The Dynamics of Country-Related Affect: Deciphering Purchase Intentions for Foreign Fashion Brands in China

Market globalization is considered a key driver of the rapid growth of the Chinese economy. In response to this trend, an increasing number of foreign firms have been targeting the vast Chinese market. Accordingly, understanding the purchase intentions and preferences of Chinese consumers has become crucial for these multinational firms. Consumer behavior, however, can vary significantly based on the brand’s origin; for instance, responses to brands from Japan—a country with historical conflicts with China—may differ substantially from those toward Korean brands. This could suggest that country-related sentiments have a significant impact on Chinese consumers’ purchase intentions. Using fashion brands as a focal context, we examined how country-related sentiments—specifically country image, consumer ethnocentrism, and national animosity—affect Chinese consumers’ purchase intentions and preferences. In addition, we investigated the moderating role of product evaluation on the relationship between national animosity and purchase intentions. Based on data collected from a consumer survey, the results of the present study revealed that a favorable country image is positively associated with Chinese consumers’ purchase intentions for foreign fashion brands. Moreover, while national animosity negatively affects purchase intentions, this relationship is significantly moderated by product evaluation. Specifically, high product evaluations mitigate the negative impact of national animosity on purchase intentions, whereas low product evaluations exacerbate this negative effect.