<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>It is very common to add diverse new functionalities to existing base products (e.g., adding mobile television to a cell phone or internet access to a personal digital assistant). These convergent products offer users a broad choice of potential applications. However, it is not clear what additions are actually valued by consumers, and therefore also make sense from a manufacturer’s perspective. The current research addresses this very issue. It investigates the role of three factors on the evaluation of such convergent products (CPs); namely, (1) the consumption goal (utility versus fun-oriented) associated with the base product and the added functionality, (2) the prior ownership of the base product, and (3) the quality of the brand introducing the new functionality. In three experimental studies, the author explores the effect of each of the above three factors in the evaluation of CPs. On the basis of the results he presents some guidelines on how to extend existing products to create more value for consumers and manufacturers</p>
</abstract>

It is very common to add diverse new functionalities to existing base products (e.g., adding mobile television to a cell phone or internet access to a personal digital assistant). These convergent products offer users a broad choice of potential applications. However, it is not clear what additions are actually valued by consumers, and therefore also make sense from a manufacturer’s perspective. The current research addresses this very issue. It investigates the role of three factors on the evaluation of such convergent products (CPs); namely, (1) the consumption goal (utility versus fun-oriented) associated with the base product and the added functionality, (2) the prior ownership of the base product, and (3) the quality of the brand introducing the new functionality. In three experimental studies, the author explores the effect of each of the above three factors in the evaluation of CPs. On the basis of the results he presents some guidelines on how to extend existing products to create more value for consumers and manufacturers

“Call. Mail. Shoot. Listen. Play” But What Functionalities Add Real Value in Convergent Products?

Is Assistant Professor of Marketing, Faculty of Business and Information Technology, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, ON, Canada

NIM Marketing Intelligence Review

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

It is very common to add diverse new functionalities to existing base products (e.g., adding mobile television to a cell phone or internet access to a personal...

“Call. Mail. Shoot. Listen. Play” But What Functionalities Add Real Value in Convergent Products?

Published Online: Jul 19, 2014

Page range: 16 - 25

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/gfkmir-2014-0059

© 2014

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.