NCJ Number
66537
Journal
JOURNAL OF MARKETING Volume: 42 Dated: (OCTOBER 1978) Pages: 67-75
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A STUDY THAT EXAMINED MIDDLE-CLASS CONSUMERS' ATTITUDES TOWARD THE SEVERITY OF PARTICULAR CONSUMER FRAUD BEHAVIORS AND PREFERRED REACTIONS FROM VICTIMIZED RETAILERS.
Abstract
STUDY RESPONDENTS WERE MIDDLE-INCOME HOUSEWIVES SELECTED THROUGH AREA SAMPLING TECHNIQUES. A TOTAL OF 290 USABLE QUESTIONNAIRES WERE OBTAINED, WITH RESPONDENTS RATING THE DEGREE OF 'WRONGNESS' OF 15 COMMON CONSUMER FRAUD BEHAVIORS. A QUESTION WAS ALSO INCLUDED WHICH ASKED RESPONDENTS TO RATE THE DEGREE TO WHICH THEIR FRIENDS WOULD ENGAGE IN THE BEHAVIORS DESCRIBED. USING A METHODOLOGY DEVELOPED BY HUSTAD AND PESEMIER IN THEIR ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY 'ACTIVIST' CONSUMERS, RESPONDENTS ATTITUDES TOWARD BUSINESSES IN GENERAL WERE DETERMINED AND ANALYZED IN RELATION TO THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARD THE FRAUDULENT BEHAVIORS. RESPONDENTS FIND CERTAIN OF THE ACTIVITIES MUCH LESS OBJECTIONABLE THAN OTHERS AND A FEW THAT ARE CATEGORICALLY WRONG (I.E., SHOPLIFTING). IN CASES WHERE A RETAILER EXPOSES FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY, RESPONDENTS PREFER THAT THE INCIDENT BE KEPT BETWEEN THE STORE MANAGER AND THE CONSUMER, WITHOUT POLICE INVOLVEMENT. A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS BELIEVED THE BURDEN OF PREVENTING CONSUMER FRAUD SHOULD REST UPON RETAILER PREVENTION STRATEGIES. HOWEVER, NO RELATION EXISTED BETWEEN RESPONDENT ATTITUDES TOWARD BUSINESS IN GENERAL AND ATTITUDES TOWARD CONSUMER FRAUD. RATIONALES FOR CONSUMER INDIFFERENCE TOWARD THE FRAUDS DESCRIBED ARE WIDESPREAD CONSUMER HOSTILITY TOWARD BUSINESSES PERCEIVED AS EXPLOITATIVE, THE FEELING THAT CRIME IS NOT SEVERE UNLESS IT INVOLVES VIOLENCE, AND A GENERAL PERCEPTION BY THE MIDDLE-CLASS THAT THEIR PEERS ARE NOT CRIMINAL TYPES. SUGGESTIONS ARE OFFERED FOR FURTHER RESEARCH. TABULAR DATA AND NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)