Questioning the Way That We Measure Consumers' Product Involvement Levels: How Wine Awards Exposed Differing Involvement Levels

Abstract

Consumer levels of product involvement have conventionally been explored using questionnaires that aim to identify the existence of different consumer segments. However, the research presented here suggests that whilst questionnaires are suited to large numbers of participants, they may not provide an accurate picture of product involvement levels. Using quantitative and qualitative research to investigate involvement levels with wine and the influence of awards on purchase decisions, this paper presents results from two different types of methods that reveal differing levels of involvement. A consumer questionnaire (n= 44) classified participants into high and low involvement groups. Four focus groups with these participants were then conducted. Results from the focus groups indicate that the participants' involvement levels were not equivalent to those allocated as a result of the questionnaire responses. These results suggest current marketing scales need to be adapted to better segment wine consumers according to their level of product involvement.