This research examines the impact of visualizing virtual luxury products in the metaverse on consumers' perceptions of luxury products in the real world. We explore the metaverse as a marketing platform and investigate the relationship between the quality of visualization of virtual luxury products and consumers’ evaluations of real luxury products. The study hypothesizes that poor visualization quality of virtual luxury products will decrease the evaluation of authentic luxury goods, and this effect will be mediated by decreased perceived authenticity. Additionally, we predict that the negative effect will be mitigated by high-quality visualization.

Blockchain is an immutable ledger that records transactions and tracks assets using a common communication protocol. It stores a copy of the blockchain and implements a consensus function to verify transactions. Blockchain is applied to industries beyond finance, such as retail, to maintain security and transparency. Consumers with knowledge of blockchain technology are likely to be affected when evaluating products with blockchain embedded, impacting their product evaluation. The study investigates the impact of blockchain technology on consumers' product evaluation and how knowledge of blockchain and product quality moderate its effects.

This paper examines how consumers evaluate digital products with multiple Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs), which are blockchain-enabled cryptographic assets that represent proof-of-ownership for digital objects. The study predicts that people prefer fractioned NFTs (unique fractions of a digital object) versus duplicated NFTs (identical digital objects with distinct numbers) due to their preference for uniqueness. The study also examines the moderating role of product attributes, predicting that preferences for fractioned NFTs will be reduced when the product provides unique aspects, such as a serial number.

The market for counterfeit luxury goods is growing rapidly, with estimates suggesting that counterfeit trades are valued at around $4.5 trillion globally, with 60% to 70% of this being made up of counterfeit luxury goods. Research has shown that counterfeits dilute the perceived quality of luxury brands and reduce consumers' purchase intentions. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are a form of ownership record that is linked and stored on a blockchain.

The study investigates how the presence of blockchain technology affects social fairness and selfish monetary decisions. Based on the assumption that blockchain technology enhances transparency and traceability in social exchanges, the study predicts that individuals will make less selfish decisions when blockchain is present. To test these predictions, the study conducted three experiments using a modified version of the dictator game scenario where participants decide how to divide a sum of money among themselves. In Study 1, the results show that individuals took less money for themselves and allocated more to the third player when blockchain technology was present, and the importance of social fairness was higher under the blockchain-presence condition. The mediation analysis indicates that the increase in social fairness mediates the effect of blockchain technology on monetary decisions. Study 2 replicated Study 1 with real monetary incentives. The results showed that individuals took less money for themselves only under the blockchain-image condition, and the importance of social fairness was higher only under the blockchain-image condition. Study 3 examined the moderating effect of the first player's allocation on participants' behavior under the presence or absence of blockchain technology. The study provides empirical evidence that blockchain technology can positively influence social fairness and reduce selfish monetary decisions. The findings have implications for policymakers and blockchain developers to design and implement blockchain systems that promote transparency and traceability in social exchanges, thereby enhancing social fairness.

