Counterfeit Purchase Intention Research Articles

When are consumers more likely to purchase counterfeit products? An exploration from the perspective of information framing in communication

The problem of counterfeiting is an ongoing challenge in China and in the global market. Apart from possible economic reasons, why do people buy counterfeit goods? This question is worth exploring. Unlike studies that address the purchase behavior of counterfeit products from the perspective of intrinsic drives, this study examines the effects of similarity, popularity, and brand prominence on the purchase intention of counterfeit products from the perspective of extrinsic drives of message framing in communication in the Chinese context. By means of vignette study, this research collected 586 valid samples from four studies. The findings indicate that 1) framed similarity (framed dissimilarity) has a (negative) positive effect on counterfeit purchase intention; 2) the effects of framed similarity and framed dissimilarity on counterfeit purchase intention are generated through a serial mediation via quality perceptions and attitude; 3) the positive effect of similarity framing on purchase intention is further enhanced by the perception of the counterfeit option being a popular choice; and 4) the brand prominence of the original product further enhances the moderating positive effect of the popularity of a counterfeit product on consumer behavior. The results of the study are valuable both theoretically and practically for resisting counterfeits and developing genuine brands.

Influence of cultural values and hierarchical social norms on buying counterfeits online: a 17-country study.

As a globally prevalent phenomenon, buying counterfeit products harms consumers, economies, societies, governments, and the environment. The study examined the hierarchy of injunctive normative influence (personal vs. societal) on counterfeit purchase intentions and trends in non-deceptive (known) counterfeit purchase behavior. The current research expands the hierarchical norms approach by examining how the cultural values of power distance and individualism-collectivism predict injunctive normative perceptions and counterfeit buying intention and behavior. A cross-sectional survey (N = 13,053) of consumers from 17 nations, administered in seven languages, explored cross-country differences in perceived social norms about buying counterfeits. The findings of multilevel moderated mediation analyses showed that personal injunctive norms (perceived acceptance of buying counterfeits by close friends) mediated the relationship between societal injunctive norms (perceived acceptance for buying counterfeits by peers in the same country) and the outcome variables. Selected paths of the mediation model were moderated by the two cultural dimensions. Theoretical implications are discussed within the context of cultural orientations' and social norms' roles in informing risky behavior, and practically, within the context of awareness-raising and behavior-change interventions.

The Effect of Social Media Influencers on Fashion Counterfeit Purchase Intention among Young Generation

This study aims to examine the effect of social media influencers on fashion counterfeit purchase intention among the young generation. Social Media Influencer (SMI) has been a dominant marketing trend and businesses heavily invest in SMIs to carry out promotional activities. However, the dimensions of SMI have not been examined widely on fashion counterfeit purchase intention among the young generation. A total of six dimensions of SMI namely, inspiring, technical skills, enjoyability, similarity, informativeness and credibility were used for this study. Data was collected from 389 young generations via online techniques. The findings show that technical skills and informativeness significantly influence counterfeit purchase intention among the young generation. The findings of the study are useful for policymakers to control social media influencers.

The risk of embarrassment in buying luxury counterfeits: do face-conscious consumers care?

