Do materialism and shopping enjoyment impact luxury brand purchase intention?

Abstract

Some consumers have adapted to a modern lifestyle centred on projecting their status to society through materialistic presentations, including displaying luxury brand products. Our goal is to extend existing studies on this phenomenon and explore the direct effect of two dimensions of materialism (materialism self-projection vs. materialism evaluation of others) on shopping enjoyment and luxury brand purchase intention. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to analyse data from 136 Malaysian respondents and found that materialism self-projection is responsible for shopping enjoyment and purchase intention. In contrast, the materialistic evaluation of others is only responsible for purchase intention but not shopping enjoyment. Finally, shopping enjoyment also directly impacts purchase intention. Managers of luxury brand retailers could also benefit by understanding that direct and indirect relationships that impact purchase intention. Managers could enhance purchase intention by stimulating materialism self-projection and materialism evaluation of others based on consumers’ desires. Managers could improve the retail environment and train staff to contribute to the customers’ shopping enjoyment, which would also enhance purchase intention. This study thus offers an alternative model of purchase intention, theoretical and practical implications, and several avenues for future studies.