Analysis of Factors Affecting Deceptive Consumers of Counterfeited Cosmetics and Food Supplements Products in Lebanon

Abstract

Most consumers in markets are subjected to any kind of cheating during their purchasing. The worst case of cheating consumers is selling them counterfeit products and deceive them that it’s a genuine one. This study focuses primarily on combating counterfeited cosmetics and food supplement products through generating consumer awareness. To enhance consumer awareness by finding the factors that impact on them during their purchasing, and that make them be cheated in markets. In regards to “deceptive consumers”, the researcher has delved deep into the factors which precipitated the consumers to be cheated on within the markets. What makes this study unique compared to previous studies was the sampling method which was utilized. Through the convenience sampling method, the researcher contacted the participants (the deceptive consumers) through their complaints which were submitted to the company based in the field of cosmetics and food supplements and its products have been subjected to counterfeiting. The qualitative approach was utilized by following the phenomenological method and consisted of a focus group to have a deeper understanding of the factors behind deceptive consumers as well as their own personal experience. Consequently, data were analysed using the content analysis method to cultivate the factors which affect the consumers and make them prone to counterfeited products. The factors include: lack of consumer awareness, market influence, word of mouth, materialism, and brand, and past purchase experience.