Abstract

The metaphoric relationship between cardinal direction and vertical position influences consumers' price expectations and shopping decisions. Consumers implicitly associate "north" with "up" and "south" with "down." As a consequence, they judge difficult and "uphill" travel to be northward and northward travel to be difficult and "uphill." The perceived difficulty of northward travel increases consumers' price expectations for northward services and increases intentions to visit stores described as south of a reference point, especially when ease of travel is important.