Consumption coping and life transitions: An integrative review

Abstract

Marketing scholars have devoted considerable effort to researching the impact of life transitions on consumption behaviour. However, prior literature on life events is broad and fragmented. This paper provides an up-to-date synthesis of past findings using an integrative review covering 116 articles on life events and consumption over the last 35 years. This critical review reveals important gaps in current knowledge, and puts forward avenues for future research that flow logically from the theoretical gaps identified, thereby contributing to extant literature on life events and consumption. The resulting framework of consumption coping provides an understanding of how consumer motivations build, grow, and alter as life events occur. The goal of the review is to stimulate the field to consider deeper contextual examination of the role of life events in acquisition, consumption, and disposal of material and experiential consumption opportunities.