Generating insult from injury: Receiving self improvement gifts causes negative word of mouth

Abstract

Many retailers sell self improvement products – and some market these products as gifts. The present research reveals that doing so could have negative consequences. Five experiments investigated how recipients respond to self improvement gifts offering betterment in terms of physical appearance or communication skills. Results show that those who receive self improvement (vs. non improvement) gifts generate more negative word of mouth about the products they receive, for example, by giving them lower star ratings. This effect is explained by the hurt feelings that recipients of self improvement gifts experience. We identify two ways retailers can attenuate the negative word of mouth stemming from self improvement gifts. First, offering financial incentives when soliciting online reviews reduces gift recipients’ negativity. Second, using a humanized appeal when soliciting online reviews helps prevent negative product review ratings. The present findings have important implications for retailers that sell self improvement products. Specifically, retailers could use financial incentives and humanized review requests to attenuate negative word of mouth, or adjust elements of the marketing mix to nudge consumers away from selecting self improvement products as gifts.