Keywords

Handicrafts, Purchase Intention, TISM, India, Authenticity, Cultural Motivation.

Introduction

The handicraft sector is a significant source of income for many countries (Ramjaun et al., 2024). In certain developing nations, there's a concerted effort to cultivate the handicraft sector to cater to the tourism market. This approach not only seeks to boost economic revenue for local communities but also to safeguard and rejuvenate traditional cultural practices (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024; Chaudhary & Mishra, 2022; Tripathi et al., 2022; Meitiana et al., 2019; Cohen, 1993). India too has one of the richest handicraft industries of the world, with a glory transcending thousands of years. India is famous for its handicrafts in the category of pashmina shawls, woodwork, pottery, leather, jute, shell, brass, bamboo, phulkaris, zardozi, saris & silk, and carpet weaving (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024; Handicrafts in India, n.d.). Approximately 68.86 lakh artisans are estimated to be employed in the handicraft segment, with 30.25 lakh being male and 38.61 lakh female artisans (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024; Handlooms & Handicrafts, n. d.). Government of India also support this sector by focusing on cluster development, credit accessibility, export promotion, environmental compliance support, social welfare schemes for weavers, infrastructure enhancement, raw material availability, brand establishment, and research and development. Seven Design Resource Centers (DRCs) have been established in Weavers' Service Centers (WSCs) located in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Varanasi, Guwahati, Bhubaneshwar, and Mumbai to foster design-driven excellence in the handloom sector, aid weavers, exporters, manufacturers, and designers in innovating new designs. The handloom sector comprises 23.77 lakh looms engaging over 35 lakh individuals, of which are 25 lakh female weavers and allied workers (Dash & Mishra, 2021; IMD, 2021). India boasts 744 handicrafts clusters, employing 212,000 artisans and offering a diverse range of 35,000 products, with major clusters situated in cities like Surat, Bareilly, Varanasi, Agra, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Chennai, and Mumbai. India's textile products, encompassing handlooms and handicrafts, find markets in over 100 countries worldwide. In the fiscal year 2021-22, Indian handicrafts exports which contributed around 10.5% of India's total merchandise exports, witnessed a significant surge of $4.35 billion, marking a 25.7% increase from the previous year (Indian Handicrafts, 2023). During April to January 2024, the export value of handicrafts (excluding handmade carpets) reached $1522.9 million. These exquisite handicrafts find their way to international markets, with the USA emerging as the top importer, accounting for 38% of the share in 2020-21, followed by destinations like the UK, LAC, Australia, France, Canada, Germany, Japan, Italy, Netherlands, UAE, and Switzerland. Key export items include hand-printed textiles, imitation jewelry, embroidery items, and art and metalwork. Notably, in 2021-22, Germany alone imported Indian carpets worth $ 116.64 million (Indian Handicrafts, 2023). The export of Indian handicrafts is facilitated by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts established under the Companies Act 1986-87 (Indian Handicrafts, 2023), underscoring the organized efforts to promote and sustain this invaluable sector. Indian handicrafts saw a growth of 5.14% in June 2023 compared to the same period in 2022 (Ministry of Commerce & Industry, 2023). Projections suggest that the Indian handicraft market will maintain a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.7% from 2023 to 2028 (Wijekoon & Sabri, 2021; Chaudhary & Mishra, 2022).

The study takes into account the factors that are responsible for purchase intentions for handicraft products produced in India and a Total Interpretative Structural Model (TISM) is employed to see the nexus between all the factors which are responsible for consumer purchase intentions and observe their interrelationships.

