Abstract :Customers evaluate their buying decision during the entire purchase process. They may face cognitive dissonance if they evaluate their decisions negatively (or if they face two contradictory cognitions). Most of the research is based on the post-purchase cognitive dissonance. In this study the effects of buyer’s psychographic traits have been measured on pre purchase cognitive dissonance. This is a cross sectional study to empirically investigate the positive impact of risk aversion and materialism, and negative impact of shopping enjoyment on pre purchase cognitive dissonance. Role of perceived deception has been studied as mediator. Data of this study have been collected from the buyers of technology items. After data analysis through regression technique, it has been found that risk aversion and materialism has a positive effect on pre purchase cognitive dissonance. The effect of shopping enjoyment on pre-purchase cognitive dissonance has not been proved. However, in all variables perceived deception has a partial mediation effect on pre-purchase cognitive dissonance. The study may help the marketing practitioners to understand that customer’s psychographic traits and perceived deception may lead him or her into the state of dissonance. The marketer must design clear and effective value proposition so that buyer may not be mislead. Keywords : Cognitive dissonance, consonance, consumer behaviour, cognitions, materialism, pre-purchase dissonance, perceived deception, shopping enjoyment, value proposition, risk aversion, inconsistency.
