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Research Proposal

Qualitative study on Impulsive buying, materialism and

conspicuous consumption

Submitted by

Sulipi Biswas, 19214063

Bsc. Psychology (hons.)

Submitted to:

Dr. Sanchita Srivastava

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Table of Contents

Introduction………………………………………………………3

Review of Literature……………………………..…………….…….3

Rationale of the Study…………………..……………………………8

Research Framework………………………………………………...8

Research Objectives……………………………………………...12

Research methodology…………………………………………...12

a. Participant Selection / Sampling…………………………..13

b. Data Collection………………………………………….....13

c. Data Analysis……………………………………………....14

d. Ethical Considerations……………………………………...14

Implications of the Study…………….………………………………..15

Conclusion………………………………………………………….16

Reference…………………………………………………………...17
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Introduction

Consumer tastes and choices have grown more or less similar globally as a result of

globalisation. As a result, the purpose of this study is to present a complete framework of

consumer behavioural features that may be further studied and empirically evaluated in future

research.

The need to define three key consuming characteristics stems from the reality that, as

globalisation progresses, consumer culture and behaviour are becoming more homogeneous

internationally. This means that these unrelenting forces of globalisation are also influencing

local culture in India (Gupta, 2012), resulting in a shift in consumer behaviour. The current study

extensively identifies the literature primarily based on these 3 constructs, namely, materialism,

impulse shopping for and conspicuous consumption; will be followed by a primary analysis

through in-depth interviews of the purchasers of a neighborhood hypermarket, in order that the

understanding of those three necessary behavioral traits can manufacture an insight for the

international company managers who anticipate scopes for investments within the world market.

Consumer consumption qualities are observable in the consumer's daily lives in a variety of

ways. As a result, it's been the topic of a significant quantity of academic research in the field of

consumer behaviour; however, there is presently no study that directly focuses on the

implications of these features together on consumers' day-to-day life.

Review of literature

The available research literature in the subject area is examined. To evaluate the efforts of many

researchers in this topic, a wide range of relevant electronic journal databases, academic papers,
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and books were resorted to. Cass and Julian Podoshen feel that understanding the elements that

underpin consumer behaviour - such as materialism, conspicuous consumption, and impulsive

purchasing - is critical for policymakers, marketing managers, and society. As a driver of

personal expenditure and hence the economy, materialism has significant societal ramifications.

It also has important ramifications for individuals due to its unfavourable link to happiness.

Materialism, according to Richins (2010), is linked to a number of criteria that marketers care

about.

Materialism

Belk (1985) defined materialism as the importance a person attaches to worldly possessions. At

the highest level of materialism, such possessions place a central place in a person’s life and are

believed to provide the greatest source of satisfaction and dissatisfaction.

Richins and Dawson (1992) conceptualized materialism as consumer value and stated that

materialism comes from value, and it is value that guides people’s choices. With respect to

consumption, materialism will influence the type and quantity of goods purchased. Roberts

(2000) explained materialism as a lifestyle in which high-level material consumption functions

as a goal.

Cleveland, Laroche and Papadopoulos (2009) have defined materialism among Indian

consumers. The study brought forth the relationship that materialism has with cultural adherence

and regional differences within India, and its impact on various purchase behaviour.
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According to Benmoyal-Bouzaglo and Moschis (2010), a consumer's materialistic value is a

reflection of his life experiences between adolescence and adulthood. Stress, family structure

(whether intact or dislocated), and television viewing have a significant influence on an

individual's materialistic ideals.

Mishra and Mishra (2011) also reported that Indian consumers with more materialistic

inclinations are more inventive in their purchasing and have a favourable attitude toward

television advertising.

Materialistic customers and status signalling are linked, according to Wang and Wallendorf

(2006), and they can only receive product satisfaction by going above their inherent economic

bounds.

Gupta (2011) classified materialism as "placing importance/attachment to worldly goods," as

defined by Belk (1985), and its impact on consumer society.

