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“Lucky” numbers, unlucky consumers

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  • Yang, Zili

Abstract

Superstitious beliefs affect economic activity and may have noticeable economic impacts. In China, numbers often convey certain superstitious meanings. Retailers in China manipulate digital patterns on price tags to fit consumers’ superstitious preferences. In this paper, I analyze such superstitious manipulations using a large sample of price tags from Beijing, China. I also estimate the aggregate economic impacts of superstitious manipulations of retail price tags. The analytical results and the estimations presented in this paper suggest that Chinese consumers pay extra for their superstitious beliefs when they purchase goods. Retailers are the clear winners in superstitious manipulations of digital patterns in price tags.

Suggested Citation

  • Yang, Zili, 2011. "“Lucky” numbers, unlucky consumers," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 40(5), pages 692-699.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceco:v:40:y:2011:i:5:p:692-699
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2011.05.008
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ng, Travis & Chong, Terence & Du, Xin, 2010. "The value of superstitions," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 293-309, June.
    2. Terence Tai‐Leung Chong & Xin Du, 2008. "Hedonic Pricing Models For Vehicle Registration Marks," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(2), pages 259-276, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Brad R. Humphreys & Adam Nowak & Yang Zhou, 2017. "Chinese Superstition and Real Estate Prices: Transaction-level Evidence from the US Housing Market," Working Papers 17-18, Department of Economics, West Virginia University.
    2. Irenaeus Wolff, 2017. "Lucky Numbers in Simple Games," TWI Research Paper Series 107, Thurgauer Wirtschaftsinstitut, Universität Konstanz.
    3. Brad R. Humphreys & Adam Nowak & Yang Zhou, 2016. "Cultural Superstitions and Residential Real Estate Prices: Transaction-level Evidence from the US Housing Market," Working Papers 16-27, Department of Economics, West Virginia University.
    4. Duong, Cong Doanh, 2023. "“What goes around comes around†: Activating sustainable consumption with curvilinear effects of karma determinants," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    5. Katina Kulow & Thomas Kramer, 2016. "In Pursuit of Good Karma: When Charitable Appeals to Do Right Go Wrong," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 43(2), pages 334-353.
    6. Woei-Chyuan Wong & Nur Adiana Hiau Abdullah & Hock-Eam Lim, 2019. "The Value Of Chinese Superstitions In Malaysia: Evidence From Car Plate Auctioning," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 64(01), pages 115-137, March.
    7. Tao Chen & Andreas Karathanasopoulos & Stanley Iat-Meng Ko & Chia Chun Lo, 2020. "Lucky lots and unlucky investors," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 735-751, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Superstition; Retail price; Chinese economy; Consumer behavior;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A13 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Social Values
    • C12 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Hypothesis Testing: General
    • L81 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Retail and Wholesale Trade; e-Commerce
    • M31 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising - - - Marketing
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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