Sun and her co-authors suggest that companies have two ways to sell “imperfect” products. The first is to sell at a lower price and appeal to consumers who are unable to afford the high-end product. The second is to position the product as “green” and appeal to environmentally-conscious customers.
Research
The faculty in the department are world-renowned experts in their fields, including the consumer behavior, strategy and modelling domains of marketing research. We strive to publish high quality, impactful research in the top academic journals in our field. Our research efforts are supported by resources such as our behavioral lab, access to many local Fortune 500 companies, and our CEDAR series which brings leading scholars from around the world to our campus. Recent publications include articles in marketing journals such as the Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Consumer Research.

Marketing & Supply Chain
From Forest to Factory: How Taylor Guitars Became a Socially Responsible Company

Marketing & Supply Chain
Does a Corporate Crisis Affect Your Buying Habits?
Remember in Spring 2018 when a Starbucks manager called the police after two black men asked to use the store’s restroom without making a purchase, and the men were arrested? Did it change your opinion of the coffee retailer, or would you chalk up the incident to a misunderstanding?

Marketing & Supply Chain
How to Make a Two-Day Delivery Seem Shorter
Gatton marketing professor Adam Craig delves into the concept that time has a critical influence on consumer decisions choices and is a key component of many financial decisions.

Marketing & Supply Chain
The Psychological Effects of Branding
Studies on brand identity and why people prefer certain brands has been around for a while. But looking at the impact it has on consumers is fairly new. Gatton's Aaron Garvey studies at the psychological impacts of products and brands.

Marketing & Supply Chain
How Real-Time Feedback Influences Spending
Building on budgeting and spending theories, Gatton marketing professor Dan Sheehan and co-authors conducted three lab and grocery store experiments, showing that real-time feedback has a marked impact on consumer spending.

Marketing & Supply Chain
Saying “Thank You” Pays Off
In her study, Gatton marketing professor Alexis Allen found that developing new strategies to enhance relationships with consumers who are “already delighted” can lead to substantial gains.

Marketing & Supply Chain
The Price of Pursuing Perfection
Research by Gatton's Adam Craig found new parallels between idealized body images in advertising and consumer spending.

Marketing & Supply Chain
Marketing Messages Can Be Contagious
Gatton marketing professor David Hardesty’s study finds that the positive emotions produced in one marketing message are often translated to unrelated products.