Exploring the Nature of Product Abuse in the Marketing Domain

Even though abuse has been well explored in disciplines such as medicine, pharmacy, psychology, and sociology, it is understudied within the domain of marketing. To generate both theoretical and practical implications for business sustainability and consumer misbehavior, this paper explores the concept of product abuse in marketing by examining its definition, nature, and key features. Drawing on synchronized theories, we propose a framework that highlights a structural imbalance in the value exchange between consumers and firms, one that encourages abusive behavior when consumers prioritize maximized value gains, as implied by equity theories and psychological entitlement. By adopting qualitative methods, we delineate product abuse in marketing as characterized by intentionality, the pursuit of perceived value, exceeding normal usage, and its potential harm to products and services and consumer welfare. We distinguish product abuse from related concepts such as careless use, misuse, abnormal use, and unintended use. We also outline propositions to guide future empirical research. Discussion of the implications of product abuse for firms, consumers, and policymakers highlights the importance of this overlooked phenomenon in shaping ethical and sustainable consumer culture.