Modeling customer choice behavior in hotel blind-box consumption

Purpose The blind-box concept has been applied in hospitality contexts to increase purchase intention and enhance marketing efficiency by triggering customers’ curiosity and interest. However, few studies have explored how customers react to different types of information gaps embedded in such hospitality blind-box products. This study aims to address this research gap through the theoretical lens of prospect theory and information gap theory. Design/methodology/approach Two experimental studies were conducted in a hotel context to investigate whether and how customers’ perception and behavioral intention toward blind-boxes might vary depending on the presence or absence of horizontal or vertical attribute gap indication embedded in blind-box product design. Findings The results indicate that the presence of vertical gaps enhances the perception of value for money and downstream purchase intention, whereas the presence of horizontal gaps moderates the main effect of vertical gaps. Practical implications This study provides practical insights for designing future mystery marketing campaigns in hospitality industry. Industry practitioners could consider incorporating various types of information gaps in hospitality blind-box products to attract consumers effectively. Originality/value This study is one of the first initiatives to examine the application of blind-box concept in hotel sector through the lens of unknown hotel attributes instead of known attributes from two-dimensional information gaps. The delineation of diverse effects not only enriches the theoretical landscape of consumer behavior in the context of mysterious consumption but also offers actionable insights for practitioners.