The Study on Conspicuous Consumption and Consumer Grouping

• Main Authors: Jie-AnHuang, 黃婕安
• Other Authors: Huei-Ting Tsai
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/08029310396877618453

碩士 === 國立成功大學 === 國際企業研究所 === 102 === SUMMARY After several decades of reformation and opening, Chinese market has become the biggest one in Asia in recent years. Especially in the tourism industry, Chinese tourist has become an important target customer to the countries. The great potential for Chinese spending power and the pursuit of luxury consumption become a focus of research. Previous studies showed that Chinese consumer behavior in luxury market has conspicuous characteristics. Due to the change of the version of wealth in China, formation of new consumer groups, and the symbolic value in conspicuous consumption, this study particularly combine the Veblen effect, self-theory and social theory to identify the effects between consumer groups and the purchase of luxury goods under personal and social impact. This study integrate consumer groups, symbols, personal and social impact and the consumption of luxury goods to be discussed and verified. Through factor analysis, reliability analysis and regression analysis, get the following conclusions. First, setting the correct target customers can effectively stimulate sales and willingness. Second one is the importance of signals. The last one is about the social and individual impact. For high wealth class, we should emphasize on meeting their personal identity. For low wealth level class, we should use face-saving way to meet their social status. Keywords：Veblen effect; conspicuous consumption; social identity theory INTRODUCTION Many scholars and organizations began to analyze the change in consumer behavior in China and found some phenomena. The first one is luxury phenomenon. The second one is the forming of new consumer groups. Also, because of decades of conservative, these new Chinese consumers consider expensive commodity as a symbol of success, they learn spending habits of the big city, showing the changes in consumer thinking and mentality. Veblen’s great work The Theory of the Leisure Class said that society is ruled by the leisure class. But Begwell and Bernheim argued that conspicuous consumption does not only exist in the leisure class. It existed in all class. Further, on the basis of conspicuous consumption motivations and veblen effect, Corneo and Jeanne divided consumers into two independent groups, bandwagon and snob. The research gaps are consumer grouping and signal. So, in this research, I will focus on the change in consumer mentality through the social identity theory and self-theory to derive what signal is important. Also adopt the method Han used to divide consumers. Through factor analysis, reliability analysis and regression analysis, get the following conclusions. First, there is the mediating effect between consumer groups and luxury. Second, individual impact will positively moderate the high social status of the consumer groups. Third, social impact will negatively moderate low social status consumer groups, showing the change in Chinese consumer thinking and mentality. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, we focus on Chinese consumers and to investigate their purchasing behavior of luxury. In addition, to understand the different consumer purchasing decisions, the sample object is not confined to consumers who bought luxury, also includes the group never bought luxury.The subjects include the online questionnaires and paper questionnaire. Paper questionnaires are mainly dominated to tourists for sightseeing at airports and tourist attractions. Online questionnaires are used to collect samples of different background. In this study, we base on regression analysis and combine with descriptive statistics, factor analysis, reliability and validity analysis, pearson correlation analysis. The main purpose of regression analysis is to find a linear equation to describe the relationships between antecedent variables and outcome variables and to know the forecasting power and whether the overall relationship is significant. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In statistical results, consumer group extracted three dimensions variable named patrician, parvenu and poseur. Signal extracted three dimensions variable named luxurious, quality and brand prominence. Individual and social impact extracted four dimensions variable named unique, social status, conspicuous and hedonistic. The first three variables are classified as social impact and the last one is classified as individual impact. In regression analysis, divide into three parts, the first part focuses on inter-relationship between the dimensions and the second part is to explore the mediating effect, the third part is about moderating effect. In the first part, three consumer groups have positive impact on the purchase of luxury and have significant effect on signal. Also, there is a significant effect between signal and the purchase of luxury. Next is about the mediating effect. Luxurious, quality and brand prominence will partially mediate the effect between the purchase of luxury and patrician. Quality will fully mediate the effect between purchase of luxury and parvenu. Luxurious will partially mediate the effect between purchase of luxury and parvenu. Luxurious will fully mediate the effect between purchase of luxury goods and poseur. The last part is moderate effect. Under individual impact there is positive moderating effect between patrician and luxury, parvenu and luxury. In detail, under the pleasure, patrician and parvenu will increase the purchase of luxury. Under overall social impact, there is negative effect between the purchase of luxury and each consumer groups. In detail, for patrician and parvenu, uniqueness and conspicuous these moderator are significant, means that the under these two social impact there is negative moderating effect between the purchase of luxury and patrician, the purchase of luxury and parvenu. But under social status, there is no moderating effect. Under uniqueness, there is negative moderating effect between the purchase of luxury and poseur. But under conspicuous and social status, there is no moderating effect. CONCLUSION For patrician, symbolic signal will be more attractive than functional signals, but it can only enhance a certain degree. This may be related to their status and background. It is common for them having behavior in conspicuous consumption. So they may not focus on specific signal. For parvenu, high-quality, personalized or refined characteristics will be more attractive. It may be related to the shift in consumer mentality through information networking and globalization. Broaden horizon make them not show off, but to meet hedonic value. Poseur prefers luxurious signal. We inference that they even in the globalization and information networking environment, but still retains the small view, they imitate the big city spending habits to integrate into the higher social classes. Therefore, they will be attracted by luxurious signals, including high prices, senior shop decoration and high brand recognition. Under individual or social impact, for patrician and parvenu, we should emphasize on meeting their personal identity. For poseur, should use face-saving way to meet their social status. There are some limitations and suggestions. If time and funds permit, the survey area should be expanded to make a comprehensive study results that can reflect the true situation. In the future, it may be good to increase the number of consumer groups to better understand the detailed characteristics of different consumer groups. The last is to add other mediating or moderating variables to combined with the phenomenon in reality.