U.S. Consumer Attitudes toward Counterfeit Fashion Products

Authors

  • Karen E. Edwards
  • Jason M. Carpenter

Abstract

Counterfeit products pose a serious threat to the manufacturers and retailers of authentic designer products and to the world economy. While research on the demand side of counterfeiting has grown over the past two decades, few extant studies have been conducted among non-student consumers outside Asia and Europe and few studies have focused on product categories other than consumer electronic-related items (CDs, DVDs, software). Using a sample of U.S. consumers (N=305), the current research investigates consumer attitudes in the context of fashion products. In contrast to the bulk of extant research on counterfeiting, handbags and sunglasses are used as the focal product categories rather than consumer electronic-related items. Findings suggest that value consciousness, social costs and anti-big business attitude influence consumers’ intention to purchase counterfeit fashion products.

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Published

2013-04-01