Face consumption in China

Abstract

This research paper will discuss about the role and the influence of face consumption on the Chinese buying decision process. In recent years the rapid growth of the luxury market and the social needs in modern China are a consequence of the important role played by the face and the related concept of face consumption “面子消费”. Many researchers demonstrated that Chinese’s desire for luxury goods is driven by distinctive cultural factors, one of the most important cultural value that emphasizes the social recognition and the need to display the wealth and social status is the face: mianzi. Face is described as a combination of prestige, reputation, social status and dignity that an individual has and shows to the others. As the luxury brand products carry the symbols of status, wealth and success, most Chinese consumers believe that buying a luxury product can enhance their self-image and build social reputation. That’s the reason why many of these purchases are not done for practical needs but merely to show off and increase the social identity. However, it should be underlined that not all Chinese behave in the same way because the young generation, for example, doesn’t need to show off since they cherish uniqueness and quality. On the other hand, the growing middle-class groups pay close attention to brands of luxury goods with popular logos because they believe that the ownership of these products will create an opportunity to become a member of the elite social circles. The overall objective of this research is to explain how mianzi is one of the leading reasons causing differences in luxury consumption between Chinese and the consumers from major developed Western countries. Additionally, the paper seeks to demonstrate that when the Chinese middle class has to choose between an unknown quality product, toward which they are uneducated, and a famous brand, they will always buy the famous one only to show off and declare their wealth. In order to demonstrate it, the final part of the study will analyze, by conducting a questionnaire, how the Chinese consumers which are not well educated to prosecco and champagne, if given the choice, will opt for champagne because of its prestige and not for prosecco which is merely viewed as its “poorer version”.