Sylesh Nechully

Status Consumption - A Honey Trap Sylesh Nechully

"My closets are filled with still unopened items" Seeing brand new clothes with original price tags in thrift stores, do not surprise people anymore. Consumers are running out of space to store all the things they buy. Consumption for the sake of consumption, without any consideration of its utility, is fast becoming a global phenomenon. Status consumption - A Honey Trap presents insights on what leads an individual into high-status consumption cultures. In today's world, people replace their mobile phones, laptops, cars or apartments, not because the present one has lost its utility. It's because of social comparisons and other societal compulsions. Consumption borne out of hedonistic needs related to fashion, prestige and not utility, can have major detrimental effects on individuals. These consumers can end up in financial distress, including debt trap or behavioral deviations such as compulsive consumption or psychologically deviant behavior like Shopaholism. Unbridled purchase of status goods with little attention of their real need is considered as a manifestation of materialism. Individuals with materialistic values believe that acquisition and possession of status products will fetch them happiness. Low self-esteem and social pressure factors are the contributors of materialism. The authors investigate the domains related to status consumption such as materialism, self-esteem and social pressure factors. Status Consumption - A Honey Trap, targets academicians, marketing professionals, researchers, social-scientists and public who are seeking to understand the reasons behind conspicuous consumption or excessive, indulgent consumption.