Brand Exploitation

What it measures

A six-item scale measuring the degree to which a consumer perceives a brand or firm as exploiting its customer base — taking advantage of customers, treating them disrespectfully, and causing them harm through its business practices. One item is reverse-scored. Developed in research on market power and price fairness, the scale captures the moral dimension of brand power perception — specifically the extent to which consumers view the firm's behaviour as ethically violating the consumer relationship.

Representative items

• The brand is taking advantage of its customers.
• Customers are being exploited by the brand.
• Customers are not being treated with the respect they are due.

Citation

Lu, Zhi, Lisa E. Bolton, Sharon Ng, and Haipeng (Allan) Chen (2020). The price of power: How firm's market power affects perceived fairness of price increases. Journal of Retailing, 96(2), 220–234.