Impact of acculturation to western culture (AWC) on western fashion luxury consumption among Gen-Y consumers in the Asia-Pacific region

Gen-Y consumers in the Asia-Pacific region are an attractive market for Western fashion luxury. This study investigates how Gen-Y consumers’ acculturation to Western culture (AWC) tendency drives their intention to purchase Western fashion luxury. It further examines the moderating role of consumer ethnocentrism and materialism in the association between AWC dimensions and intention to buy Western fashion luxury items. The data collected from 692 high-income Indian Gen-Y consumers via a survey were analysed using hierarchical moderated regression and fsQCA techniques. This study contributes to fashion luxury literature. Further, the findings will be useful to fashion luxury marketers and retailers.     

A study of antecedents and outcomes of social media WOM towards luxury brand purchase intention

This research develops a conceptualized model that illuminates the role of luxury perceptions in explaining consumer engagement in social media WOM and luxury purchase intention. It also explores the moderating effects of consumer demographic characteristics and perceived social status. The proposed model is validated by using SEM in AMOS against 282 samples, and chi-square difference test is applied to test the moderating effects. The findings demonstrate that social media WOM positively influences consumer luxury purchase intention. Perceived quality highly influences functional and social value, and social media WOM is strongly influenced by personal and functional value. This research 1) highlights the powerful role of social media WOM in enhancing luxury brands purchase intention, 2) extends current body of knowledge of the social media WOM and its focal antecedents, and 3) shows how consumer characteristics (e.g., age, gender, income, education, perceived social status) are important for developing customized marketing strategy to promote luxury brands on SNS. Overall, this study helps firms to understand which aspect of luxury brands to be emphasized to initiate consumers into social media WOM, which in turn, influences purchase intention.     

Uniqueness and luxury: A moderated mediation approach

Luxury consumption has become a worldwide phenomenon. Irrespective of consumers’ need for uniqueness being considered as an important psychological factor impacting luxury consumption intention, research seldom investigates the impact of CNFU dimensions on luxury consumption. This study investigates how CNFU dimensions (i.e. creative choice counter-conformity, unpopular choice counter-conformity and avoidance of similarity) drive luxury consumption intention in light of the mediating role of social comparison and the moderating role of materialism. Four hundred twenty-eight surveys completed by high-income consumers in India were used for analysis. The findings showed that social comparison mediates the effects of creative choice counter conformity and avoidance of similarity on luxury consumption. Materialism moderates these mediation effects. This study contributes to the luxury consumption literature by explaining how the interplay of psychological and social factor affects luxury purchase intention among the people driven by different uniqueness dimensions. Practically, the findings will be useful to the retailers and marketers of fashion luxury items and brands.     

The manifestation of luxury value dimensions in brand engagement in self-concept

This research investigates what consumers in democratized luxury markets value when purchasing luxury items. Nonetheless, these consumers have a limited budget and can not always buy luxury items, yet they are drawn back to these luxury brands. Thus, we use brand engagement in self-concept (BESC) to explain the relationship between these consumers and luxury brands within democratized luxury markets. A conceptualized model of three luxury value dimensions (experiential, symbolic, and functional) is proposed, and 488 cases were gathered through a phone survey. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that the most critical drivers of consumers' luxury purchase intention (LPI) are hedonism, escapism, conspicuousness, quality, and usability in democratized luxury markets. Also, BESC can unify luxury value dimensions into an integrated whole and mediate the relationship between them and LPI.     

Bandwagon vs snob luxuries: Targeting consumers based on uniqueness dominance

Consumers' need for uniqueness (CNFU) has received much attention in identifying intention for luxury consumption. This study investigates how the interplay of CNFU dimensions (i.e. creative choice, unpopular choice and avoidance of similarity), social comparison and psychological entitlement drives consumers’ intention for bandwagon and snob luxury consumption. Useable responses collected from 427 high-income Indian luxury fashion consumers were analysed using SEM and Process-Macro. The creative choice dimension enhances the purchase intention of bandwagon luxury items indirectly via social comparison while psychological entitlement strengthens this indirect effect. The unpopular choice tendency has significant direct effect on snob luxury consumption. The avoidance of similarity dimension enhances purchase intention of snob luxury items directly while it also enhances bandwagon luxury consumption indirectly via social comparison. Psychological entitlement strengthens this indirect effect. This study contributes to the luxury consumption literature by proposing three distinctive types of consumption behaviours relating to snob and bandwagon luxury items based on these interplays.     

