Sales and Self: The Non-Economic Value of Selling the Fruits of One's Labor

Autor(en)

Benedikt Schnurr, Christoph Fuchs, Elisa Maira, Stefano Puntoni, Martin Schreier, Stijn M. J. van Osselaer

Abstrakt

A core assumption across many disciplines is that producers enter market exchange relationships for economic reasons. This research examines an overlooked factor; namely, the socioemotional benefits of selling the fruits of one's labor. Specifically, the authors find that individuals selling their products interpret sales as a signal from the market that serves as a source of self-validation, thus increasing their happiness above and beyond any monetary rewards from those sales. This effect highlights an information asymmetry that is opposite to what is found in traditional signaling theory. That is, the authors find that customers have information about product quality that they signal to the producer, validating the producer's skill level. Furthermore, the sales-as-signal effect is moderated by characteristics of the purchase transaction that determine the signal strength of sales: The effect is attenuated when product choice does not reflect a deliberate decision and is amplified when buyers incur higher monetary costs. In addition, sales have a stronger effect on happiness than alternative, nonmonetary forms of market signals such as likes. Finally, the sales-as-signal effect is more pronounced when individuals sell their self-made (vs. other-made) products and affects individuals' happiness beyond the happiness gained from producing.

Organisation(en)

Institut für Marketing und International Business

Externe Organisation(en)

Technische Universität München, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien (WU), Cornell University

Journal

Journal of Marketing

Band

86

Seiten

40-58

Anzahl der Seiten

19

ISSN

0022-2429

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429211064263

Publikationsdatum

11-2021

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

502019 Marketing

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Marketing, Business and International Management

Link zum Portal

https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/de/publications/sales-and-self-the-noneconomic-value-of-selling-the-fruits-of-ones-labor(76662eeb-177e-4e02-a668-944587f983bb).html