The consumer anger phenomena: causes and consequences

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore consumer anger phenomena. Design/methodology/approach The research utilized the critical incident technique and three different samples to thoroughly explore the consumer anger phenomena. Findings The research identified three causes of consumer anger: broken promises, unfair treatment and expressed hostility, and detailed the effects of consumer anger beyond decisions to continue or terminate service provider relationships. Research limitations/implications Future research could examine the role switching barriers play in consumer anger episodes. Practical implications Angering consumers comes with an array of damaging consequences that extend beyond the decision to continue or terminate the service provider relationship. As a result, managers must realize that the absence of switching behavior does not necessarily constitute success. Originality/value This study extends previous research by using a grounded theory approach to uncover three broad causes of consumer anger. In addition, this study reveals consumer use of additional consequences (i.e. reducing patronage, changing locations, avoiding certain employees) in response to anger evoking encounters.