When limited edition packages backfire: The role of emotional value, typicality and need for uniqueness

Limited edition packages (LEPs) refer to temporal packages that are distinct from regular packages but include the same content. Because of their increasing use by brands, this research examines the effectiveness of LEPs compared to regular brand packages. Through two experiments conducted in the food and beverage industry, this research surprisingly demonstrates that LEPs lead to lower purchase intentions than regular packages and identifies emotional value as the underlying mechanism of this effect. Second, this research shows that consumers’ need for uniqueness (NFU) moderates the negative effect of LEPs on emotional value, with LEPs having negative effects only when people are not high in such NFU. Furthermore, this research identifies design typicality as a boundary condition, with only typical (versus atypical) LEPs leading to lower purchase intentions, but not when people are high in NFU. These findings are discussed in terms of managerial implications and potential avenues for future research.