ABSTRACT
Consumers complaints can be made for several reasons, but mostly originate from negative episodes of consumption. However, there is a group of individuals who make complaints to companies without necessarily being dissatisfied. This behavior is called fraudulent complaints, which occurs when the purpose of the consumer in making the complaint is of monetary nature or searching for social profit at the expense of the company. Despite the relevance of the theme, there are few studies about it in the area of marketing, especially in Brazil. Ahead of this scenario, the present study aims to analyze how aspects related to the characteristics of Brazilian culture influence the way consumers interpret the practice of fraudulent complaints. For this, a qualitative research was carried out, using in-depth interviews with 27 consumers, guide by the use of the projective technique. The analysis of the data indicates different reactions of respondents to fraudulent complaints, presenting different feelings regarding opportunistic behavior. It was possible to perceive that there is a relationship between the characteristics of Brazilian culture and fraudulent complaints, which revolve around the idea of the “casa” and the “rua”, “jeitinho brasileiro”, the “malandragem”, besides the link between religion and (un)ethical behavior.
Keywords:
Fraudulent complains; Opportunistic Behavior; Unethical Consumers; Brazilian Culture; ‘Brazilian Way’
Fonte: