As Gen Z consumers become an important target segment for the luxury fashion industry, it is crucial to deepen the understanding of their luxury consumption motivations. Based on the functional theories of attitudes, this study examined the impacts of both the need for uniqueness and the bandwagon effect on the multi-functions of attitudes and purchase intentions toward luxury fashion brands. Using a structural equation modelling technique, data provided by 486 college students revealed that the bandwagon effect exhibited a substantial direct impact on their purchase intentions and an indirect impact mediated by the hedonic function of attitude. While our results also support the positive influence of the need for uniqueness on attitudes and purchase intention, it does highlight the greater importance of the bandwagon effect in the context of the luxury brand. Our findings offer marketing insights and implications that enhance luxury brand consumption among Gen Z consumers.

1. Collaborative consumption focuses on obtaining and sharing products/services for a temporary time (R. Belk, 2014; Lang & Joyner Armstrong, 2018). Using fashion rental and subscription services, ...

This study unveils how affluent US consumers process, connect to, and invest various resources regarding luxury brands. The study examines relationships of brand–self congruity, emotional brand attachment, perceived level of investment, and repurchase intentions of a luxury brand. A nationwide, representative online survey was used and 476 adult consumers provided usable responses in the US. Findings from path analyses indicate that consumers’ luxury brand–self congruity positively and significantly predicted both emotional attachment to luxury brands and the perceived level of investment made toward the luxury brand. The perceived level of investment made toward the luxury brand positively impacted the consumers’ repurchase intention toward the brand and mediated interrelationships among the research constructs. Findings of the current study offer a conceptual framework for luxury retailers and marketers to enhance their brand strategies as well as the consumers’ experiences with the luxury brand. Managerial and theoretical implications are provided.

Ubiquitous usages of mobile devices among young adult consumers have been well recognized. The mobile retail industry has been estimated to have 70 billion subscribers by 2016. There has been much trade report regarding the statistics and estimates of the significance of the industry. However, there is little empirical research explaining the dynamics behind what motivates young adult consumers to use mobile devices for various commerce related activities. This study, therefore, aims to unveil a few key antecedents influencing Gen Y consumers' behavioral intentions toward the use of mobile devices for communication as well as commerce purposes. We developed a conceptual model based on the Media Dependency Theory (Ball-Rokeach & Defluer, 1976) and conspicuous consumption (Veblen, 1899) literature. Five hundred and four college students in two large US universities provided usable responses to our pencil-and-paper survey. Causal modeling analysis results demonstrated that females exhibited higher fashion/brand interest, compared to the counterparts. Individual's perception regarding peer influence on using mobile devices substantially and positively influenced both fashion/brand interest as well as text messaging behavior via mobile devices, which in turn positively led to the intentions to use mobile devices for shopping for apparel products and receive the promotional messages delivered via mobile devices.

Purpose: This research provides a comprehensive overview of the luxury brand cognitive and affective experience, category ownerships and consumption level of affluent adult consumers in the USA. The purpose of this study was to illuminate generational cohorts’ differences and/or similarities among the consumers regarding collecting behavior of, brand self-congruity toward and emotional brand attachment with fashion luxury brands. Design/methodology/approach: Using a cross-sectional quantitative approach, the authors conducted a national, representative online survey, 443 usable responses were collected from four generational cohorts, namely, older boomers, younger boomers, Generation Xers and Millennials, who reported an annual household income of US$150,000 or more. Descriptive and multivariate statistical analyses were used to provide the empirical findings. Findings: Findings suggest that there are significant differences in the luxury brands they owned the most; Millennials exhibited significantly more frequent purchases of luxury fashion goods for all retail types – both brick-and-mortar and online, as well as upscale and discount-image retailers, compared to older Baby Boomers; and there are clear distinctions of cognitive, affective and behavioral responses toward fashion luxury goods between Millennials and older Baby Boomers. For instance, Millennials are more emotionally attached to luxury fashion brands, they see themselves more aligned with the brand image, and they collect such goods significantly more, compared to the older Baby Boomers. Originality/value: By providing empirical evidence of contrasting each generational group’s unique consumption behavior in terms of luxury brand goods such as ownership level (accessible vs high-end luxury), retail channel choice behavior, cognitive, affective and behavioral responses toward the luxury fashion goods, the authors provided clear strategies for the luxury brand managers regarding two distinctive segments in the luxury marketplace.