How consumption values and perceived brand authenticity inspire fashion masstige purchase? An investigation

Rising income and the aspirations of the middle-class have resulted in the emergence of a new category of luxury brands popularly known as “masstige brands”. Researchers have attempted to establish masstige branding and masstige marketing as a differentiated research domain from luxury marketing. As an attempt to this end, the current study, which is confined to women's fashion clothing brands, investigates whether various luxury consumption values are equally applicable in inspiring masstige purchase. In addition, this study investigates whether dimensions of perceived authenticity of a masstige brand moderate the association between various consumption values and masstige purchase intention. By employing an online survey, 462 useable responses were collected from middle-income female consumers in India and analysed using PLS-SEM and multi-group analysis. The findings show that functional, experiential and symbolic consumption values inspire masstige fashion purchase but the zero-moment-of-truth consumption value does not. Quality and sincerity (but not heritage) dimensions of perceived brand authenticity enhance the consumption value perceptions leading to masstige purchase. This study is the first of its kind to examine the applicability of various luxury consumption values in masstige consumption besides testing the moderating effect of perceived brand authenticity.     

Understanding the moderating effect of motivational values on young consumers' responses to luxury brands: A cross-cultural study of South Korea and the USA

By applying motivational values of luxury consumption, this study examined the impact of cultural differences on young consumers' attitudes and purchase intentions toward luxury brands. With the use of survey data (N = 331 for South Koreans and N = 409 for Americans), the study provided support for the hypothesized moderating effect of three perceived values: conspicuous, social, and quality values. The perceived social value was found to influence attitude change favorably among young Korean consumers. The young American consumers tended to increase their attitudes and purchase intentions toward luxury brands if they perceived superior product quality. However, they were more likely to lower their purchase intention as they recognized conspicuous value of consuming luxury brands. On the other hand, the moderating effect of uniqueness and hedonic value was not found. Theoretical and managerial implications were discussed.     

The role of perceived value in vertical brand extensions of luxury and premium brands

Abstract

This study examines the role of perceived value in the relationship between brand attitude, perceived fit, extension attitude and consumers’ purchase intention of downscale vertical extensions of luxury and premium brands in two product categories: cars and shoes. Results from 236 individuals with different income levels show that extension attitude is positively related to purchase intention both directly and indirectly, via the perceived value of the extension; the latter is more strongly correlated than extension attitude to consumers’ purchase intention. Brand attitude is also positively associated with perceived value. Overall, perceived value partially mediates the relationships of brand attitude and of extension attitude with purchase intention. The product category affects the strength of some of the relationships in the model, including the role of fit.     

The Mediating Role of Customer Relationship on the Social Media Marketing and Purchase Intention Relationship with Special Reference to Luxury Fashion Brands

The reach of internet technology and social media has opened abundance of opportunities for marketers as well as for consumers across the globe. To anticipate future purchase behavior of consumers, marketers are not leaving any stone unturned. The main objective of this study is to investigate the direct and indirect impacts of social media marketing activities (entertainment, customization, interaction, word of mouth, and trend) on consumers' purchase intentions in luxury fashion brands. This study employed higher order Structural Equation Modeling to test the study model with (n = 243) sample data. We found positive significant impacts of social media marketing and customer relationships on consumers' purchase intentions. In addition, our study model confirmed full mediation of customer relationships in the relationship between social media marketing and consumers' purchase intentions. Based on our research findings, we strongly recommend that marketers of luxury fashion brands engage in social media marketing activities to provide value to customers.     

How digital platforms influence luxury purchase behavior in India?

In an emerging country such as India, consumers are tech savvy and connect easily with digital media platforms. They use these platforms even for luxury purchases. However, there have been only a few conceptual papers on this process. Therefore, this study aims to explain how digital platforms influence consumers’ decision for luxury brands in India. Two qualitative studies were conducted with young Indian consumers as they are the heaviest users of digital platforms and the most frequent purchasers of luxury brands. The first study consisted of 156 respondents in 15 focus groups in four major Indian cities. The second was made up of 95 on-site customer observations in 18 retail luxury stores and 45 consumers’ interviews. These data were further validated by 32 interviews with luxury brand managers and retail managers We found and developed a cyclical framework that projects digital media influences on Indian consumers at all the phases of purchase, i.e., pre-purchase is digital and hedonic, purchase is experiential and enjoyable while digital media is used and post-purchase is based on aspirations, lifestyles and virtual networks. More importantly, these consumers are always connected to reference groups digitally who significantly affect their purchase behavior and subsequent brand choices.     