Literature Review

Handicrafts are the embodiment of artistic and traditional values, crafted with simple tools and hands, resonating with the essence of culture and heritage (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024; Ramjaun et al., 2024; Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024; Ramjaun et al., 2024; Dash & Mishra, 2021; Khan, 2022; Kumar et al., 2022a; Tripathi et al., 2022; Xing et al., 2022; Strohmayer, 2021; Deepak, 2008). There is no universal definition of handicrafts and the challenge of defining handicraft is acknowledged by UNCTAD/GATT, International Trade Centre (1989 cited in RP Ang and JC Teo, 1995). As per UNESCO/ITC (1997), artisanal products are crafted by artisans, either entirely by hand or with the assistance of hand tools or mechanical devices, as long as the artisan's direct manual involvement remains the primary element in the final product. The uniqueness of these products stems from their distinct features, which may encompass utilitarian, aesthetic, creative, cultural, decorative, functional, traditional, religious, and socially symbolic attributes (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024; Ramjaun et al., 2024; 1997, cited in Ghosh, 2012). Dash (2011, p. 241) suggests, handicrafts serve as distinctive symbols of specific communities or cultures, reflecting indigenous craftsmanship and materials.

From the inception of the Indus Valley Civilization, abundant art and handicrafts have been available for consumption and inspiration (Ramjaun et al., 2024). Unlike mass-produced factory goods, Indian handicrafts are typically crafted by skilled artisans, resulting in significantly less waste (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024; Ramjaun et al., 2024; Chaudhary & Mishra, 2022; Kumar et al., 2022a, Tripathi et al., 2022).

They are eco-friendly, leaving a positive environmental footprint (Ramjaun et al., 2024; Ministry of Commerce & Industry, 2023; Tripathi et al., 2022). The labor-intensive nature of handicraft production ensures employment opportunities for a multitude of individuals, including creators, distributors, and promoters (Kumar et al., 2022, Tripathi et al., 2022). But, the buying behavior associated with handicrafts differs significantly from that of other products, as it encompasses both tangible symbolism and intangible cultural significance, creating a memorable and hedonic experience (Gordon, 1986; Littrell et al., 1994). Handicrafts are often acquired for their symbolic value, serving as reminders of cultural heritage and possessing intangible qualities (Oh et al., 2004; Swanson, 2004). Furthermore, the purchase of handicrafts can be examined through a social psychological lens, as it contributes to the development of individual identity (Park, 2000; Kim and Littrell, 2001; Reisinger & Turner, 2002). (Maheswaran & Shavitt, 2000) indicates that cultural factors have a significant impact on consumer impulse buying behavior, especially considering the cultural variations worldwide. Similarly, a study by Rook & Fisher (1995) suggests that cultural forces, in conjunction with consumer moods and emotional states, play a significant role in shaping normative behavior, thus motivating product purchases. According to a research by (Babin et al. 1994), consumers typically seek two distinct values from their purchases: utilitarian shopping value, which is cognitive and task-oriented, and hedonic shopping value, which is emotionally driven. (Burroughs, 1996) advocates for a 'cognitive perspective of impulse buying,' suggesting that impulse purchases often fulfill emotional needs. Additionally, a study by Donovan et al. (1994) reveals a significant relationship between the pleasure experienced by consumers in the shopping environment and their impulse buying behavior. The discussion, supported by literature, led to a consensus that handicraft purchasing behavior is a combination of planned and impulse buying behaviors, strongly influenced by emotional forces (Schacter & Daniel L., 2011). A research conducted by (Oliver, 1997) further emphasizes the significant impact of emotional forces on various rational judgments made by consumers. Apart from these factors, other factors have been identified by this paper based on the rigorous review of the literature and suggestions of the expert panel for this paper, which are the social values, cultural motivation, overall attitude of the consumer, perceived information asymmetry, consumer awareness, physiological qualities, psychological qualities, income, price and usability of the handicraft articles that influence the purchase intention of the handicraft products across all the markets and selling points including India.

Research Questions

1. Identifying the factors for buying intention of Indian handicraft products?

2. To understand the relationship among factors responsible for purchase intention of Indian handicrafts?

Research Methodology

In this study, through an extensive literature review, several key factors related to buying intention for handicrafts were identified. TISM was then applied to understand the relationships between these factors and establish a hierarchical structure, offering a systematic framework for decision-making Tables 1-5; Figures 1, 2.

