PRICING ASPECTS OF AMBER: CONSUMER CHARACTERISTICS AND HOW THEY DETERMINE THE VALUE OF RAW MATERIALS

This study aims to conduct an integrated analysis of the amber market and determine the aesthetic and economic relationship between the characteristics of raw amber, such as shape, color, clarity, impurities, cracks, and inclusions, as well as the characteristics of amber products as perceived by consumers. The topic is relevant since expert studies on determining the cost of raw amber have failed to consider its pricing consumer characteristics. This poses a risk of not complying with the basic principles of forensic examination: objectivity and completeness of research. The authors consider the mechanism for assessing the quality of raw amber and its cost, taking into account the active price lists of Ukraine, and also identify consumer characteristics affecting the cost of amber products. The validity of the results and conclusions is ensured by using a set of general scientific and special research methods. Existing difficulties in determining the cost and peculiarities of modern expert evaluation systems have been identified. The scientific novelty of this study lies in the discovery that, through experimental work and theoretical calculations, the characteristics of amber establish an aesthetic and economic connection with each type of product, enhancing the perceived value of each individual item. The qualitative characteristics of amber determine its cost in the market and become the main factors influencing pricing.