Abstract

New product offer new benefits or advantages to consumers, but they also carry risks or disadvantages because they are new and unproven. In this study, we examined the effect of priming other users on purchase intention of a new product. Specifically, we propose that priming the other user (i.e., shared use), rather than using the product alone(i.e., individual use), will result in higher-level construals by adopting another person’s perspective and, as a result, a consumer will perceive the desirable value higher and feasible risk lower. In Study 1, we selected an innovative product as a new product and investigated priming other user would increase the purchase intention rather than priming using alone. The analysis showed that purchase intention increased when the advertising messaged primed the use of the product with others, and this was mediated by the difference of construal level. In Study 2, to further confirm the role of construal level, we divided participants into three conditions (construal level: high vs. low vs. control) after priming other user. Eco-friendly product was selected as a stimlui for study 2. The results showed that the participants in low construal level condition perceived feasibility risk (usage risk) higher and desirability (ultimate value) lower, resulting in lower purchase intention compared to those in other two conditions. The results of this study confirm that for new products that convey both benefits and risks, bringing the perspective of others into an individual’s purchase consideration, i.e., shared use priming, can increase the purchase intention by moving the consumer’s construal level higher. Furthermore, the results suggest that in situations where consumers intend to purchase a product for shared use, emphasizing the instrumental benefits of a product may be counterproductive.