Search, Experience and Credence Attributes

Search, Experience and Credence Attributes

1. Select three services, one high in search attributes, one high in experience attributes and one high in credence attributes.  Specify what product characteristics make them easy or difficult to evaluate. Suggest specific strategies that marketers can adopt in each case to facilitate evaluation and reduce perceived risk.  These must be services, not goods.

Below are the three services, one high in search attributes, one high in experience attributes and one high in credence attributes:

1. High in search attributes: Tailored Clothing
2. High in experience attributes: Airline
3. High in credence attributes: Surgery (Surgical Operations)

1) High Search Attributes Service: Tailored Clothing

Search attributes are those that customers can evaluate before making a purchase decision.

Many clothing stores and retail chains provide tailored clothing service along with the purchase of clothing that includes custom made suits, jackets, coats or other garments for men and women.

Below are the tangible physical attributes for a tailored clothing that customers can search to evaluate and better understand the service before making a purchase and reduce sense of uncertainty or risk associated with purchase:

1. Select type of tailored clothing online or by visiting the store, e.g. tailored suits, sport jackets, tuxedos, dressed pants, skirts, trousers and blouses before making the changes.
2. Select type of tailored collection by brands available with the store before customizing.
3. View online collection, styles, fabric, colour, texture before come in to shop.
4. Conduct online purchasing by selecting style, fabric and by inserting body dimensions in the specific dress design software.
5. Visit the website or physical location to get more information about such stores/chains and check their reputation and history.
6. Check about customer support or assistance available before, during and after purchase e.g. availability of any clothing advisor or on- site tailors to make alterations to have a perfect fit.
7. Get third party opinions, reviews, blogs and comments from users, friends at site or through social media, website, about these services.

Specific Strategies that marketers can apply to facilitate evaluation and reduce perceived risk:

• Encourage the prospective customers to preview the service and give detailed information through brochures, websites, videos e.g. company history, brands, collections, view size, fit guide, software help in selecting styles and fabric, staff background, training and experience, assistance of clothing advisors and on-site tailors making alteration, user comments.

• Advertise through flyers, posters and electronic media (TV commercials), social media to explain the customers about what it is and how it works and its value.

• Encourage the customers to visit the store/facility so that they can see how the process works, clothing styles, how clothing advisors are working hand in hand with the customers and on-site tailors are making alterations.

• Offer service guarantee e.g. perfect fit guarantee.

• Offer courier/shipping services to provide convenience and fast delivery.

2) High Experience Attributes Service: Airline

Experience attributes are those that cannot be evaluated before purchase. Airline service is high in experience attributes.

Though customers get detailed information and pricing about airline before travelling, from website search, reading reviews by airline/travel experts and experiences from family, friends and peers; customers must travel by airline i.e. must experience the service before assessing experience attributes. Below are the experience attributes that customer will evaluate during and after travelling by the airline: