Consumer attitudes and purchase intentions toward fashion counterfeits: Moderating the effects of types of counterfeit goods and consumer characteristics

Designers’ creative rights must be protected in terms of intellectual property rights, but current legal protections for fashion design are insufficient. The fashion market is rife with counterfeit goods. In this study, we (1) examine consumer attitudes toward counterfeit goods as they affect purchase intentions, (2) identify differences between consumer attitude and purchase intention by types of counterfeit goods (TCG including design and trademark piracy), and (3) measure consumer characteristics – purchase experience of luxury goods (PELG), purchase experience of counterfeit goods (PECG), nationality, and level of legal knowledge (LLK) – as they moderate attitude and purchase intention. The study shows that consumer attitude toward counterfeit goods affects purchase intention. TCG has a partially moderating effect between attitude and purchase intention. All consumer characteristics except PECG can moderate attitude and purchase intention. Korean consumers have a high LLK about fashion design protection and negative attitudes toward counterfeit goods, but in reality willingly buy counterfeit goods. To bridge the gap between perception and reality, consumers must be educated to know that they should only purchase legal brands. In addition, legislation and law enforcement must be strengthened.