The Attributes of Attributes

Most theories of product evaluation and choice are based on the idea that products are bundles of attributes. Consumer beliefs about, preferences for, weights or constraints on, and cut-offs for these attributes ultimately combine to determine consumer choice. However, not all attributes of products are scalable onto a common utility scale; also, different types of attributes may play different roles in the choice process. In this conceptual paper, we describe a typology of attributes and summarize the literature on how various properties of attributes affect the impact of these attributes on judgment and choice. We conclude with a discussion of methodological implications for predicting evaluation and choice based on attribute perceptions.