Business Touch; the Use of Haptic Information in Product Sales

Business Touch; The use of Haptic Information in Product Sales

Sullivan University

Abstract

The following is a research narrative about haptic information as it pertains to consumers purchasing decisions. First we start by identifying what is haptic information. Next we talk about how important haptic information is to consumers in purchasing products. This leads us into research on the NFT or Need For Touch Scale which measures the importance of touching a product to consumers. This section also talks about consumers with high NFT scores as opposed to consumers with low NFT scores. We continue with what companies should do to meet the needs of consumers with high NFT scores. Finally we talk about how companies can meet the needs of high NFT scored consumers even in non-touch media (such as Television and the Internet). We finish up a look at future technology in the haptic world and upcoming research.

Table of Contents

What is Haptic Information……………………………………………………………… 4

Why is Touch Important to Product Sales……………………………………………….. 4

High and Low Haptic Information………………………………………………………..5

Product Marketing and High NFT Consumers………………………………………….. .6

High NFT in a no touch situation………………………………………………………....7

Future Research in Haptic Information and Product Research…………………………...8

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….. 9 References………………………………………………………………………………..10

What is Haptic Information?

The term haptic is used to refer to the active seeking and pickup of information by the hands (Peck & Childers, 2003, p. 36). The study of haptic information in the business world has predominantly focused on how touch effects attitudes and behavior not product purchasing decisions (Peck & Childers, 2003, p. 35). We will be looking at how touch effects purchasing. For example, when my mother would go to the grocery store and pick up an apple, she would squeeze

...