The impact of experiential consumption cognitions and emotions on behavioral intentions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine cognitive and affective antecedents and consequences of satisfaction in the context of hedonic services. Design/methodology/approach – Two studies were conducted using hedonic services. The study sample was composed of 400 visitors to two types of leisure and tourism services (interactive museum, and theme park). Findings – The results indicate that the impact of satisfaction is not limited to loyalty; rather its effects extend to other behavioral responses such as consumers' willingness to pay more for the service. Moreover, exceeding pre‐purchase expectations amplifies consumers' on‐the‐spot behaviors such as souvenir purchases. The study findings also highlight the salience of emotions in understanding consumer responses to hedonic services. Specifically, pleasure is positively linked to both satisfaction and loyalty behaviors. Research limitations/implications – Future research should incorporate other measures tapping into consumers' on‐the‐spot behaviors; take into account different time frames, in order to measure the effects of consumer satisfaction in the period t +1; and use other types of hedonic services. Practical implications – Practical implications for pleasure‐driven services, including most experiential services such as leisure and travel services, restaurants and “hip” retail outlets. Originality/value – This paper fulfils an identified need to study the relationships between emotional variables, consumer satisfaction and behavioral intentions. It develops a comprehensive model to analyze satisfaction and behavioral intentions in the context of hedonic services. It introduces on‐the‐spot behaviors, referring to consumers' efforts to tangibilize the experience.