Factors Influencing Preference Toward Sportswear Brands Among Consumers in India
Factors Influencing Preference toward Sportswear Brands among Consumers in India
Vineet Lakra1and Abhijit Deshpande2*
1Student, MBA, 2Associate Professor, Symbiosis School of Sports Sciences, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, Maharashtra, India
*Corresponding author: [email protected] (Deshpande)
Abstract Background:Today due to growth in the economy, fitness trends, and evolving lifestyles, Sportswear has seen significant growth in India. Brand name and sports participation is not the only factor that drives consumers to purchase Sportswear. Athleisure or Casual sportswear is the new market for the Sportswear industry. The objective of this study was to identify brand awareness, preference, and factors that affect the purchasing of sports Apparel and Footwear among Indian men and women. The study helps to identify awareness about sportswear brands in India and the factors that lead to preferences of one brand over the other.Methods: 158 participants (106) male and (52) females were selected with the help of a survey questionnaire. 11 Brands were selected for the study 6 International and 5 Indian Brands. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS.Results:There is a significant association between Gender and Sportswear purchased In- Store, x2(3, N = 158) = 16.996, p < .05. The expected count is less in 1 cell (12.5%) and the assumptions have not been violated.Conclusion:It was concluded from the study that Men take part in Physical activities more often than women. Women are more aware of sportswear brands than men. Men purchased sportswear from the store more often than females. Nike and Decathlon are the most preferred sportswear brands in the Indian Market. The major factors that affect brand preference include Product Quality, Product Material, and Price. Additional factors that affect preference are Social Media Trends and Sale. Keywords: Sportswear, Sports Apparel, Sports Preference, Brand Preference, Brand Awareness
How to cite this article: Lakra V, Deshoande A (2020): Factors influencing preference towards sportswear brands among consumers in India, Ann Trop Med & Public Health; 23(S17): SP231755. DOI: http://doi.org/10.36295/ASRO.2020.231755
1. Introduction: A brand like a living person, has its own identity, name, culture, intelligence, and even emotion(1). A brand is a unique name given to a specific product or service that creates an identity of itself. It can be a symbol, sign, words, or a combination of all. For any business, a brand name stands for trust, loyalty, quality and refers to the perception about the product or service the customers have. Brand awareness is the level of consciousness of a particular business and its product for an existing or potential customer(2). It is essential to help differentiate from similar products and competitors. Sports Brands have become proactive to gain an advantage in the competition. In India thanks to the economic growth, fitness trends, and evolving lifestyles, Sportswear has seen significant growth. The sportswear customer base now includes fitness and sports enthusiast which earlier consisted of only sportspersons. The trend of Athleisure is on the rise, and Indian customers prefer to wear sportswear not only during physical activities but also as casual wear due to change in work culture, which increases the customers for any sportswear brand(3). This growth is also contributed by the start-up ecosystem in India. Several Major brands have a separate line of Athleisure clothing which focuses on both functionality and fashion, including celebrity brands like HRX (Hrithik Roshan) and Wrong (Virat Kohli).
Brand awareness for sportswear is widely spread by virtual advertising across all digital platforms as the E-commerce industry grows rapidly. India is the second-largest online market in the world just after China and is expected to grow further as the majority of the Indians access the internet on their smartphones to purchase goods and services(4). Social media is the preferred marketing tool to create brand awareness. An average social media user checks his account at least fourteen times a day as this makes a great opportunity for many brands to spread awareness about their products(5). As more Indians have become health conscious, participation in physical activities and sports like football, yoga, cycling, and dancing has grown. The expenditure on sportswear has increased following the rise in participation and has made a generous contribution to this segment. The value of the sportswear market across India increased from 440 Billion (INR) in the year 2015 to 550 Billion (INR) in 2018. Which compared to the previous year is almost 100 Billion more(6). The major players dominating the Indian sportswear market include brands like Nike, Adidas, Puma, and recently Decathlon. The endorsement of sportswear by popular athletes and celebrities have very much influenced the Indian population. Brand Endorsement is one way that ensures that the economic status of that company increases and also changes the attitude of customers towards that brand. Sports Celebrities are very popular in India and the potential of increasing brand awareness and sale has a wide opportunity when endorsed by not only a cricketer but any sports celebrity(7). However, today the behavior of customers towards sportswear is changing. Consumer behavior is the decision-making process and the physical activity that a customer is involved in while evaluating, purchasing, and using a good or service to satisfy the needs. In India due to economic growth, the middle and the upper-middle-class have greatly benefitted. The rise in the number of working people and the income levels has brought up the spending power of these segments. The college-going students have become more significant to the sportswear market due to their tendency to spend more on clothes and beauty products(8). Recent Sportswear consumption behavior shows that the final use of the product by customers has changed. Most of the customers don’t use the products to play sports with it, which mostly consists of women and young people. However, the characteristics to purchase these products remain the same. Design and style are strong criteria that sportswear brands need to consider most while sticking to the characteristic of functionality. This means that the sportswear brands can continue to make sportswear for their customers' primary customers the sports active customers(9). Numerous attributes affect the consumers buying behavior for sportswear, among them Brand and quality, fashion and Price consciousness are the major components. The main factor which customers give more preference to is Brand and Quality. Regular sportswear users are well aware of sportswear brands and for most Quality is the most important attribute despite being higher in cost and often tend to be loyal to that