Examining purchase intention towards counterfeit luxury goods: The role of social and personality factors

ABSTRACT Examining purchase intention towards counterfeit luxury goods: The role of social and personality factors Prof Nicole Cunningham Department of Marketing Management University of Johannesburg [email protected] The Retail and Marketing Review Volume 21, Issue 2, November 2025, Pages 34-50 Doi: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17340650 This study investigates the influence of social and personality factors on consumers’ attitudes and intentions towards purchasing counterfeit luxury goods in an emerging market context. Drawing on the theory of planned behaviour, the research integrates personality factors (value consciousness, integrity, status consumption, brand consciousness, and personal gratification) and social influences (normative and informational susceptibility, and collectivism) to assess their influence on counterfeit luxury consumption. 312 respondents completed the questionnaire, and the data were analysed using SmartPLS. The findings showed that most social and personality factors did not have a significant influence on attitudes towards counterfeit luxury purchases. However, collectivism, personal gratification, and brand consciousness influenced attitudes negatively. This suggests that consumers who value their social group’s opinions, value a sense of satisfaction, and are conscious of the brands they purchase, form negative attitudes towards counterfeit luxury goods. Within the theory of planned behaviour framework, attitude emerged as the sole significant predictor of purchase intention, thereby confirming its pivotal mediating role in consumer decision-making processes. These findings contradict established theoretical assumptions regarding the influence of peer pressure and status considerations in counterfeit consumption behaviour. The results underscore the multifaceted nature of consumer ethics and identity formation within emerging market contexts, revealing complexities that warrant further theoretical refinement and empirical investigation. Keywords: counterfeit luxury goods, consumer attitudes, social factors, personality factors, purchase intention 35 The Retail and Marketing Review: Vol21 Issue 2 (2025) ISSN:2708-3209 1. INTRODUCTION Globally, the sales of counterfeit luxury goods are increasing, which presents economic and ethical challenges for authentic luxury brands (Cesareo, Pastore & Williams 2017). While it is challenging to pinpoint the exact value of the counterfeit market, it is estimated that the global market is worth over US$1.7 trillion (Ferere 2025). The counterfeit market expands across all industries, though the most counterfeited brands are considered to be luxury brands (Richter 2019). This is primarily driven by consumers’ strong desire to purchase luxury goods for the prestige, without paying the high price (Liu, Wakeman & Norton 2024). Counterfeit luxury goods are typically defined as illegally produced replicas of authentic branded products, usually of inferior quality, passed off as authentic (Brandão & Gadekar 2019). Emerging markets in regions like Africa, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia have witnessed particularly high demand for counterfeit luxuries, driven by consumers with aspirational consumption patterns and sometimes limited access to affordable genuine luxury goods (Kasber, El-Bassiouny & Hamed 2023; Ndereyimana et al. 2022). Although the growth of counterfeit luxury goods is increasing, there is a limited understanding of the way in which social and personality factors influence attitudes towards intending to purchase counterfeit luxury goods. Existing research has focused on social motivations (Wilcox, Kim & Sen 2009), egalitarian value (Liu et al. 2024), demand and purchase behaviour (Cant, Wiid & Manley 2014), moral reasoning (Chen, Teng & Liao 2018), and purchase intention (Koay 2018). An overarching finding across various studies relates to the role that social and personality factors play in influencing consumer attitudes (Budiman, 2021; Khan, Fazili & Bashir, 2021), offering a comprehensive understanding of how attitudes are formed (Ndereyimana et al., 2022). The theory of planned behaviour (TPB) offers a comprehensive approach to understanding consumer behaviour (Ajzen, 1991). The TPB has been used in several consumer behaviour contexts as well as counterfeiting, confirming its applicability within this context (Kasber et al., 2023; Quoquab et al., 2017). According to the TPB, a favourable attitude toward enhances behavioural intentions and ultimately behaviour, and negative attitudes decrease the likelihood of engaging in particular