The Power of Buyers Beyond Capitalism

Abstract

This study examines buyer power beyond conventional price-based mechanisms, positioning buyers as collective and ethical agents who shape market outcomes. Drawing on perspectives from capitalism, sustainability, and consumer collectivism, the research explores how demographic characteristics, brand loyalty, life-stage dynamics, and evaluative behaviours influence purchasing decisions and customer satisfaction. Using a quantitative methodology, survey and company data were analysed through descriptive statistics, regression analysis, and chi-square tests. The findings show that age, spending level, brand loyalty, and product ratings significantly predict customer satisfaction, while purchasing preferences vary systematically across life stages. Young single couples and retirees tend to favour mainstream offerings, whereas family groups are more budget-oriented, reflecting differing social responsibilities and financial constraints. These patterns demonstrate that buyer power operates not only through purchasing capacity but also through shared values, feedback mechanisms, and collective behaviour. Overall, the study highlights buyers as socially situated actors whose choices influence pricing strategies, competition, and long-term market sustainability beyond narrow capitalist interpretations.

Keywords
  • Buyer Power
  • Market Outcomes
  • Capitalism
  • Purchasing Decision
How to Cite
Ibrahim, N. A. B. (2026). The Power of Buyers Beyond Capitalism. JITSS (Journal of Innovation and Trend in Social Sciences), 2(3), 124–134. https://doi.org/10.63203/jitss.v2i3.461
References
  1. Asante, R. E. (2020). Ethical Purchase Behaviour and Consumer Social Responsibility. International Journal of Innovative Research and Development, 9(10), 111–124. https://doi.org/10.24940/ijird/2020/v9/i10/oct20049
  2. Bera, S., & Giri, B. C. (2024). Impact of consumer preferences on pricing and strategic decisions in a triopoly with heterogeneous smart sustainable supply chains. Expert Systems with Applications, 247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2024.123348
  3. Blanton, R., & Feinman, G. (2024). New views on price-making markets and the capitalist impulse. Frontiers in Human Dynamics, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fhumd.2024.1339903
  4. Blömker, J., & Albrecht, C. M. (2024). Psychographic segmentation of multichannel customers: investigating the influence of individual differences on channel choice and switching behavior. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.103806
  5. Carrington, M., Chatzidakis, A., Goworek, H., & Shaw, D. (2021). Correction to: Consumption Ethics: A Review and Analysis of Future Directions for Interdisciplinary Research (Journal of Business Ethics, (2021), 168, 2, (215-238), 10.1007/s10551-020-04425-4). Journal of Business Ethics, 168(2), 239. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04473-w
  6. Chen, V. Y. (2024). How to make efficient purchase decisions? Proposing a model for consumer efficiency on social media. Cogent Business and Management, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2363414
  7. Delbridge, R., Zietsma, C., Suddaby, R., Chowdhury, R., & Wickert, C. (2025). Atlas Unplugged: Re-Imagining the Premises and Prospects of Capitalism for Business and Society. Journal of Management Studies. https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.70047
  8. Eugene, H., Becerril, D. M. M., Muñoz-Sánchez, C., & Díaz, E. M. (2025). Bargaining Power of Buyers’ Collectivism to Enhance Sustainability Development. Fronteira: Journal of Social, Technological and Environmental Science, 14(3), 13-29. https://doi.org/10.21664/2238-8869.2025v14i3.7095
  9. Gao, Y., & Li, Y. (2025). Spatial Econometric Analyses of the Interactions Between DEA-based Multidimensional Sustainable Development Efficiency: Evidence From Provincial Panel Data in China. Chinese Public Administration Review, 16(3), 162–185. https://doi.org/10.1177/15396754251355232
  10. Gelderman, C., Hal, L., Lambrechts, W., & Schijns, J. (2021). The impact of buying power on corporate sustainability. Cleaner Environmental Systems, 3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cesys.2021.100040
  11. Gerpott, T. J., & Berends, J. (2022). Competitive pricing on online markets: a literature review. Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management, 21(6), 596–622. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41272-022-00390-x
  12. Ghorbanzadeh, D., & Rahehagh, A. (2021). Emotional brand attachment and brand love: the emotional bridges in the process of transition from satisfaction to loyalty. Rajagiri Management Journal, 15(1), 16–38. https://doi.org/10.1108/ramj-05-2020-0024
  13. Gunawan, A. I., Hurriyati, R., Wibowo, L. A., & Monoarfa, H. (2025). Consumers in responsible consumption: what leads to sustainable behavior? Urbanization, Sustainability and Society, 2(1), 259–283. https://doi.org/10.1108/uss-09-2024-0056
  14. Hastings, H., & Denning, S. (2024). Aberrant Capitalism: The Decay and Revival of Customer Capitalism. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009348867
  15. Hinton, J., & Maclurcan, D. (2017). A not-for-profit world beyond capitalism and economic growth? Ephemera: Theory and Politics in Organization, 17, 147–166. https://ephemerajournal.org/contribution/not-profit-world-beyond-capitalism-and-economic-growth
  16. Karimzadeh, S., & Boström, M. (2022). Ethical consumption: Why should we understand it as a social practice within a multilevel framework? Open Research Europe, 2. https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.15069.2
  17. Khan, S. J., Alzeiby, E. A., Gupta, B., & Dernóczi-Polyák, A. (2026). Psychological foundations of ethical consumerism: Influential role of quality and stigma. Acta Psychologica, 262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.106075
