Clustering and Measuring Consumption Emotions: Scale Development Through Text Mining and a Questionnaire Survey

ABSTRACT This study aimed to develop the Korean Consumption Emotion List (KCEL), a contemporary scale for measuring discrete consumption emotions. While consumers increasingly seek emotional value in consumption, existing scales developed decades ago in Western contexts may not fully capture modern consumer emotions. As sociocultural factors shape consumption emotions, a new scale is needed. To address this, this study conducted three sequential studies using a psychometric scale development procedure. Study 1 generated 92 initial emotion items through big data analysis of post‐purchase reviews. Study 2 refined the scale through consumer surveys, identifying 42 final items in 17 clusters and 2 dimensions through clustering and multidimensional scaling. The KCEL also demonstrated strong internal consistency and predictive validity. Study 3 applied the KCEL to examine emotion intensity in the context of satisfaction and dissatisfaction, confirming its applicability in diverse samples. The results suggest that the KCEL captures new consumption emotions previously unaccounted for in existing scales, reflecting shifts in modern consumption patterns. By establishing a discrete structure of consumption emotions, the KCEL expands the discussions on the role of consumption emotions in consumer behavior, strengthening prior research. These results highlight the importance of a discrete measurement and present the KCEL as a valuable tool for academic and marketing applications.