Central European Business Review X:X | DOI: 10.18267/j.cebr.423

The Effect of Status Consumption on Repurchase Intention: The Mediating Role of Conspicuous Consumption and Luxury Symbolism

Aytaç Erdem ORCID...
University of Giresun, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Consumers attach psychological meanings to the luxury products they purchase and can use these products as a means to elevate their status. Conspicuous consumption has now become a common occurrence not only among the wealthy but also within lower-income groups. In this study, which explains the difference between status consumption and conspicuous consumption, the effect of status consumption on repurchase intention has been examined. Additionally, it has been tested whether conspicuous consumption and luxury symbolism play a mediating role in the relationship between status consumption and repurchase intention. The survey data collected (N=412) were assessed through structural equation modeling. The research results indicate that status consumption influences the intention to repurchase and that conspicuous consumption and luxury symbolism have a partial mediating effect in this relationship. At the end of the study, both theoretical implications are discussed, and important managerial implications are presented for firms to be effective in the luxury product market.
Implications for Central European audience: The study highlights that status consumption strongly drives repurchase intentions for luxury goods, with conspicuous consumption and luxury symbolism acting as partial mediators. For Central European markets, where rising middle-class affluence and social mobility shape consumer behavior, these findings emphasize the symbolic value of luxury as much as functional benefits. Theoretically, distinguishing between status and conspicuous consumption clarifies consumer motivations. Practically, luxury brands should design strategies that highlight prestige, identity expression, and exclusivity, leveraging digital platforms and storytelling to strengthen loyalty in socially competitive and increasingly aspirational consumer segments.

Keywords: Status consumption; conspicuous consumption; luxury symbolism; repurchase intention; luxury

Received: August 18, 2025; Revised: July 3, 2026; Accepted: July 16, 2026; Prepublished online: August 14, 2026 

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