The Impact of Power Distance Belief on Blind Box Consumption

Abstract

Blind boxes are becoming increasingly popular and have sparked an emerging body of research exploring their appeal in recent years. However, research about the heterogeneity in consumer reactions to blind boxes remains insufficient. This study investigates how power distance belief (PDB) shapes consumer preference for blind boxes. Across six studies, we find that consumers with low PDB respond more positively to blind boxes than those with high PDB, an effect driven by differences in their process/outcome mindsets. That is, low PDB consumers tend to appreciate the experience of opening blind boxes, whereas high PDB consumers focus more on the results. Consequently, the experiential appeal of blind boxes has a stronger impact on low PDB consumers. In addition, incorporating a hidden version into blind boxes can increase the attractiveness of blind boxes for high PDB consumers. This research enriches existing knowledge on mystery consumption and PDB and offers actionable insights for practitioners in the blind box market.