PurposeThis study aims to examine the role of face consciousness, materialism and risk of embarrassment in determining consumer purchase intention toward counterfeit luxury brand. In addition, the authors explore boundary conditions of these relationships.Design/methodology/approachStudy 1, a survey research (N = 321), examines the mediating role of risk of embarrassment between face consciousness on the purchase intention toward luxury counterfeits. Study 2 (N = 345), an experimental study, examines the moderating role of brand prominence of counterfeit (i.e. whether it contains prominent brand signals). Study 3 (N = 315) explores how the above-mentioned relationships are moderated by consumers’ moral rationalization (i.e. whether consumers seek rationalization when behaving unethically).FindingsFirst, this research shows that risk of embarrassment mediates the negative relationship between face consciousness and Chinese consumers’ purchase intention toward luxury counterfeits, whereas this relationship was not found between materialism and counterfeit purchase intentions. Second, this negative mediating effect holds only when the counterfeit brand is highly prominent. Third, the mediating effect depends on consumers’ moral rationalization, with a positive impact on the purchase intention toward luxury counterfeits, regardless of brand prominence.Research limitations/implicationsThis study represents a preliminary inquiry into the dynamics between face consciousness and materialism in influencing Chinese consumers’ purchase intention toward counterfeit luxury products. Unlike their Western counterparts, whose materialistic views of possessions predict their counterfeit luxury consumption (Davidson et al., 2019), Chinese consumers are more likely to be driven by the social implications of counterfeit luxury to communicate a prestigious social image to others on account of genuine luxuries’ high social recognition.Practical implicationsWhile Chinese consumers are one of the most potent global luxury buyers, they are immersed in the world’s biggest counterfeit luxury market. By digging into the core value of Chinese consumers (i.e. face consciousness), this research provides a number of managerial implications for luxury goods companies to engage in international efforts to educate consumers against counterfeit luxury.Originality/valueThis study makes at least three contributions to the counterfeit consumption literature. First, this study represents a preliminary inquiry into the dynamics between face consciousness and materialism in influencing Chinese consumers’ purchase intention toward counterfeit luxury products. Second, this research identified the complex mechanism of face consciousness as an independent variable on consumers’ purchase intention toward luxury counterfeits. Finally, the authors examined the boundary conditions of brand prominence and consumers’ moral rationalization. The findings may help luxury brand managers identify strategies to discourage counterfeit consumption.

Signaling norm salience through perceived peer counterfeit consumption

Purpose This paper aims to theorize that millennials' counterfeit buying behavior is partly driven by perceived peer counterfeit consumption – the perception that counterfeit luxury consumption is a norm within members of their own generation. Design/methodology/approach The research is based on two survey-based studies: Study 1 investigates the phenomenon on young millennials (n = 438) and Gen X (n = 374) using moderation analyses in PROCESS Macro; and Study 2 is based on young millennials (n = 643) and runs a partial least squares structural equation modeling model. Findings The findings reveal that perceived counterfeit consumption within own (vs other) generation leads to greater counterfeit purchase intention and this effect is stronger for young millennials (vs Gen X). Counterfeiting values (materialism, counterconformity and morality) strengthen the impact of perceived peer counterfeit consumption on the counterfeit purchase intention of young millennials, thereby establishing counterfeit luxury consumption as a salient norm. Practical implications To modify perceptions about peer counterfeiting norms, normative messages must communicate counterfeit avoidance among millennials through social media influencers. Luxury brand managers must focus on the experiential value of luxury and pursue unconventional luxury inspired by a sense of rebelliousness and independence. Originality/value This work demonstrates that millennials engage in counterfeit luxury consumption when they perceive it as a salient consumption norm among members of their own generation. It adds a novel construct of perceived counterfeit consumption and demonstrates the role of generation as a normative referent. The article provides a values-based motivational account of conformity to peer counterfeiting norms.

I feel so embarrassed, still, I want it! The self-presentational dilemma of counterfeit luxury buyers

PurposeThis study aims to examine whether counterfeit luxury buyers’ tendency to impress others overrides their anticipation of embarrassment or whether the anticipation of embarrassment delimits their self-presentational goals.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based on three studies – a survey and two experiments that test the predictions. This study adopts a mix of moderation and mediation analyses to test the proposed hypotheses.FindingsThe findings reveal a greater counterfeit purchase likelihood and embarrassment aversion among publicly (vs privately) self-conscious consumers. Furthermore, a higher (vs a lower) audience class and a conspicuous (vs an inconspicuous) brand lead to lower counterfeit purchase intention, and anticipated embarrassment mediates both these effects. To mitigate the threat of embarrassment, publicly self-conscious consumers are more likely to buy counterfeits among a higher-class audience when the brand is inconspicuous (vs conspicuous). They, however, are indifferent to brand conspicuousness among a lower-class audience.Practical implicationsTo deter counterfeit consumption, anti-counterfeiting campaigns must invoke consumers’ tendency to overestimate the degree of public attention. Ad appeals must accentuate the anticipation of embarrassment by enhancing self-consciousness through a higher-class audience involving a conspicuous brand.Originality/valueThis paper makes a novel contribution to counterfeiting literature by demonstrating that counterfeit luxury consumption is driven by countervailing motives of gaining approval and avoiding disapproval. The paper departs from mainstream theorizing by demonstrating that counterfeit luxury buyers engage in a protective self-presentation style by choosing inconspicuous counterfeits.

