The VC/CP scales are foundational measures that distinguished value consciousness from coupon proneness as two theoretically and empirically separable pricing orientations, using Thaler's (1985) acquisition-transaction utility framework to provide a theoretical basis for the distinction. Lichtenstein, Netemeyer, and Burton (1990) proposed that value consciousness reflects concern with the ratio of quality to price received — consumers want to pay a fair price for an appropriate level of quality — whereas coupon proneness reflects a heightened responsiveness to coupons that goes beyond their economic value, driven by the additional transaction utility (the pleasure of getting a deal) and the smart-shopper affect that coupon redemption activates. The theoretical importance of this distinction is that value-conscious consumers respond to coupons primarily on economic grounds (the coupon reduces the effective price toward a fair value), while coupon-prone consumers respond to coupons partly because of the non-economic psychological rewards of coupon use — the feeling of being a savvy shopper, the pleasure of the deal, and the smart-shopper self-image. This means that coupon proneness predicts coupon use even for products where the economic value of the coupon is minimal or where equivalent savings are available without a coupon. The two scales were subsequently incorporated and refined in the broader Lichtenstein, Ridgway & Netemeyer (1993) Price Perception Scales (PPS) battery, which added five additional price orientation dimensions. The 1990 VC and CP scales remain widely used as standalone measures when only these two constructs are needed.
5-point Likert (1=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree); two subscales scored separately; subscales averaged
Value Consciousness — VC (7 items): concern for paying a low price relative to quality received; the dual goal of minimising price while maintaining acceptable quality standards. 5-point Likert (1=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree). Items averaged.
Coupon Proneness — CP (7 items): heightened behavioural tendency to respond to and use coupons, driven by both the economic savings and the transaction utility and smart-shopper affect that coupon use activates. 5-point Likert. Items averaged.
Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.
The VC and CP scales must be reported and tested separately — they are theoretically and empirically distinct and have different antecedents and consequences. Value Consciousness predicts private label purchase, value-based brand switching, and willingness to accept lower-quality products at lower prices. Coupon Proneness predicts coupon redemption rates, time spent clipping coupons, and coupon-stimulated brand switching independently of the coupon's economic value. The two constructs are mildly positively correlated (r approx.25–.35) but this correlation does not indicate redundancy — their distinct effects on behaviour are preserved even controlling for the other. The 1990 VC and CP scales were subsequently refined and included in the 1993 PPS; use the PPS versions when a comprehensive price orientation battery is needed and the standalone VC/CP scales when only these two constructs are required for brevity.
Lichtenstein, D.R., Netemeyer, R.G., & Burton, S. (1990). Distinguishing coupon proneness from value consciousness: An acquisition-transaction utility theory perspective. Journal of Marketing, 54(3), 54–67.
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