Consumer Personality-Product Image Congruence : Evidence from Taiwan

This study investigates the congruence between consumer personalities and product images based on the self-congruity perspective. In addition, consumer personality-product image congruence was examined to determine its influences on consumer product preference. Data were obtained from 335 respondents recruited from the customers of furniture stores such as IKEA and HOLA in Taiwan. A between-subjects experimental design was used, with t-tests and regression analysis. The finding showed that6 TABP consumers prefer products with a hard product image that gives strong, tough and strict feeling that is congruent with their own personality characteristics such as pressure for vocational advancement, aggressiveness, and desire for competitive achievement. In addition, TBBP consumers prefer products with a soft product image giving a mild, pleasant and gentle feeling, congruent with their own personality characteristics such as accommodating attitude, cooperativeness, and an easy going approach to life. In practice, determining how the consumer personality product image congruence affects consumer product preference is helpful to manufacturers in designing products and stimulating product sales