Do Consumers Mind Buying Illicit Goods? the Case of Counterfeit Purchases

Depending on the attractiveness of the offer and the awareness of the negative consequences of illegal behavior, consumers purchasing counterfeit products may experience some degree of cognitive dissonance after their purchase. Findings of an experimental study show that consumers with a low awareness of negative consequences apply coping strategies in order to enhance the value of an unattractive offer. However, if they are aware of the consequences, they apply coping strategies particularly for highly attractive offers, resulting in enhanced evaluation and satisfaction of the purchase compared to less attractive offers.

Citation:

Martin Eisend and Pakize Schuchert-Guler (2007) ,"Do Consumers Mind Buying Illicit Goods? the Case of Counterfeit Purchases", in E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 8, eds. Stefania Borghini, Mary Ann McGrath, and Cele Otnes, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 124-125.