Superfluous or Moderation ? The Effect of Religious Value on Conspicuous Consumption Behavior for Luxury Products

In this chapter, the authors focus on the aspects of religious belief that may affect consumption behavior. Previous studies have clearly stated that the study of religion’s influence on consumer behavior is still under-researched (Lindridge, 2005; Mokhlis, 2009, 2010). The premise lies in the view that culture is a way of life, and thus, the authors explore whether or not that suggests the same for religion, and if it is, how does religion predict the conspicuous behavior of people towards the purchase of luxury goods? In specific, the authors are interested in exploring the level and intensity of religiosity on conspicuous consumption. Therefore, it is significant to study “religiosity” as one of the predictive factors of a consumerism culture that may help explain why people engage in conspicuous consumption. The chapter provides a concluding remark by highlighting the practical aspects on domestic or international marketers who wish to market their luxury products in Malaysia.