Do you consider buying a counterfeit? New evidence from the theory of planned behaviour and cognitive dissonance theory

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the impact of perceived risk, ethical judgement, value consciousness, susceptibility to social influence and neutralisation on counterfeit clothes and accessories purchase intention in Egypt.Design/methodology/approachA single cross-sectional survey was conducted. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 361 counterfeit buyers in Egypt. To test the hypotheses, partial least squares-structural equation model was applied.FindingsThe results indicate that neutralisation, perceived risk and susceptibility to social influence significantly impact attitudes towards counterfeiting and purchase intentions, whereas value consciousness impacts counterfeit purchase intention. In addition, attitudes mediate the effects of perceived risk, susceptibility to social influence and neutralisation on purchase intention.Practical implicationsBrand producers/retailers and the government need to adhere to a number of practices to curb counterfeit demand, mainly by tackling the neutralisation’s impacts, demonstrating various risks of counterfeiting and developing a collective attitude against counterfeiting.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the ethical decision-making literature by empirically testing and quantifying the impact of neutralisation on shaping counterfeit buyers’ attitudes and purchase intention.

The role of hope and attitude in luxury counterfeit purchase intention

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the emotion hope for social status and attitude toward counterfeit goods as predictors of consumers’ intention to purchase counterfeit products.. Design/methodology/approach – We conduct an experiment with 45 undergraduates (51% female) from different universities, which design was a 2 (hope for social status; hopeful vs non-hope) x 2 (attitude towards counterfeit goods; positive vs negative) full factorial, between-subjects. Findings – Results confirmed that people felt hopeful after manipulation; however, future steps of this investigation should consider the use of another instrument of manipulation even more effective. However, respondents also pointed out they felt happiness, which makes us believe that it is important to use an instrument of manipulation even more effectively to guarantee the achievement of the real manipulation, without the interference from extraneous variables. Theoretical/methodological contributions – Although originated in categories such as apparel and luxury accessories, counterfeiting now affects a wide range of industries, representing a major economic threat. This great amount of counterfeit trade worldwide is shocking, and leads us to argue: what are the factors that influence the intention to purchase these products, especially regarding the consumption of luxury counterfeit brands? We believe that emotion may represent an important role in people’s intention to purchase counterfeit goods. Besides, the attitude towards counterfeit goods may also imply variations of intention to purchase, playing a moderator role. The inclusion of emotion in consumer behavior studies presents a significant opportunity to develop theory and practice in this area of study. Originality/value – The explanations of whether emotions may represent antecedents of the purchasing of counterfeits are quite limited, and the understanding of the motivations behind the purchase of such products remains undefined in the marketing literature. Analysis of the study shows that hope and attitude can simultaneously offer opportunities for consumer behavior research.

Can religiosity alter luxury and counterfeit consumption? An empirical study in an emerging market

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to describe the effect of religiosity on luxury and counterfeit purchase intentions and to determine the role of consumer ethics in the context of counterfeit purchase intention. The conceptual framework is based on Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). In the context of counterfeit consumption, religiosity is proposed to be an added component to the theory, while ethical consumption is proposed to mediate the relationship between religiosity and counterfeit purchase intention. In the context of luxury consumption, religiosity is proposed to precede TPB components which then affect luxury purchase intention.Design/methodology/approachThis is a descriptive study; this study uses a mixed-methods approach, where eight semi-structured in-depth interviews and 500 surveys were conducted and distributed to Egyptian luxury consumers.FindingsThe major results suggest that religiosity and ethical consumption negatively affect counterfeit purchase intention as proposed. The results also reveal that religiosity did not necessitate a negative attitude toward luxury consumption. Religiosity was found to have a positive effect on attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. Only subjective norms had significant effect on luxury purchase intention in the research context.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the TPB by adding religiosity to the theory components as well as integrating the theory of planned behavior with Consumer’s Ethics theory in the context of counterfeit consumption. The study is an attempt to compare between luxury and counterfeit purchase intention while considering the role of individual’s religiosity in these purchases.

