Effet signal d'une réduction promotionnelle du prix : concept et expérimentation
Résumé
Signaling effect of a promotional price reduction: concept and experimentation
Abstract Sales promotion has often positive effects on short term demand effects due to the benefits provided and to the signaling effect of the communication. If information is missing (regular price, price reduction) when consumers have an extended choice process, the information transmitted by the sales promotion communication is used not only as a signal but also to elaborate the choice frame. Thus conflicting information between the promotional signal and perceived expensiveness can reduce perceived value. Under these conditions the author show, through analysis of experimental data on 320 consumers, that changes due to a promotional price reduction can result in higher rejection for a premium brand in a consumer good market. While decreases in sales volume due to promotional price reductions are not frequently observed, such a possibility means that managers have to anticipate a reduction of their promotional effectiveness when price reduction is not indicated (special offer) and to avoid its use for premium brands. Key words: Sales promotion, price reduction, promotion signal, experiment, Gabor & Granger.
Abstract Sales promotion has often positive effects on short term demand effects due to the benefits provided and to the signaling effect of the communication. If information is missing (regular price, price reduction) when consumers have an extended choice process, the information transmitted by the sales promotion communication is used not only as a signal but also to elaborate the choice frame. Thus conflicting information between the promotional signal and perceived expensiveness can reduce perceived value. Under these conditions the author show, through analysis of experimental data on 320 consumers, that changes due to a promotional price reduction can result in higher rejection for a premium brand in a consumer good market. While decreases in sales volume due to promotional price reductions are not frequently observed, such a possibility means that managers have to anticipate a reduction of their promotional effectiveness when price reduction is not indicated (special offer) and to avoid its use for premium brands. Key words: Sales promotion, price reduction, promotion signal, experiment, Gabor & Granger.
L'effet observé à court terme d'une réduction promotionnelle du prix sur la demande est souvent positif du fait de la valorisation des bénéfices offerts par la promotion et par le simple effet signal engendré par la communication promotionnelle. Lorsque le consommateur effectue une évaluation approfondie de l'offre promotionnelle et qu'il manque d'informations (sur le montant de la réduction ou le prix de base), l'information transmise par la promotion, qui est à la source de l'effet signal, est aussi utilisée pour élaborer le cadre du choix. Un conflit entre la cherté perçue et le signal promotionnel peut donc dévaloriser une offre. Dans ces conditions, nous montrons, par l'analyse des résultats d'une expérimentation sur 320 consommateurs, que le changement du cadre du choix résultant d'une offre promotionnelle conduit à un rejet d'achat plus important d'une marque premium pour un produit de grande consommation. Si ce résultat d'un effet négatif d'une réduction promotionnelle du prix sur la demande à court terme est rarement observé sur les ventes, il doit cependant conduire les managers à anticiper une baisse de l'efficacité promotionnelle lorsque la réduction de prix n'est pas indiquée et à en limiter l'usage pour les marques premium.