THE EFFECTS OF PRODUCT EXPERTISE ON CONSUMER EVALUATIONS OF NEW-PRODUCT CONCEPTS

.This article examines some of the effects of product expertise on con sumer evaluations of new-product concepts. Consumers with expertise re garding a particular product are expected to be capable of extensive p rocessing of the information on new concepts of that product. Consumer s with much product expertise appear to supply more articulated evalua tions that are more internally consistent and stable over time than co nsumers with little product expertise. It is suggested that only those consumers who at least have a moderate level of product expertise sho uld be invited to new-product concept tests.