The effects of expertise and brand schematicity on the perceived importance of choice criteria: a Bordeaux wine investigation

The purpose of this research is to understand the effects of expertise and brand schematicity on the perceived importance of choice criteria in the context of purchasing red wine purchase.

Data were collected via an online survey of 307 French wine consumers. The interaction effects of expertise and brand schematicity on the importance assigned to choice criteria were then investigated.

First, the results show that commercial brand is more important for brand-schematic consumers (novice and expert) than for brand-aschematic (novice and expert) consumers. Second, to make their choice, brand-schematic consumers place a greater reliance on quality cues than brand-aschematic consumers, whether they are novices or experts. Third, brand-aschematic novice consumers are only interested in two quality cues [Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) label and wine category], but French brand-schematic novice and brand-aschematic expert consumers look for five quality cues (AOC label, wine category, vintage, commercial brand and place of bottling). Fourth, brand-schematic expert consumers take into account all quality cues.

The individual characteristics of consumers, that is, level of expertise and schematicity, influence the importance assigned to the information contained on the label. Care should be taken when designing a wine label, especially when consumers make their purchases in supermarkets and have no opportunity to seek advice. To convince these customers, it is essential that the font and size of the label ensure that the AOC label, wine category, vintage, commercial brand and place of bottling can be easily read. Brand-schematic consumers are interested in many quality cues to make their choice, and therefore, such information should be available in supermarkets (e.g. flyers and posters). Managers should also focus on brand content strategy to influence and hit brand-aschematic consumers.

There has been little research on the effect of brand schematicity on the importance of choice criteria. The interaction of brand schematicity and degree of expertise regarding product category has not been previously studied in relation to wine selection. Brand schematicity may be used as a segmentation criterion by managers in communication campaigns and brand content strategies.