“Confessions of Shopaholic”: Satisficing Wants through Counterfeit Branded Fashion Goods Consumption

Nurhidayah Rosely,Raja Nerina Raja Yusof,Haslinda Hashim

doi:10.6007/ijarbss/v11-i12/11822

Abstract

Consumer demand has been a principal basis for the mushrooming counterfeit markets. Therefore, this dark market poses the most significant challenge for luxury brand manufacturers to stop consumers from engaging in counterfeiting activities. This paper, which was based upon a hermeneutic phenomenology study, endeavoured to uncover a rich and contextualised account of 12 consumers consumption experiences on the purchase of counterfeit branded fashion goods through in-depth interviews. The phenomenology approach was used to probe the living experience of consumers involved in counterfeit branded fashion goods consumption, and the consumers were selected via purposive and snowball sampling. The data were analysed employing thematic analysis. Four themes arose from this research; compensates original brand, unavailability, appears identical, and inadequacy, confirming how consumers satisfied their material needs by optimising the counterfeit branded fashion goods justified as a rational choice. This study added knowledge to counterfeit branded fashion goods and consumer behaviour as the emerging themes described the actual experiences captured from the consumers who were continuously involved in counterfeit consumption practice. This research contributed to scholarly and managerial awareness in the Malaysian context through more profound cognisance of the underlying motives of counterfeit consumption phenomena.

Highlights

Consumers tend to rely on the “magical power” of the brand to represent self-image and identity, as well as to gain social approval from the society, leading to symbolic consumption (Grotts & Johnson, 2013; Piacentini & Mailer, 2004; Schembri et al, 2010)
Four themes arose from this research; compensates original brand, unavailability, appears identical, and inadequacy, confirming how consumers satisfied their material needs by optimising the counterfeit branded fashion goods justified as a rational choice
Theme 1: Compensating original brand Most of the informants claimed that counterfeit consumption offered a platform to satisfy their material needs, despite the compromised quality when compared to original fashion goods

Summary

Introduction

Consumers tend to rely on the “magical power” of the brand to represent self-image and identity, as well as to gain social approval from the society, leading to symbolic consumption (Grotts & Johnson, 2013; Piacentini & Mailer, 2004; Schembri et al, 2010). The phenomenon of showcasing material possession within society leads to conspicuousness and materialist behaviour (Eastman & Eastman, 2015; Patsiaouras & Fitchett, 2012) Such consumption behaviour promotes a lucrative market in the luxury brand industries, it presents an opportunity to counterfeiters that leads to illicit market. Manufacturers of original goods have extensively invested in research and development, technology, and brand equity management to reap lucrative return on investment. This scenario has turned into a liability to the manufacturers as irresponsible counterfeiters have seized the opportunities by creating demands for counterfeit goods (Cesareo & Stöttinger, 2015; Large, 2014; Staake et al, 2009)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion