Impact of perfectionism on consumer post-purchase regret: the mediating role of rumination

Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact of perfectionism tendency on the degree of post-purchase regret. Specifically, this study uses rumination as a mediator to investigate the relationship between perfectionism tendency and post-purchase regret, and uses surprise as a moderator to alleviate negative emotions of consumers with a high tendency toward perfectionism. Design/methodology/approach Primary data were collected through an online survey. In total, 918 eligible responses were received. This study applied SPSS Process 4.1 for data analysis. Findings The results indicate that, irrespective of service failure, consumers with higher perfectionism tendencies experience greater post-purchase regret, which is mediated by rumination. Furthermore, offering a surprise gift that aligns closely with the purchased product can substantially mitigate negative emotions among consumers. Practical implications These insights are valuable for manufacturers, retailers and brands, as they highlight the importance of considering perfectionism tendencies. By implementing more targeted marketing strategies to address consumers’ negative emotions, businesses can achieve higher returns. Originality/value Prior to this study, there was no research that used rumination as a mediator between perfectionism tendency and post-purchase regret, and the authors innovatively used surprise to enter the front end of consumers’ negative emotions instead of providing service recoveries in the back end.