From good fortune to unique finds: How luck shapes consumer desire for unique products

This paper analyses the effect of lucky events on the desire for unique products. Lucky events, characterised by chance, can elicit positive sentiments and feelings of uniqueness compared to others, which, in turn, may create a preference for more unique products. Three online experiments were conducted with varying manipulations of luck and behavioural intention targets. Mediation models and the moderated mediation model were tested using Hayes’ (2013) bootstrap procedure. As predicted, the findings reveal a step by step process in which a lucky event triggers a desire for uniqueness, enhances perceptions of the uniqueness of an offering and yields more favourable purchase intentions. The process was robust to different sources of luck and different unique purchase targets. The research on which this paper is based complements existing studies on the antecedents of lucky events. Although prior research has mostly focused on what causes people to feel lucky, this paper adds to the nascent body of research on the consequences of feeling lucky, particularly in a consumer context. The studies conducted yield a number of managerial implications.