Investigating the Effects of Expectations on Disappointment, Regret, and Post-Consumption Behaviors

Negative consumption experiences often result in feelings of disappointment and regret. The present research aims to investigate whether expectations induce disappointment and regret differently and how these emotions influence consumers' post-consumption behaviors. Using a scenario- based experiment in the context of a negative holiday travel experience, we demonstrate that variations in expectations differentially induce feelings of disappointment and types of regret. Consumers first experience disappointment and then regret after going through negative consumption experience, confirming the hierarchical nature of these emotions when influencing post-consumption coping behaviors.