Need a Spark for Fall Cleaning? Try a 'Product Purgatory'

Research conducted by Mathew Isaac, PhD, of Seattle University's Albers School of Business and Economics and recently published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology indicates that product purgatories can help with the disposal of seldom-used items that an owner is reluctant to part with. Isaac conducted this research in conjunction with Poornima Vinoo of the Indian School of Business, one of the top business schools in India. 

What is a product purgatory? It’s a low-visibility, non-central space, such as a storage unit, box or shelf in a closet, attic, garage or basement. A purgatory can serve as a transitional space for products that are not being actively used. 

“Consumers have a hard time permanently disposing of their possessions, even ones that they no longer need or use," explains Isaac. "Our research shows that product purgatories may serve a functional role by making it easier for consumers to ultimately dispose of such products. The reason? The mere act of moving products into purgatories allows consumers to mentally visualize and preview the disposition process, which ultimately makes actual disposal easier.”

Product purgatories work, but not because they make a person care less about their seldom-used item. This is important to note because prior research has primarily attempted to increase product donation through interventions that reduce one’s emotional attachment to a product. Isaac suggests that purgatories can facilitate disposition without necessarily reducing attachment, a new revelation. 

“The takeaway for product owners? If you are having trouble getting rid of a possession you don’t need, try putting it in a product purgatory—it just might make you readier to get rid of it.”

For media inquiries, contact Lincoln Vander Veen at vanderv1@seattleu.edu or 425-830-2448. 

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