Handmade vs. machine-made: the effects of handmade gifts on social relationships

This paper examines the effects of handmade (vs. machine-made) gifts on social relationships. Across three studies, we find that handmade gifts promote social relationships. This effect can be explained by the perceived uniqueness of such gifts. Furthermore, these effects are moderated by social cla...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marketing letters 2024-09, Vol.35 (3), p.1-14
Main Authors: Fan, Xiaoming, Lai, Anqi, Keh, Hean Tat
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Business and Management
Gifts
Interpersonal relations
Marketing
Perceptions
Self expression
Social classes
Social relations
Uniqueness
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Summary:This paper examines the effects of handmade (vs. machine-made) gifts on social relationships. Across three studies, we find that handmade gifts promote social relationships. This effect can be explained by the perceived uniqueness of such gifts. Furthermore, these effects are moderated by social class (upper vs. lower). Specifically, membership in the upper class enhances the recipient’s perceived uniqueness of handmade gifts, which in turn enhances the recipient’s evaluation of social relationships. However, for members of the lower class, their perception of the uniqueness of handmade gifts becomes weaker, to the detriment of social relationships. These novel findings have both theoretical and practical significance for establishing harmonious interpersonal relationships and the consumption of handmade gifts.
ISSN:0923-0645
1573-059X
DOI:10.1007/s11002-024-09722-w