Exploring the role of attitudinal functions in counterfeit purchase behavior via an extended conceptual framework

Abstract

Prior research on counterfeit purchase behavior focuses on two attitudinal functions (social-adjustive and value-expressive) and ignores the others (e.g., ego-defensive, knowledge, and utilitarian), despite growing evidence that consumers’ attitudes toward a product category may serve multiple functions. We address this research gap with an extended conceptual framework that incorporates all the five attitudinal functions and explores their direct and indirect effects on counterfeit product evaluation and purchase intention. A field study with 890 shoppers in Hong Kong, a popular market for both genuine and counterfeit brands, supports most hypotheses and provides useful insights into the complex sociopsychological mechanism driving counterfeit purchase behavior.