Obesity and Jewelry Sales

[Barbra Voltaire, FGG]

Obesity and compensatory consumption: Evidence from jewelry shopping

Obesity and compensatory consumption: Evidence from jewelry shopping. Didem Kurt. Psychology & Marketing, September 16 2021.
https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21578

Abstract: This article examines the link between obesity and compensatory consumption in the context of jewelry shopping. Study 1 finds that participants with higher body mass indices are willing to pay more for a jewelry item. Study 2 generalizes this finding by documenting that jewelry store sales are higher in places with greater obesity rates. Using Google Trends data, Study 3 shows that the search interest for jewelry stores increases with the obesity rate and that this relationship is mediated by people's dissatisfaction with their current weight as revealed by their search activity. Finally, supporting the self-discrepancy account, Study 4 shows that the use of self-related and discrepancy words together in jewelry-related tweets is more pronounced in places with greater obesity rates. These findings collectively help enhance the field's understanding of the consumption behavior of people who are part of a large stigmatized group.

In my opinion (I fundamentally disagree with the premise of this study) people that are overindulgent with food tend to be overindulgent generally. It is not the result of compensating for negative self image.

[glhays]

Totally agree Barbara. As a person who has spent a life in this category, I am not attached by the link personally and our customers are far from what this study is promoting and never has been.

[dchallener]

As a mathematician who knows something about statistics, this study looks ridiculous. You can get spurious correlations easily if you look through large databases, that just occur by chance.

[glhays]

If this were even slightly close to reality, there would be no use for a sizing mandrel 0-18. Jewelry manufacturers and bench jewelers across the globe could just us a 1 inch pipe, split the ring shank and one size fits all.

[Barbra Voltaire, FGG]

One of the only remaining, acceptable forms of blatant discrimination is "fat shaming".
Kurt Didem, I believe YOU are the one who needs an evaluation!

[Gearloose]

Around the same time automobiles went into general use, the Safety Pin was invented. Safety pins have been responsible for traffic accidents ever since.

[Barbra Voltaire, FGG]

It's about time we realized that!