COO and retail buyers: the role of Country Related Product image and product familiarity

The paper analyses the effect of Country Related Product Image (CRPI) and product familiarity (PF) on retail buying behaviour. Despite the relevance and richness of the country-of-origin (COO) research, this body of literature is mainly based on investigating purchasing behaviours and intentions of consumers rather than professional buyers. Therefore, the effect that this construct exerts on retail buyers requires further understanding. Moreover, the study contributes to the literature by testing the multidimensional nature of CRPI and its impact, jointly with PF, on retail buyers intention to buy two specific Italian product categories: shoes and ceramic tiles. Firstly, the study verifies if the CRPI is a multidimensional construct and, secondly, if the impact of its related dimensions (innovation, prestige, and design) on retail buyers’ intention to buy changes when we consider PF. The research hypotheses are tested by conducting a survey on a sample of two-hundred and fifty seven Chinese retail buyers and applying a hierarchical multiple regression analysis. Results show that the CRPI is a multidimensional construct that influences the intention to buy Italian products by Chinese retail buyers. However, when we consider PF the impact of CRPI dimensions decreases. Theoretical and managerial implications are derived.