Impulse Buying

Earlier impulsive purchasing research focused on the product as an incentive for spontaneous

purchases. Clover (1950) and West (1951) concluded that impulsive buying is similar to

unplanned purchase in previous investigations.

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Stern (1962) distinguished between planned and impulsive purchases, with planned purchases

requiring logical decision-making and impulse purchases requiring fast decision-making.

The term "impulse purchasing" was used by Rook (1987) to describe a consumer's spontaneous,

typically powerful, and persistent want to acquire something right now. The study's major focus

was on the product when deciding impulsive purchases. The desire to acquire is a hedonically

complicated inclination that can cause emotional tension.

Rook and Fisher (1995) described impulsiveness as a personality characteristic in which a

person's predisposition to buy spontaneously, non-reflectively, instantly, and kinetically is

expressed. Dawson and Kim (2009) bolstered and expanded on Rook and Fisher's results,

claiming that they have a clear relationship to an individual's impulsiveness while making an

online purchase.

According to Kacen and Lee (2002), impulsive purchasing is a buyer's rapid choice based on his

cultural background. Yoon (2013) identified the types of in-store experiences that influence

impulse purchases. Impulse purchase is significantly influenced by a pleasant in-store

experience.

Impulse buying, according to Beatty and Ferrell (1998), is making a purchase without planning

ahead of time. They said that impulsive purchasing happens when a buyer has a strong urge to

buy something but does not have time to think about it.
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Conspicuous Consumptions

The term 'Conspicuous Consumption' was coined by Thorsten Veblen (1899) to describe the

behaviour of acquiring specific goods and services not to survive but to identify oneself to others

as having better riches and social position.

According to O'Cass and McEwen (2004), an individual's consumption behaviour is determined

by their underlying characteristics. For example, young, status-conscious consumers are more

likely to be influenced by interpersonal influence; the clothes they wear also reveal a lot about

their status and group dynamics.

In India, conspicuous consumerism is described by the English-speaking Indian middle class,

who are in a transitional period and actively accept a new product that enhances their identity,

but differs from what the affluent and wealthy do (Chaudhuri & Majumdar, 2006). Shukla (2008)

used the psychological and brand antecedents to define ostentatious consumption.

Conspicuous consumption, according to Chaudhuri, Majumdar, and Ghodhal (2011), is an

intentional engagement in symbolic and visible buying with the goal of communicating a unique

self-image to others.
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Rationale of the study

The goal of this study was to translate all empirical and conceptual findings about the three

mentioned consumption traits gathered through a systematic review of literature into lessons for

both international and domestic corporate managers, researchers, and scholars interested in

learning more about them. A qualitative study was undertaken utilising the in-depth interview

approach to validate the claim and to assess its practical implications.

Research Framework

There are several things that impact a consumer's materialism. Materialism is motivated by a

variety of variables, including globalisation (desire for foreign products), culture, family

structure, contentment, and demography, according to various sources.

According to Ger and Belk (1996), materialism is a Western consumer culture feature, and

Indian consumers are attempting to replicate Western lifestyles as a result of Westernization

(Ruth & Commuri, 1998).

According to Durvasula and Lysonski (2008), access to global media exposes Indian consumers

to Western culture and behaviours, and they are more likely to acquire wants comparable to those

found in consumer-oriented markets.

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Additionally, Eckhardt and Mahi (2004) found that international brands in India are bringing in

foreign cultural impact, and that customers who are inclined to foreign brands are likely to have

much greater materialistic value.

According to Petty and Balagopal (1998), Indian consumers have become more materialistic as a

result of Westernization. Gupta (2011) found a significant association between materialistic

values and Indian consumers' inclination toward foreign brands (PTFB), which is used as a proxy

for globalisation. According to Ger and Belk (1996) and Richins and Dawson (1992), there is no

link between materialism and affluence; nevertheless, Richins (1987) found a strong link

between income and materialism. Goldberg et al. (2003) found that boys are more materialistic

than girls in the United States.

