The Intermediate Linkage Between Materialism and Luxury Consumption: Evidence from the Emerging Market of China

The emerging materialism and strong demand for luxury goods in China have attracted a great deal of attention. But the mechanism through which materialism influences luxury consumption remains largely unexplored in the social science literature. This study examines the mediating roles of consumer perceived values as purchase motives in luxury consumption. The mediation effects are tested based on an original survey of 613 participants in eastern China. The results show that the three types of consumer perceived values, namely social, emotional and quality values, mediate the relationship between materialism and luxury purchase intentions. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed.