Repercussions of promoting an ideology of consumption: consumer misbehavior

Abstract

While the impact of marketing activities on promoting an attitude of consumption has attracted considerable research attention, their unforeseen repercussions have not. Among these consequences are consumers misbehaving themselves in exchange settings. The phenomena include much more than common forms of consumer fraud, and has important implications for understanding the totality of the consumption experience. Consumer misbehavior is widespread: many consumers misbehave, all are inevitably affected materially and/or psychologically. Given its pervasiveness and importance, we need a theory to stimulate research inquiry. The theory presented here argues that negative consumer behavior is unintentionally stimulated by the same marketing factors, which promote an ideology of consumption.