Exploring the determinants of the frugal shopper (original) (raw)

The etiology of the frugal consumer

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 2014

This study examines several psychological factors hypothesized as antecedents of frugality. Although external forces, such as downturns in economic activity, can promote frugal behavior, it is also likely associated with a syndrome of individual differences that are independent of economic conditions. These include values, personality characteristics, and other consumer characteristics. Our study used data from 256 U.S. consumers to test hypothesized relationships between frugality measured as a personality-or lifestyle-type construct characteristic embedded in the social psychology of consumption. We identified four key constructs as likely antecedents of frugality: materialism, status consumption, brand engagement, and consumer independence. The results showed that frugal consumers are less materialistic, less status conscious, and less involved with brands than other consumers, but are more independent from the opinions of others in their consumer decision making.

The etiology of frugal spending: a partial replication and extension 1

Comprehensive Psychology, 2015

Frugal behavior is infrequently studied in both psychology and marketing. As a consumption pattern it deserves greater attention because frugal consumer behavior is a desirable goal for both individuals and societies. Paradoxically, targeting frugal consumers might also be a profi table strategy for savvy marketers. The present study builds on previous research into the nature and motivations for frugal behavior. Data analysis from a survey of 464 U.S. student respondents shows that three individual-diff erence characteristics are associated with frugality. Consistent with a prior study, frugality was negatively correlated with materialism and positively correlated with consumer independence. In addition, frugality was positively correlated with self-control, suggesting that frugal consumers tend to be less materialistic, more independent, and have more selfcontrol than are their less frugal counterparts.

An Empirical Study of Consumption Frugality

Lastovicka, Bettencourt, Hughner, and Kuntze (1999) studied frugality in a context of a consumer behavior nomological network. They argued that frugal consumers are more independent, less impulsive, more resourceful users and re-users of products, and more disciplined in how they spend money, compared to other consumers. Importantly, they suggested that future studies should examine frugality as an independent variable. Our study answers their call. Specifically, we examine the role frugality plays in predicting price and value consciousness. Additionally, we examine its impact on self-reported consumption behavior. Data from Israeli consumers mostly supports the hypotheses. The implications of the findings are discussed.

Frugal doesn’t mean ordinary: a religious perspective

Journal of Islamic Marketing, 2017

Purpose Exchange is often identified as the primary role of marketing. Consumer behaviour literature, therefore, focuses on uncovering the characteristics of decision-making styles of individuals that embrace consuming. However, recent global economic crises have led consumers to become increasingly frugal. Approaching frugality from the religious perspective, this paper aims to identify the deep-level diversities of frugal consumers in their quality consciousness tendencies, rather than simply equating both frugality and religiosity to non-consumption. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, a counterintuitive model has been offered that includes the positive moderating effect of religiosity on the relationship between frugality and quality consciousness. Using structural equation modelling, this paper tests the proposed model using a unique sample of 413 adults. Findings This paper extends the knowledge in the consumer behaviour literature by providing empirical evidence that r...

Factorial Structure of the Frugality Scale: Exploratory Evidence

Psico-USF, 2019

This article aims to promote an investigation of the psychometric properties of Frugality Scale adapted to Brazilian Portuguese. Frugality is characterized by using and consuming goods in a resourceful way, fully exploring its durability as well. To this end, 626 people responded to an online form that contained the frugality scale. Procedures such as non-graphical solutions to the scree plot, exploratory graphical analysis and a Schmid-Leiman factor solution point to evidence that the scale’s structure is not one-dimensional but two-dimensional. Finally, modeling strategies also indicate that a bifactor solution can be applied.

Antecedents of materialism and compulsive buying: A life course study in Australia

Australasian Marketing Journal (AMJ), 2011

Compulsive buying and materialism have become topics of increasing interest to researchers and policy makers, particularly because studies have shown that both can influence consumer behavior and well-being. However, a clear picture of how these phenomena arise has proven elusive. Using the life course paradigm as an integrative framework, the present research derives hypotheses from three theoretical perspectives (the stress, normative, and human capital perspectives), and uses a survey of young adults in Australia to test the hypotheses. The findings indicate that one's experiences and circumstances in adolescence are related to both materialism and compulsive buying in early adulthood, but the processes involved in their development differ. These differences, as well as the framework used to elucidate them, have important implications for theory and practice.

The Impact of Utilitarian and Hedonistic Shopping Values on Sustainable Fashion Consumption: The Moderating Role of Religiosity

Global Business Review, 2018

The present study aims to elaborate whether sustainable fashion consumption is characterized by emotions or rational thinking and how religiosity influences the motive for the consumers to get involved in sustainable consumption behaviour. A mall intercept survey sampling technique was employed in a large metropolitan area of Pakistan. All scales were adapted from extant literature. It was found out that sustainable fashion is more of a utilitarian aspect of clothing than a hedonistic aspect of clothing. Moreover, religiosity has a strong moderating influence on the relationship between utilitarian and hedonistic shopping values and sustainable fashion consumption. The present study has significant implications for fashion retailers in the developing countries as they need to incorporate sustainability aspects into their production processes more so because developing countries encounter severe mismanagement or scarcity of natural resources. The present study is one of the prelimina...

Dispelling the myths about consumption behaviour

ERSCP-EMSU 2010, Conference. Delft. 25- …, 2010

It has been acknowledged that the shift to more sustainable consumption patterns and levels is a complex task that requires the involvement of multiple societal actors and clear visions of more sustainable lifestyles. In addition to the complex nature of the problem and the diversity of interest of different actors with regard to their role in facilitating the change, there are also a number of myths that characterise the mainstream discourse on sustainable consumption especially in policy circles. Holding on to these myths prevents policy makers from seeing the real situation and from effectively addressing the sustainability challenges.

The Environmental Impact of Consumption Lifestyles: Ethically Minded Consumption vs. Tightwads

Sustainability

This study investigates the environmental impact of anti-consumption lifestyles and compares it to environmental concern and ethically minded consumption. Environmental impact was measured in a sample of 357 individuals with a carbon footprint calculator capturing all greenhouse gases released by an individual’s activities. Three types of anti-consumption lifestyles were considered: frugality, voluntary simplicity, and tightwadism. Results suggest that tightwadism is negatively associated with environmental impact. This negative association is stronger when participants are knowledgeable about the emissions impact of their behaviors. These findings suggest that tightwadism can lead to positive outcomes to achieve sustainability. Surprisingly, frugality and voluntary simplicity, as well as environmental concern, are not significantly associated with environmental impact, whereas ethically minded consumption correlates positively with the latter. This study demonstrates that increasin...