Retail kiosks: how regret and variety influence consumption

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to gain insight regarding the impact of consumer regret on shopping in mall kiosks and its relationship with consumer variety‐seeking tendencies. Design/methodology/approach – Two experimental studies are carried out with students and consumers. Findings – Findings of the two studies show that variety and regret play an important role in mall kiosk shopping. Both studies show that individual variety‐seeking tendencies naturally stimulate consumers' search for retailers that allow them additional options (i.e. kiosk retailers that provide higher perceived variety) in comparison with those who only offer minimal assortment sizes. Research limitations/implications – Mall kiosks are becoming an increasingly common avenue for the release of innovative products and quick entry into the retail market. These outlets have not been studied through academic research and experimentation, and this paper introduces the importance of consumer decision making in such environments. Practical implications – Considering the findings of this research, it is in the best interest of retailers to minimize the perception of risk involved in purchases at mall kiosk retailers. For example, kiosk retailers should work toward creating service environments where consumers feel a sense of control, as this should help mitigate some of the perceived risks in those retailers. Originality/value – This paper relates two constructs (regret and variety), which have proven to be very important in e‐tail and retail shopping, to show how they can minimize consumer's perceived risk during a shopping experience.