The influence of displaying the last stage before consumption on purchase intention: the mediating role of mental simulation

Product image displayed in advertising significantly influences consumers’ cognition and behavior. The display of the last stage of a product before its consumption (LSC), which is defined as a state in which a product is to be used or consumed (for example, the skincare product with its lid opened, dumplings picked up by chopsticks, etc.) is commonly adopted in marketing practices. However, the research on the effectiveness of LSC display is still insufficient. To reveal the effect of LSC display on purchase intention and the underlying mechanism, this paper conducted five experimental studies with 1184 Chinese participants involved. Generally, results indicated that (i) displaying the LSC (vs. complete product image) in advertisements fosters purchase intention; (ii) the mental simulation of product consumption plays a mediating role in the positive effect of the LSC display; (iii) this effect only exists in the context of hedonic products purchase (vs. functional products). This research puts forward evidence to show the positive effects of LSC display, the mechanism of mental simulation and the boundary conditions of product type for the existence of the LSC effects.