The effect of culture on consumer choice: the need for conformity vs. the need for uniqueness

This paper investigates whether East Asians are more likely than Westerners to purchase a brand presented as a best-seller given that East Asians tend to have a higher need for conformity and Westerners tend to have a higher need for uniqueness. Results show that East Asians are more likely than their Western counterparts to purchase such brands when the perceived risk is low. However, when the perceived risk is high, both East Asians and Westerners tend to prefer a brand presented as a best-seller. Results also show that, in a three-option set in which the C option is dominated by the B option but not by the A, both East Asians and Westerners are more likely to select option C when it is presented as a best-seller than when it is not. Managerial implications and the study's limitations are also discussed.