Table 1 Factors for Consumer Purchase Intention Towards Handicraft Products
S. No.	Variable Code	Variables
1	1	Social Values
2	2	Cultural Motivation
3	3	Attitude of the consumer
4	4	Perceived Information Asymmetry
5	5	Consumer awareness
6	6	Physiological Qualities
7	7	Psychological Qualities
8	8	Income
9	9	Price
10	10	Usability

Table 2 Reachability Matrix
	H1	H2	H3	H4	H5	H6	H7	H8	H9	H10
H1	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
H2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
H3	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
H4	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	1
H5	0	0	1	1	1	0	1	0	0	1
H6	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	1
H7	0	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
H8	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	0
H9	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	0
H10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1

Table 3 Reachability Matrix with Transitivity
	H1	H2	H3	H4	H5	H6	H7	H8	H9	H10
H1	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
H2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
H3	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
H4	0	1*	1*	1	1	0	1*	0	0	1
H5	0	1*	1	1	1	0	1	0	0	1
H6	0	1*	1*	0	0	1	0	0	1	1
H7	0	1	1	1	1*	0	1	0	0	1*
H8	0	1*	1*	0	0	1	0	1	1	1*
H9	0	1*	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	1*
H10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1

Table 4 Partitioning the Reachability Matrix into Different Levels
Variables	Reachability Set	Antecedent Set	Intersection Set	Level
Iteration 1
H1	1,2,3	1	1
H2	2	1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9	2	I
H3	2,3	1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9	3
H4	2,3,4,5,7,10	4,5,7	4,5,7
H5	2,3,4,5,7,10	4,5,7	4,5,7
H6	2,3,6,9,10	6,8,9	6,9
H7	2,3,4,5,7,10	4,5,7	4,5,7
H8	2,3,6,8,9,10	8	8
H9	2,3,6,9	6,8,9	6,9
H10	10	4,5,6,7,8,10	10	II
Iteration 2
H1	1,3	1	1
H3	3	1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9	3	III
H4	3,4,5,7	4,5,7	4,5,7
H5	3,4,5,7	4,5,7	4,5,7
H6	3,6,9	6,8,9	6,9
H7	3,4,5,7	4,5,7	4,5,7
H8	3,6,8,9	8	8
H9	3,6,9	6,8,9	6,9
Iteration 3
H1	1	1	1	IV
H4	4,5,7	4,5,7	4,5,7	V
H5	4,5,7	4,5,7	4,5,7	V
H6	6,9	6,8,9	6,9	VI
H7	4,5,7	4,5,7	4,5,7	V
H8	6,8,9	8	8
H9	6,9	6,8,9	6,9	VI
Iteration 4
H8	8	8	8	VII

Table 5 List of Variables and their Levels in TISM
S. No.	Variable Code	Variables	Level in TISM
1	2	Cultural Motivation	I
2	10	Usability	II
3	3	Attitude of the consumer	III
4	1	Social Values	IV
5	4	Perceived Information Asymmetry	V
6	5	Consumer Awareness	V
7	7	Psychological Qualities	V
8	6	Physiological Qualities	VI
9	9	Price	VI
10	8	Authenticity	VII

Social Values

Crafts encapsulate the history, heritage and social values of their country of origin and can serve as a vital catalyst for the socioeconomic advancement (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024; Ministry of Commerce & Industry, 2023). In India handicrafts are intertwined with the social values held by people. Social value entails comprehending the varying significance individuals attach to enhancements in their well-being and leveraging these insights to make more informed decisions (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024; What is Social, n.d; De Silver & Kundu, 2013). By considering this varying importance, one can ensure that their decisions prioritize what matters most to people (Prados-Peña, 2023; What is Social, n.d; (Wijekoon & Sabri, 2021; De Silver & Kundu, 2013), and in doing so, they strive to enhance positive outcomes, mitigate negative impacts, and ultimately elevate the overall value of their endeavors (Prados-Peña, 2023).

