Cross-Border Shopping: Mexican Shoppers in the US and American Shoppers in Mexico

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

7-2013

Abstract

This paper draws on a qualitative, empirical investigation of the two-way flow of consumers across a US-Mexico border to shed light on utilitarian and hedonic motives that give rise to cross-border shopping (CBS). An intriguing first observation pertains to the prevalence of consumerist culture among Mexican and American consumers: both groups exhibit generally comparable levels of consumerist culture and shopping orientations/values despite their differential economic statuses. Although each of the two groups exhibit both utilitarian and hedonic motives, the meanings and experiences of CBS are different for the two groups. Shopping in the US manifests the consumerist culture and the need for excess and exposes materialistic values. Shopping in Mexico, on the other hand, represents a means of survival. Discussion and research implications are exposed.

Comments

Originally published:

Baruca, Arne, Zolfagharian, M. "Cross-Border Shopping: Mexican Shoppers in the US and American Shoppers in Mexico." International Journal of Consumer Studies 37.4 (2013): 360-366.

DOI:10.1111/j.1470-6431.2012.01097.x

DOI

10.1111/j.1470-6431.2012.01097.x

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