An exploratory study of Thai consumers' perceptions of 'conspicuousness': a case study of luxury handbags.

Abstract

This study examined consumer perceptions about luxury goods in Thailand, and focused on conspicuous and inconspicuous buying behavior. Conspicuous attitudes have been acknowledged as one of the aspects of Asian consumers' behavior, in the context of a collectivism culture. To explore this theme, survey data was analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), with the focus being on three latent factors: ‘social’, ‘personal’ and ‘conspicuous’ value perceptions. The results indicate that the ‘Conspicuous’ value does not have a significant impact on purchasing intentions, which is a contradiction to the previous notion that Asian consumers are inclined to behave conspicuously in the collectivist cultural context. This finding has implications for marketers in the relevant industry and the field of study relating to inconspicuous consumer behavior.