Counterfeit Purchase Intention of Fashion Brands: The Personal Values and Social Aspect of Consumers as Determinants

Counterfeiting has become a growth industry in Indonesia. Consumers in Indonesia tend to find counterfeit products very easily, especially fashion products. The aim of this quantitative study is to analyze personal values and social factors toward counterfeit items and the intention to purchase counterfeit goods in Indonesia, with a focus on fashion products. The study also aims at analyzing the influence of novelty seeking, integrity values, and status consumption on people’s attitudes toward counterfeit goods. Furthermore, this study also addresses the influence of perceived risk, information susceptibility, physical vanity, and vanity-achievement on the intention to purchase counterfeit products. One hundred and ninety-three respondents were included in our study after survey questionnaires had been distributed in Indonesia. The respondents were 19 to 44 years old, living in Jakarta, Tangerang, Bogor, Bekasi, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Medan, Jambi, Batam, Pekanbaru and Samarinda, all of which are larger cities in Indonesia. Data were analyzed using partial least squares. The results of the study showed that the attitude toward counterfeit items was the most important factor in the willingness to purchase counterfeit goods. Novelty seeking, integrity, status consumption, and information susceptibility were also important determinants of people’s attitudes toward counterfeit products. Perceived risk, physical vanity, and achievement vanity were found to have an insignificant relationship with the intention to purchase counterfeit products . This study also has an impact on marketing strategies. One of them is marketers can offer very prestigious brands to reduce the trade in counterfeit luxury brands.

Antecedents of Intention to Purchase Counterfeit Products: Case in Indonesian Consumers

The objective of this study was to scrutinize the effect of materialism and novelty seeking on counterfeit purchase intention through attitudes. Data were collected from the youth in Indonesia, collected 177 respondents, processed using the PLS wrap. The analysis using path coefficient analysis indicated that novelty-seeking and attitude had an effect on buying interest counterfeit purchase intention through attitudes. On the other hand, materialism had no effect on attitudes and interests. Limited sampling frame may affect the general findings.

Determinants of purchase luxury counterfeit products in social commerce: The mediating role of compulsive internet use

Research on counterfeit purchase intention has attracted enough attention, and a number of studies have investigated various determinants of luxury counterfeit purchase intention in the offline context. However, less attention has focused on the underlying mechanism of the attitude toward luxury counterfeit purchase intention in the social commerce context. Moreover, extant literature has focused on the influence of compulsive internet use (CIU) on psychological well-being. Based on flow theory, this study examines the mediating role of CIU in the relationship between influencing factors (such as materialism, novelty-seeking behavior, and hedonic benefits) and consumers’ attitudes toward luxury counterfeit products. Additionally, the moderating role of product conspicuousness and positive online reviews also examined the direct effects. Data were collected from active online users of Taobao.com. Results show that materialism and novelty-seeking behavior are significantly related to CIU and subsequently influence the attitude toward luxury counterfeit goods. Furthermore, product conspicuousness and positive online reviews have moderated the direct effect of the conceptual framework. Therefore, the current research contributes to the existing literature by addressing the mediating CIU and moderating (product conspicuousness and positive online reviews) factors that played a significant role in promoting counterfeit purchase intention, comparing the direct effect to promote the counterfeit purchase intention. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in detail.

