Need for cognition as a predictor of store brand preferences

Purpose – Store branding has gained much attention from branding researchers, including studies of market segmentation. However, the psychological profile of the store brand consumer is still obscure. The present study investigated the role of “need for cognition” (NFC) in purchasing store brands. Design/methodology/approach – Participants were 400 students from eight colleges in Israel. The participants represented four cultural groups of different mother tongues: Amharic, Arabic, Hebrew and Russian. All participants reported demographics, NFC, inclination to purchase store brands and the perceived importance of extrinsic brand dimensions (e.g. packaging, country of origin and manufacturer identity). Findings – NFC was positively associated with the inclination to purchase store brands, even after controlling for demographic variables. NFC was negatively associated with the importance attributed to extrinsic brand dimensions. Practical implications – Retailers should aim store brands towards consumers with high NFC. In cultures characterized by a lower NFC level, marketing strategies should focus on extrinsic brand image dimensions rather than intrinsic ones. Originality/value – While many studies have researched the demographic characteristics of the store brand consumer, there is little data regarding his psychological profile. The present study illuminates the role of NFC as one psychological trait that enhances the inclination to purchase store brands. In addition, the study employs a multi‐cultural sample of four cultural groups living in Israel, thus increasing the generalisability of the results.