Status Consumption Scale

What it measures

Measures the motivation to consume goods and services for the status and social prestige they confer. Status consumption is distinct from conspicuous consumption (which is about visibility) — it captures the underlying motivational drive to acquire status through purchase. A brief but highly reliable scale widely used in luxury, fashion, and consumer culture research.

Response format

Likert (1–5, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

Scale items

• I would buy a product just because it has status.
• I am interested in new products with status.
• I would pay more for a product if it had status.
• The status of a product is irrelevant to me. (R)
• A product is more valuable to me if it has some snob appeal.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

(R)=reverse-scored. Score = mean. Higher = greater status consumption motivation. Widely used alongside materialism, need for uniqueness, and luxury value scales to understand the motivational profile of status-oriented consumers. Strong predictor of luxury brand preference and premium willingness to pay.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Eastman, J.K., Goldsmith, R.E., & Flynn, L.R. (1999). Status consumption in consumer behavior: Scale development and validation. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 7(3), 41–52.

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