How Political Identity Shapes Customer Satisfaction

This article examines the effect of political identity on customers’ satisfaction with products and services they consume. Recent work suggests that conservatives are less likely to complain than liberals. Building work, present research how shapes customer satisfaction, which has broad implications for customers firms. Nine studies combine different methodologies, primary secondary data, real hypothetical behavior, product categories, diverse participant populations show (vs. liberals) more satisfied happens because believe in free will (i.e., people have agency over their decisions) and, therefore, trust own decisions. The authors document tangible downstream consequences this repurchase recommendation intentions firms’ sales. association is attenuated when belief externally weakened, choice limited, or consumption experience overwhelmingly positive.