An understanding of the motivators of consumer deal redemption behaviour is expected to enable marketers to use deals more effectively. Consumers’ exploratory tendencies (CET) were found in this research, as potentially important psychological motivators of their proneness to deals. Consumers’ exploratory tendency is the tendency to engage in exploration of the environment to gain stimulation in order to attain a satisfactory intermediate level of stimulation, termed as optimum stimulation level (OSL). When their internal level of stimulation falls below their OSL, sales promotions can provide them the stimulation required to reach their OSL.

In this study, consumers’ exploratory tendencies have been assessed as potential motivators of proneness to eight types of deals, during the purchase of shampoo and refrigerator.

Conceptual models were constructed in order to test the hypothesised relationships. Multiple regression analysis was employed to test how well the models were endorsed by the collected data. Raju’s (1980) ETCBS scale has been adopted to measure CET and the scales developed by Lichtenstein, Burton and Netemeyer (1997) were used to measure consumer’s deal proneness. A field study was also taken up to validate the findings through observation of the actual deal redemption behaviour.

Consumers’ exploratory tendencies were found to partially influence their proneness to deals. Consumers show varying proneness to different types of deals depending on the type of exploratory tendency that they need to satisfy and the type of good that is on sale. The findings of this study can enable marketers to choose the most appropriate deal from among the various deal types used in the Indian marketplace, for better sales results.