The importance of haptics in sensory marketing

Abstract

This research presents a systematic literature overview of previous studies in top-tier journals that analyzed need for touch (NFT) in the marketing and psychology fields. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, the literature research results in 42 articles that highlight the relevance of NFT in consumer behavior. This study emphasizes NFT’s importance in all psychological phases of consumer’s decision making process by applying the Rubicon model of action phases. By identifying the haptic conditions and the experimental settings used in NFT literature, one can categorize each article according to its decision making process. Second, with respect to the systematic overview, this paper establishes further research directions for NFT that are highly relevant for both research and practice.