Determinants of a lasting purchase: The case of the tattoo patron Jeremy J. Sierra n , Ravi K. Jillapalli 1 , Vishag A. Badrinarayanan 2 Texas State University, McCoy College of Business Administration, Department of Marketing, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States article info Available online 19 February 2013 Keywords: Anticipated regret Dual-process theory Perceived trust Self-esteem Self-expression Tattoo abstract Evidence suggests that both cognitive and emotive factors elucidate consumer decision processes; yet, research exploring such factors jointly (i.e., a dual-process approach) as antecedents of high-involve- ment, lasting purchases is lacking. To address this paucity, we developed two studies, each with a unique dual-process model for explaining consumers’ intention to get a tattoo. Study 1 explores anticipated regret about getting a tattoo, emotional response before and now regarding a tattoo purchase, and self-expression via tattoo acquisition. Study 2 examines perceived trust in the tattoo artist, self-esteem, attitude toward art paintings, and age as determinants of intention to get a tattoo. Data collected for testing these models support dual-process theory in the tattoo context. Implications and future research directions are offered. & 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Recognized as a risk-filled acquisition (Sanders, 1985), tattoos represent a unique purchase due to their permanent alteration of the body and their relationship to personal expression, creativity, and identity (Handwerk, 2002; Hudson, 2009; Watson, 1998). Although previously shunned upon by society, tattoos have become fixtures in mainstream culture (Handwerk, 2002; Watson, 1998); their visible presence and social acceptability can be attributed to intense media exposure of tattoo-laden athletes, entertainers, celebrities, and business executives (Koch et al., 2010; Kosut, 2006; Levins, 1997). In the US, the tattoo industry, which consists of over 15,000 studios (Swan, 2006) and is seemingly immune to difficult economic times (Hudson, 2009), is the sixth fastest growing retail business, with the middle-class suburban woman being the fastest growing demographic group to get a tattoo. Tattoo procurement spans a gamut of societal members; for example, in 2004, over 30 million Americans had at least one tattoo (37% between the ages of 18 and 25 and 40% between the ages of 26 and 40) (Tattoo Trends, 2009). Further, nearly 40% of teens and 20-somethings have at least one tattoo; of these, 50% have between 2 and 5 (Neighbor, 2010). Tattooing is also experie- ncing unprecedented international acceptance and success (Levins, 1997). Widespread adoption of tattoos by mainstream society is evident; yet research on tattoo buyer behavior lags this move- ment (Kjeldgaard and Bengtsson, 2005; Lipscomb et al., 2008; Sanders, 1985; Totten et al., 2009). Tattoos, as symbolic and lasting purchases, are conduits for human expression (Velliquette et al., 1998) and their proliferation across social strata represents attractive marketing and sales potential (Pentina and Spears, 2011). To better understand determinants of tattoo acquisition and to offer insight to both advertisers’ design strategies and marketers’ modeling efforts of purchase behavior, we propose, across multiple studies, two dual-process models of intention to acquire body art in the form of a tattoo. Specifically for Study 1, we examine the following antecedents of intention to purchase a tattoo (Pur INT ): self-expression (Slf EXP ) [viewed as the categorization and communication elements of self-expressive values (Richins, 1994)] via tattoo acquisition, anticipated regret (Ant REG ) [considered a negatively-charged emotion directed toward forecasted anguish resulting from a failed exchange outcome (Currie, 1985)] about getting a tattoo, and emotional response before (Em BEF ) and now (Em NOW ) [both regarded as states of feeling (MacInnis and de Mello, 2005)] about getting a tattoo. Regarding Study 2, we test the following determinants of intention to purchase a tattoo (Pur INT ): perceived trust (T RUST ) [ascertained as an overall disposition toward an entity based on performance competency (Chaudhuri and Holbrook, 2001) and ardor toward consumers’ well-being (Delgado-Ballester et al., 2003)], self-esteem (E STEEM ) [considered a positive or negative feeling toward oneself based on some personal trait(s) (Durgee, 1986)], attitude toward art paintings (A PAINT ) [viewed as a tendency to respond either favorably or unfavorably to this type of artistry (MacKenzie and Lutz, 1989)], and age (A GE ). Previous research suggests these determinants Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jretconser Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 0969-6989/$ - see front matter & 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2013.01.014 n Corresponding author. Tel.: þ1 512 245 3819; fax: þ1 512 245 7475. E-mail addresses: js204@txstate.edu (J.J. Sierra), Ravi.Jillapalli@txstate.edu (R.K. Jillapalli), vb16@txstate.edu (V.A. Badrinarayanan). 1 Tel.: þ1 512 245 3826. 2 Tel.: þ1 512 245 4378. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 20 (2013) 389–399