Product Curves

Chen, Ma, Xiao, and Qin y report that field and lab research “showed that circular (vs. angular) shapes of new products decreased perceived learning costs, which, in turn, enhanced consumer innovation adoption intentions. . . . For products positioned for ease of use, circular shapes are likely to be more appealing, whereas for products positioned for capability an angular design would be more advantageous. . . . our findings also applies to service designs. One area of service design that could potentially benefit from our findings is the design of tangible elements of the service environment. For services associated with high learning costs, for example, a math tutoring outlet for beginners and incorporating circular objects in the service environment would help alleviate the perceived learning costs of clients and nudge prospective customers to try the service. Similarly, managers of such service venues should avoid placing angular objects in their interior designs.”

Tong Chen, Zhenfeng Ma, Meizhen Xiao, and Ping Qin. 2024. “Be Careful of the Sharp Edges! How and Why Circular Versus Angular Shapes Influence Consumer Adoption of New Products.” Journal of Business Research, vol. 183, 114817, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114817