Rethinking Ethnocentric Buying Behaviour: The Limited Role of Brand Image in Domestic Product Preferences

Abstract

A great deal of research on consumer ethnocentrism has been undertaken in both developed and developing countries. However, there has been a paucity of research in India into the effect of consumer ethnocentrism on buying behaviour in relation to domestic items when domestic alternatives are available. As a result, this study was carried out to fill this information gap as well as to investigate the moderating influence of brand image and domestic product attributes to contribute to the existing literature. For this purpose, data was collected from 252 consumers and Smart PLS 4 was utilized to evaluate the hypothesis. The findings suggest that consumer ethnocentrism influences buying behaviour positively, and product attributes significantly moderate the relationship between consumer ethnocentrism and buying behaviour in relation to domestic products, while brand image does not affect this relationship. This study will provide useful insights for marketers as well as enhance scholarly understanding of Indian consumers' decision-making processes.