Conspicuous Consumption and Buying Behavior: A Review of Research Studies

This article review explores the impact of conspicuous consumption on buying behavior through research studies conducted by Memushi, Zhang and Kim, Alserhan, et. al., and Snakers and Zajdman. It discusses common and different themes, study limitations, and future research directions.

Running head: Article Review 1
Business Research Methodology

Article Review 2
Assessment 1: Structured Abstract
This structured abstract review the topic of conspicuous consumption- buying behaviour of
customers through research studies conducted by Memushi , Zhang and Kim, Alserhan, et. al.,
and Snakers and Zajdman.
A brief summary of the theory and progression in the field
The study has been proposed by Zhang and Kim, 2013 that affects the results of the attitude of
the consumers of China for purchasing luxury goods. The main objective of this article is to find
out the impact of conspicuous consumption over the buying behaviour of the customer. It has
been analyzed that the hypothesis has been developed under this article for the purpose to make
an effective research. There are around 161 respondents whose responses are evaluated by taking
help of the regression analysis in which the outcomes of the research is showing the fashion
innovativeness and brand consciousness among customers of China1.
Zhang and Kim, (2013), have proposed 6 hypothesis to get an effective information about the
concept and these hypothesizes are indicated the social comparison, purchase intent, fashion
involvement, attitude, purchase intent and fashion innovativeness. Along with that eh conceptual
model has been developed by the author in this article which would be helpful to attain better
understanding about the proposed topic.
After analyzing the study of Zhang and Kim, it has been found that the author was more focused
to gather the data from those customers who have the intent to purchase buying behaviour. There
1 Zhang, B. and J.H. Kim. Luxury fashion consumption in China: Factors affecting attitude and
purchase intent. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 20(1), 2013 pp.68-79.

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are another researches of Memushi , Alserhan, et. al., and Snakers and Zajdman are articles
which have given information about luxury consumption, consumer attitude, motivation,
conformity, signalling status consumption and brand consumption. All three articles have given
depth information about conspicuous consumption and their impact on buying behavior by
theory findings.
Discussion of Common themes
It has been reviewed in the article of Zhang and Kim that the extent of diversity, as well as
profitability, has amplified in the market with respect to the luxury consumptions market. An
author has implemented a model in which it has been highlighted by them to the impact of six
factors which have been elaborated above on the decision-making process of customer towards
buying luxury brands. It has been focused on by author that there are various factors under this
research in which the author demonstrated the significance role of the materialism and brand
consciousness with respect to conspicuous consumption. Align with Zhang and Kim study all the
other three articles also have acknowledged equivalent factors which operate the conspicuous
consumption.
On the other hand, the study of Memushi explores that in which extent conspicuous consumption
can be increased because of the dissimilarity in income. The main focus of this article is on the
primary consumptions of the consumers in luxury brands. It has been found from the study of
Memushi that the contribution of changed prices is huge in changing the customer buying
behaviour. It was apparent that discounted prices and offers on luxury brands can attract a
number of customers towards buying the luxury brands. The study of Alserhan, (2014) suggests
the model in which he is trying to represent the product hierarchy in Islam. It has been critically

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reviewed that the author has taken the use of mixed research in which the use of qualitative as
well as the quantitative method has been considered to fetch the information about the topic in
depth manner2. Finally, Snakers and Zajdman elaborated in their article that there are two kinds
of marketers such as traditional marketers and experimental marketers. The researcher has taken
consideration of all aspects such as literature review, empirical findings, and the results while
making the research.
Discussion of Different themes
It would not be possible to explore various theories of all articles as all of them have different
aspects to research on the topic of consumer conspicuousness. It has been analyzed that
Memushi , Alserhan, et. al., and Snakers and Zajdmanb have different aspects to elaborate on the
topic. The focus of Alserhan, et. al., and Snakers and Zajdmanb focused on the topic by taking
consideration of the quantitative analysis. On the other hand, Memushi used various articles,
books and online resources to analyze the data which has the feature of qualitative. It has been
found that Memushi proposed a table in which the detail information in a brief manner about the
conspicuous consumption has been given by an author. Along with that, there are different
theory has been considered by the author that emphasizes the comparison of other studies in the
form of a collection of the data as per their real transactions. Zhang and Kim have focused on a
specific country to analyze the data of those people who are attractive towards conspicusous
consumption.
2 Alserhan, B.A., et. al., Measuring luxury brand consumption and female consumers'religiosity
in the uae. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 19(02),2014 p.1450009.-

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Discussion of Study limitations & how limitations differ across the research designs
It has been recognized by Zhang and Kim that the research can be elaborated in a better way by
defining more factors by taking examples of other countries. The conceptual framework and its
limited factor bound researcher to go beyond the research topic. On the other hand, the article of
Memushi’s has demonstrated the causes of motivation in conspicuous consumptions but they can
more focus on the customer behaviour and their theory3.
Snakers and Zajdman, represented a various limitations such as the size of the sample, lack of
reliability in the answers which asked while interviewing and measurement problems4. The
limited range of the sample bound researchers to go beyond the topic to gather the data in an
effective way. Along with that, it has been found that the researcher was forgotten to involve
important questions in the questionnaire.
The limitations in the study of Alserhan, et. al., describes the overlapping price ranges, use of
student as judges and use of student samples. It has been found that the researcher had to face
difficulties in distributing the questionnaire on the UAE campus.
3 Memushi, A. Conspicuous consumption of luxury goods: literature review of theoretical and
empirical evidences. International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, 4(12),2013
pp.250-255.
4 Snakers, E. and E. Zajdman. Does experiential marketing affect the behavior of luxury goods'
consumers?. 2010 pp. 777-780.

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Discussion of future research directions
Zhang and Kim suggested that the research can be focused on other factors such as theories of
customer behaviour, the extent of conspicuous consumption and the different model of
conceptual frameworks. It has been suggested by the researcher to use the sample of SEM for the
purpose of testing all the ways altogether due to having a large scale of the sample.
Alserhan, et. al., elaborated the quantitative research in which it has been assumed by them that
the questionnaire and its information would be helpful for the further research to analyze and
compare the data. The research should be conducted in-depth manner by including various
concepts of conspicuous management and there should be involvement of the concept of a
person as a sum of brands such as models of the brand.
It has been suggested by Memushi that there can be proper classification of the products of
conspicuous management according to the demand of the customers. Snakers and Zajdman,
suggested that the further researchers should have focused on more questionnaires which should
be based on different brands and locations in which the researcher should use experimental
marketing in the field of conspicuous management.

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References
Alserhan, B.A., et. al., Measuring luxury brand consumption and female consumers'religiosity in
the uae. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 19(02),2014 p.1450009.-
Memushi, A. Conspicuous consumption of luxury goods: literature review of theoretical and
empirical evidences. International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, 4(12),2013
pp.250-255.
Snakers, E. and E. Zajdman. Does experiential marketing affect the behavior of luxury goods'
consumers?. 2010 pp. 777-780.
Zhang, B. and J.H. Kim. Luxury fashion consumption in China: Factors affecting attitude and
purchase intent. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 20(1), 2013 pp.68-79.