Consumer Decision-Making in Appliance Service Subscription Advertising Case

Brattle was retained in a proceeding involving allegations of false claims about restrictions and limitations in appliance service contracts. On behalf of the defendants, Brattle surveyed consumers to understand their information-gathering process and decision-making journey. The analysis showed that consumers did not rely primarily on the claims made in the company’s advertisements when deciding to purchase a service contract, but instead consulted a variety of alternative sources – including product reviews, retailer websites, third-party comparisons, and recommendations from friends and family – to inform their choices.