Cultural Motivation

Consumers are deeply connected to their culture, and cultural influences play a pivotal role in shaping their consumption patterns (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024; Ramjaun et al., 2024; Chaudhary & Mishra, 2022; Kumar et al., 2022, Tripathi et al., 2022; Pani & Pradhan, 2019; Fang M. & Yingjiao X., 2012). The attributes of culture strongly influence buying behavior, particularly evident in the purchase decisions surrounding cultural products such as tribal handicrafts (Ramjaun et al., 2024 Dameyasani and Abraham, 2013; Dasgupta, A., & Chandra, B., 2016; Tomaz, K. & Vensa, Z. 2010; Yoon & Uysal, 2005), and impacts the evolving motives for consumption of handicraft by people even in modern times (Soldatenko & Backer, 2019).

Attitude of the Consumer

Attitude of the consumer in the form of user preference has garnered considerable attention as a central concept in the study of consumer behavior, exerting a significant influence on purchasing decisions, product design, marketing strategies, and business competitiveness (Arpah et al., 2023; Marchand & Marx, 2020). Indeed, user preference stands as a critical factor in product design and market competition, shaping perceived value, satisfaction, and market competitiveness. Empirical findings suggest that attitudes towards different cultures can serve as predictors of purchasing intentions for various products (Ministry of Commerce & Industry, 2023; Cai and Shannon, 2012), including handmade souvenirs (Tripathi et al., 2022; Angraeni and Tarmidi 2021; Meitiana et al., 2019; Cho & Lee, 2013; Pugh & Wood, 2004; Klamer, 2003; Wilkins, 2011; Yu & Littrell, 2003; Kim & Littrell, 1999).

Perceived Information Asymmetry

Perceived information by the consumer regarding the value of product, as outlined by De Kervenoael et al. (2020), encompasses both the perceived and actual value that consumers assign to a product or service. For instance, consumers are more likely to perceive high value in products or services characterized by superior quality, usability (Shinozaki & Rao, 2021), or environmental friendliness (Chaudhary & Mishra, 2022; Angraeni and Tarmidi 2021; Igminakhase, 2021; Kumar et al., 2022; Tripathi et al., 2022). However, handicrafts exhibit greater changes of higher perceived value by consumer since they are linked to social relationships, and handmade gifts foster stronger social connections. For consumers it is a sign of social harmony and cultural heritage which needs to be protected (De Kervenoael et al., 2020).

Consumer Awareness and Satisfaction

Consumer awareness provided for better purchase intention of all products including handicrafts. Children form school and homes become aware of handmade products and their utility in customs, traditions and social circles (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024). There happens to be a general awareness of the authenticity of handcrafted goods, which becomes apparent in the consumer purchase decisions. Ehrenberg (1974) posited that an individual must first become aware of a product or brand to develop an interest in it, whether it's cultural, natural, or a combination of both. Later, (Ehrenberg & Goodhardt, 1989) proposed a three-phase model for purchase decisions: awareness, trial, and repeat buying. In case of handicrafts, people in general are aware of the satisfaction they derive from the possession or purchase of handmade good (Tanuj et al., 2022; Shokouhyar et al., 2020; Rosas-Jaco et al., 2020; Deyshappriya et al., 2019; Shinozaki & Rao, 2021; Angraeni and Tarmidi 2021).

Physiological Qualities

Handicrafts are the products requires lots of craft-skills, besides, uniqueness, authentic and pride of sculpture. Their appearance, beauty, ornamental and decorative value, which are basically the physiological qualities of the hand-crafted products play significant role in developing purchase intentions among customers. Handicrafts are mostly purchased as decorative items, souvenirs, gift items or for usability in households. Their physiological qualities are appreciated by most purchases, and it is seen as the aesthetic value of the handicrafts (Ministry of Commerce & Industry, 2023; De Silver & Kundu, 2013; Dash, 2011; Bal & Dash, 2010).

