Chinese consumers' purchasing: impact of value and affect

Purpose - Purchases of luxury fashion brands continues to grow rapidly in metropolitan China, creating a significant global marketplace. Associated behaviour is maturing, exhibiting levels of sophistication and is risk averse, consequently, purchasing intention and willingness to pay more represent areas for marketer consideration, as do the potential impact of consumer-perceived brand value and affect on these outcomes. Design/methodology/approach - A survey of 431 Chinese consumers located in Beijing was undertaken within shopping malls specialising in luxury brands, fashion items included. The analysis undertaken considers the influence of value and affect on purchase intention and consumers' willingness to pay extra, achieved by deploying confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equations modelling (SEM). Findings - Functional and social value positively influence consumers' willingness to pay premium prices, impending purchase intentions and affective attitude towards luxury brands, functional value consistently acting as the more dominant predictor, with attitude further directly influencing purchase intention. Symbolic values afforded by consumers influence to some extent affective attitude, but not willingness to pay, whilst the direct effect on purchase intention is counter intuitive. Research limitations/implications - The research was restricted to Beijing, where consumer behaviour understanding is transferable to other key Chinese conurbations, but not necessarily to the majority of the country, where disposable income levels and consumer relationships with fashion and luxury are recognisably different. Originality/value - This centres on setting and recognition of the key antecedents of purchase intention and a propensity to pay more for items of fashion and luxury.