behaviour. The study contributes to the literature by testing how social and personality factors influence attitude, extending the understanding of the attitude to purchase intention relationship. In addition, the study centres on South Africa as an emerging market where significant demand for counterfeit luxury goods has been observed (Irwin 2024). It also offers insights for luxury brand managers and policymakers on how to curb the demand for counterfeits by targeting the identified drivers with the aim of ensuring that social and personality factors are negatively shaped to form negative attitudes towards counterfeit luxury goods and decrease the purchase intention. The next section of the paper focuses on the literature review, which supports the purpose of the study. This is followed by the hypotheses developed for the study, and an explanation of the research approach. Thereafter, the results and recommendations are presented, including suggestions for future research. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 ATTITUDES TOWARDS COUNTERFEIT LUXURY GOODS Attitude, conceptualised as a learnt predisposition to respond favourably or unfavourably towards a given object, remains a central construct in understanding consumer behaviour (Ajzen 1991). It serves as a critical determinant of behavioural intention and, ultimately, purchase decision-making. As such, comprehending consumers’ evaluative orientation towards a product (i.e., their attitude) is essential in predicting the likelihood of purchase (Babamiri et al. 2020). This is particularly important because attitude acts as a cognitive-affective filter through which consumers Examining purchase intention towards counterfeit luxury goods: The role of social and personality factors 36 assess the desirability and acceptability of engaging in a specific consumption behaviour (De Houwer, Gawronski & Barnes-Holmes 2013). When consumers have favourable or positive attitudes towards a product, it increases the likelihood of making the purchase, which in turn makes understanding attitudes important for marketers (Babamiri et al. 2020). Given that counterfeit luxury goods are illegal to purchase, the attitude becomes more complicated. Factors like affordability (Rahiminia & Arian, 2021) and social acceptance may enhance the positive attitudes towards counterfeits – these could be considered social influences (Khan, Fazili & Bashir 2022). However, the illegal nature introduces moral and legal considerations that may serve as negative influences towards attitudes and act as deterrents which could be considered as personality-driven factors (Eisend, Hartmann & Apaolaza 2017). 2.2 SOCIAL FACTORS INFLUENCING CONSUMER ATTITUDES According to Phau and Teah (2009), social factors refer to the influence exerted by others on an individual’s behaviour and decision-making processes. These factors play an important role in influencing consumers’ attitudes as consumers typically rely on their social group’s norms as a benchmark to guide their behaviour (Haslam et al. 2018). When purchasing luxury goods, consumers often seek validation from their social groups, and products that are statusoriented are used to signal wealth (Khan et al. 2022; Ting, Goh & Isa 2016). This is evident within collectivistic cultures where social expectations often drive behaviour (Kasber et al. 2023). Social norms have been previously identified as an antecedent towards attitudes within the counterfeit consumption context (Ang et al. 2001; Ndereyimana et al. 2022). A consumer’s social group drives behaviour as consumers seek acceptance and approval and within a counterfeit luxury goods context, if the social group is positive towards counterfeit goods, consumers may be more willing to purchase them. For instance, in a study conducted by Ndereyimana et al. (2022) in Rwanda, consumers perceived counterfeit goods as socially acceptable and were more likely to form favourable attitudes and intentions towards counterfeits. Similarly, in their Egyptian study, Kasber et al. (2023) found that social norms were the strongest predictors of counterfeit purchase intention. As both studies were conducted in an emerging market context, they show the importance of the social group’s considerations. This study focuses on three aspects that make up social factors: normative susceptibility, informational susceptibility, and collectivism. These are discussed in the subsections that follow. 