Perceived Fairness of Price Differences Across Channels: The Moderating Role of Price Frame and Norm Perceptions

This study examines the effects of contrasting multichannel pricing strategies (uniform versus differential pricing) on consumers' fairness perceptions, with a focus on the moderating roles of the relative positioning of prices in the marketplace (price frame) and consumers' perceptions of the differential multichannel pricing practice as a norm in the given industry (norm perception). The results of a scenario-based survey method with 2 (uniform versus differential multichannel pricing strategy) x 3 (positive, neutral, and negative price frame) x 2 (high versus low norm perception) factorial between-subject experimental design show that multichannel pricing strategy influences consumer fairness perceptions, and further, that these influences are moderated by both price frame and norm perceptions.