This study aims to empirically investigate how corporate strategy mitigates consumer boycotts caused by animosity toward economic sanction. First, the study focuses on the cross-culture emotions (i.e., animosity and affinity) and explores the direct and indirect effect of animosity toward economic sanction on boycott attitude (via consumer affinity). Additionally, it focuses on the moderating effect of brand strength and corporate social contribution on boycott attitude. We conduct a longitudinal analysis of boycotts by South Koreans on the Japanese products, which started in South Korea in 2019; and additionally, we employ PROCESS macro to test the moderated mediation hypothesis, using the data collected from South Korea in 2020 and 2021. Our findings reveal that the data collected in 2020 and in 2021 have the same implications. The main findings are as follows. First, while animosity toward economic sanction directly increases boycott attitude, it also indirectly increases boycott attitude via consumer affinity. Second, the assumption that both brand strength and corporate social contribution weaken the positive and direct effects of animosity toward economic sanction on boycott attitude was not supported. Third, we find that corporate social contribution weakens the positive and indirect effect of animosity toward economic sanction on boycott attitude. However, unlike our prediction, brand strength strengthens the positive and indirect effects of animosity to economic sanction on boycott attitude. The three key theoretical implications are as follows. First, while many studies have examined the role of animosity as a cause of boycott, only a few studies have simultaneously addressed the conflicting emotions of affinity (Kim, Yan, Kim, Terasaki, & Furukawa, 2022). This study extends boycott research by exploring the relationship between animosity and boycott attitudes by considering the mediating effect of affinity. Second, to our best knowledge, only a few boycott studies have explored corporate strategies that adequately respond unanticipated country boycotts where the companies are not directly associated with the causes or motives of such boycotts (Kim & Kinoshita, 2023). This study extends boycott research by investigating brand strength and corporate social contribution as corporate strategies in the context of consumer boycotts. Third, although it is known that consumer boycotts change with time, only a few boycott studies are based on longitudinal analyses (Ettenson & Klein, 2005); hence, this study examines consumer boycotts longitudinally to improve the generalization of our findings. Our findings also present some managerial implications for global companies facing unexpected country boycotts by local consumers. When boycotts are caused by economic sanctions between countries, brand strength exerts a two-sided effect. Regarding consumer sentiment, the higher the brand strength, the higher the affinity for the country represented by the brand, and vice versa; however, consumers may also choose to boycott a brand with high strength. Consumers may feel angry and engage in boycotts when they feel betrayed by a brand with strong brand strength. However, corporate social contribution reinforces a sense of closeness in the country it presents and contributes toward mitigating the boycott attitude; this is because consumers consider their corporate social contribution as a beneficial activity for their country. Therefore, global companies that expand overseas should not only use their brand strength, but also engage in activities that are beneficial to the country and enhance the familiarity of the consumers of the country to develop a sense of cultural affinity. In addition, this study also has implications for policymakers. Economic sanctions against a specific country not only lower consumers’ affinity, but also leave a negative impact on the global companies with high brand strength. Therefore, policymakers must proceed with caution when they make an economic sanction for a certain country.

This paper investigates the impact of the scarcity information (Lynn, 1991) of a brand in its originating market on the pre- and post-taste evaluations of an imported food brand. We expect a positive effect of scarcity information on food brand evaluations, mainly based on naïve economic theory and the ‘scarce product is good’ heuristic. Four experimental studies confirmed this expectation. Study 1 shows that pre-taste evaluations and price judgment are higher when a new food brand is scarce (vs. when it is not) in its originating foreign market. Study 2 finds that both pre- and post-taste evaluations are higher in the scarce (vs. non-scarce) information condition. Study 3 supports the effect of the scarcity effect (vs. the popularity effect) and supports the mediating role of perceived scarcity. Study 4 replicated study 3 using a different sample and target food. Finally, a single-paper meta-analysis confirmed the strong effect of scarcity information on the evaluation of a food product. This research has several theoretical and practical implications. First, it can extend our understanding of how a nonfood- related characteristic determines food evaluation and preference (Wansink, 2004). Second, we separate the impact of scarcity information from popularity information on food evaluations. Finally, we extend the role of scarcity information to taste evaluation and suggest that the type of information can differentially influence pre- and post-taste evaluations.

While conspicuous consumption received much attention from marketing scholars, the focus has largely been on what motivates consumers to engage in these types of behaviors rather than on what prevents conspicuous consumption. Yet, psychological research shows that the individuals who purchase conspicuous products may suffer low subjective well-being overall because there are never-ending discrepancies between the actual and ideal self. Simply put, excessive conspicuous consumption can be detrimental for the consumers’ well-being. Accordingly, from the perspective of cause-related marketing, it is equally important (if not more) to understand how such behaviors can be discouraged. Informed by the literature on the self-concept, selfcongruence, and psychological distance, our study addresses this issue by establishing a novel psychological mechanism that discourages consumers to engage in conspicuous behaviors. Specifically, we establish that: Because self-transformation motivation induces individuals to pursue their ideal-self, this will lead them to seek conspicuous products that reflect an ideal-self. On the contrary, because selfexpression motivation induces individuals to pursue their actual-self, this will lead them to seek non-conspicuous products that more closely represent their actual-self. This research provides important insights for cause related marketing campaigns that want to help people to control the purchase of conspicuous products.

