How Customer Self-Determination Influences Relational Marketing Outcomes: Evidence from Longitudinal Field Studies

This article examines the role of customers' self-determination, defined as a person's perception of joining a firm on his or her own initiative versus being induced to join, in influencing relational outcomes for firms. In the first two studies, the author finds evidence of more relational behaviors (Studies 1 and 2) and higher motivation levels regarding purchase (Study 2) among self-determined (versus firm-determined) customers. This article also examines how customers' self-determination interacts with two types of relational marketing programs: reminder coupons, which consumers view as relatively more controlling, and relational rewards, which they view as relatively more informative of their value to the firm. The results reveal that sending a stylized reminder coupon to encourage repeat purchase has negative effects (Study 3) and that automatic enrollment in a relational rewards program has positive effects on relational behaviors of self-determined customers (Study 4). Firm-determined customers are less influenced by rewards in both cases. These findings question the effectiveness of aggressive acquisition and reminder marketing programs in cultivating customer relationships, provide a straightforward way to identify attractive relational candidates in consumer settings, and suggest methods by which to (and how not to) market to self-determined consumers.