Aspirational luxury consumption among young bottom-of-pyramid consumers

Abstract

This study investigates the paradox of luxury brand consumption among young consumers at the bottom of the pyramid (BoP), with a focus on Generation Z (Gen-Z) in China. Despite limited financial means, these consumers actively engage with luxury brands in digital spaces. Drawing on a netnographic approach, the research analyzes online interactions and user-generated content on Rednote and Zhihu to explore the dimensions of brand value that underpin their aspirational consumption. Through thematic analysis, five core luxury brand value dimensions are identified—functional, symbolic, experiential, emotional, and aspirational. Based on these values, the study proposes a typology of Gen-Z BoP consumers that illustrates distinct patterns of luxury engagement. By extending luxury brand value theory into the BoP context, this research contributes to the understanding of digitally mediated aspirational consumption and offers a nuanced perspective on how economic constraints intersect with symbolic consumption in online environments.