Consumer satisfaction with OTC drugs: an analysis using the confirmation/disconfirmation model.

Area of Science:

• Consumer Psychology
• Pharmaceutical Marketing
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Understanding consumer satisfaction is crucial for pharmaceutical marketers.
• The confirmation/disconfirmation model is a widely used framework for assessing satisfaction.
• Specific factors influencing satisfaction with over-the-counter (OTC) drugs require detailed investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the key determinants of consumer satisfaction with OTC drugs.
• To propose and test a revised confirmation/disconfirmation model tailored for OTC medications.
• To identify implications for pharmaceutical marketers regarding consumer satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• A revised confirmation/disconfirmation model was developed for OTC drugs.
• Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed for model testing.
• The study focused on the specific product category of cold medications.

Main Results:

• The confirmation/disconfirmation of consumer expectations is a significant predictor of satisfaction.
• Perceived performance of OTC drugs plays a vital role in consumer satisfaction.
• The revised model effectively explains consumer satisfaction with cold medications.

Conclusions:

• Consumer satisfaction with OTC drugs is strongly linked to expectation confirmation and perceived performance.
• Pharmaceutical marketers should focus on managing consumer expectations and ensuring perceived product efficacy.
• The findings offer valuable theoretical and practical insights for the pharmaceutical industry.