The impact of culture on luxury consumption behaviour among Iranian consumers

Abstract

PurposeConsumer behavior will become more heterogeneous because of cultural differences. This phenomenon makes it increasingly important to understand values of national cultures and their impact on consumer behavior. The purpose of this paper is to review cultural factors with a focus on religious factors that influence the Iranian consumers' behavior during evaluation of luxury value dimensions.Design/methodology/approachHofstede's model of national culture and research papers pertaining to religious influence on consumer behavior are applied to understand consumers' behavior toward luxury consumption in Iran as an Islamic country.FindingsFindings support the notion that there are cultural differences between consumers in evaluating luxury value dimensions. As the study is about Iranian Muslim consumers, the role of religion in consumer behavior has also been debated. These findings are useful for domestic and international marketers toward a better understanding of Iranian consumers' luxury value perception based on cultural aspects.Practical implicationsThe research outcomes should assist industry and business practitioners to understand the behavior of Iranian consumers and by using the findings formulate strategies that enhance their competitiveness in the market. Similarly, the research should enrich marketing literature by providing empirical evidence on Iranian consumption behavior from the perspective of the Muslim population. Research provides a better understanding of cultural factors that affect Iranian consumer behavior toward luxury value perception.Originality/valueThis is the first academic study analyzing the dimensions of luxury values, including the consideration of cultural and religious factors that influence Iranian's consumer behavior. The results can be seen as the first step for domestic and international marketers toward a better understanding of Iranian consumers' luxury value evaluation.