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To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5885.2008.00324.x Byline: Stephanie Feiereisen (1), Veronica Wong (1), Amanda J. Broderick (2) Abstract: Really new products (RNPs) create new product categories or at least significantly expand existing ones. The development of RNPs is a strategic priority for most companies. However, 40% to 90% of new products fail, often due to consumers' lack of understanding of product features and benefits. Learning strategies, such as analogical learning and mental simulation, can help consumers understand the benefits of RNPs and thus may contribute to the successful development of marketing campaigns. Moreover, the presentation format of marketing communications is likely to influence consumers' understanding of the product. Pictorials have the potential to convey novel information without overloading the decision maker and thus may be a more efficient way to present information about RNPs than words. This paper contributes to a better understanding of consumer information processing in learning for RNPs. Study 1 examined the impact of (1) learning strategies (analogical learning vs. mental simulation) and (2) presentation formats (words vs. pictures) on product comprehension. Study 2 used an eye-tracking experiment to assess how respondents' visual attention patterns may affect product comprehension. Study 1 showed that the use of words in marketing communications for RNPs is generally more effective to enhance product comprehension than the use of pictorials. However, the video glasses were a notable exception as the combination of mental simulation and pictures yielded a high comprehension level for this product. This suggests that the use of pictorials may be appropriate to convey information for products of a more hedonic as opposed to utilitarian nature. Study 2 used a combination of eye-tracking measures and self-reports to help illuminate the cognitive processes at work when consumers learn new product information. The results suggest that an increase in attention to an element of the advert can account for one of two underlying processes: (1) an increase in comprehension; or (2) a difficulty to understand product information which may result in consumer confusion. This study adds evidence to a growing body of literature that demonstrates the power of learning strategies such as mental simulation and analogical learning in preparing consumers for new product acceptance. The use of visual stimuli contributes to the debate on the effectiveness of words versus pictures, seldom applied in a new product development (NPD) context. These findings are integrated into a discussion of the managerial implications and the potential avenues for future research in the area. Author Affiliation: (1)Aston Business School in Birmingham, UK (2)Coventry University Business School Article note: Address correspondence to: Stephanie Feiereisen, Department of Marketing, Aston Business School, Birmingham, UK. E-mail: s.feiereisen@aston.ac.uk.

A survey of shopping habits in East European countries shows that most people prefer to shop at privately-run stores rather than in state-run stores and coops. Better quality and greater variety of products were the reasons most frequently cited as the advantages of shopping in private stores. In Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, better prices were another reason cited. In Hungary, however, state-owned stores were said to have better prices., Quantitative analysis of East European retailing Most studies on East European retailing have tended to be observational or anecdotal[1-3]. When effecting comparative analyses of East European retail systems, researchers have [...]