PERSONAL FACTORS OF ATTITUDES OF RUSSIAN CONSUMERS TOWARDS A NEW PRODUCT (ON THE EXAMPLE OF AN ELECTRIC SCOOTER)

Summary. The article presents the results of the study of the personal factors of attitudes of Russian consumers towards a new product for the Russian market. Electric vehicles (in terms of an electric scooter) are taken as a new product for the Russian market. The study involved 150 people of various ages living in Moscow and the Moscow region. The aim was to identify the personal characteristics of Russian consumers associated with a positive attitude towards electric vehicles. Hypotheses were: 1) the similarity of the image of the product (the personality of the product) and a consumer’s self-image (the identity of the consumer) is associated with a positive attitude towards the product; 2) people with higher risk appetite have more positive attitudes towards electric vehicles. Methods: survey. The questionnaire consisted of several blocks: the technique of «Measuring brand personality» by J. Aaker, the technique «Measuring consumer identity» (modified by N. Antonova), the method of assessing risk readiness by Schubert. Results: 1) the hypotheses were partially confirmed; 2) the hypothesis about the correlation of a positive attitude with a propensity to take risks was not confirmed. A model of the attitude of Russian consumers towards electric vehicles was also built, the final model included the factor of the correlation between the image of oneself and the image of the product. Risk taking is not a positive attitude factor towards electric vehicles. The results obtained can be used to develop a strategy for promoting new products – electric vehicles – to the Russian market 9 .