Country‐of‐Origin, Consumer Innovativeness, and Purchasing Intentions Toward Products From a Developing Country

Abstract

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose This paper investigates how the decomposition of country‐of‐origin (COO)—general country image, product image, and country emotions—influences consumers' intentions from a country with different socioeconomic development than the exporting country. We analyze the moderating role of consumer innovativeness, which may enhance the positive effect of COO on behavioral intentions. Design/Methodology/Approach Consumers in Germany completed an online survey on the COO multidimensions regarding Mexican products. Purchase intentions for consumption goods (e.g., tequila, beer, soda, chips, tortillas, and Mexican sauce) were evaluated, with consumer innovativeness and ethnocentrism, gender, and age as moderators. Data was analyzed using structural equation model (SEM) and M‐Logit models estimated in STATA. Findings The models validate the relevance of product image and emotions for the country in relation to German consumers' intentions toward Mexican products, revealing that consumer innovativeness and age selectively moderate the cognitive evaluation associated with product image. The most innovative consumers and younger consumers tend to prioritize functional attributes—particularly those related to the quality, reliability, and innovation—when forming their purchase intentions. Originality/Value This research contributes to the study of COO in two significant ways. First, it provides empirical evidence on how COO dimensions affect consumers in a developed country when purchasing products from an emerging economy. Second, it offers new insights into the moderating effects of consumer innovativeness and age on these relationships. Notably, consumer innovativeness emerged as a highly relevant moderator, enhancing the effect of COO on purchase intention.