Consumer Wait Management Strategies for Negative Service Events: A Coping Approach

In negative service environments, waiting time can serve to facilitate consumer coping. Consequently, the very wait management strategies (such as providing duration information or shortening the wait) that mitigate wait-based stress for nonnegative services may interfere with consumers' efforts to cope with an upcoming negative event. We show that the effectiveness of wait management strategies is moderated by event valence and, further, by the individual's coping orientation. Shortened wait times lead to increased stress for those using approach-oriented strategies (compared to avoidance), and duration information leads to increased stress for those using avoidance-oriented strategies. (c) 2008 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc..