Abstract
X-consumers are the extremely frequent (top 2–3%) users who typically consume 25% of a product category. This article shows how to use fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) to provide “causal recipes” sufficient for profiling X-consumers accurately. The study extends Dik Twedt’s “heavy-half” product users for building theory and strategies to nurture or control X-behavior. The study here applies QCA to offer configurations that are sufficient in identifying “whales” and “jumbo shrimps” among X-casino gamblers. The findings support the principle that not all X-consumers are alike. The theory and method are applicable for identifying the degree of consistency and coverage of alternative X-consumers among users of all product-service category and brands.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank Carol M. Megehee, Coastal Carolina University, USA for insightful comments on content and style to earlier versions of this article. The authors thank the reviewers and Jon E. Grant, Editor-in-Chief for their insightful comments on the first submission to the Journal of Gambling Studies.
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Woodside, A.G., Zhang, M. Identifying X-Consumers Using Causal Recipes: “Whales” and “Jumbo Shrimps” Casino Gamblers. J Gambl Stud 28, 13–26 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-011-9241-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-011-9241-5