2.2.1 Normative Susceptibility When consumers are influenced by their social group’s expectations, they will often act in ways that maintain the social group’s approval or avoid disapproval, which relates to normative susceptibility (Kasuma et al. 2020). Some consumers are influenced significantly enough that they choose to purchase counterfeits in order to meet the social group’s expectations in an effort to enhance their status (Kim & Karpova, 2010). Typically, consumers who are considered susceptible to their social group’s norms mirror their behaviour in purchasing products that are considered accepted by their social group (Adiprima, Indraswari & Kasri 2020). Within a counterfeit luxury context, Ang et al. (2001) added that consumers who seek social acceptance purchase counterfeit luxury to attain the acceptance they desire. This is confirmed in Ndereyimana et al.’s (2022) study, where the positive attitude towards counterfeit luxury was driven by the need for social approval. Kasber et al. (2023) added that this was regardless of ethical considerations, where consumers simply desire to attain social acceptance regardless of the ethical costs. 37 The Retail and Marketing Review: Vol21 Issue 2 (2025) ISSN:2708-3209 2.2.2 Informational Susceptibility When a consumer relies on friends, family, or aspirational figures as a source of information, they are considered susceptible to that information and recommendations (Hidayat & Diwasasri, 2013; Phau & Teah, 2009). If consumers are not familiar with the product category, this reliance increases, and the information obtained becomes a guiding source in assisting with making the product decision (Ting et al. 2016). Within the counterfeit luxury context, the information received can shape the consumer’s perception of risk and opinion of which counterfeit luxury goods are recommended based on others’ experiences (Moon et al. 2018). Word of mouth shared reduces uncertainty, decreases the perception of risk, and assists in forming positive attitudes towards counterfeit goods (Kasuma et al. 2020). According to Kim et al. (2024), word of mouth shared by peers increased consumers’ willingness to purchase counterfeits in China. Moreover, they noted that even face-conscious consumers (i.e., those worried about reputational damage) became more open to counterfeit purchases when trusted peers endorsed such behaviour. In this sense, informational susceptibility acts not just as a passive influence, but can also actively reduce social and functional risks. 2.2.3 Collectivism Collectivism is a cultural orientation in which individuals prioritise their social group’s needs and values over personal autonomy or self-differentiation (Tang, Tian & Zaichkowsky 2014; Triandis 1995). In collectivist societies, prevalent across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, consumers often assess consumption decisions through the lens of group harmony and acceptance (Martinez & Jaeger 2016). Within these contexts, consumption becomes a collective practice: what one purchases is often influenced by what is socially endorsed or expected. Kim and Yoon (2021) observed that in collectivist cultures, aligning with group consumption norms fosters social inclusion, while deviation may risk exclusion. For financially constrained consumers who aspire to luxury but cannot afford genuine goods, counterfeit products are a socially legitimate means of status signalling. Therefore, the degree of collectivism can play a significant role in the consumer’s attitude towards counterfeit luxury goods. 2.3 PERSONALITY FACTORS INFLUENCING CONSUMER ATTITUDES Personality relates to the psychological traits that influence how a consumer perceives the world and interacts with the world (Kasuma et al. 2020; Larsen & Buss 2005). A consumer’s personality is important as it can shape their preferences, motivations, and ethical perceptions, especially in decisions that are ethically ambiguous or involve illegal products like counterfeit luxury goods. As luxury products represent the consumer’s social standing, individual-level personality factors, such as brand consciousness, status consumption, value consciousness, integrity, and personal gratification, shape consumer attitudes and behaviours towards counterfeit consumption (Khan et al. 2022; Phau & Teah 2009; Ting et al. 2016). These are discussed next. 2.3.1 Brand Consciousness Brand consciousness focuses on the consumers’ drive to value brand names as symbols of quality, taste, and social standing (De Silva et al. 2020). The consumer’s level of brand consciousness is significant within the luxury context as it serves as a visual cue of affluence and status. However, the role of brand consciousness in counterfeit consumption is context dependent. Some studies have shown that consumers who are more brand-conscious are more likely to reject counterfeit luxury due to concerns about authenticity and potential dilution of prestige (Bian & Veloutsou, 2007; Tunçel, 2022). However, other research has found that when consumers are under financial pressure, they embrace counterfeits as affordable status symbols, especially when the counterfeits closely resemble the originals in appearance and branding (Bian & Moutinho, 2011; Wang et al., 2017). Al-Balushi, Alam, and Fadlalla (2024) found Examining purchase intention towards counterfeit luxury goods: The role of social and personality factors 38 that brand consciousness influenced favourable attitudes towards counterfeit goods in order to meet social expectations and signal brand affiliation. 