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A substantial portion of existing literature on comparing experiential and material purchases on happiness indicates an experiential advantage. However, this advantage is presumed to occur in developed countries, with developing countries being overlooked. To address this gap in the literature, this paper examines the effect of consumption in China. It introduces a new perspective, consumption frequency (ordinary vs extraordinary), to investigate the interactive effect of consumption frequency (ordinary vs extraordinary) and product type (material vs experiential) on happiness and to explore the underlying mechanisms in China.

The study constructs a model about the interactive effect of consumption frequency (ordinary vs extraordinary) and product type (material vs experiential) on happiness and takes self-expansion as the underlying mechanism. The authors employ two experiments and a nationwide secondary survey dataset to test the model.

(1) consumption frequency and product type can interactively improve happiness significantly in China; (2) extraordinary material consumption induces a higher level of happiness than extraordinary experiential consumption and (3) these effects are driven by self-expansion, which is an important character for people in developing countries.

This study is incomplete in its lack of investigation into the boundary conditions, such as materialism in the model.

This paper introduces a novel perspective, consumption frequency and integrates it with existing research variables (material vs experiential) to propose the interactive effect and the underlying mechanism, self-expansion. This paper contributes to the theory of consumption happiness by introducing the concept of consumption frequency in the comparison of material versus experiential products on happiness. Conversely, our findings contribute to the understanding of happiness in China.

The purpose of this article is to identify whether there is happiness in the consumption of brands and product categories and to clarify which provides more happiness: consuming the product itself or consuming the branded product.

The research was a survey with 528 Brazilian consumers. Data were analyzed and interpreted through content analysis and regressions: linear, quantile and logistic.

The results show that there is happiness in the consumption of brands and product categories, with culture being the category that most provides happiness; also confirming that individuals who consume branded products are happier than those who consume the product itself.

Studies confirm that there is happiness in consumption, but when we show that there is more happiness in the consumption of branded products than in not consuming the product itself, and when we identify which are the categories of products that bring the most happiness in an emerging country of Latin America, our article deepens and expands the previous literature.

We suggest that companies associate their brands with culture to balance profit with sustainable purpose. For this, we provide a framework as a tool for this association.

The topic of our article is relevant, timely and current, its originality lies in confirming that those who consume the branded product are happier and those who consume the product itself are less happy, and also by identifying which categories provide the most happiness.

El propósito de este artículo es identificar si hay felicidad en el consumo de marcas y categorías de productos y esclarecer cuál proporciona más felicidad: consumir el producto en sí o consumir el producto de marca.

La investigación fue una encuesta con 528 consumidores brasileños. Los datos fueron analizados e interpretados mediante análisis de contenido y regresiones: lineal, cuantil y logística.

Los resultados muestran que existe felicidad en el consumo de marcas y categorías de productos, siendo la cultura la categoría que más felicidad brinda; confirmando también que los individuos que consumen productos de marca son más felices que los que consumen el producto en sí.

Sugerimos que las empresas asocien sus marcas con la cultura para equilibrar las ganancias con un propósito sostenible. Para ello, proporcionamos un marco como herramienta para esta asociación.

Los estudios confirman que hay felicidad en el consumo, pero cuando demostramos que hay más felicidad en el consumo de productos de marca que en no consumir el producto en sí, y cuando identificamos cuáles son las categorías de productos que más felicidad aportan en un mundo emergente país de América Latina, nuestro artículo profundiza y amplía la literatura anterior.

El tema de nuestro artículo es relevante, oportuno y actual, su originalidad radica en constatar que quienes consumen el producto de marca son más felices y quienes consumen el producto en sí son menos felices, y también en identificar qué categorías aportan más felicidad.

Does having things make people happy; does buying, consuming, or giving bring happiness? In an increasingly materialistic era, it seems that people might believe so. Despite our consumption culture, research tells us that the desire for material possessions relates more to unhappiness than to happiness (Belk, 1985; Burroughs & Rindfleisch, 2002; Csikszentmihalyi, 2000; La Barbera & Gürhan, 1997; Mick, 1996; Richins, 1987; Sirgy et al., 1998). Economists find that subjective well-being increases, then levels off as national levels of discretionary income increase (Csikszentmihalyi, 1999; Diener, 2000; Meyers, 2000). Furthermore, many economists cite correspondence between happiness and relative income (Blanchflower & Oswald, 2004; Solnick & Hemenway, 1998; Stutzer, 2003) to explain the stagnation of average happiness despite rises in national incomes. Increasing one person's income relative to others decreases the others’ happiness so that pursuing money to achieve happiness becomes a zero-sum affair; average national happiness does not change (Lee, 2006).

