Neophobia of private labels <i>“Won’t buy it, never tried it!”</i>

Purpose This research aims to offer and empirically examine a research model that includes extrinsic cues, attitudes and purchasing intentions for non-private-label (PL) buyers from a developing economy perspective. It also seeks to test the moderating role of neophobia along with gender. Design/methodology/approach Data were received from 640 non-PL buyers via a cross-sectional online questionnaire. The study utilised structural equation modelling to examine the relationships among the study constructs. Findings Extrinsic cues, particularly perceived price and store image, along with attitudes, impact the intention to buy PLs. Furthermore, the moderating role of neophobia was supported. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to the Egyptian retail sector, so its findings reflect the degree of development of PLs in Egypt. Practical implications should be adopted for contexts with identical development levels. Practical implications Retail managers should focus on pricing promotions and enhancing their store image to appeal to non-PL shoppers. They should also consolidate their efforts to counteract neophobic tendencies among non-PL shoppers by maximising exposure to PLs and encouraging their trials. Originality/value This research offers empirical evidence of the role of neophobia, further enriching our understanding of Middle Eastern consumer behaviour and supporting the implications of extrinsic cues on PL purchase intention for non-PL buyers in developing economies. It supplements earlier research, which mainly focused on developed economies.