2.3.2 Status Consumption Often, consumers use products to communicate their social standing, which is referred to as status consumption (Pino et al. 2019). Within a luxury context, consumers often purchase luxury goods so that they can be displayed conspicuously and attain social recognition. This is prominent in emerging markets where consumers are statusconscious and use luxury as a status symbol. However, although luxury offers a status symbol, most consumers cannot afford the authentic version, which, according to Shahid and Paul (2021), prompts them to purchase counterfeits to maintain social acceptance. This is confirmed by Moon et al.’s (2018) study, where consumers who were statusconscious formed favourable attitudes towards counterfeits and used the counterfeit goods to enhance their status. 2.3.3 Value Consciousness Value-conscious consumers seek to maximise the benefits they receive compared to the cost they have had to pay for the product. Often, to maximise the perceived benefits, consumers are willing to trade off the product’s quality for lower prices (Ting et al. 2016). Counterfeit luxury products are often appealing due to their perceived value in being more economically affordable, especially when the counterfeit is like the authentic product. In a study conducted by Ang et al. (2001) it was found that when consumers seek value, they are more likely to purchase counterfeit goods. Likewise, Ndereyimana et al. (2022) found that in Rwanda, value consciousness positively influenced purchase intention for counterfeits and mediated the effect of attitude on intention. Thus, consumers consider counterfeit luxury goods as value-driven purchases, and their ethical resistance seems to decrease within this context (Quoquab et al., 2017). 2.3.4 Integrity Integrity refers to consumers’ commitment to moral standards, legality, and personal ethical principles. It plays a critical role in deterring participation in ethically dubious behaviour, including the consumption of counterfeit goods (Samaddar, Mondal & Gandhi 2024). Consumers with high integrity are more likely to internalise counterfeiting as dishonest, illegal, or socially harmful. Research by Jiang et al. (2019) and Teah, Phau and Huang (2015) confirms a negative association between integrity and favourable attitudes towards counterfeiting. Similarly, Quoquab et al. (2017) showed that ethical orientation (including religiosity and legal concern) significantly reduces counterfeit purchase intentions. In an Islamic market context, Kasber et al. (2023) found that religiosity and moral awareness had a strong deterrent effect on counterfeit acceptance. Conversely, H. Kim and Karpova (2010) and Ting et al. (2016) reported inconsistent or weak effects, suggesting that consumers justify counterfeit consumption (e.g., ‘no one gets hurt’, ‘brands are overpriced’). Tunçel (2022) added cultural nuance, finding that idealism (moral principle-based decision-making) significantly decreases counterfeit purchase intentions across Turkish and Slovenian consumers. 2.3.5 Personal Gratification Personal gratification involves the pursuit of inner fulfilment, social recognition, or self-esteem through consumption (Kent 2018). Luxury products often symbolise success and achievement, making them attractive for consumers driven by this need. However, the relationship between gratification and counterfeit consumption is complex. Phau and Teah (2009) argued that consumers who seek internal satisfaction from ownership (i.e., who derive self-worth from genuine accomplishments) are less likely to purchase counterfeits, as doing so would undermine their sense of authenticity. 39 The Retail and Marketing Review: Vol21 Issue 2 (2025) ISSN:2708-3209 Scotto, McDonald and Weiss (2021) echoed this, suggesting that consumers who view luxury ownership as a source of authentic personal success tend to reject counterfeits. However, Basu, Basu and Lee (2015) indicated that when gratification is more externally driven (centred on recognition by others), counterfeits may still serve consumers’ goals, especially if the counterfeit is indistinguishable to the social group. 3. PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESES The overarching purpose of this research is to determine the role that social and personality factors play in consumers’ attitudes towards counterfeit luxury goods and examine how those attitudes influence their intention to purchase counterfeit luxury goods. Therefore, the study’s objectives are: • To determine the role that social factors (normative and informative susceptibility, and collectivism) have in forming attitudes towards counterfeit luxury goods; • To determine the role that personality factors (status consumption, brand consciousness, value consciousness, integrity, and personal gratification) have in forming attitudes towards counterfeit luxury goods; and • To examine the influence of attitude towards the intention to purchase counterfeit luxury goods. Based on the literature presented above and the research objectives, the following hypotheses are proposed: H1: Normative susceptibility has a significant influence on attitudes towards counterfeit luxury goods. H2: Informative susceptibility has a significant influence on attitudes towards counterfeit luxury goods. H3: Collectivism has a significant influence on attitudes towards counterfeit luxury goods. H4: Status consumption has a significant influence on attitudes towards counterfeit luxury goods. H5: Brand consciousness has a significant influence on attitudes towards counterfeit luxury goods. H6: Value consciousness has a significant influence on attitudes towards counterfeit luxury goods. H7: Integrity has a significant influence on attitudes towards counterfeit luxury goods. H8: Personal gratification has a significant influence on attitudes towards counterfeit luxury goods. H9: Attitude has a significant influence on the intention to purchase counterfeit luxury goods. 4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The study followed a quantitative, survey-based research design. An online self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from South African consumers aged 18–65 who had purchased or had the intention to purchase counterfeit luxury goods in the past six months. A non-probability convenience sampling approach was used to invite respondents to participate in the study. The link to the self-administered questionnaire was shared via social media Examining purchase intention towards counterfeit luxury goods: The role of social and personality factors 40 platforms (Facebook and Instagram) and respondents were invited to complete the questionnaire. Within the questionnaire, respondents were introduced to the study, where its purpose was explained and the respondents’ rights were clearly outlined. To complete the questionnaire, the respondents had to provide consent to participate, as required by the ethics committee, which approved the data collection (ethical clearance number: 2020SCiiS013) The questionnaire consisted of two sections. The first section gathered respondents’ demographic information (i.e., age, gender, highest level of education, and employment status), while the second section collected responses relating to the constructs included in the study. This section was designed using a five-point Likert-type scale, where 1 indicated ‘strongly disagree’ and 5 indicated ‘strongly agree’. All construct items were adapted from previous studies to ensure validity: normative and informative susceptibility were adapted from Bearden, Netemeyer and Teel (1989); collectivism from Faqih and Jaradat (2014); status consumption from Eastman, Goldsmith and Flynn (1999); brand consciousness from Sprotles and Kendall (1986); value consciousness from Lichtenstein, Netemeyer and Burton (1990); integrity from Vitell and Muncy (1992); and personal gratification, attitudes, and purchase intentions from Teah et al. (2015). A total of 312 responses were received. The data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 4. PLSSEM was appropriate given the study’s focus on predicting the purchase intention. Furthermore, PLS-SEM allowed for the simultaneous estimation of the measurement and structural models and provided a comprehensive assessment of the model and its hypotheses. According to Hair et al. (2017), the measurement model allows for the assessment of internal reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity. More specifically, Cronbach’s alpha (α) and composite reliability (CR) were used to assess internal reliability where the acceptable thresholds were 0.70 or greater (Hair et al., 2019; Nunnally & Bernstein, 1994). Convergent validity was evaluated through the average variance extracted (AVE), with values exceeding the minimum recommended threshold of 0.50 indicating that constructs explain at least 50% of the variance in their