The Impact of Social Comparison on Willingness to Pay a Premium: The Mediating Role of Brand Addiction (Case Study: Mashhad Leather Brand)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mohammad Reza Rostami 1
ehsan safaei 2
1 PhD in Business Administration, Marketing Major, Faculty Member, Islamic Azad University, Shahrood Branch
2 PhD student in Business Administration, Marketing major, Islamic Azad University, Shahrood Branch
10.22034/jmek.2025.509746.1169
Abstract
The primary objective of this study is to examine the mediating role of brand addiction in the relationship between social comparison and willingness to pay a premium among customers of the Mashhad Leather Brand. This research is descriptive-survey in nature and, given its aim to investigate causal relationships among variables, falls under the category of structural equation modeling (regression-based research). The study population consists of customers of the Mashhad Leather Brand. Using Cochran's formula, a sample size of 385 individuals was determined, selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using the standardized questionnaire developed by Lee (2020), which was distributed among the sample. After collecting the questionnaires, the data were analyzed using PLS4 software. The findings revealed that social comparison has a positive and significant impact on brand addiction, willingness to pay a premium, and word-of-mouth advertising among customers of the Mashhad Leather Brand. Additionally, brand addiction positively and significantly influences both willingness to pay a premium and word-of-mouth advertising among these customers. Furthermore, brand addiction plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between social comparison and willingness to pay a premium, as well as between social comparison and word-of-mouth advertising.

Keywords

Subjects

  • Receive Date 31 December 2024
  • Revise Date 09 February 2025
  • Accept Date 23 February 2025