Abstract
Plain-label generic products consisting of food and household staples and cigarettes have made significant inroads into the market shares previously held by the national brands of manufacturers and the private brands of wholesalers and retailers. Although the small number of published research studies analyzing purchasers of generic products have described the user as a member of an upscale professional, college-educated household, the research reported in this paper analyzed both demographic and lifestyle characteristics of generic users, non-users, and aware nonusers. Purchase behavior, product evaluation variation, and purchase probabilities for the three segments are examined. Acceptance of generic products appears to adversely affect the sales of national brands more than private brands, since most generic product purchasers had previously purchased national brands.
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Neidell, L.A., Boone, L.E. & Cagley, J.W. Consumer responses to generic products. JAMS 12, 161–176 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02721806
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02721806