indicators (Fornell & Larcker 1981). The Fornell-Larcker criterion was used to examine discriminant validity, which requires that a construct’s AVE square root be greater than its highest correlation with any other construct (Fornell & Larcker, 1981). In addition, the heterotrait-monotrait (HTMT) ratio of correlations was used as a more rigorous assessment, with values below 0.85 deemed acceptable (Henseler, Ringle & Sarstedt 2015). Lastly, the factor loadings were examined with values of 0.70 or higher considered as ideal, with lower factor loadings being deemed appropriate if the construct’s AVE and CR were adequate (Hair et al. 2019). As the measures were within the parameters, the measurement model was deemed appropriate and the structural model was analysed to assess the hypotheses. 5. RESULTS Table 1 presents the reliability and validity results. As mentioned, internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha (α) and CR. All constructs exceeded the recommended threshold of 0.70 (Hair et al. 2017), indicating reliability across all constructs. Convergent validity, assessed through AVE values, was above 0.50, confirming that the constructs were valid (Fornell & Larcker, 1981). All factor loadings were greater than 0.70, with a few acceptable values in the 0.60 – 0.70 range (Hair et al. 2019), supporting indicator reliability. To ensure discriminant validity, two methods were used. First, the Fornell-Larcker criterion showed that for each construct, the square root of the AVE was greater than its highest correlation with any other construct, indicating adequate separation. Second, the HTMT ratio was assessed, with all HTMT values falling below the conservative cut-off of 0.85 (Henseler et al. 2015), providing additional evidence of discriminant validity, as shown in Table 2. 41 The Retail and Marketing Review: Vol21 Issue 2 (2025) ISSN:2708-3209 TABLE 1: RELIABILITY (CRONBACH’S ALPHA AND CR) AND CONVERGENT VALIDITY (AVE) OF EACH CONSTRUCT AND ITS CORRESPONDING ITEMS Construct and items Factor loadings α CR AVE Normative susceptibility It is important that others like the products and brands I buy. 0.796 0.916 0.925 0.655 When buying products, I generally purchase those brands that I think others will approve of. 0.893 If other people can see me using a product, I often purchase the brand they expect me to buy. 0.893 I like to know what brands and products make good impressions on others. 0.854 I achieve a sense of belonging by purchasing the same products and brands that others purchase. 0.910 I often identify with other people by purchasing the same products and brands they purchase. 0.851 Informative susceptibility To make sure I buy the right product or brand, I often observe what others are buying and using. 0.947 0.756 0.819 0.608 I often consult other people to help choose the best alternative available from a product class. 0.711 I frequently gather information from friends or family about a product before I buy. 0.650 Collectivism Individual rewards are not as important as overall group welfare. 0.819 0.839 0.854 0.555 Group success is more important than individual success. 0.903 Being accepted as a member of a group is more important to me than being autonomous and independent from others. 0.760 Being loyal to a group is more important than individual gain. 0.768 Value consciousness I am concerned about price and product quality. 0.637 0.793 0.853 0.595 I compare prices for the best value for money. 0.791 I like to be sure that I get my money’s worth. 0.784 I try to maximise the quality for the money spent. 0.857 Integrity I value honesty. 0.746 0.816 0.879 0.645 I value politeness. 0.877 I value responsibility. 0.793 I value self-control. 0.792 Personal gratification An exciting life is important to me. 0.760 0.708 0.810 0.526 I value pleasure. 0.844 I value social recognition 0.771 Status consumption I would buy a product just because it has status. 0.748 0.879 0.885 0.662 I am interested in new products with status. 0.929 I would pay more for a product if it had status. 0.633 A product is more valuable to me if it has some snob appeal. 0.909 Brand consciousness Brand names tell me something about the quality of the counterfeit luxury items. 0.893 0.834 0.887 0.667 Brand names tell me something about how ‘cool’ counterfeit luxury item is. 0.863 Sometimes I am willing to pay more money for the counterfeit luxury items because of its brand name. 0.842 Brand name counterfeit luxury items that cost a lot of money are of good quality. 0.644 Attitude Buying counterfeits of luxury brands infringes intellectual property. 0.874 0.871 0.921 0.795 Buying counterfeits of luxury brands damages interests and rights of legitimate/original manufacturers. 