FoMO Makes Chinese Consumers Buy All the K-Beauty! (But Mostly Because They Care What Others Think)

Overview

Paper Summary › Explain Like I'm Five › Conflicts of Interest › Identified Limitations › Rating Explanation › Good to know › Topic Hierarchy › File Information ›

Paper Summary

Paperzilla title

Chinese consumers' herd behavior towards Korean luxury cosmetics is driven more by social identity needs (self-esteem and recognition) than emotional needs (hedonic and symbolic). Fear of missing out (FoMO) plays a mediating role, strengthening the relationship between these psychological needs and brand involvement, which in turn leads to increased herd behavior.

Explain Like I'm Five

Scientists found that people buy popular fancy things not just because they like them, but because they want to feel like they belong and are afraid of missing out if everyone else has it.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

None identified

Identified Limitations

Limited Generalizability

The sample size, while adequate, is still relatively small and focused on five major Chinese cities. This limits the generalizability of the findings to the broader Chinese consumer population, especially considering the vast cultural and economic diversity within China.

Self-Reported Data

The study relies on self-reported data, which can be subject to social desirability bias and other reporting inaccuracies. Actual purchase behavior might differ from stated intentions or perceptions.

Cross-Sectional Design

The cross-sectional design only captures a snapshot in time. Consumer behavior, especially towards luxury goods, can be influenced by trends and economic fluctuations, thus longitudinal research would provide more robust insights.

Limited Brand Selection

The study focuses on only two Korean luxury cosmetic brands. While popular, these brands may not fully represent the entire K-beauty market, and the findings may not be generalizable to other luxury cosmetic brands, Korean or otherwise.

Omitted Variables

The study doesn't consider other potential mediators or moderators, such as cultural influences, social media marketing, or individual differences in susceptibility to FoMO. These factors could play a significant role in herd consumption behavior.

Rating Explanation

The study presents a relevant and interesting investigation into the motivations behind herd consumption behavior. The methodology is generally sound, using SEM to analyze survey data. However, several limitations, including the small sample size, cross-sectional design, self-reported data, limited brand selection, and potential omitted variables, prevent a higher rating. The study contributes to the literature but further research is needed to address these limitations and strengthen the findings.

Good to know

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Topic Hierarchy

Domain: Social Sciences

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Subfield: Marketing

File Information

Original Title: Chinese Consumers' Herd Consumption Behavior Related to Korean Luxury Cosmetics: The Mediating Role of Fear of Missing Out

Uploaded: July 14, 2025 at 11:02 AM

Privacy: Public