The authors propose two generalizations of conjunctive and disjunctive screening rules. First, they relax the requirement that an acceptable alternative must be satisfactory on one criterion (disjunctive) or on all criteria (conjunctive). Second, they relax the assumption that consumers make deterministic judgments when evaluating alternatives. They combine the two generalizations into a probabilistic subset-conjunctive rule, which allows consumers to use any number or subset of decision criteria when screening alternatives and permits them to be uncertain about the acceptability of attribute levels

The authors study business-to-business manufacturers' simultaneous usage of vertically integrated (direct) and third-party (indirect) channels of distribution to serve one geographical market (possibly comprising several market segments) with the same product line. Most theoretical approaches to vertical integration of the distribution function pose the classic question of whether to forward integrate or use independent entities. Having concurrent channels means doing both. This phenomenon is poorly understood, even though it has been growing rapidly. The authors argue that under certain circumstances, it is impossible for manufacturers to prevent channel types from competing with each other, either because both channel types contact the same customer or because the customer sets them in competition against each other. The authors argue that when these situations are frequent or more consequential for the parties involved, firms reduce their usage of concurrent channels to prevent severe channel conflict

The authors demonstrate that marketing actions, such as pricing, can alter the actual efficacy of products to which they are applied. These placebo effects stem from activation of expectancies about the efficacy of the product, a process that appears not to be conscious. In three experiments, the authors show that consumers who pay a discounted price for a product (e.g., an energy drink thought to increase mental acuity) may derive less actual benefit from consuming this product (e.g., they are able to solve fewer puzzles) than consumers who purchase and consume the exact same product but pay its regular price. The studies consistently support the role of expectancies in mediating this placebo effect