A Theoretical Discuss And Empirical Study On The Influence Of Perceived Contamination On Consumers' Purchase Behavior

Researches have revealed that consumers can gain more information after they touching the product. Further more, the availability of tactile input has been shown to affect consumers'confidence in their evaluations (McCabe and Nowlis 2003; Peck and Childers 2003b;Peck Childers 2003a).However, some studies have also discovered that when consumers perceived that some products can be contaminated by others, their evaluation and purchase intention will decrease(Jennifer J. Argo, Darren W. Dahl, & Andrea C. Morales 2006). Under this condition, concerned the two different research point, the author want to find out how the tactile input influence consumers' behavior.There are five chapters in this thesis:Chapter one is introduction. Included with research background, purpose and meaningness.Chapter two is literature review. Firstly, we reviewed the original concept of contact which are active and passive contact. Secondly we reviewed that the influence of contact on product evaluation. And the last, we give the influence of textile quality theory to comply with my research.Chapter three introduces our research design. Based on the previous study, a description on selection of empirical object, study hypotheses, questionnaire design, sample chosen and data analysis method are introduced briefly.Chapter four is data analysis. First we test the reliability and validity of the data, and then we analysis the model through LISREL, then we get our result from the analysis.Chapter five is conclusion and meanings, based on the analysis of the model.After the analysis, we get our conclusion about the six variables." Need for touch" may influence "perceived touch information" positively; more "perceived touch information" may enhance the product evaluation; perceived contamination may reduce the product evaluation and purchase intention of consumers; the more perceived contamination the consumers feels, the disgust of him may stronger; and finally, the more perceived touch information the consumers get, the more perceived contamination they will feel.The studies of the touching theory can make big significance. It may let us know how the touching process influence the consumer's mentality and behavior. In the real word, it can give the retailer some advice follows:1,Put the product far from the place that consumers can easily touch except the display. So that consumers will not get the idea that other consumers had touched the product.2,Put the product to the place they belong as soon as consumers put it down. Because if when consumers saw some product was not orderly put in the place, they will easily think that someone else touched the product in a very soon early, and will cause the low evaluation of the product.3,Reduce the possibility of the product label of being draped. Because once the label is draped, product contamination will easily take place.4,Product package can protect the based quality of the product, but it can also reduce the opportunity of product contamination take place. So retailers should let the product stay in the package. And through the conclusion, opaque package is more useful in the reduction of contamination.