IP Outreach Research > IP Crime
Reference
| Title: | Forget the "Real" Thing - Take the Copy! An Explanatory Model for the Volitional Purchase of Counterfeit Products |
| Author: | Elfriede Penz and Barbara Stöttinger [Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration] |
| Source: | Advances in Consumer Research 32: 568-575 |
| Year: | 2005 |
Details
| Subject/Type: | Counterfeiting |
| Focus: | Brands (non-deceptive counterfeits) |
| Country/Territory: | Austria |
| Objective: | To explore what drives customers to buy the fake rather than the original product. |
| Sample: | 1040 Austrian consumers |
| Methodology: | Questionnaire |
Main Findings
The most important influence on consumer intention to buy fake products comes from perceived behavioural control: the more people think that they are able to engage in that behaviour and have the required resources (such as e.g. time, money), the more they are willing to purchase counterfeits. The perception that buying counterfeit products is "smart shopping" also considerably influences consumers' willingness to buy them.
At a price level only slightly cheaper than the original, the embarrassment potential of being detected as counterfeit user/buyer does not affect purchase intention, while social pressure does. However, at a significantly cheaper price, the embarrassment potential strongly influences the willingness to buy fakes, whereas social normative pressure only has a limited effect. Less important drivers are the attitude towards counterfeiting and the defence of counterfeiters' actions.
Thus, according to the author, communication campaigns should aim at the individual's attitudes towards the own behaviour rather than trying to influence the perception of counterfeiters.
[Date Added: Aug 12, 2008 ]