Self‐concept, individual characteristics, and counterfeit consumption: Evidence from an emerging market

AbstractThe study draws on a sample of over 350 consumers from 10 department stores in an emerging market where counterfeit products are available in abundance and there is a huge demand for such goods. The findings reveal that interdependent and independent self traits significantly affect individual characteristics, that is, susceptibility to normative influence, readiness to take social risk, and status acquisition (SA), which in turn influences counterfeit purchase intention. It was discovered that such individual characteristics play a mediating effect on the self‐concept—purchase intention relationship and that high degrees of interdependent self traits positively affect consumers' purchase intention. The study adds to the theory of reasoned action (TRA) by incorporating SA variables into the TRA framework and discovers their significant influence on purchase intention. Some novel insights surrounding counterfeit consumption in an emerging economy context are presented and several implications are extracted to help practitioners appeal to such individual characteristics for combating counterfeit consumption.

Analysis of the moral mechanism to purchase counterfeit luxury goods: evidence from China

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to extend the theory of reasoned action and the theory of planned behaviour to measure the effects of ethical and moral antecedents (e.g. integrity, moral judgement, extrinsic religiosity and intrinsic religiosity, and ethical concern) on attitudes towards counterfeit luxury products. Additionally, it also measured the effects on attitudes towards purchase intention.Design/methodology/approachThe scope of the study is the Chinese market. The sample size for the study was 412 participants, and data were collected through established scales and measures. Structural equation modelling was used to test the developed model.FindingsAll the developed hypotheses were accepted. All the antecedents negatively affect attitudes towards counterfeit luxury products. At the same time, attitude has a positive effect on purchase intention. The results are consistent with those of earlier studies.Research limitations/implicationsSamples were gathered from just a single region in southwest China, which limits the generalisability of the discoveries. As past research in fake goods buying has done, future investigations relating to this situation in the domain of ethical reasoning should accumulate samples from other regions of China as well, as customer perception relating to profound morality and counterfeit Purchase Intention may change from region to region.Practical implicationsA few customers hold the opinion that luxury brands are lucrative because of the excessive costs of their products and therefore feel vindicated in buying counterfeits (Penz and Stottinger, 2005). Combatting this conviction requires luxury brand managers to endorse effective moral ideals and social commitment messages to prevail upon purchasers.Social implicationsA few customers trust that they are helping local people, such as the peddlers who offer the fakes or the producers who make these goods, suggesting in a way that a few individuals have positive attitudes towards these type of counterfeit goods sold locally. For such customers, there can be marketing messages that can show them the other side of the issue, such as the lost sales and loss caused to the organisations, which result in people becoming jobless because of their actions.Originality/valueThe primary goal of the study is to explore the relationship between the moral measurements of consumers and their attitudes and purchase intentions in the Chinese market.

The Devil might wear Prada, but Narcissus wears counterfeit Gucci! How social adjustive functions influence counterfeit luxury purchases

People buy counterfeit luxury goods for a range of reasons, including status and belonging. Previous research has shown these stem from an individual's value-expressive or social-adjustive attitudes. However, there appears to be limited research identifying a clear causal relationship between these and intention to purchase counterfeit goods, or how these attitude functions might be used to inhibit purchase of counterfeit luxury products. Using a mixed (survey/experiment) design, in two studies this research demonstrates an individual's social adjustive function has a positive influence on purchase intent for counterfeit luxury goods. However, the use of value expressive ad appeals can limit this effect on consumer decision making. The findings also demonstrate the existence of contingent effects across different levels of product involvement and product knowledge. The contingent effects help better understand the inconsistent findings in the literature regarding the influence of value-expressive and social-adjustive functions on counterfeit purchase intention, and shed light on the interplay among these variables.

Influence of the love of money and morality on intention to purchase counterfeit apparel

I examined the influence of dimensions of the love of money (rich, importance, achievement, budget) and moral judgment toward counterfeit product purchase, on consumers' intention to purchase counterfeit apparel. Data were collected from 185 participants in Ankara, Turkey, who had purchased counterfeit apparel. Results showed that the achievement and budget dimensions of the love of money positively influenced counterfeit purchase intention and, as predicted, moral judgment toward counterfeit product purchase negatively affected the intention to purchase counterfeit apparel. In contrast, the influence of the rich and importance dimensions of the love of money on counterfeit purchase intention was nonsignificant. My aim was that the practical outcome of this study would be to reduce consumer demand for counterfeit products through achieving an increase of awareness of morality, which reduces counterfeit purchase intention.

