는 설정한 가설들을 검증하기 위해 혼합설계 방식의 실험을 진행했다. 할인방식(최대할인, 범위할인, 최소할인)과 브랜드인지도(고/저)는 개체간 요인으로 처리되어 340명의 학생들이 모두 6개의 실험집단에 할당되었고, 가격대는 개체내 요인으로 처리되었다. 실험참가자들은 각 실험집단별로 세 개의 제품군(고/중/저 가격대)에 대한 세가지 다른 할인방식에 대한 정보를 접하게 설계되었는데, 실험시 제품군과 할인방식이 제시되는 순서의 효과가 서로 상쇄될 수 있도록 순서를 조정하였다. 실험참가자들은 할인방식에 대한 광고를 검토한 후 할인가치, 할인거래에 대한 태도 및 구매의사에 관한 질문에 응답했다. 본 연구는 제시된 가설들을 검증하기 위해 ANOVA 분석을 실시했다. 검증 결과 첫째, 선행연구가 제시한바 있는 팽창가격할인 효과는 특정 브랜드에 국한되어 제품계열에 따라 다른 할인율이 제시될 경우에도 확인되었다. 둘째, 가격할인에 대한 반응은 가격대별로 차이가 없는 것으로 나타났고, 할인방식과 가격대의 상호작용은 유의한 것으로 나타났다. 특히 범위할인 효과는 가격대가 높은 경우 그렇지 않은 경우보다 더 크게 나타났다. 셋째, 브랜드 인지도가 높을수록 가격할인에 대한 반응이 더호의적으로 형성되고 있으나, 인지도가 낮은 경우 할인방식별 차이는 거의 없는 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구결과의 기여도는 특정 브랜드에 대한 팽창가격할인 효과와 가격대와 브랜드 인지도의 조절효과를 검증하였다는 측면에서 찾아볼 수 있다. 본 연구는 연구결과를 요약하면서 그에 따른 매장관리자들을 위한 관리적 시사점들을 논의하였고, 연구의 한계점을 지적했다. 마지막으로 본 연구는 매장관리자의 의사결정에 도움이 될 수 있는 분야에 대한 후속연구방향을 제시했다.
Most studies about tensile price reductions had examined the effects of discount types(i.e. minimum levels of savings, savings range, maximum level of savings) for various types of products in the store on consumer savings and value perception. However, store managers may select a well known brand and suggest different discount types along the product lines for that brand. In this regard, this study examined the effects of tensile price claims for product lines of specific brands. Focusing on tensile price reductions for the product lines of a specific brand, we developed hypotheses about the effects of discount types, price range, and the brand awareness level on consumer evaluations. First, we hypothesized the same effects about tensile price claims on consumer responses when those discount claims were applied to the product lines of a brand. Second, we hypothesized the interaction effect between tensile discount claim and the price range and interaction effect between tensile discount claim and brand awareness level. More specifically, we hypothesized that consumers will respond to tensile price claims more favorably for a high-priced product than for a low-priced product. Likewise, consumers will respond to tensile price claims for a well known brand rather than for an unfamiliar brand. In addition, we proposed that the effects of discount claims about the savings range will vary with the price range of discounted products. To test these research issues, this study conducted experimental designs(mixed designs). Three-hundred forty undergraduate students were assigned to one of the cells in groups of 2-3 between-subject designs in which the main factors were claim types(minimum level of savings, savings range, maximum level of changes) and the brand awareness level(familiar brand and unfamiliar brand). On the other hand, the price range was manipulated as within the subject factor. Participants reviewed the price reduction claims for three product categories(bag: high price products, sunglasses: medium price products, electronic dictionaries: a low price product) respectively. We counterbalanced the order of product categories and each participant was exposed to different price reduction types for each product category. We asked the participants to review the price reduction claims carefully and measured their evaluations. Dependent variables were perceived savings, attitude toward the deal and purchase intention of discount claims. Referring to prior research, we developed nine items to measure the dependent variables. Seven point semantic differential scales were used to measure the nine items. Preliminary analyses were conducted before testing the proposed hypotheses. The main purpose of these initial analyses was to check if the manipulations for price range and brand awareness were successful. For this purpose, we asked expected prices and familiarity of the brands listed in the main experiment. The results showed significant differences in perceived prices and familiarity by brands, indicating that participants perceived the price range and brand awareness as intended. Hypotheses relating to the dependent variables of perceived savings, attitude toward the deal and purchase intention were examined by ANOVAs followed by contrast between treatment groups. First we confirmed the effects of tensile price reductions. Perceived savings, attitude toward the deal and purchase intention became higher when advertisements claimed a maximum level of savings than when those claimed a minimum level or a range of savings. Second, we found insignificant main effects of price level, but significant interaction effects between discount claim types and price ranges. Consumers responded more favorably to the range discount claims for a high-priced brand than for a medium or low-priced brand. Third, we found significant interaction effects between discount claim types and brand awareness level. Consumers evaluated the discount claims more favorably for a familiar brand than for an unfamiliar brand. The results of this study contribute to the literature as the first attempt to examine the effects of tensile price reductions for specific brands. The results of our study also suggest that consumers` reactions to tensile price claims are affected by the price range and the brand awareness level of the discounted product. More specifically, we found that the effects of tensile claims providing the saving ranges had more positive effects on perceived savings, attitude toward the deal and purchase intention when the price of the product was high than medium or low. We summarized the study results and discussed the managerial implications for store managers. We also indicated the limitations of this study, and suggested the future research directions to guide strategic decisions about tensile price reductions for store managers.