Influence of Brand Origin on Consumer Buying Behaviour in the Indian Context

Abstract

The origin of brands across geographies has always remained a fascination for many consumers around the world. Although easing of restrictions on borders has made almost any brand made anywhere in the world find a convenient place to be sold at any other geographic location far or distant, the craze in some consumers of having an ‘imported’ brand still remains, although that brand may have been manufactured nearby within their country in a franchisee manufacturing unit which the consumer never knows. The phenomenon called as acquiring an ‘imported’ brand has got re-defined with the easing of WTO restrictions since 2001, whereupon there is no restriction on anything sold anywhere after being manufactured anywhere in the world. This article looks into the various aspects related to the consumer buying behaviour for so-called imported or foreign origin brands and to what extent this imported tag or foreignness tag plays a role in making consumers like it.