An application of the consumer ethnocentrism model to French consumers

The purpose of this study was to investigate what leads French consumers to ethnocentrism and the effects of their ethnocentrism on attitudes toward imports, and subsequently on purchase intentions. The conceptual framework used is based on the work of Sharma, S., Shrimp, T. A., Shin, J. (1995). Consumer ethnocentrism: A test of antecedents and moderators. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 23(Issue 1), 26-37. Results are derived from primary data collected from a consumer sample in France. The French, who appear to not be overly ethnocentric, are willing to purchase products from other countries, but will be more likely to buy certain products because of the reputation these products and brands from specific countries have acquired. French consumers showed preferences for German cars, American computers, and Japanese computers. Additionally, product necessity was found to have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between ethnocentrism and attitude toward importing foreign products. This means that ethnocentric consumers may have a more positive attitude toward purchasing imported products they deem necessary as opposed to unnecessary products, such as luxury items. Implications of the findings are discussed and directions for future research are provided.