Consumer perceptions of counterfeit clothing and apparel products attributes

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to test and validate a modified Stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model with the bi-dimensional attitude toward counterfeit apparel products. The study examines the relationship of object and social psychological stimuli with utilitarian and hedonic attitude and intentions to purchase counterfeit apparel products.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected data from 331 systematically selected university students of the age bracket (18–30) years from Punjab, Pakistan (MLE) via self-administrated questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with maximum likelihood estimation via AMOS 23 was used for data analysis.FindingsThe modified S-O-R model explained significant variance in counterfeit purchase intentions. Hedonic attitude proved to be a strong predictor of counterfeit apparel purchase intentions as compared to utilitarian attitude. All attributes of counterfeit apparel products proved to be the significant positive predictors of hedonic and utilitarian attitude except information susceptibility, which did not predict utilitarian attitude.Research limitations/implicationsData were collected from university students of the age bracket (18–30) years and apparel products were taken as a product category.Practical implicationsThe retailers and manufacturers of original brands should emphasize humiliation and embarrassment that a consumer may have to face because of counterfeit purchasing. They can also educate consumers on the negative impacts of the counterfeit products not only on consumers but also on the economy as a whole.Originality/valueS-O-R model was adapted to provide strong theoretical underpinnings to understand counterfeit consumption behavior. This study also incorporated two dimensions of attitude in counterfeit product consumption behavior and analyzed their relative influence on purchase intentions.

Shame on You: When Materialism Leads to Purchase Intentions Toward Counterfeit Products

In recent years, counterfeiting has grown exponentially and has now become a grave economic problem. The acquisition of counterfeits poses an ethical dilemma as it benefits the buyer and illegal seller at the cost of the legitimate producer and with fewer taxes being paid throughout the supply chain. Previous research reveals inconsistent and sometimes inconclusive findings regarding whether materialism is associated, positively or negatively, with intentions to purchase counterfeits. The current research seeks to resolve these inconsistencies by investigating previously ignored interactions between three variables: risk of embarrassment, counterfeit detectability and product conspicuousness. First, risk of embarrassment mediates the relationship between materialism and counterfeit purchase intentions. Specifically, materialism negatively predicts counterfeit purchase intentions as mediated by risk of embarrassment. Second, this relationship only holds when the counterfeit can be easily detected. When it is not easily detected, materialism instead leads to positive purchase intentions. Third, these positive effects can be offset when the product is not highly visible. This research has important implications for marketers, manufacturers and academics and contributes to better understanding the antecedents of counterfeit purchases.

Counterfeit Luxuries: Does Moral Reasoning Strategy Influence Consumers’ Pursuit of Counterfeits?

Morality, in the context of luxury counterfeit goods, has been widely discussed in existing literature as having a strong association with decreased purchase intention. However, drawing on moral disengagement theory, we argue that individuals are motivated to justify their immoral behaviors through guilt avoidance, thus increasing counterfeit purchase intention. This research demonstrates that consumers’ desire to purchase counterfeit luxuries hinges on (one of) two types of moral reasoning strategies: moral rationalization and moral decoupling. The empirical results show that each strategy increases purchase intention, but respectively through moral judgment and perceived benefit. Implications for researchers and managers are discussed.

Business Ethics and Counterfeit Purchase Intention: A Comparative Study on Thais and Singaporeans

ABSTRACT The present study investigates purchase intention of counterfeits among Thai and Singaporean consumers, using the TPB behavioral-intention model to examine money ethics and business ethics factors on purchase intention. SEM path analysis found attitude and subjective norm to be significant and positive in the Thai sample and specified the indirect impact of subjective norm through attitude. In the Singaporean sample, the direct paths of attitude, subjective norm, and business ethics on intention are positive and significant. The overall results show that attitude and subjective norm are important constructs in explaining consumers' intention to purchase counterfeits. While business ethics is observed to be present as a factor for consideration among Singaporean respondents only, subjective norm exerts indirect social pressure on attitude to influence behavioral intention in both study samples.