Understanding purchase determinants of luxury vintage products

Despite increasing interest towards luxury vintage products, companies often struggle to understand why consumers buy those products. This paper is aimed to advance knowledge about luxury vintage product consumption by identifying the latent determinants of Italian consumersʼ purchasing intentions for these products. The paper utilizes the means-end chain (MEC) approach and the laddering interview technique to achieve this goal. Results show that consumers buy luxury vintage products mainly to satisfy their individual identity, improve their self-confidence, and achieve a sense of fulfillment. The hierarchical value mapping resulting from the MEC analysis demonstrates that luxury vintage product consumption is undeniably aimed to improve consumersʼ perception of their desired and ideal individual self-image. The paper discusses the managerial implications of the study, along with its limitations and directions for future research.