A comparison of the emotional and motivational aspects in the purchase of luxury products versus counterfeits

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The demand for fake products is a constant headache to brand manufacturers and policy makers across the globe. Past research has explored cognitive and social drivers of buying fakes. To add to the discussion, we explore emotional aspects and motivations surrounding the ownership and purchase of fake products in contrast to originals. Findings from eight focus groups in a small EU country point to the fact that emotional aspects are important drivers of purchasing decisions for both product categories. Results indicate different patterns of positive, negative or mixed emotions for originals versus fakes.