Status and Conspicuous consumption: Understanding consumers’ Psyche. Reference to luxury car brands

In this study, researcher is trying to investigate whether status and conspicuousness are two different constructs in measuring brand prestige utilizing new luxury market as a reference point. In other words, the attempt will determine if consumers can differentiate between the perceived status and perceived conspicuousness of the brands in product category (luxury car brands) selected in the Sri Lankan context. According to many research studies, revealed some of the evidence that these two dimensions are distinct constructs, nevertheless this was limiting in terms of the sample used (students), the methodology (confirmatory factor analysis only), the scope of the product categories and the context of the study conducted (Western countries). The current study is an extension to O’Cass and Frost (2004) study by using the real consumers as a sample (300 respondence). Exploratory factor analysis was performed among nine brands of luxury and semi luxury car brands in Sri Lankan context.