The Impacts of Consumer Ethnocentrism on Foreign Product Judgment and Local Helping Purchase: A Case of Malaysian Cross-Border Shoppers in Hatyai, Thailand

Abstract

Cross-border shopping is the phenomenon when consumers travel to an adjacent country for the specific purpose of purchasing products or services and purchasing activities that can be made during a business or tourist visit. It is also viewed as a subcategory of tourism and leisure. Hatyai, Thailand is located around 30 km from the Malaysian border. The statistics reports that each year more than 400,000 Malaysian visitors visited Hatyai, Thailand. This study aims to investigate the impact of consumer ethnocentrism on foreign product judgment and local helping purchase. The data were collected through self-administered questionnaires among a sample of 423 Malaysian tourists who have done some shopping in Hatyai, Thailand. The results revealed that consumer ethnocentrism have a significant negative impact on foreign product judgment, while consumer ethnocentrism has a significant positive impact on local helping purchase. The result from this study would be helpful in designing and improving effective marketing strategies and conducting marketing campaigns for retailers and tourism marketers on both sides of the border while satisfying the needs of the shoppers. Keywords: