FEK seminar series - Yanghong (Alice) Hu, University of Aberdeen

The round time effect: Starting time roundness drives consumers’ willingness to participate

Abstract: Although marketers are often involved in choosing appropriate starting times for their commercial activities, rare research has focused on the roundness of a starting time and explored its marketing implications. This research focuses on round numbers (e.g., 07:00 am) vs. non-round numbers (e.g., 07:10 am) in the time domain, namely round vs. non-round (clock) times, and examines the effect of starting-time roundness on consumers’ willingness to participate in commercial activities. By conducting a series of field and lab experimental studies, this research provides converging evidence that consumers are more willing to participate in an activity starting at a round (vs. non-round) time. We label this effect the round time effect and find that perceived time affluence (i.e., the perception of having enough spare time to do things) mediates the round time effect. Furthermore, this effect is weakened for a divided activity (vs. an undivided activity) or when people feel time-rich

FEK seminar series