Desire for the Product (Instantaneous)

What it measures

This scale measures how strongly a consumer wants to acquire and own a product the moment they are exposed to it. Wu et al. (2023) used it in Study 4 of their research on how product aesthetics mobilize consumer acquisition effort, drawing heavily on wording from a curiosity/indulgence scale by Wiggin, Reimann, and Jain (2019).

Response format

7-point Likert (1=strongly disagree, 7=strongly agree)

Scale items

• I wanted to have this product the moment I saw it.
• I felt an immediate urge to make this product mine.
• It would be my desire to own this product right away.
• If it were possible, I would try to get this product right away.
• I would like to own this product as soon as possible.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

The scale's alpha was .98 in Study 4 (Wu et al. 2023, p. 1256). Its high correlation with a measure of ownership pride prompted a factor analysis, which showed the two sets of items loaded on separate factors, offering preliminary support for convergent and discriminant validity. The items draw heavily on wording from Wiggin, Reimann, and Jain (2019), noted here as an inspiration source rather than a direct adaptation.

Citation

Wu, Freeman, Martin Reimann, Gratiana Pol, and C. Whan Park (2023), "The Scarcity of Beauty: How and Why Product Aesthetics Mobilize Consumer Acquisition Effort," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 51 (6), 1245–1265.

Keywords