Research on the Acceptability of Minimalist Consumption in China

Abstract

In the era of prevalent consumerism, a new consumption concept has quietly emerged, namely minimalism, which advocates not to buy more than the actual need. This consumption concept has gained a lot of attention and imitation in recent years, as videos of such lives have become popular on social media platforms. Under the background of abundant materials, these people give up enjoying the pleasure brought by materials and live according to the opposite consumption concept, which is worth studying. This report aims to gain a more comprehensive understanding of what minimalism is, how people of different age groups view it and why they choose it, and to explore the factors that influence the mainstream lifestyle of minimalism in society. To this end, this paper will put forward four research questions, which are: 1. What is minimalism? 2. How do middle-aged and elderly Chinese and young Chinese think about minimalist life? 3. What is the motivation that prompts some people to choose minimalist consumption mode in modern life with abundant material conditions? 4. Why isn't minimalism a mainstream lifestyle these days? . In order to clarify these four questions, this paper interviewed 7 people of different age groups, and summarized 11 findings from the collected interview answers. On this basis, the 11 findings were analyzed in combination with theories related to consumer behavior. At the end of the paper, based on these findings, suggestions are proposed for consumers, businesses, marketers and governments to better improve consumer experience in the future.