Psychological Qualities

On the surface, purchasing decisions may appear simple – people acquire what they desire or require, weighing factors like price, quality, and availability. Yet, beneath this simplicity lies a complex psychological interplay that guides the buying behavior (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024; Shinozaki & Rao, 2021; Angraeni & Tarmidi 2021). Emotions, personality traits, cultural influences, cognitive biases, and social pressures intricately mould people’s choices, often in intriguing and sometimes illogical manners. By delving into essential principles of consumer psychology, marketers and consumers alike can navigate these influences and make informed decisions (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024).

Income

Income is the most important determinant of commodities including handicrafts (Ministry of Commerce & Industry, 2023). When income increases, it increases the need for decoration and aesthetic beauty (Chaudhary & Mishra, 2022). However, handicrafts are not only purchased for fulfilling needs for aesthetic beauty or as decorative pieces they are also purchased for usability (Chaudhary & Mishra, 2022). With more and more increase in income, people strive for high end costly handcrafted items that are rare to find. Antics in the category of handicrafts are a rarity and are sold for very high prices, which can be only afforded by high end people. In India, kanjivaram, silk, kosa, banarsi and other sarees that are made with the handlooms are quite expensive and can be purchase with higher incomes only (Ministry of Commerce & Industry, 2023).

Price

Price of the handicraft determines its purchasers like other commodities. While cheap and low-end commodities are sold in village markets known as Haats, Painth Bajaars etc in India, quality handicraft products are sold in malls and bigger high-end shops (Tripathi et al., 2022; Girón et el., 2007); De Silver & Kundu, 2013). However, most of the people analyze the price on their own and make their purchase individually without being influenced by other people and their buying decision is mostly influenced by their impulse buying behaviour (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024; De Silver & Kundu, 2013; Bal and Dash, 2010, p. 30).

Usability

Utility in terms of usability effects the purchasing intention and buying decision of handicrafts by consumers. (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024; Saepudin et al., 2023; Kim & Kim 2022; Sohn & Kim, 2020; De Silver & Kundu, 2013; Bal and Dash 2010). Since all handicrafts either fulfill the need for decoration or utility, usability determines the intensity of purchase intention of consumers. In India, handicraft items like Pashmina Shawls, woodwork, pottery, leather, jute, shell, brass, bamboo, phulkaris, zardozi, saris & silk, and carpet all serve as usable items in households, besides being objects of beauty and artisanship.

Analysis and Results

Interpretive structural modeling (ISM) proves invaluable in dissecting complex scenarios where multiple elements are intricately interconnected (Rizvi et al., 2019). Recognizing the need for a thorough evaluation framework in qualitative research, Total Interpretive Structural Modeling (TISM), a modified version of ISM, has been employed.

The TISM process involves the following several steps:

1. Identification of key factors through literature review.

2. Establishment of contextual relationships between factors.

3. Interpretation of relationships to understand influence or enhancement.

4. Conducting pair-wise comparisons to determine relationships.

5. Formulating a reachability matrix based on comparisons and checking transitivity.

6. Partitioning factors into hierarchical levels.

7. Construction of a diagraph based on relationships.

8. Transformation of the diagraph into an interaction matrix, refining transitive links.

9. Development of TISM based on connective logic and interpretive insights, establishing directive links between nodes.

10. Following tables provided for reachability matrix and deciding the levels of factors that influence the purchase intention of buyers for handicraft:

Discussion

Level VII comprises of authenticity (8) and impacts physiological qualities (6) Level VI and is impacted by it. Authenticity (8) Level VII also impacts price (9) Level VI of handicrafts. Authenticity of product is the hallmark of value either in terms of usability or in term of aesthetic value in the form of physiological qualities exhibited by the product (Chaudhary & Mishra, 2022; Andal et al., 2021). It determines what price can be charged for the handicraft and whether it is reasonable or not. And physiological qualities in turn determine the authenticity of handicrafts, which make them saleable and worth purchasing by consumers (Igminakhase, 2021).

