An Investigation of Purchasing Motivations and Behaviour of Thai Generation-Y University Students towards Luxury Fashion Consumption

The research was undertaken due to the fact that the impact of globalisation and commercialization from the Western culture has changed young Thai Generation Y consumers’ perspectives about the luxury fashion products. They have positive attitudes towards luxury fashion goods consumption and thus, increasingly consume such the items. Therefore, it is interesting to explore luxury buying behaviour of Thai Generation Y university students by examining the meanings attached to a luxury product reflected by these individuals, as well as their purchasing motives, and factors influencing their purchase intentions of luxury fashion goods. The research was achieved through the use of face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 12 Thai university students. This sample consists of six males and six females aged 20-26 years, who have had experienced with purchases of luxury fashion products. The findings of this research illustrate that, firstly, Thai university students reflect the concept of a luxury product as having: high price, high quality and personal history. Also, they perceive that the classic and never old-fashioned design contributes to the perpetual popularity of luxury fashion products. Secondly, Thai university students have both interpersonally-oriented and personally-oriented motives towards the luxury fashion goods consumption. While they buy luxury fashion products to create favourable social images to impress others, they also purchase luxury fashion items to be beneficial for their personal needs and preferences. Ultimately, the influence of social trends from celebrities, fashion bloggers and peers enables young Thai Generation Y consumers to be aware of the luxury product existence and the whole fashionable luxury trends, which stimulate their desires to purchase luxury fashion products