Here today, gone tomorrow: services and their potential for permanent perishability

Purpose The purpose of this conceptual work is to introduce the notion of permanent perishability. Traditional services literature notes that service experiences cannot be stored or saved for future use, noting that perished service opportunities may mean lost revenue for providers. Considering perishability from another angle, this work examines circumstances in which services cease to exist altogether, proposing the new concept of permanent perishability. Design/methodology/approach This conceptual work examines extant literature, real-world cases and supporting evidence to facilitate the development of the permanent perishability concept and its underlying traits. This work develops sources of permanent perishability and propositions surrounding how consumers respond to their understandings and experiences of the concept. Findings Permanently perishable services maintain traits that distinguish them from services that are not susceptible. Based on inseparability, sources of permanent perishability often lie in people, places and time. Furthermore, this work makes propositions regarding the effects of permanent perishability on protective actions, documentation, demand, service attachment, coping strategies, tangible reminders and nostalgia. These emergent effects must be tested empirically in future research. Originality/value Perishability is the inability of a service to be stored, saved or inventoried (Bessom, 1973; Zeithaml et al., 1985). While some specific service opportunities may not be stored for later use, there is the assumption that the service itself will continue to be available (i.e. a missed flight can be replaced by purchasing a new flight later). This work takes a new perspective, considering services that may perish forever, leaving consumers unable to ever experience them again.