How Consumers Choose Hearing Aid Brands

Although the end consumer is becoming increasingly important in the hearing aid market, little is known about the factors that lead consumers to choose one hearing aid brand over another. In an exploratory study, we find that consumers rely primarily on hearing care professionals, and less so on marketing communications and word of mouth, when choosing hearing aid brands. Competence emerges as the most effective characteristic of hearing care professionals, followed by their friendliness and the emphasis of product utility (vs. product features).