Examines the relationship between public welfare and the pursuit of happiness via a discussion on the conception on public welfare provision and the way in which it is received as consumption. Introduces concepts on organized welfare and positions individual happiness in the realm of consumption, and argues that state‐organized welfare polity has unintentionally expanded the scope of and expectation of citizens on consumption. Outlines the critics on welfare state provision. Argues for a conceptualization of happiness with reference to the mode of welfare consumption. In spite of problems relating to the welfare state, collective consumption has provided both symbolic and material goods through which a new set of consumption relations is developed. Ends with remarks on the implication of welfare consumerism in creating the social identity of citizen‐consumers and happiness in the coming modernity.

This study undertakes a comprehensive exploration of the relationships between psychological ownership (PO) in playful consumption and its substantial impact on consumer happiness (CH). Specifically, this study aims to investigate the moderating effects of personality and game performance on the association between PO and CH.

Subsequently, this study proceeds to evaluate consumer happiness in the context of playful consumption experiences through two distinct studies, one quantitative and the other experimental. For Study 1, a randomized sample of 453 respondents from Pakistan is utilized, and data is analyzed using SEM (Structural Equation Modeling) techniques. In Study 2, this study employed an EEG emotive insight device, offering valuable insights into the factors associated with psychological ownership. This experimental approach allows exploring the neuro-marketing perspective of players engaging in playful consumption activities.

The research findings demonstrated multiple positive associations with psychological ownership (PO). Perceived control, competitive resistance, emotions, customer participation, personality and performance all exhibited significant positive correlations with PO. Furthermore, the study highlighted that game performance has the capacity to enhance feelings of happiness among participants.

This study offers innovative insights into the mechanisms that underpin consumer happiness and serves as a reliable guide for policymakers, applied psychologists, consumers and marketers who play a role in shaping the future in the domain of happiness and well-being through playful consumption experiences.

This study offers new insights into the processes that drive consumer happiness and provides a vigorous guide for policymakers, applied psychologists, consumers and marketers who shape the futures in the field of happiness and well-being through playful consumption experience.

This paper aims to compare free market capitalism and Islamic moral economy in terms of corresponding means and ends for a happy life. The paper reveals that global consumer culture is the inevitable outcome of secularization. As people pursue fulfillment with worldly possession, position and pleasure, they mistakenly think that higher material consumption would result in higher subjective wellbeing. Muslims are increasingly joining consumer culture because they are affected by global consumerism. The paper attempts to show that Islam has a potential to curb unsustainable consumer culture.

The paper explores a relationship between consumer culture and free market capitalism. It presents Islamic way of happiness as an alternative to hedonic happiness which is promoted by global consumer culture. It defines happiness as fulfillment in life through the realization of God and pursuit of His pleasure by finding transcendental meaning for having, being and doing.

The paper concludes that the Islamic way to happiness is different from hedonic happiness which leads to conspicuous consumption. It argues that once internalized, Islamic worldview would make possible to achieve a higher level of happiness without engaging in higher material consumption. It maintains that authentic happiness from an Islamic perspective is not the maximization of pleasure through indulging in consumer culture. Rather it is the fulfillment of heart and other faculties through remembrance (seeing the transcendental reality of the universe and the self) of God. Submission to God and living to gain His pleasure are the logical implications of such realization.

The paper reveals how consumer culture brings less happiness through more consumption, while Islam offers more happiness through less consumption.

The purpose of the present research is to investigate how consumers’ purchase posting behavior on social media influences their own happiness.

The paper presents three studies. Study 1 was an experiment that manipulated purchase and posting behavior. Studies 2 and 3 utilized surveys which asked participants to report their actual purchases and posting behaviors. Data were examined using regression and bootstrap mediation analysis.

Posting purchases on social media has a positive influence on consumers’ happiness through the mediating roles of perceived impact of purchases on self and interpersonal relationships.

This paper contributes to the research on social media by demonstrating that because of its remarkable characteristics, posting purchases on social media significantly increases consumers’ happiness. It fills the research gap of how word-of-mouth and conspicuous consumption influences the storyteller’s happiness. It is also the first research which suggests that user-generated content of purchases actually can be a new carrier of conspicuous consumption. The findings shed light on the substantial influences of posting purchases on the use/consumption stage of consumer behavior.

