THE MODERATING ROLE OF INDEPENDENT SELF-CONSTRUAL ON THE PERSONALITY FACTORS IMPACTING THE PURCHASE INTENTION TOWARDS COUNTERFEIT LUXURY

The demand for counterfeit luxury is increasing due to its accessibility, but the motivator behind purchasing counterfeits is not only related to price. Instead, understanding the role of internal traits (personality) and the desire to act independently when intending to purchase counterfeit luxury provides a better understanding of the intention to purchase counterfeits. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the impact that personality factors have on consumers’ intention to purchase counterfeit luxury and the moderating role that independent self-construal plays. Data were collected using an online self-administered questionnaire and 519 responses were obtained. Using multiple regression and moderation analyses, the hypotheses were tested and it was found that materialism, brand consciousness, status consumption, and personal gratification impacted the intention to purchase counterfeit luxury, with independent self-construal moderating these relationships. This demonstrates that consumers who are materialistic, conscious of the brands they purchase, and purchase due to the need to obtain status intend to purchase counterfeit luxury. However, the sense of accomplishment (personal gratification) revealed a negative yet positive relationship with the intention to purchase counterfeit luxury, demonstrating that the more individuals are concerned with their sense of accomplishment, the less likely they are to purchase counterfeit luxury. The study provides a theoretical contribution by including an understanding of the need to be unique (independent self-construal) when purchasing a product category typically influenced by social needs. In addition, the study gives authentic luxury manufacturers the opportunity to develop marketing strategies in an aim to deter consumers from purchasing counterfeits.