Why Museological Merchandise Displays Enhance Luxury Product Evaluations: An Extended Art Infusion Effect

Abstract

As retailers are increasingly turning to museum and art gallery inspired techniques for displaying luxury products (museological display formats), we investigate whether such staging elicits more favorable product evaluations. Providing an extension to Hagtvedt and Patrick’s (2008) classic art infusion effect, we propose that artistic essence is transferred to displayed merchandise via a second-order spillover effect, enhancing its perceived luxury to consumers. Across three experiments, the museological display format outperformed a more conventional, non-museological product display. Consumers reported higher purchase intentions, via a process whereby the merchandise was first perceived as being more luxurious and then less risk inducing. Explanations for why the museological display heightened perceptions of product luxury relating to service expectations, contamination, and visual appeal were also tested, but support for the extended art infusion effect remained undiminished.