Animosity and willingness to buy foreign products: Moderating factors in decision-making of Chinese consumers

Abstract

This study examines empirically how Chinese consumers evaluate and respond to foreign products made in Japan. Specifically, it examines the moderating effects of materialism and susceptibility to normative influence on the effects of country-specific animosity on willingness to buy foreign products. The results confirm that the effect of consumers' animosity is subject to both consumers' personal values (for example, materialism) and social influences (susceptibility to normative influence). In terms of willingness to buy foreign products, the negative effect of economic animosity is alleviated by consumers' materialism, whereas that of war animosity is strengthened by consumers' susceptibility to normative influence. In turn, evidence from this study suggests implications for marketing strategies in developing countries.

Keywords:

• China
• consumer animosity
• consumer ethnocentrism
• Japan
• materialism
• susceptibility to normative influence

Notes

1. Despite the persistence of animosity towards Japan, it is still one of the major trading countries with China. That is because public willingness to buy and actual buying are influenced by different factors. Actual buying can be influenced by numerous factors controllable by the consumers, for example product quality and availability.