Luxury shopping abroad: What do Chinese tourists look for?

Abstract

Considering rapid economic development, rising household income, and the emergence of middle-class consumers in mainland China, a growing number of Chinese consumers are traveling to other countries and regions for tourism and shopping. Studies have shown that Chinese customers often express intentions to engage in luxury shopping, driven by factors such as brand consciousness, social comparison, and innovative fashion (Zhang & Kim, 2013). Although the trend of Chinese outbound tourism aimed at luxury shopping continues to expand, little is known about Chinese luxury shoppers’ behavior when abroad. This study attempts to investigate Chinese luxury shoppers’ preferences in shopping destinations, relevant attributes of preferred luxury shopping destinations, and potential underlying dimensions among identified attributes. Results revealed an attribute list comprising 3 dimensions (human touch, prestige, and good value) and 17 items. These findings reflect Chinese luxury shoppers’ concerns and preferences about shopping overseas. Implications and future research directions are also discussed.