Consumer Cynicism toward Collective Buying: The Interplay of Others' Outcomes, Social Value Orientation, and Mood

This research examines whether consumer cynicism about collective buying depends on consumers' observations of fellow buyers being treated unfairly in a cobuying context. Prosocial consumers should differ from proself consumers in their level of cynicism, because they value equality in outcomes. Study 1 reveals that prosocials become cynical if others receive an unfair outcome and therefore do not repatronize the provider. This effect does not occur for proselfs. Study 2 shows that mood mediates this effect. Specifically, when prosocial consumers are in a positive mood, the others' outcomes no longer influence their cynicism.

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