Understanding consumer purchasing behaviour regarding luxury fashion-related goods in China

The literature shows agreement that luxury goods provide private value for consumers and symbolize social codes. Consumer behaviour regarding luxury goods is thus the result of social and self-expression motivations; therefore, research on consumer purchasing behaviour regarding luxury goods should be conducted under the assumption that consumers can gain both "inner" experience value and "external" social status by purchasing luxury goods. In order to analyze and explain purchasing behaviour regarding luxury goods, this thesis draws upon a social psychological theory, specifically the theory of planned behaviour (Ajzen, 1991), as the theoretical basis of the research. This model takes into account both personal factors and social influence. The literature indicates that luxury goods consumption pattern can also be understood from a culture perspective and that, from this perspective, cultural orientation can best explain behavioural similarities and differences. A number of researchers point out that the conception of cultural orientation as uni-dimensional or bi-dimensional is inadequate, and researchers further propose that both individualist and collectivist may be either horizontal or vertical. One aim of this research was thus to test the application of multidimensional model to explain Chinese consumers' cultural orientation. The present research therefore further includes investigation of the impact of cultural orientation on Chinese consumers' intention to purchase luxury goods.;Results show that the cultural orientations of Chinese affluent consumers include various combinations of the horizontal versus vertical dimension and the collectivist versus individualist dimension. The findings also confirm the proposition that both individual motives and social pressure can influence consumers' intentions to purchase luxury goods. The empirical results indicate that attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control contribute to predicting intentions to purchase luxury goods; however, the results do not support the traditional view that the behaviour of consumers in a collectivist culture is more influenced by subjective norms than by attitudes. In addition, the findings suggest cultural orientation has indirect effect on consumers' intention to purchase luxury goods by influencing consumers' beliefs.;The research focuses on testing and interpreting a theoretical model of consumer behaviour that scholars can apply in related empirical work. The project therefore has potentially significant value in the area of research and implications for the global marketing of luxury goods.