Level VI consists of physiological qualities (6) and price (9). Physiological qualities Level VI (6) impacts perceived information asymmetry (4) Level V and consumer awareness (5) at level V. In case of handicrafts its physiological qualities make it difficult to exactly determine the information regarding its value and price which in turn leads to perceived information asymmetry. In fact, most of the consumers are not aware of real quality and worth of handicraft products and there are very few means of exactly finding out what is the real quality or what price is reasonable for a commodity (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024). In general, there is very high perceived information asymmetry among consumers of handicraft products. There is no standard price that is charged, and the prices of same product may be different depending on the location of shops, types of digital platform or type of consumer (rich or poor). Due to high perceived information asymmetry, there is variance in consumer awareness regarding the worth of handicrafts and the price which is charged for them.

Physiological qualities (6) Level VI impacts price (9) Level VI and gets impacted by price (9) Level VI in turn. It is common in case of handicrafts that their physiological qualities impact the price that is charged for them. A product that seems beautiful, lustrous, aesthetic or unique can draw high price in markets (Tripathi et al., 2022). Moreover, if any handicraft is pricey it is bound to be of high in physiological qualities in most of the cases.

Physiological qualities (6) Level VI of handicraft gets impacted by authenticity (8) Level VII of handicraft and impacts it also. Moreover, Physiological qualities (6) Level VI indirectly impacts usability (10) Level II of handicrafts. Physiological qualities and authenticity of handicrafts go hand in hand. Usability is also decided by its physiological qualities in common parlance (Tripathi et al., 2022).

Price (9) too is impacted by authenticity (8) Level VII. Price (9) Level VI indirectly impacts cultural motivation (2) Level 1 and usability (10) Level II. It is true for price as it gets impacted by authenticity and impacts the cultural motivation for consumers.

Level V comprises of perceived information asymmetry (4), consumer awareness (5) and psychological qualities (7). Perceived information asymmetry (4) Level V impacts consumer awareness (5) Level V and get impacted by it. In cases of skewed perceived information asymmetry, there are heavy chances that consumers have low consumer awareness. This low consumer awareness impacts the psychological traits of consumers for products. They may use commodities, but in most of the cases may not be aware of real worth or cultural value of the commodity. Moreover, they may not even have high purchase intention for handicrafts (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024).

Consumer awareness (5) Level V impacts perceived information asymmetry (4) Level V and gets impacted by it. Consumer awareness (5) Level V impacts psychological qualities (7) Level V and gets impacted by consumer awareness (5) Level V. At this level consumer awareness (5) impacts social values (1) Level IV and gets impacted by psychological qualities (7) Level V. Perceived information asymmetry (4) Level V is impacted by physiological qualities (7) Level VI, and consumer awareness (5) Level V get impacted by physiological qualities.

When a consumer has high awareness, it reduces perceived information asymmetry and it leads to creation of high purchase intention. Moreover, higher level of consumer awareness enlightens the consumer regarding the culture and tradition related to handicrafts and may lead to development of psychological attachment for handicrafts, which in turn results in high purchase intention (Tripathi et al., 2022). Hence higher consumer awareness regarding price, physiological qualities and social values leads to lesser perceived information asymmetry and helps in generation of high purchase intention for handicrafts (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024; Andal et al., 2021; Angraeni and Tarmidi 2021; Igminakhase, 2021).

Level IV consists of social values (1) and impacts attitude of consumer (3) Level III and is impacted by consumer awareness (5) Level V and psychological qualities (7) Level V of the consumer. As noted previously, consumers with high awareness have better attitude and better psychological attitude towards social values, which leads to higher purchase and usage of handicrafts (Tripathi et al., 2022).