Brand prominence and social status in luxury consumption: A comparison of emerging and mature markets

This research investigated how the use of a prominent versus subtle branding strategy and status consumption affect consumers’ intention to buy luxury products across emerging and mature markets. To this end, an experimental study with consumers in India (emerging market) and the United States (mature market) was conducted. The results suggest that Indian (but not U.S.) consumers with a higher status consumption tendency are more willing to purchase prominently branded luxury products than subtly branded ones. On the other hand, U.S. (but not Indian) consumers with a lower status consumption tendency are more willing to purchase subtly branded luxury products than prominently branded ones. The paper discusses these findings, highlights their contribution to luxury research, and illustrates their practical value for luxury companies interested in targeting mature and emerging markets.     

Luxury fashion consumption in China: Factors affecting attitude and purchase intent

This study examined influencing factors that affect Chinese consumers’ attitude towards purchasing luxury fashion goods and purchase intent. Data was collected in three major cities in China (i.e., Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou). A total of 161 respondents were included. Using regression analyses, the results indicated that brand consciousness, social comparison and fashion innovativeness have significant impact on attitude towards purchasing luxury fashion goods among Chinese consumers. In addition, Chinese consumers’ purchasing intention for luxury fashion goods was affected by their attitude towards buying luxury fashion goods. Practical and managerial implications are further discussed.     

Identifying antecedent conditions for luxury brand purchase

This research draws upon self-termination and complexity theories and aims to identify the antecedent recipes for Chinese consumers' intention to purchase Chinese- (referred to as domestic) or non-Chinese (referred to as foreign) luxury brands. Two studies were undertaken. First, an online survey was undertaken to examine the antecedent conditions of luxury brand purchase. The opted conditions in this study include value perceptions, special occasions, and demographic profiles. An asymmetrical method by employing fsQCA was used to identify the unique antecedent conditions of purchase intentions. Symmetrical testing was also performed prior to fsQCA as a comparison. The findings from symmetrical and asymmetrical methods share few similar, but nevertheless complementary findings, hence providing new insights into consumers' luxury brand choices. In the second study, interviews were conducted to deepen the understanding of Chinese consumers’ knowledge, perceptions of, and attitudes towards luxury brands. Discussion and implications for marketing luxury brands in the Chinese market conclude this paper.     

The effect of distribution channel diversification of foreign luxury fashion brands on consumers’ brand value and loyalty in the Korean market

The purpose of this research is to examine South Korean consumers’ brand value and brand loyalty toward foreign luxury fashion brands and current distribution channels for those brands (i.e., Department stores/Specialty stores, Factory outlet, Internet retailing, TV home shopping). Furthermore, this research examines the impact of channel diversification on consumers’ brand value and brand loyalty toward foreign luxury fashion brands. This study employed a quantitative research method. Factor analysis, ANOVA, Duncan test, and multiple regression analysis were employed to test the hypotheses. When testing brand values for each channel diversification case, participants evaluated brand value differently depending on the type of distribution channel. Participants did not show significantly different brand loyalty depending on distribution diversification cases. When the influence of brand value on brand loyalty was tested, different brand values affected brand loyalty depending on the type of distribution channel. Also, this research could suggest possible distribution channel options for foreign luxury brands to be successful in the Korean market and values they need to put an importance depending on the retail types. In addition, foreign luxury brands could apply the results of this study to their own markets.     

What is the Value of Luxury? A Cross‐Cultural Consumer Perspective

International luxury businesses are challenged by the identification and satisfaction of the common needs and desires of global market segments. Although luxury goods have become available to a wider range of consumers, the traditional conspicuous consumption model has been transformed into a new experiential luxury sensibility that is marked by a change in the way that consumers define luxury. Based on an empirical study in collaboration with American, European, and Asian researchers, the results provide evidence that consumers in various parts of the world purchase or wish to purchase luxury products for varied reasons but that such consumers generally possess similar values. Regardless of their countries of origin, the basic motivational drivers of luxury consumers are similar among the financial, functional, personal, and social dimensions of luxury value perceptions, although the relative importance of these dimensions varies.     

Segmenting Markets Along Multiple Dimensions of Luxury Value: The Case of India

abstract

This is one of the first investigations of consumer motivations for purchasing luxury brands in India, a country with an emerging middle class. It identifies four dimensions of luxury benefits for segmenting markets. These include the financial, functional, personal, and social benefits of luxury value. Using data collected from 329 respondents in Mumbai the study identifies nine luxury factors for purchase behavior. These are used for classifying respondents into three behavioral segments using cluster analysis. The first segment appears to buy luxury goods primarily for their snob appeal, the second segment for their prestige appeal, and the third for their value appeal. The results show that while many consumers may buy the same luxury goods, their motivations for doing so differ. The findings should help marketers tailor their messages to specific luxury-seeking segments. There are many papers on luxury brands but very few are from emerging markets. The results may be of great use to global brands that are looking for expansion due to slowdown condition across globe.     

