Abstract: Satiation has been defined as the consumer’s subjective emotional experience in which their sense of utility, enjoyment or satisfaction drops over time from repeated or excessive consumption of the same product or service. The result is that a negative perception gradually takes over the initial positive outlook. Consumers then resort to brand switching, variety seeking and consumption cycle controlling to alleviate or prevent satiation. To some extent, satiation has become the prime an obstacle for enterprises or shops to secure customer loyalty. Our research has suggested that foreign studies have classified satiation based on the formation process, functional response, cognitive state and attribute perception of the consumer. They have dissected theoretical principles and mechanisms of hedonic adaptation, diminishing marginal utility, cognitive dissonance and optimal stimulation levels. The studies have explored the inducing factors to generate the physiological and psychological satiation and their impacts, as well as, the verification of moderating effects from external factors and individual factors on consumers’ satiation. Then they have discussed the mitigation strategies or behavioral responses which consumers coped with satiation. Ultimately, we have reviewed the research ideas, characteristics and limitations of the extant readings, and have put forward suggestions for future research.

Key words: satiation, physiological satiation, psychological satiation, satiation rate, variety seeking