0.924 Buying counterfeits of luxury brands will hurt the luxury goods industry. 0.877 Purchase intention I knowingly look for counterfeits of luxury brands. 0.873 0.774 0.869 0.692 I always buy counterfeits of luxury brands. 0.925 On request, I will consider purchasing counterfeits of luxury brands for a friend. 0.925 I will buy counterfeits of luxury brands. 0.678 Examining purchase intention towards counterfeit luxury goods: The role of social and personality factors 42 TABLE 2: DISCRIMINANT VALIDITY USING THE HTMT METHOD ATT BC COLL INS I NOS PEG PI SC VCO ATT BC 0.410 COLL 0.278 0.378 INS 0.218 0.669 0.236 I 0.160 0.121 0.131 0.188 NOS 0.361 0.739 0.212 0.725 0.089 PEG 0.437 0.655 0.339 0.588 0.328 0.726 PI 0.268 0.497 0.194 0.387 0.101 0.382 0.291 SC 0.219 0.691 0.302 0.577 0.092 0.729 0.537 0.475 VCO 0.168 0.267 0.094 0.320 0.619 0.216 0.325 0.178 0.116 Notes: ATT = attitude; BC = brand consciousness; COLL = collectivism; INS = informative susceptibility; I = integrity; NOS = normative susceptibility; PEG = personal gratification; PI = purchase intention; SC = status consumption; VCO = value consciousness The structural model was assessed to test the hypothesised relationships as presented in section 3. As shown in Table 3, while the core TPB relationship (H9) was confirmed, showing that a favourable attitude significantly increased the intention to purchase counterfeit luxury goods (β = 0.224, t = 3.890, p < 0.001), many of the antecedents to attitude did not produce the expected effects. Both normative susceptibility (H1) and informational susceptibility (H2) had statistically insignificant effects on attitudes towards counterfeit consumption, with β = -0.155 (p = 0.118) and β = 0.106 (p = 0.132) respectively. Collectivism (H3) had a significant impact, but in the opposite direction of the hypothesis – it negatively influenced attitudes (β = -0.173, p = 0.001), indicating that stronger collectivist tendencies may discourage counterfeit acceptance in this context. Similarly, status consumption (H4) did not significantly shape attitudes (β = 0.032, p = 0.700). Interestingly, brand consciousness (H5) was significantly and negatively related to attitude (β = - 0.216, p = 0.006), suggesting that brand-orientated consumers tend to reject counterfeit goods, likely due to their emphasis on authenticity. Value consciousness (H6) also failed to show a significant relationship with attitude (β = - 0.019, p = 0.754). Integrity (H7) exhibited an insignificant effect on attitude (β = 0.096, p = 0.068), while personal gratification (H8) significantly and negatively affected attitude (β = -0.163, p = 0.019), indicating that consumers who value personal achievement may perceive counterfeit purchases as inconsistent with their self-image. TABLE 3: RESULTS OF THE HYPOTHESES TESTING Path β t-value p-value Decision H1: Normative susceptibility → attitude -0.155 1.564 0.118 Rejected H2: Informative susceptibility → attitude 0.106 1.505 0.132 Rejected H3: Collectivism → attitude -0.173 3.426 0.001 Supported H4: Status consumption → attitude 0.032 0.386 0.700 Rejected H5: Brand consciousness → attitude -0.216 2.748 0.006 Supported H6: Value consciousness → attitude -0.019 0.313 0.754 Rejected H7: Integrity → attitude 0.096 1.827 0.068 Rejected H8: Personal gratification → attitude -0.163 2.349 0.019 Supported H9: Attitude → purchase intention 0.224 3.890 0.000 Supported 49 The Retail and Marketing Review: Vol21 Issue 2 (2025) ISSN:2708-3209 Shahid, S. & Paul, J., 2021, ‘Intrinsic motivation of luxury consumers in an emerging market’, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 61, 102531, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102531 Sprotles, G.B. & Kendall, E.L., 1986, ‘A methodology for profiling consumers’ decision‐making styles’, Journal of Consumer Affairs 20(2), 267–279. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6606.1986.tb00382.x Tang, F., Tian, V.-I. & Zaichkowsky, J., 2014, ‘Understanding counterfeit consumption’, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics 26(1), 4–20. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-11-2012-0121 Teah, M., Phau, I. & Huang, Y.-A., 2015, ‘Devil continues to wear “counterfeit” Prada: A tale of two cities’, Journal of Consumer Marketing 32(3), 176–189. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCM-03-2014-0908 Ting, M.-S., Goh, Y.-N. & Isa, S.M., 2016, ‘Determining consumer purchase intentions toward counterfeit luxury goods in Malaysia’, Asia Pacific Management Review 21(4), 219–230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmrv.2016.07.003 Triandis, H.C., 1995, Individualism and collectivism, Westview Press, Boulder, CO. 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