COMPARING CONSUMERS RECALL OF PREPURCHASE AND POSTPURCHASE PRODUCT EVALUATION EXPERIENCES

This study explores the phenomenon of postpurchase product evaluations primarily by comparing consumers' recalled postpurchase evaluation ex periences with their recalled prepurchase evaluation experiences. Pers onal interviews and retrospective verbalizations were employed so that respondents could describe the phenomena in their own experiences and words. A secondary comparison was also made between consumers' postpu rchase evaluation experiences in general versus those specifically cue d by the terms ''satisfaction'' and ''dissatisfaction.'' While some si milarities exist, the results show important differences between respo ndents' postpurchase thoughts versus those f rom both prepurchase and satisfaction. Significant implications of these results for theory, me asurement, and future research are discussed.