The above authors claim that consumers who
switch between brands will be more sensitive to
gains rather than to losses, which implies that
they are guided by the desire to obtain a
reduction in price, rather than by a desire to
avoid paying more than usual for the product.
They like to know that they have obtained a
‘ bargain ’ and that they have exploited a good
opportunity. Such nonloyal consumers may
respond with more intensity to gains, since gains
are often the outcome of coupons or direct price
cuts, which are usually heavily advertised and
publicised, thanks to which consumers are more
aware of gains than losses. A further aim of this
paper is to demonstrate that there are different
behaviours in the process of brand choice that
depend on the consumers ’ characteristics.
Customers will be divided into loyal and nonloyal
categories, and the following hypothesis is
proposed: