Exploring country of origin effect: A qualitative analysis of Turkish consumption practices

Country of origin is an important aspect of perceived quality and it plays a crucial role in product evaluations and purchase intentions. It has been subject of many studies in the field of international marketing and consumer behavior. Especially perceived quality of a product from a specific country is very important for understanding the country of origin effect. Although there are some studies investigating purchase intentions, country of origin effect is not well understood since the literature does not give importance to actual purchase decisions. A considerable literature has grown up about the country of origin effect. Product categories, country image, product price, brand name, perceived risk, product familiarity and experience have an influence on this concept. However, country of origin research has also some conceptual and methodological drawbacks that inflate this effect. To overcome existing drawbacks, this study was designed to explore country of origin effect with a qualitative methodology. Actual purchase decisions of Turkish consumers were analyzed in different product categories and country of origin effect was found to be product-specific. This study showed that brand image and product price have moderator effect on country of origin effect. It has also developed a general country of origin effect model that shows its antecedents and consequences by making a new interpretation of its formation. Keywords: Country of Origin, Country of Origin Effect, Country Image, Product Evaluation, Purchase Decision, Brand Image.