According to Richins (1994), materialism causes a desire to acquire prestige commodities, which

in this case are things acquired for social standing. Materialistic consumers, according to

Fournier and Marsha (1991), associate status recognition and enjoyment with having enough or

acceptable stuff.

Yurchisin and Johnson (2004) discovered that materialism is linked to a sense of social standing.

is linked to ostentatious consumption in a favourable way. According to O'Cass and Julian

(2001), a consumer's. A consumer's level of materialism would have a huge impact on their

interest in fashion apparel. Consumers that are more materialistic are more involved.
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Due to the entry of foreign products into the Indian market, growth in the organised retail

industry, increasing disposable income, favourable demographic segmentation, and changing

culture and lifestyle, Muruganantham and Bhakat (2013) discovered that Indian consumers'

consumption behaviour and impulse buying have changed dramatically.

Researchers such as Hoyer and MacInner (1999), Verplanken and Herabadi (2001), Kaur and

Singh (2007), Dave (2011), and Yoon (2013) have discovered that the overall store environment,

which includes atmosphere, odours, colours, decoration, background music, and product

appearance, is a motivator for impulse purchases.

Credit cards, 24-hour retailing, and internet purchasing, according to Dawson and Kim (2009)

and Rook (1987), are all variables that contribute to increasing impulsive spending.

Hultén and Vanyushyn (2011) and Kalla and Arora (2011) discovered that how customers react

to unique in-store displays and discount offers influences the amount of spontaneous purchases

they make.

Han et al. (1991) investigated the role of fashion in impulse purchase and identified a number of

patterns, including emotional, pure-reminded, and fashion-oriented impulses.

Park et al. (2006) discovered that a consumer's fashion participation stimulates fashion-oriented

impulsive purchase.

Piron (1989) highlighted the role of autistic stimuli in encouraging impulse purchasing as an

internal motivator. Self-discrepancy, hedonic demands, emotional states, autistic stimuli, and

social status were revealed to be internal motivators of impulsive purchase in consumers by

Kalla and Arora (2011).

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According to Chaudhuri and Majumdar (2006), there are changing dynamics of socio-economic

structure in transitioning Indian society, which are fostered by the entry of foreign brands into

India, causing the consumption of luxurious imported goods to be guided by the symbolic

properties (brand name) of the product rather than the functional property. Gupta (2009, p. 2)

cited a study by the International Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) that

identified foreign labels such as Louis Vuitton and Armani as India's most prominent accessory

brands. The purchase of high-end fashion accessories falls under the category of conspicuous

consumerism, thus marketers should be aware of this.

Because Asian culture is founded on interpersonal construal of self, Gupta (2009) stated in his

study that Indian consumers' consumption behaviour should be understood in light of the unique

cultural environment in which it occurs. Asians place a higher importance on communal goals,

and luxury purchasing is influenced by cultural considerations. While conspicuous spending is a

worldwide phenomenon, its appeal and motive appear to be based on cultural values (Souiden et

al., 2011). Furthermore, cultural theories based on Hostede's idea of cultural dimensions propose

a number of explanations for the probable heterogeneity of conspicuous spending among

cultures.
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Research Objectives

1. To determine the variables that perpetuate certain consumer behavioural patterns, such as

materialism, conspicuous consumerism, and impulsive buying, through a concentrated

literature study.

2. Conduct a qualitative investigation to test the validity and reasonableness of the elements

collected from the literature in the current setting, or to see if they also apply to the

demographic targeted in the study.

3. To identify the common characteristics that all three of the above-mentioned attributes

have, which are commonly referred to as influencers for consumer behavioural traits.

