Conceptualising and measuring consumer authenticity online

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to conceptualize and measure consumer-based authenticity online and its relationship to consumption behavior, mediated and moderated by rational and experiential thinking. It is hypothesized that when consumers engage in online consumption behavior, authenticity is a multidimensional experience conceptualized and defined as: iconic, identification, practical/impersonal, production/situation, social, moral, pure approximate and virtuous-self, forms of the authentic experience. To test the hypothesized model, 491 usable responses were collected using a questionnaire through face-to-face interviews by random intercept interview method. The conceptual model was developed through confirmatory factors analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) using mediation and moderation analysis. The findings identify the importance of rational and experiential thinking to authentic consumption experiences. In experiential thinking there is a greater emphasis on the role of brands to enhance perceptions of fantasy, and symbolism linked to self. Rational thinking is dominated by brand-related information linking the brand to objective standards, original time of manufacture, history, and a commitment and feeling for its creator. Research implications are discussed.