The effect of positive anticipatory utility on product pre‑order evaluations and choices

Given the increase in marketers’ use of pre-ordering strategies in which product sales precede the product’s delivery, this research presents a systematic set of four studies exploring how increasing positive anticipatory utility impacts consumers’ pre-order evaluations. The authors propose that compared to price discounts, non-monetary promotions that enhance positive anticipation will be more effective in reducing consumers’ negative responses to longer temporal delays for pre-orders. Findings show that affect-laden marketing tools (e.g., free products, products positioned as hedonically superior, creating anticipatory buzz) attenuate the negative effects due to pre-order temporal delays. Findings also indicate positive anticipatory utility is the underlying mechanism for the observed effects. The research provides guidance regarding the strategic presentation of pre-order promotions; when the time for product delivery is longer, marketers should use various tools that increase positive anticipation to reduce the negative effects of temporal delays.