Luxury purchasing among older consumers: exploring inferences about cognitive Age, status, and style motivations

This research deals with the possibility that luxury purchasing among older consumers is related to their cognitive age (i.e., the age they feel) and, accordingly, the study reported herein assesses the effects of the underlying luxury motives on cognitive age. Results show that older consumers who relate luxury goods purchasing mainly to status reasons tend to feel younger than those who consider luxury goods purchasing primarily as a means to express their individual style. Furthermore, the study finds that, in order to meet their needs and wants, older consumers with a lower cognitive age rely more on brands than specific products; so their luxury goods purchasing intention is influenced more by brand images than product characteristics. These findings have marketing implications in the context of planning ad hoc advertising strategies aimed at luxury selling to older consumers.