“Consumer-to-Brand Impoliteness” in luxury stores

Elodie de Boissieu and Bertrand Urien

Journal of Business Research, 2022, vol. 146, issue C, 409-425

Abstract: In this article, we use Impoliteness Theory, defined as an intentional “face-threatening” deviant act, to understand consumer misbehavior in the luxury store subculture. Using a qualitative study based on Grounded Theory, we interviewed 14 luxury consumers and 18 salespeople working in luxury stores. We discovered that consumers use impoliteness in a normative exchange setting as a means of formulating their opposition to a brand’s symbolic violence. Our research on deviant consumer behavior in luxury stores brings to light a new concept: “Consumer-to-Brand Impoliteness”. Furthermore, we unveil four Consumer-to-Brand Impoliteness practices: “Being Crude”, “Interfering”, “Mastering”, and finally, “Blaspheming”. In a normative exchange context, understanding the underlying meanings of Consumer-to-Brand Impoliteness enables store managers to shape their responses according to the perceived level of such impoliteness practices.

Keywords: Deviant behavior; Impoliteness; Luxury; Servicescape; Symbolic violence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:146:y:2022:i:c:p:409-425

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.02.078

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