This research was conducted in order to examine whether the type of credit card (premier vs. standard card) influences consumer purchase decisions regarding luxury consumption. The present research reports three experiments with online panels of non-student adults, which find that (1) the use of a premier card (vs. a standard card) leads to a more goal-congruent choices, (2) the effect is mediated by a temporary increase in the perception of pride, and (3) the effect is pronounced for people with a low level of chronic pride. The effect of payment methods on consumer spending has been a concern of theory and research in consumer behavior (Bernthal, Crockett, & Rose, 2005; Feinberg, 1986; Prelec & Lowenstein, 1998; Soman, 2001). This research stream has shown that consumers tend to spend more when they use a credit card than when they pay cash and has proposed various theoretical mechanisms to account for the phenomenon (Chatterjee & Rose, 2012; Prelec & Simester, 2001; Soman, 2001; Thomas, et al., 2011). However, researchers have paid little attention to the effect of different types of credit cards (i.e., premier vs. standard card) on consumer decisions. We contend that the use of a premier card (vs. a standard card) can increase the feeling of pride momentarily and in turn increase consumers’ motivation to pursue a long-term goal that they value. As a result, they prefer a choice alternative that is more congruent with the goal. To be specific, the use of a premier card would increase the choice of luxury alternative, and that this effect would be pronounced for those who value material possessions (i.e., high materialism). This expectation was confirmed in the studies that we have performed. In three experiments, participants were shown a credit card(either premier or standard) and were asked to assume that they were going to use it for their purchase. Then, they were asked to make choices in shopping contexts. Participants with premier credit card, compared to those with standard card, showed more goal-consistent choices. They were more likely to choose luxury alternatives, and this effect was apparent only for those who have a high materialistic value. When the choice set includes both a low-calorie food and a high-calorie food, the use of a premier card increased the choice of low-calorie food, and this effect was apparent only for those with diet goal. These effects were mediated by the feeling of pride. Three studies in combination provide insights into the effect of types of credit cards on consumer spending regarding luxury consumption and the processes underlying the effect, which have not been reported elsewhere. The use of a premier credit card (vs. a standard credit card) led to a greater choice of luxury alternatives over standard alternatives and a greater choice of low-calorie foods over high-calorie foods. However, these effects were apparent only when people highly valued the goal under consideration (i.e., high materialism or strong diet goal). Finally, these effects were attributable to a momentary increase in the perception of pride by virtue of the use of a premier card, and consequently, the effects were observable only for people who have a relatively low chronic pride. The effects we observed in this research generalized over different product categories and different long-term goals. Nevertheless, it is desirable to extend findings in more diverse consumption categories (e.g., services) as well as to identify additional variables that moderate the magnitude of the effect. In addition, it is worth considering alternative underlying mechanisms than the one we considered (i.e., the feeling of pride) in future research. For example, a premier card may increase individuals’ construal level, thereby affecting consumer purchase decisions.

