The Price of Expectation: How Luxury Consumers React to Quality Crises

Jeong Ah Yoo, Department of Communication, College of Social Sciences, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, S. Korea, 120-749Follow
Daye Hong, Department of Communication, College of Social Sciences, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, S. Korea, 120-749Follow
Yoon Hi Sung, Department of Communication, College of Social Sciences, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, S. Korea, 120-749Follow

ORCID

Jeong Ah Yoo: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8999-072X

Daye Hong: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4210-8362

Yoon Hi Sung: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5188-8076

Abstract

This study investigated the mechanisms underlying consumer responses to quality crises in luxury brands and examined how these responses differ depending on consumers' prior luxury brand purchase experience. The findings indicated that stronger price-quality inferences led to elevated product quality expectations. Further, when consumers encountered information regarding quality controversies, their heightened expectations produced greater perceived discrepancies, which subsequently had a negative impact on brand attitudes. Additionally, this study found that the negative impacts of perceived discrepancies on brand attitudes, purchase intentions for other products of the brand, and forgiveness intentions were more pronounced among luxury than among non-luxury consumers. Finally, this paper discusses the theoretical and managerial implications of the findings, and suggests future research directions.

Recommended Citation

Yoo, Jeong Ah; Hong, Daye; and Sung, Yoon Hi (2026) "The Price of Expectation: How Luxury Consumers React to Quality Crises," Asia Marketing Journal: Vol. 28 : Iss. 2 , Article 4.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.53728/2765-6500.1681