Consumers purchase conspicuous goods to satisfy not just material needs but also social needs such as prestige. In an attempt to meet these social needs, marketing managers of conspicuous goods like cars, perfumes, and watches employ several strategies to highlight the exclusivity of their...

Although much excitement has arisen over the potential for "interactivity" on the Web, very little is understood about what exactly creates a sense of interactivity and what impact it has on user behavior. Businesses are spending millions of dollars to add interactivity to their Web sites, in...