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Dr. Alison Jing Xu
Associate Professor
Carlson School of Management  
University of Minnesota

When consumers shop in luxury boutiques, high-end shopping malls, and even online, they increasingly encounter luxury products alongside immersive art displays. Exploring this novel phenomenon with both field studies and lab experiments, the current research shows that experiencing art reduces consumer desire for luxury goods. Three boundary conditions have been identified. The effect does not materialize in contexts in which the work of art is not experienced as art per se, such as when the work of art appears as decoration on the product or packaging or is processed analytically rather than naturally, and when luxury goods are not seen as status goods. We propose that experiencing art induces a mental state of “self-transcendence,” which undermines consumers’ status-seeking motive and consequently decreases their desire for luxury goods. This research contributes to the literature on consumer aesthetics and has important practical applications for luxury businesses.