Level III comprises of attitude of consumer (3) Level III and it impacts usability (10) Level II of the handicraft products. Attitude of consumer (3) is impacted by social values (1) Level IV. Positive attitude of the consumer towards social values of its region and nation lead to positive attitude towards usability of handicrafts and leads to high purchase intention in most of the case given a person has income to support his purchase decisions (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024; Ramjaun et al., 2024; Ministry of Commerce & Industry, 2023; Chaudhary & Mishra, 2022; Tripathi et al., 2022; Wijekoon & Sabri, 2021; Shinozaki & Rao, 2021; Andal et al., 2021; Angraeni and Tarmidi 2021; Igminakhase, 2021).

Level II comprises of usability (10) Level II, which impacts cultural motivation (2) Level I and in turn is impacted directly by attitude of the consumer (3) Level III, and indirectly by physiological qualities (6) Level VI and the price (9) Level VI of handicrafts. This level offers a mix of direct and indirect relationship of factors, which develop purchase intention for buying handicrafts. As noted earlier cultural motivation for handicrafts and their usability offer strong reasons for people to purchase them, the usability is directly impacted by attitude of the consumer, which in turn forces purchase of handicrafts (Bhattacharya & Chattopadhyay, 2024). When a person feels strongly about the culture and tradition of its nations or region, he or she is bound to continue its streak in the family and teach its children and people in vicinity about those cultural values (Tripathi et al., 2022). Physiological qualities of handicrafts too have strong bearings on developing the attitude of the consumer.

Level I comprises of cultural motivation (2) Level I for developing purchase intention for handicraft and it is impacted by usability (10) Level II of handicrafts. Cultural motivation of consumers leads to attraction towards traditional handmade goods, which are being used as a symbol of continuity of culture and tradition. At the time of festivities and celebrations in India people in general develop very high purchase intention of purchasing handicrafts. Handicrafts have usability of continuing the string of culture and tradition, which has been carried through generations and stands as a strong determinant of developing strong purchase intention for buying handicrafts. In normal times also handicrafts offer a sense of belongingness towards Indian culture and bought for their beauty and aesthetic value (Kennedy, 2020).

Conclusion and Implications

Handicraft hold prominent place in the lives of people in India and has special significance during the times of festivities and celebrations besides finding their specific unique value in living of people in general. Moreover, with the digitization of selling and buying products, it has become easier to procure handicrafts of one’s choice. In addition, the digitization of our lifestyle has elevated technology to the status of a necessity. Furthermore, the pervasive influence of technology, particularly social media, has ushered in new avenues in digital marketing platforms.

Commercial Implications

In 2024, the global handicraft industry reached a staggering value of $1092.2 billion, with China holding the lion's share at 30%, compared to India's modest share of below 2%. However, with globalization on the rise, handicraft products face intense competition from goods originating from various parts of the world. To this end specifically, intangible cultural heritage projects with market potential and developmental value should embrace an industrialized approach while preserving their traditional essence. Craft products should incorporate a variety of raw materials, with a minimum share of 80% handcrafts.

Research Implications for Future

Although handicrafts have been facing sluggish growth, prospects can be generated by utilizing the facilities generated by online platforms which can aid in selling handicrafts to distant lands and that too at good prices. Moreover, for enhancing the quality of Indian handicrafts certifications can be provided by authorized agencies as done in case of traditional handloom apparel by GI certification labels which are provide for authentication of products. Better marketing strategies should be incorporated for laying a sturdy foundation for production and sale of handicrafts. Moreover, proper channels for communicating product quality attributes should be brought in for reducing the perceived information asymmetry.

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Received: 14-Aug-2024, Manuscript No. AMSJ-24-15139; Editor assigned: 16-Aug-2024, PreQC No. AMSJ-24-15139(PQ); Reviewed: 26-Sep-2024, QC No. AMSJ-24-15139; Revised: 06-Oct-2024, Manuscript No. AMSJ-24-15139(R); Published: 11-Nov-2024