Because posting purchases on social media increases consumers’ happiness, marketers can develop strategies to encourage consumers to post about their purchases more.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first to demonstrate the positive effect of social media purchase posting on consumers’ happiness and identify the mechanism under which this effect occurs.

This study examines the effect of perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) on consumer happiness and brand admiration as a consequence of consumer happiness. It suggests an original conceptual model that investigates perceived CSR, ethical consumption and hope as antecedents of consumer happiness.

The study followed a quantitative approach. A face-to-face survey was conducted to examine the conceptual model. Data were analyzed with partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

Hope and perceived CSR significantly influence consumer happiness. Consumer happiness is a significant antecedent of brand admiration. Although consumers' ethical position (idealism and relativism) is linked to ethical consumption, ethical consumption does not influence consumer happiness. Idealism and relativism are insignificant in moderating the perceived CSR–consumer happiness relationship.

Brands' CSR actions create a positive atmosphere and contribute to consumer happiness and brand admiration. Managers can emphasize happiness and hope in CSR programs to build stronger consumer relationships. CSR activities can be engaging for consumers regardless of their ethical consumption levels.

Although CSR, consumer happiness and their impacts on consumer–brand relationships are crucial, previous studies mainly focused on the organizational perspective and employee emotions regarding CSR. This study focused on consumer happiness in the CSR context and tested a conceptual model that revealed the significant relationships between hope, perceived CSR, consumer happiness and brand admiration. It extended previous findings by showing the direct positive impact of perceived CSR on consumer happiness.

This research analyzes the role of happiness associated with sustainable purchases in social enterprises (SEs) as a key precursor of prosocial behavioral responses through satisfaction with such purchases.

This paper studies the relationships between past purchase in a social enterprise, consumer happiness, satisfaction and three indicators of loyalty: repurchase intention, word-of-mouth (WOM) intention and willingness to pay more. In addition, it analyzes the moderating role of altruistic motivation. A survey was designed to collect data from 380 consumers who had bought in a social enterprise.

Sustainable consumption is a source of happiness for ethical consumers to the extent that they feel that they meet a personal need or desire, and they contribute to achieving a social objective with their purchasing behavior.

SEs must appeal to the happiness of consumers as a strategic line to achieve their satisfaction and loyalty. Social enterprise practitioners and marketers should deploy organizational capabilities and resources in key performing areas such as communication, customer service or shopping experience, with the purpose of maximizing the happiness of ethical consumers with whom the firm is interacting for the first time.

This research highlights the importance of the social enterprise in the commercial setting, since it has been proven that purchases in these companies generate happiness and satisfaction in consumers. In addition, satisfaction has a great impact on their loyalty, which is a direct advantage for this type of company and an indirect one for society as a whole.

This study aims to analyze the relationship between expectations of change after a crisis, such as that generated by COVID-19, people's levels of happiness and the propensity for pro-sustainable behavior.

Surveys were conducted using 1,130 observations. The aim was to measure expectations of change during the pandemic. Furthermore, the relationship between these expectations, happiness levels, and attitudes towards sustainability was analyzed for various elements of daily life. Statistical techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis, variance analysis and correlation analysis were utilized to explore the underlying patterns and relationships.

Optimistic expectations for post-pandemic change are associated with a greater likelihood of engaging in environmentally beneficial behaviors, leading to higher levels of life satisfaction. This correlation is particularly significant when individuals envision broader transformations in the collective behavior of humanity. These findings suggest a strong link between beliefs in positive societal transformations and both pro-environmental actions and personal well-being.

The unique circumstances of the pandemic, characterized by heightened media consumption, likely influenced the expectations of individuals, particularly fostering pessimistic outlooks in critical situations. Clear and solid variables were utilized despite not employing validated scales to measure expectations. However, it has been proven that there is a clear link between change expectations, happiness, and the propensity for a more sustainable daily life.

This study identifies guidelines that strengthen brands' communication strategies based on individuals' sustainability profiles and visions of the future.

There is a need to target skeptical, change-resistant segments of the population with a more convincing and solid discourse to promote sustainable consumption and behavior.

This is the first study to simultaneously address the relationship between individuals' expectations of change following traumatic events such as the pandemic, their engagement in sustainable behavior, and their increased levels of happiness.