| Immigrant consumer behaviour is an important research area in a number of fields including marketing, geography, and ethnic studies. The catalysts for the increasing interest in immigrant consumption are the growing ethnic diversity in metropolitan areas, the increasing evidence of ethnic business activities, and the importance of consumption in an urban economy. In this thesis, I present a new theoretical model on immigrant consumer behaviour. I argue that the duality of the urban commercial system and the identification of immigrants with their ethnic group are critical elements in describing and analyzing immigrant consumer behaviour. This thesis examines the consumer behaviour of middle-class Chinese immigrants in suburban Toronto. When Chinese businesses and mainstream businesses carry a similar product mix and offer competing services, a preference between the two economies can be revealed. While service consumption was highly concentrated among Chinese service providers (e.g., travel agencies and doctors), product shopping took place at both Chinese and mainstream retailers (e.g., supermarkets and electronic stores). Logistic regression models reveal that ethnic identification is the most important factor in the choice of shopping venues although individual characteristics, the spatial structure of supply, and information on store attributes also play a role. The research represents the first attempt to link three largely separate research areas---ethnic economy in sociology, ethnicity and consumption in marketing, and consumer spatial behaviour in geography---by examining the shopping behaviour and consumption patterns of immigrants. It yields important theoretical, planning, and managerial implications. |
