THE IMPACT OF EMOTIONS ON CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING: A CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS OF HEDONIC CONSUMPTION AS RELATED TO THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON BRAND

Abstract

Consumer behaviour has varied aspects that allow for a more detailed understanding of why certain products are purchased. In this light the American firm of Harley-Davidson is utilised as an appropriate case study with a focus on men aged 40 to 60 from the area of Edinburgh. Harley-Davidson appears to be an under-studied phenomenon. Whilst some examples are present in which Harley-Davidson has an important role, these examples either focus on marketing from the perspective of the company or from the social environment the consumer enters after the purchase has been completed. This research considers factors that motivated consumers carry out the act of purchasing a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. A thorough literature review of current research establishes an academic understanding of the environment that consumers may enter and attempts to identify possible motivations for the consumer to act in this way. Various important motivating factors are established by the literature which contribute to the hedonic purchase intentions of middle-aged male consumers who may go through a midlife-crisis situation in which they attempt to distract from their aging character and counter it through a more lavish lifestyle. Other aspects considered are the manner in which money is handled under various circumstances. The primary research was conducted as a qualitative case study. This involved semi-structured interviews with volunteering participants at the local Harley-Davidson dealership in Edinburgh. In order to illustrate other ways in which money is spent and risks perceived, the research uses an additional cluster of non-motorcyclists from the same area, gender, and age group. Through the openness of the participants, aspects that had not previously been considered, such as participants’ description of depression and the positive impact of reduction of alcohol consumption. It has been established through the thematic data analysis that Harley-Davidson consumers do not struggle with a mid-life crisis but rather follow a progression under which a Harley-Davidson is the most comfortable option for them before retiring from motorcycling. Based on the thematic analysis it was discovered that the majority of Harley-Davidson owners have previously owned other brands and moved to Harley within the age limits set for this research. Keywords: Consumer behaviour, Hedonic Consumption, Harley-Davidson, Edinburgh, Progression of Consumption