The Secret Ingredient Is Me: Customization Prompts Self-Image-Consistent Product Perceptions

Companies frequently allow customers to customize products by assembling different product features or ingredients. Whereas existing research has demonstrated that customers assign greater overall value to customized products, this research focuses on the effect of customization on customers’ perceptions of specific product attributes (e.g., how healthy a product is). The findings of six studies—in the field, laboratory, and online—demonstrate...