Abstract:
Indulgence is indicated as one of the reasons for the consumption of luxury goods. Luxury products and their consumption should provide consumers with experiences such as fun, enjoyment, self-pleasure, and indulgence. Indulgence is realized through self-gifting, which in turn satisfies dreams, aspirations, or fantasies of the individual. As a result, the consumer achieves an elevated, positive emotional state. In such a case, luxury goods serve as a means to achieve this state. Preference for luxury goods over necessary ones has been clearly indicated as a source of indulgence in many studies. Research areas concerning luxury and indulgence often overlap. However, there is not always consistency in the conclusions drawn from them.
The aim of the article is to assess the extent to which luxury and luxury products are associated with the phenomenon of indulgence, what motivates both behaviors, and what is consumers' attitude towards them.
To achieve this goal, an analysis of the literature on luxury consumption and indulgent behaviors, as well as research findings on these phenomena, was conducted.
The results of focus groups interviews indicate that luxury is very strongly associated with indulgent behavior. When purchasing both luxury and indulgent products, research participants experience only positive emotions, such as delight and surprise, uncertainty, joy, excitement, satisfaction, curiosity, and desire. Luxury products are usually purchased as a form of reward, something unique - on a special occasion. This confirms the results of the research presented in this article, according to which, in the case of both indulgent behavior and the purchase of luxury products, the experienced level of deservingness favors both behaviors.
However, completely different emotions appear when consuming these two types of products. After purchasing a luxury products positive emotions are still experienced. However, their intensity decreases over time. In the case of indulgent behavior, a number of negative emotions appear related to the assessment of one's own behavior, like guilt and remorse, manifestation of weak will.
While the study participants are looking for justification for their indulgent behavior, in the case of purchasing luxury goods, they rather believe that their purchase is a confirmation of the right path in life and their achievements. An interesting observation resulting from the study is that the perception of indulegnt behavior by men is much more positive than in the case of women.
