Defining and Understanding Vintage
Journal of Consumer Research · Mon
Abstract
Trendsetters and cutting-edge brands constantly seek new styles and fresh designs that set them apart from previous trends. However, in recent decades, these early adopters and innovators have also increasingly turned to selected pieces from the past, a market phenomenon often referred to as “vintage.” But what are vintage products exactly? This research develops a unified framework for understanding vintage consumption using a multimethod approach that combines interviews, surveys, online product scraping, structural equation modeling, experiments, and data on over 2,000 vintage products across 16 categories collected at vintage fairs, stores, and online retailers. Vintage is a composite formative construct determined by three dimensions: moderate age, iconicity, and scarcity. By mapping its nomological network, the authors clarify the dimensions vintage shares with related constructs (i.e., antique, secondhand, retro), examine its downstream consequences for consumers, and identify its managerial implications. Vintage products deliver personal (e.g., heritage connection and authenticity), social (e.g., coolness), and sustainability benefits (e.g., environmental responsibility) for consumers. Moreover, highlighting a product’s age, iconicity, and scarcity can enhance consumer responses to vintage more than to new products. This research provides a theoretical foundation for understanding vintage consumption and offers guidance for identifying and positioning vintage products in the marketplace.
Keywords
vintage, retro, secondhand, antique
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