Consumers find filling out any applications to be a stressful and, at many times, a confusing task. Online applications, while adding convenience, can also compound consumer stress with the novelty of technology and the absence of a loan rep to explain new terms or clarify application questions. Adding guidance to online applications can reduce consumer stress and lead to more accurate and complete application submissions. Consumers find filling out loan applications to be a stressful and, at many times, a confusing task. Online applications, while adding convenience, can also compound consumer stress with the novelty of technology and the absence of a loan rep to explain new terms or clarify application questions. Adding guidance to online applications can reduce consumer stress and lead to more accurate and complete application submissions.



Modern life is full of stress, created by the appraisal of threat, challenge or loss. There has consequently been a growing literature on what creates stress and how people cope with it. Research in consumer behavior on stress and coping is relatively new.

Brands can play a core role in stress reduction, especially when brand managers understand and fully leverage brands as time savers and simplifiers. Smart marketers streamline product lines to improve business performance while bringing more clarity to the consumer's world. In the context of too much choice, brand becomes the shortest, most efficient path to potential satisfaction and tension release. Brands are playing a bigger role as consumers use them as simplified shortcuts to a purchase decision. One-think shopping - the safest way to cut corners in making choices.

Americans cite consumption decisions as number one when it comes to everyday stress. Yet, while there is a vast literature and thousands of studies devoted to the psychology of stress and emotions, there has been very little examination of consumer behavior related to these topics. A particular void is the examination of the emotional and cognitive factors that lead to consumer-related stress, as well as the various coping mechanisms that consumers employ in stressful situations.

Subjects were told that the purpose of the study was to understand the kind of stresses they felt as consumers. They were asked to think about the different kinds of stresses they felt as consumers and write down a short phrase describing each type of stress. They then wrote down their strategies for coping with each type of stress. Finally, they rated themselves on perceived stress and self-efficacy. The items for perceived stress measured how easy or difficult they found purchasing consumers products and services, using consumer product and service and disposing off consumer product and services.

Two independent judges who were blind to the hypotheses coded the protocol provided by each subject. For each subject, the stresses reported were coded and counted up, and for each stress the strategies listed were coded and counted. Disagreements were resolved through discussion.

Further studies are needed to help establish the time course of stress in respect to the consumer and as life does not seem to get any easier stress and consumer stress in particular will always be evident.