US consumers' perceptions of non-price retail promotions

Purpose - To explore US consumers' perceptions of the level of fun associated with non-price retail promotions and to predict likelihood of participation among demographic groups. Design/methodology/approach - The study employs a sample generated from retail forward panel data (n = 500) to assess the impact of demographic variables including gender, age, educational attainment, income and household size on consumer perceptions and likelihood of participation in five types of non-price retail promotions. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques (t-tests, regression) are used to evaluate the data. Findings - Identifies demographic groups who perceive high levels of fun associated with non-price retail promotions and examines relationships between demographics and likelihood of participation in these types of promotions. Research limitations/implications - Generalizations of the findings of this study to markets outside the USA are limited due to the differences in consumers and forms of retail promotion within various markets. Future studies could examine perceptions of non-price retail promotions across international markets as well as identify additional predictors of response to non-price retail promotions. Practical implications - This research provides retailers that operate within the USA specific knowledge of consumers' perceptions of non-price retail promotions and identifies demographic characteristics of consumers who are likely to participate in such activities. As price competition in the sector continues to evolve, understanding non-price forms of competition is critical to superior performance and survival in the industry. Originality/value - This exploratory study uses demographics as a framework for examining consumers' perceptions of and likelihood of participation in non-price retail promotions. The paper is unique because there are few similar empirical studies focused specifically on non-price retail promotions.