Role of religiosity and the mediating effect of luxury value perception in luxury purchase intention: a cross-cultural examination

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to explore the relationship between consumers’ religiosity, their perceived functional, individual and social value of luxury and their luxury purchase intention. Design/methodology/approach The proposed relationships were explored in an intercultural setting by using samples from two considerably different cultures, Saudi Arabia and India. The identified constructs were measured by adapting the established scales. Statistical tests including exploratory factor analysis, multi-group confirmatory factor analysis and covariance-based structural equation modeling were applied to test the conceptual model and research hypotheses. Findings The results show that religiosity is not found to be negatively related to luxury purchase intention in both samples. Moreover, it was found that the functional and social values produce positive mediating effects, whereas the individual values (materialism, hedonism) of luxury products negatively mediate the relationship between religiosity and consumer purchase intention. Practical implications This research suggests that a non-traditional strategy may be effective to market luxury goods to religious consumers such as suppressing the materialistic aspect to focus on the quality and functionality aspects of the products. Originality/value The role of luxury value perception as a mediator between religiosity and luxury purchase intentions has not been studied in the previous researches to the best of authors’ knowledge, and is therefore, the unique contribution of this study. This research addresses the gap in the existing body of knowledge by probing how religiosity effects perceptions of luxury value and resultant luxury purchase intention.