Consumer Behavior Across Literacy and Resource Barriers

Our understanding of consumer behavior stems largely from studying literate consumers in relatively resource‐rich settings. Yet, a sizable proportion of individuals in the United States and even larger proportions around the world live across resource and literacy barriers. This article examines low‐literate, low‐income consumer behavior in the United States and subsistence consumer behavior in India. Our discussion elaborates on how such consumer behavior is qualitatively different from traditional consumer behavior and what the implications of our insights are for managers and researchers in marketing.