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"Paper or plastic?": How we pay influences post-transaction connection

Publication ,  Journal Article
Shah, AM; Eisenkraft, N; Bettman, JR; Chartrand, TL
Published in: Journal of Consumer Research
February 1, 2016

Does the way that individuals pay for a good or service influence the amount of connection they feel after the purchase has occurred? Employing a multi-method approach across four studies, individuals who pay using a relatively more painful form of payment (e.g., cash or check) increase their post-transaction connection to the product they purchased and/or the organization their purchase supports in comparison to those who pay with less painful forms of payment (e.g., debit or credit card). Specifically, individuals who pay with more painful forms of payment increase their emotional attachment to a product, decrease their commitment to nonchosen alternatives, are more likely to publicly signal their commitment to an organization, and are more likely to make a repeat transaction. Moreover, the form of payment influences post-transaction connection even when the objective monetary cost remains constant and when the psychological cost is indirect (i.e., donating someone else's money). Increasing the psychological pain of payment appears to have beneficial consequences with respect to increasing downstream product and brand connection.

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Published In

Journal of Consumer Research

DOI

ISSN

0093-5301

Publication Date

February 1, 2016

Volume

42

Issue

5

Start / End Page

688 / 708

Related Subject Headings

  • Marketing
  • 3506 Marketing
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1506 Tourism
  • 1505 Marketing
 

Citation

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Shah, A. M., Eisenkraft, N., Bettman, J. R., & Chartrand, T. L. (2016). "Paper or plastic?": How we pay influences post-transaction connection. Journal of Consumer Research, 42(5), 688–708. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucv056
Shah, A. M., N. Eisenkraft, J. R. Bettman, and T. L. Chartrand. “"Paper or plastic?": How we pay influences post-transaction connection.” Journal of Consumer Research 42, no. 5 (February 1, 2016): 688–708. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucv056.
Shah AM, Eisenkraft N, Bettman JR, Chartrand TL. "Paper or plastic?": How we pay influences post-transaction connection. Journal of Consumer Research. 2016 Feb 1;42(5):688–708.
Shah, A. M., et al. “"Paper or plastic?": How we pay influences post-transaction connection.” Journal of Consumer Research, vol. 42, no. 5, Feb. 2016, pp. 688–708. Scopus, doi:10.1093/jcr/ucv056.
Shah AM, Eisenkraft N, Bettman JR, Chartrand TL. "Paper or plastic?": How we pay influences post-transaction connection. Journal of Consumer Research. 2016 Feb 1;42(5):688–708.
Journal cover image

Published In

Journal of Consumer Research

DOI

ISSN

0093-5301

Publication Date

February 1, 2016

Volume

42

Issue

5

Start / End Page

688 / 708

Related Subject Headings

  • Marketing
  • 3506 Marketing
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1506 Tourism
  • 1505 Marketing