4. To provide a proposal for a framework.

5. To learn principles that may be used to both international and domestic marketing

Research Methodology

There are four stages to the research. The first step is to conduct an initial literature review,

which entails examining a variety of relevant electronic journal databases, academic papers, and

books to assess the work of diverse academics. The exploratory literature review is the second
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stage, in which all relevant papers, journals, and books are chosen and arranged chronologically.

The research objectives are also specified at this point. The third step is a targeted literature

review, which entails analysing and documenting any potential findings related to the study

goals. In the final stage, qualitative research through in-depth interview technique is conducted

with a chosen sample.

Population

The target population for this study is 20 individuals who are the regular customers of the local

hypermarket ‘Big Bazaar’. All the participants belonged to the urban middle class population of

the city ‘Delhi’ from various backgrounds.

Sampling

A convenience sampling strategy was used for this study where participants were self-selected.

Participants were recruited on a volunteer basis with respect to the study’s inclusion criteria.

International students and people who had children were excluded from this study.

Data Collection

Potential participants who met the inclusion criteria and wished to participate in the study were

directed to a link that included an informed consent form, eligibility screening questions that

required participants to confirm they met the inclusion criteria, a demographic questionnaire,

and the survey instruments. All data for the research was collected anonymously. Eligible

participants were directed to a brief demographic questionnaire that assesses age, gender,
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occupation level followed by the interview questions. The approximate time to complete all

survey items was 20-30 minutes. Upon survey completion, participants were directed to a

“Thank You” page where participants would be fully debriefed about the true nature of the

study. My contact information would be provided for questions or comments.

Data Analysis

Data collected from the interview will be conducted using Kvale’s seven stage model of

conducting in-depth interviews. Later on verbatim text of all the responses is presented in the

form of written statements for better understanding using the audio recording and interviewer’s

side notes. Verifying includes checking the credibility of the information gathered and for that, a

method called triangulation is used to achieve the purpose. Triangulation involves using multiple

perspectives to interpret a single set of information.

Ethical Considerations

Prior to data collection, since the participants were asked about the personal feelings and

behaviors of the target population in typical daily life, the risk of this study was minimal.

Although participation is not expected to bring risks that are commonly encountered in daily

life, participants were told in the consent form that expressing their feelings can cause emotional

stress. Measures were also taken to ensure that the participants did not feel pressure to

participate excessively. The informed consent process provides participants with a description of

the research, the risks and benefits of participation, and the participant’s right to privacy

protected by data collection without any personally identifiable information. There will be no

negative consequences if you withdraw from the investigation at any time. Finally, Prompts and
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probes were used in each question for eliciting the exact information. All the 20 sessions were

audio recorded and complimented with written notes after obtaining the respondent’s permission.

Implication of the study

Materialism, impulsive buying, and ostentatious consumption are significant characteristics of

consumer behaviour, and marketers may use a deep grasp of them to promote their firms. More

sales turnover may be achieved by combining and collaborating numerous aspects that impact

them, benefitting both marketers and merchants. The Indian market for products and services is

expanding, and competition will likely intensify in the coming years as more foreign companies

enter the market and domestic firms develop and expand.

It will be feasible to clarify the three consumer behavioural features, their many aspects, and

their interaction with the customer after conducting a content analysis of the literature.

Furthermore, the creation of such a framework advances knowledge in the field of consumer

research and adds value to the current body of literature. Based on shifting market patterns in

emerging nations, it is feasible to conclude that consumer behavioural characteristics will

become a rising field of research and will be referred to by marketers and merchants several

times before designing a new strategy.

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Conclusion

In the study of consumer behaviour, consumer behavioural features or characteristics are the

most important factor. Researchers and marketers have long sought to understand customer

behaviour in order to develop effective marketing tactics. This essay focuses on three key

characteristics: materialism, impulsive purchasing, and ostentatious consumerism. All three

characteristics have to do with the creative, emotive, and evaluative aspects of consumer

behaviour. By combining major research work undertaken by writers all across the world

utilising qualitative research approaches, this study attempts to provide fresh information and

understanding into the issue.

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