“God, I have so many ashtrays!” Dependences and dependencies in consumer–possession relationships

Tourist souvenirs are a typical example of special possessions that may convey deep meanings to consumers' life. Prior studies assume that consumers have enduring and stable relationships with such possessions resulting from their role in identity construction. They tend to neglect the influence of passing time and moving spaces and fail to provide a network perspective, predominantly focusing on the consumer—possession's dyad. This research aims to bring a holistic and dynamic perspective to the relationships between consumers and their special possessions, referring to Hodder's concepts of entanglement (dependence) and entrapment (dependency). In a naturalistic interpretive perspective, we examine the three stages of the consumption cycle, namely acquisition, consumption, and disposal. The findings suggest that consumers may not only develop enduring relationships with their tourist possessions but also liquid ones, depending on whether they are in entangled or entrapped situations. Relationships are ‘liquid’ in the sense that they are temporary, more detached, and less special.