However, for POST to play an important role in purchase
decisions, it requires more individual effort in information
processing. This is because after observing store prices, participants
have to reconsider the alternative options of buying
in another store (or buying later in the same store) and compare
with current prices to make purchase decisions. This
allows people to decide whether to postpone the purchase
and avoid potential regret at a later time. Therefore, only a
stronger motivation (e.g., a higher expected benefit from the
purchases) would cause participants put in the requisite effort
in information processing. As a result, their price expectations
are likely to be updated with observed store price changes and,
once expectations are updated, they are also likely to reconsider
their outside options by comparing the updated POSTs
with store prices