The consumption motivation of Vietnamese Generation Z consumers: An exploratory study of branded sports footwear

Purpose/research questions: This research aims to understand Vietnamese Generation Z

consumers’ motivation to consume branded sports footwear. It explores individuals’ relationships

with brands during their customer journey and the purchasing characteristics of Vietnamese

Generation Z consumers when acquiring branded sports footwear from a business and academic

perspective.

Design/methodology/approach: The study employs an inductive, interpretivist approach,

involving twenty-five branded sports footwear consumers aged 18-25 years from Hanoi. Semistructured

interviews, conducted in Vietnamese, were used to explore participants’ experiences

with branded sports footwear. The interviews were analyzed using content analysis, and the

findings were then translated into English to preserve their meaning and nuances.

Results: During their customer journeys, Vietnamese Generation Z branded sports footwear

consumers are motivated by various attributes, including self-identity and hedonistic desires, social

responsibility, quality expectations and past experience, peer pressure, family and friends, and

online sources, including social media, online reviews and external virtual influencers. Ultimately,

the study revealed that the acculturation behaviour and the link between ethnocentric and

xenocentric characteristics of Vietnamese Generation Z consumers are fundamental, highlighting

the unique and distinctive purchasing behaviour experienced when these individuals buy branded

sports footwear.

Originality/value: Several theoretical and methodological contributions are made. Firstly, the

study provides an in-depth understanding of Generation Z’s consumption motives through a

Vietnamese and branded consumer lens. Secondly, the findings extend Hamilton et al.’s (2021)

customer journey model by adding a quality attribute, brand trust and brand respect, and finally the

inclusion of acculturation behaviour which spans across the model. Finally, this study adopts a

qualitative approach to explore further the complex nature of their consumption and purchasing

behaviour.

Practical implications: Marketers and manufacturers should prioritize the importance of quality

development in the manufacturing process and understand the unique acculturation characteristics

of Vietnamese Generation Z branded sports footwear consumers. This includes the demand for

localized and personalized products with a blend of self-identity, cultural heritage, and social

responsibility when manufacturing and marketing these branded items.

Future research: Recommendations for further research are offered, including the extension of

this study to other contexts.