Bandwagon vs snob luxuries: Targeting consumers based on uniqueness dominance

Das, Manish; Habib, Mohshin; Saha, Victor; Jebarajakirthy, Charles

doi:10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102582

Cited by 38 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…Furthermore, consumers high on unpopular choice tendency and avoidance of similarity feel less inspired when informative and normative influence is high. This finding corroborates with prior study results involving luxury products (Nabi et al , 2019; Sharma and Klein, 2020; Das et al , 2021). Interestingly, middle-class consumers do not seek status when purchasing masstige products.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“Standing out” and “fitting in”: understanding inspiration value of masstige in an emerging market context

Das

Saha

Balaji

2021

JPBM

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Purpose This study aims to investigate the role of middle-class consumers’ need for uniqueness (CNFU), consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence (CSII), inspiration and behavioral intentions toward masstige products. Specifically, this study examines the differential effects of CNFU dimensions, the underlying mechanism of consumer inspiration and the moderating role of CSII in the purchase intentions toward masstige products. Design/methodology/approach Two studies were carried out to test the proposed relationships. Study 1 examines the differential effect of CNFU dimensions and the mediating role of consumer inspiration for data collected from Tier 1 cities in India. Study 2 replicated Study 1 findings for the jewelry masstige products and tested the moderating role of CSII for data collected from Tier 2 cities. Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings The study findings confirm the differential effects of CNFU dimensions on inspiration and its mediating role in masstige products’ purchase intentions. Furthermore, the study found that CSII moderates the effect of CNFU dimensions on inspiration toward masstige (jewelry) purchase intentions. Status does not determine masstige purchase intention. Research limitations/implications The present study was carried out in the emerging market of India. Future studies should replicate the study findings in other emerging markets. Practical implications The study findings have important implications for marketers of masstige brands in developing effective marketing strategies in the emerging markets. Originality/value The study is among the few studies to investigate the differential role of CNFU dimensions and inspiration for masstige brands in an emerging market context.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“Standing out” and “fitting in”: understanding inspiration value of masstige in an emerging market context

Das

Saha

Balaji

2021

JPBM

Self Cite

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“…CNFU consists of three distinct counter‐conforming traits of creative choice counter‐conformity, unpopular choice counter‐conformity, and avoidance of similarity (Ruvio et al., 2008; Tian et al., 2001). Creative choice counter‐conformity (CCC) is the tendency to distinguish self from the rest without violating social norms (Das et al., 2021). To reflect uniqueness, creative choice‐dominant people own and use brands in a way that significant social others accept such differences (Kauppinen‐Räisänen et al, 2018).…”

Section: Theoretical Underpinnings and Hypotheses Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Avoidance of similarity (AOS)‐dominant people discontinue the use of items that are very much popular the masses (Ruvio et al., 2008) while displaying uniqueness. Accordingly, they tend to prefer items that are highly unlikely to become popular among masses in the society (Das et al., 2021; Tian et al., 2001) like limited edition items, vintage cars etc. (Lee & Leizerovici, 2011) which may or may not signal socially disapproving behaviour (Cheema & Kaikati, 2010).…”

Section: Theoretical Underpinnings and Hypotheses Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…UPC‐dominant people do not consider for social consequences while choosing brands that to proclaim their uniqueness from the rest (Das et al., 2021; Tian et al., 2001). They are mostly innovators (Kauppinen‐Räisänen et al., 2018) and do not hesitate to opt designs that may be considered taboo and socially deviant (Jebarajakirthy & Das, 2020; Lee & Leizerovici, 2011) by distancing themselves from popular consumer cultural practices (Ashaduzzaman et al, 2021; Das & Mukherjee, 2019) in anticipation that their unique selection today will make them trendsetter over time.…”

Section: Theoretical Underpinnings and Hypotheses Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Inspired and engaged: Decoding MASSTIGE value in engagement

Das

Saha

Roy

2021

Int J Consumer Studies

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This study explores two burgeoning aspects of marketing research; inspiration and engagement, in the context of mass‐prestige brands; that is those brands that position themselves among middle‐income people on the plank of mass‐prestige by maintaining premium feeling at an attainable price. Specifically, it examines the role of desire and perceived value in activating masstige inspiration and shaping masstige engagement. In addition, it investigates whether the transition from inspiration to masstige engagement varies based on need for uniqueness tendencies. Following a survey method, responses were obtained from 396 (354 usable) masstige (car) luxury buyers in India using a structured questionnaire. Covariance‐based Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the direct and mediation hypotheses, while moderation hypotheses were checked using multi‐group SEM. The study indicates that affective desire (discomfort, pleasure and guilt), but not cognitive (control) and perceive value (functional value, emotional value and social value), shapes consumers’ masstige engagement (cognitive, affective and behavioural). Affective desire and perceived value activates masstige inspiration (“inspired byi”) leading to masstige intention (inspired to) and finally masstige engagement. Creative choice counter conformity as uniqueness tendency strengthens the effect of masstige intention (inspired to) on masstige engagement but not unpopular and avoidance of similarity uniqueness tendencies. Study findings will significantly strengthen engagement and inspiration literature in general and masstige in particular besides providing input to the marketers in shaping masstige branding and communication strategies.

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“…Future studies need to explore other potential moderators. For example, the three dimensions of need for uniqueness (i.e., creative choice, unpopular choice, and avoidance of similarity) were found to influence bandwagon and snob luxury consumption differently (Das et al, 2021). Desire for exclusivity, which emphasizes consumers' desire to express superiority over others via consumption (Kim, 2018), may drive preference for limited-edition status consumption.…”

Section: Limitations and Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Need for uniqueness moderates the effectiveness of different types of scarcity appeals

Wang

Kong²,

Li³

et al. 2022

Front. Psychol.

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Marketers frequently implement scarcity messages in promoting their products. Scarcity due to demand and scarcity due to supply have both been found to influence consumers’ product evaluations positively. However, the differential effects of these two types of scarcity messages have been understudied. Study 1 manipulated scarcity appeals type and need for uniqueness orthogonally and examined their effects on purchase intention. Study 2 manipulated scarcity appeals type and tested its effect on perceived uniqueness. Study 3 manipulated scarcity appeals type and tested the moderated mediation model that perceived uniqueness mediated the interactive effects of scarcity type and need for uniqueness on purchase intention. Across three studies, we find that consumers perceive supply-based scarcity products as more unique than demand-based scarcity products. Consequently, in comparison with demand-based scarcity messages, supply-based scarcity messages increase purchase intention for consumers with high need for uniqueness. In contrast, these messages decrease purchase intention for consumers with low need for uniqueness. Our findings contribute to the research on scarcity appeals, uniqueness perception, and need for uniqueness. Our research also suggests that marketers need to implement different types of scarcity appeals to convey uniqueness information and to attract different consumers.

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Bandwagon vs snob luxuries: Targeting consumers based on uniqueness dominance

Cited by 38 publications

References 62 publications

“Standing out” and “fitting in”: understanding inspiration value of masstige in an emerging market context

“Standing out” and “fitting in”: understanding inspiration value of masstige in an emerging market context

Inspired and engaged: Decoding MASSTIGE value in engagement

Need for uniqueness moderates the effectiveness of different types of scarcity appeals

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