The Effects of Credible Online Reviews on Brand Equity Dimensions and Its Consequence on Consumer Behavior

Consumers are using social media platform to gain and share knowledge on brands. In the virtual environment, consumers are exposed to various online reviews on brands that leave an impression of brands on the minds of the consumers. The present study combines Yale attitude change model and attribution theory to examine the effects of credible online reviews on brand equity dimensions. The present study views, through the lens of Yale attitude change model, the various factors that affect credibility evaluation of online reviews. Further, attribution theory is used as the theoretical backbone to analyze the effects of credible online reviews on brand equity dimensions and finally on purchase intention. This study uses structural equations modeling (SEM) to investigate the impact of online credible reviews on customer based brand equity (CBBE) dimensions and its consequence on consumer behavior (purchase intention). Results indicate that source and review quality are the most important factors that affect consumer's credibility evaluation of a review. Online credible reviews have more significant impact on brand awareness, perceived value and organizational associations and thus leads to consumer's purchase intention in the context of consumer electronic products in India.     

Brand Analyses of U.S. Global and Local Brands in India: The Case of Levi's

ABSTRACT

This study investigates differences between U.S. global and local brands in the Indian market. Attitudes toward American products and the brand equity of U.S. global and local casual apparel brand in the Indian market are examined. It is postulated that global and local brand influence brand equity, which is composed of brand image, brand awareness, emotional value, perceived quality, brand loyalty, and purchase intention. A total of 411 college students in India participated in the survey. Using repeated measures ANOVA, this study finds that Indian consumers perceive global and local brands differently based on brand equity.     

The role of brand experience,brand resonance and brand trust in luxury consumption

Consumption of luxury brands has been rising significantly, particularly in emerging economies.While some aspects of luxury consumption may be consistent across cultural settings, certain key differences may prevail; with particular attention to the relational and experiential aspects that characterize consumer-brand engagements. The purpose of the current research is to address this previously underexplored area and study the impact of consumer-brand dyadic attributes – incorporating brand experience, brand resonance, brand trust, and consumer involvement on the pursuit of luxury brands within the Indian context. Data was gathered using a survey distributed to 413 luxury brand consumers in four major metropolitan cities in India, employing Smart-PLS for analysis. In addition to the main effects, the moderating impact of gender, geographic location, and generation were explored. The results reveal that brand experience and brand resonance are both essential for luxury consumption, with an additional moderating role of generation and gender. Furthermore, consumer involvement is found to mediate the relationship. Implications for scholarship and practice are discussed.     

How do crazy rich Asians perceive sustainable luxury? Investigating the determinants of consumers’ willingness to pay a premium price

Motivated by the increasing media coverage of environmental disasters and growing evidence of humans’ detrimental impacts on the natural environment, the key aim of this study was to examine consumer interest in buying sustainable luxury products. Rooted in the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory, a research framework incorporating pro-environmental self-identity (PSI), consumer pro-environmental values (CPV), engagement, and willingness to pay a premium price (WPP) was proposed. To better understand the sustainable behavior of consumers, this study modelled myopia as a personality trait that moderates the aforementioned relationships. Partial least squares path modelling (PLSPM) was employed to analyze data collected from 296 Chinese consumers who had purchased luxury fashion products. The results highlighted the influential role of CPV in shaping both consumer engagement and WPP, surpassing the impact of PSI. Also, the study established the positive effect of engagement on WPP and confirmed its mediating role in the relationship between CPV and WPP. The incorporation of myopia as a moderator further enhanced the explanatory power of the VBN theory in understanding sustainable consumption evaluations. The findings revealed that the positive links between PSI, CPV, engagement, and WPP were particularly pronounced among non-myopic consumers, suggesting that a clear vision of long-term consequences strengthens the connections between these constructs. These findings offer valuable insights to both academics and practitioners, particularly in the realm of luxury fashion brands within Chinese culture. They provide a foundation for designing targeted marketing communication strategies that effectively leverage and cultivate consumers' pro-environmental self-identities and values. By aligning brand messaging with these values, luxury fashion brands can enhance consumer engagement and foster a willingness to invest in sustainable products. Ultimately, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable consumption and offers practical implications for promoting environmentally responsible choices in the luxury fashion industry.