engleski

DO YOUNG CROATIAN CONSUMERS REALLY CARE IF THEY BUY ORIGINAL OR FAKE ITEMS?

Globally recognized brands present an ever-increasing opportunity for counterfeiting, especially with the increasing use of digital platforms. Counterfeiting involves goods of inferior quality that are illegal copies of well-known companies’ brand names. Nowadays, counterfeiting is a multi-billion-dollar industry that includes pharmaceuticals, foods, fashion, electronics, and other types of products. The literature mostly agrees about the motives and reasons why consumers buy counterfeit items, even knowingly buying fake products, and why some groups of consumers are categorically opposed to counterfeits. The literature also points out the existence of two general categories: deceptive and non-deceptive counterfeits, which are very important in explaining the attitudes of consumers towards such products. The primary purpose of this paper is to explain the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing counterfeit products from the point of view of young consumers whose buying preferences and behaviour rely on mobile devices, the Internet, and social media. The literature mostly considers these consumers as members of Generation Y and Z, but due to their considerable purchasing power, this paper will solely focus on the members of Generation Y. This generation, so-called Millennials` buying behaviour can be described as quick spending as soon as they acquire money and less loyal to brands than previous generations. Millennials use brands to create their images and to be accepted by society. Therefore, for those who can’t afford the well-known originals, or who have a negative attitude towards large brand owner companies profiting excessively from high prices, buying counterfeits is an acceptable alternative. The study conducted on a sample of young Croatian consumers shows that they consider the functional benefits of price and accessibility of counterfeits as their advantages compared to originals, while the illegal character and poor quality of counterfeits relative to the authentic ones are their most important disadvantages. The study also points out the increasing popularity of online mediums as channels for selling counterfeits

counterfeiting, young consumers, generation Y, Croatia

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