If tomorrow never comes: the impact of anxiety, materialism and attitude on consumption behavior in a pandemic

Abstract

Purpose This research aims to examine the impact of consumers’ anxiety on the three types of consumption activities (sharing, hoarding and regular buying) during the coronavirus pandemic. Further, it aims to investigate the moderating role of materialism on anxiety and how attitude toward the pandemic affects consumers’ consumption behavior.

Design/methodology/approach An online survey was conducted to test the proposed research model. The data were analyzed using SmartPLS and PROCESS tools.

Findings Higher levels of anxiety lead to less sharing and more hoarding of resources but do not impact consumers’ regular buying intentions. A positive attitude toward an external event such as lockdown and intrinsic materialism can help individuals to cope with the anxiety successfully. Furthermore, consumers are more likely to share and less likely to hoard when they develop a positive attitude toward pandemic.

Research limitations/implications Future research can explore the role of health-efficacy and attitude toward health as coping strategy toward pandemic. A longitudinal research can explore the gradual changes in consumers’ attitudes and consumption behavior.

Practical implications Governments, marketers and policymakers should focus on reducing consumers’ anxiety and to build a positive attitude toward pandemic to avoid the issues of hoarding and enable sharing of resources with others.

Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on terror management theory and crisis management during a pandemic using a consumption context.