In real life most are searching for ways to pursue happiness through positive affirmation from others. This practice includes conspicuous luxury consumption in capitalist societies. Veblen Thorstein critically describes this construct as lavishing money on unnecessary evident goods as a means to gain social status and recognition from others (Veblen, 1899). Following Veblen, researchers have examined various antecedent and consequent factors of conspicuous luxury consumption behaviour from broad research streams such as power, social class, culture and materialism (e.g., Berger & Ward, 2010; Han, Nunes, & Drèze, 2010; Lee & Shrum, 2012; Rucker & Galinsky, 2008, 2009; Sivanathan & Pettit, 2010; Wang & Griskevicius, 2014). Though research on conspicuous luxury consumption has received great attention over the past decade, and previous research discovered how various factors affect conspicuous luxury consumption, the ways in which core factors influence conspicuous luxury consumption are still not well understood. In this research, we revealed two important factors; self-focus versus other-focus and self-transformative versus self-expressive motivation. In multiple experiments, the major dependent variable is the logo size of luxury brands, which is generally accepted to reflect the conspicuous consumption intentions of the purchaser. This research reveals the following two important findings. First, individuals have a greater desire for conspicuous luxury products when they focus more on others than themselves, because of brand logo visibility of luxury consumption. This is because focusing on others makes individuals more concerned about others’ opinions of them and social criticism (Fenigstein, Scheier, & Buss, 1975), thus leading individuals to gravitate towards the products that can guard against potential social criticism. This in turn, makes other-focused individuals place more value than self-focused individuals on conspicuous luxury products that have socially favourable indicators. Secondly, the current research shows that individuals who are motivated to transform themselves into the person they wish to be prefer conspicuous luxury products more than those who are motivated to express their actual selves. This is because conspicuous luxury products are highly associated with an ideal self. The current research offers several important contributions. First, the studies reported here will enrich the extant conspicuous luxury consumption literature by unveiling the fundamental motivations lying behind the various factors that have been shown to influence conspicuous consumption in previous research (e.g., Lee & Shrum, 2012; Rucker & Galinsky, 2008, 2009). Second, the findings of this research highlight ways to attenuate conspicuous luxury consumption that affect the happiness of individuals; the self-focused and self-expression. Consequently, this research’s findings advance understanding of luxury consumption as most research has focused more on antecedents that increase conspicuous luxury consumption behaviour (e.g., Lee & Shrum, 2012; Sivanathan & Pettit, 2010; Wang & Griskevicius, 2014) than factors that decrease conspicuous luxury consumption behaviour (Stillman, Fincham, Vohs, Lambert, & Phillips, 2012).

Past research has shown that the self-congruity effect (Sirgy, 1982) is an important key predictor for consumers’ responses (e.g., attitude, purchase intention, choice, satisfaction, and loyalty) toward various marketing stimuli such as brand, store, and product (Barone, Shimp, and Sprott, 1999; Sirgy, Grewal, & Mangleburg, 2000). The self-congruity effect refers to the match between consumers’ actual self-concept and the image of objects compared, such as brand image, product image, store image, and advertising materials (Choi & Rifon, 2012; Sirgy, Grewal, & Mangleburg, 2000). These relationships, however, have not been tested in the context of luxury brand products (Sirgy, 1982). Our purpose is to address this knowledge gap by investigating the relevancy of self-congruity theory to the purchase of luxury brands. In contrast to the long-standing self-congruity effect, we propose that actual self-incongruity and ideal self-congruity effects will work when consumers evaluate luxury fashion brands. A survey method was used to gather data. Data were collected through an online panel provided by E-rewards, a marketing research company located in the United States. A stratified sampling method was employed to obtain an evenly distributed number of participants from different income classes. The strata was identified by income. Three strata were developed: (1) more than $100,000; (2) $55,000 to less than $100,000; and (3) less than $55,000. The sample (n = 502, average age = 41) represented most demographic categories. We tested the influence of actual self-incongruity and ideal self-congruity on brand attitude, purchase intention, and perceived quality for 3 brands. Actual self-incongruity had a significant positive effect on brand attitude, whereas ideal self-congruity had a significant positive effect on brand attitude, purchase intention, perceived quality. Overall, the results supported our main hypothesis. We conducted an additional analysis to examine the moderating role of income. Specifically, for brand attitude, the influence of actual self-incongruity was significantly positive only for the low-income group. The influence of ideal self-congruity was significantly positive only for the low- and middle-income groups. For purchase intention, the influence of ideal self-incongruity was significantly negative only for the low-income group, whereas the influence of ideal self-congruity was not significant for the middle- or high-income groups. Finally, for perceived quality, the influence of actual self- and ideal self-incongruity was significant only for the middle-income group, whereas that influence was not significant for the high-income group. This research contributes to the self-congruity effect in the context of luxury brands. Our results show the positive influence of ideal self-congruity and actual self-incongruity on the evaluation of luxury brand products. This is the first study identifying that actual self-congruity has a negative influence on the evaluation of brands in a luxury market context, as opposed to previous findings. Our results provide important implications to practitioners in planning their marketing communication strategies or consumer relationship management for luxury brand consumers.