  18. Kutaula, S., Gillani, A., Gregory-Smith, D., & Bartikowski, B. (2024). Ethical Consumerism in Emerging Markets: Opportunities and Challenges. Journal of Business Ethics, 191(4), 651–673. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-024-05657-4
  19. Li, D., Cheng, G., & Wang, C. (2022). The influence of moral identity on green consumption. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1020333
  20. Liu, P. J., & Haws, K. L. (2023). A Framework for Aligning REAL Food Public Policy with Consumers’ Multiple Eating Motivations. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, 42(4), 343–347. https://doi.org/10.1177/07439156231180681
  21. Luukkonen, R., Närvänen, E., & Becker, L. (2024). Consumer collectives in the circular economy: A systematic review and research agenda. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 45, 281–293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2024.01.006
  22. Ma, C. C., Ou, T. C., Tsai, C. M., & Chen, T. H. (2024). Post-purchase behavioral intention in medical aesthetic: the role of image, perceived value, and satisfaction. Frontiers in Public Health, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1471496
  23. Mangestuti, R. M., & Kussudyarsana, K. (2024). The Role of Brand Attachment Brand Perceived Quality and Consumer Satisfaction On Herborist Consumer Loyalty. VISA: Journal of Vision and Ideas, 4(1), 304–314. https://doi.org/10.47467/visa.v4i1.1934
  24. Mussayeva, D., Savina, N., & Panzabekova, A. (2025). The global digital economy market development through the prism of Porter’s Five Forces model. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 23, 384–397. https://doi.org/10.21511/ppm.23(4).2025.28
  25. Ogiemwonyi, O., & Jan, M. T. (2023). The correlative influence of consumer ethical beliefs, environmental ethics, and moral obligation on green consumption behavior. Resources, Conservation and Recycling Advances, 19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcradv.2023.200171
  26. Ozanne, L. K., Stornelli, J., Luchs, M. G., Mick, D. G., Bayuk, J., Birau, M., Chugani, S., Fransen, M. L., Herziger, A., Komarova, Y., Minton, E. A., Reshadi, F., Sullivan-Mort, G., Trujillo, C., Bae, H., Kaur, T., & Zuniga, M. (2021). Enabling and Cultivating Wiser Consumption: The Roles of Marketing and Public Policy. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, 40(2), 226–244. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743915620975407
  27. Rangan, S. (2018). Introduction: Capitalism beyond mutuality? https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198825067.003.0001
  28. Riandhi, A. N., Arviansyah, M. R., & Sondari, M. C. (2025). AI and consumer behavior: Trends, technologies, and future directions from a scopus-based systematic review. Cogent Business and Management, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2025.2544984
  29. Ridwan, N. H., Musa, C. I., & Haeruddin, M. I. M. (2025). Decision-making behavior of generation Z in online purchases: A systematic literature review. Multidisciplinary Reviews, 8(12). https://doi.org/10.31893/multirev.2025384
  30. Sahin, A., Elci, M., Tatoglu, E., Zaim, S., & Sahin, A. (2026). Generation Z’s journey from value consciousness to store loyalty: Mediating roles of consumer satisfaction and store trust in private label retailing in an emerging economy. European Research on Management and Business Economics, 32(1), 100303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iedeen.2026.100303
  31. Schiebler, T., Lee, N., & Brodbeck, F. C. (2025). Expectancy-disconfirmation and consumer satisfaction: A meta-analysis. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-024-01078-x
  32. Schmitt, B. (2024). Consumer Information Processing and Decision-Making: Origins, Findings, Applications, and Future Directions. Journal of Consumer Research, 51(1), 2–6. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucae008
  33. Tang, M., Tian, J., Kong, J., Ren, Z., & Tian, J. (2026). Dynamic pricing strategies towards strategic consumers under demand learning. PloS One, 21(1), e0340105. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0340105
  34. Tomşa, M. M., Romonţi-Maniu, A. I., & Scridon, M. A. (2021). Is sustainable consumption translated into ethical consumer behavior? Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063466
  35. Uchiyama, Y., Furuoka, F., & Omar, S. (2024). The rise and contestation of platform capitalism. Journal of Industrial Relations, 67. https://doi.org/10.1177/00221856241294107
  36. Venkatesh, N. (2025). Capitalism and the Very Long Term. Moral Philosophy and Politics, 12, 33–58. https://doi.org/10.1515/mopp-2023-0092
  37. Wuri, J., Hardanti, Y. R., Harnoto, L. B., Rahayu, C. W. E., & Rahmawati, C. H. T. (2024). The Impact of Interest Rate Spillover on Output Gap: A Dynamic Spatial Durbin Model. Economies, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/economies12010022
  38. Yu, G., Wu, L., Chen, H., & Ding, Z. (2025). Study on the relationship between buyer market power, spatial spillover effect, and profit in China’s pharmaceutical industry. Frontiers in Public Health, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1683074
  39. Yum, K., & Kim, J. (2024). The Influence of Perceived Value, Customer Satisfaction, and Trust on Loyalty in Entertainment Platforms. Applied Sciences (Switzerland), 14(13). https://doi.org/10.3390/app14135763
  40. Zhao, Q. (2019). The Influence of Buyer Power on Supply Chain Pricing with Downstream Competition. Sustainability, 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11102924
  41. Zukerfeld, M. (2022). Platformisation of work and labour in informational capitalism. Work Organisation, Labour & Globalisation, 16. https://doi.org/10.13169/workorgalaboglob.16.2.0099