brand that meets their requirements. Non-regular sportswear customers have less awareness about the brands but can become future customers(10). Indian market is also very price sensitive. During heavy discounts offered by online retailers like Flipkart and Amazon, customer loyalty is often tested. Not all brands are listed during these huge sales which offer a heavy discount, the customers often switch to other brands. Considering the price, they are often willing to compromise on other factors. Today more people are aware of health risks leading to changes in their lifestyle and include fitness and Health care to priority, creating demand in the market for related goods and services. New and existing brands have started offering a wide range of products to cater to every segment of consumers. But the problem arises when one has to choose from a wide range of brands that tend to offer more or less the same. In this study, we try to identify which of the factors that lead to a preference for a particular brand when there is another brand that offers the same benefits. According to “Study on Brand Preference in Sports Apparel in Young Consumers”(11) there are several factors that are affecting the purchases of sports apparel brands made by young consumers based on habitual behavior. Habitual behaviors are the purchases that are made repeatedly and are developed over time to make the decision process simpler. A big factor is an upper limit that is set on the purchase of sports apparel. Building loyalty towards a brand should be a focus by the brand
managers as youngsters today are more brand conscious. As analyzed, during a sale the youngsters can also change brands, and hence brands can increase brand loyalty during sales. “Factors Influencing Purchase Behaviour of Branded Sports Shoes”(12) found that a consumer is ready to spend more if better comfort or relaxation is provided. The brand should implement the use of the latest technology to provide extra comfort as the consumer will be willing to pay for it. Consumers also expect a brand to bring in more innovation and provide a large range of variety (color, style, design) keeping in mind the trends, is a need of young consumers. The products should also fulfill the needs of all age groups. This helps the brand to create effecting marketing. The focus toward young consumers should be as a status and for older consumers' focus on comfort and durability. The implications of heavy sales discount like the Big Billion Day sale by E-commerce retailer Flipkart gives more competition to rival brands. How the competitors respond and customers' behavior can be observed during such online sales. E-loyalty and e- satisfaction for sportswear brands can be impacted as people tend to switch brands if offered a heavy discount. Since all sportswear brands are not listed during the sale, preferences are chanced to the available ones. Consumers also compromise on service quality during such sales for the amount of discount they receive, as found in “Impact of Big Billion Days Sales on Brand Loyalty with special Reference to Sportswear”(13). “Factors affecting female consumer's online buying behaviour”(14) shows that the internet is easily accessible nowadays, online shopping has become a way of life for Indian women. 82% of Indian women prefer online shopping by smartphone. The reason behind growing preference are factors like delivery flexibility, an increase in the number of retailers, and increased purchasing power. E-retailers should focus on capturing the age group segment of 25-34 years as they contribute most towards India’s youth population and is expected to be the wealthiest in the future. The addition of certain services like trial purchase, easy return policy, variety, quality, and comfort are some factors that will help to market a brand better and add value to a business. “Impact and Influence of Culture on Brands in Indian Market”(15) states, culture plays a vital role in the consumption patterns of a consumer. A handful of brands in India have adopted culture to a specific region to keep them popular among consumers. Global brands are targeting Indian festive to blend their brand to the target audience. Dimensions like traditions, social value, and flexibility of brands are factors that affect consumers' decisions. In India, numerous brands offer superior quality products at affordable prices. Therefore, to increase the customers for any Indian or global brand, the focus should be toward understanding the regional culture. The following brands are taken into consideration for the study for understanding brand preference and what attributes affect their purchase behavior. Five local (Proline India, Shiv Naresh, Dida Sportswear, HRX, and Vector-X) and six International brands (Adidas, Nike, Puma, Reebok, Asics, and Decathlon). Shoes and Apparel preference for each Brand is taken into account. Decathlon being the only retailer brand that has several sub-brands under it. In India, economic growth has put more purchasing power at the hands of customers. Health and Fashion have become more important due to global trends and this has led to changes in their lifestyle. Athleisure or Casual Sportswear is the new market for Sportswear brands, and most brands offer more or less the same benefits to their customers to stay in the market. Due to which the Buying behavior has changed for Indian sportswear consumers where a brand name is not the only factor that affects the decision-making process and sports participation is not the only reason to purchase sportswear. Hence, there is a need to understand the attributes that affect the preference of Indian customers when purchasing sportswear. Each sportswear brand has a different identity and caters to a specific need of the consumer. The research will help Businesses to identify brand awareness about Sportswear in India and the factors that lead to preferences of one brand over the other brands. This study can help existing and new sportswear brands to make improvements on their products or service and market their products or services better to gain new customers or retain existing consumers. The Objective of the study is to find out the following:
Recognizing the preference for sportswear brands that are in the Indian market. Identifying and highlight different attributes that lead to sportswear brand preference in Indian males and females. Identifying consumers purchasing decisions towards sportswear brands.
2. Material & methods: For this study Descriptive method of research has been used to analyze the factors which affect the preference of sportswear brands in India. 2.1. Selection of the Subject A convenient sampling technique was used in the study to understand brand preference, with a sample size of 158 individuals using a Self-administered Questionnaire containing Likert scale questions and close end questions. 2.2. Variables For this study the In-depended variables were Gender (Male & Female), whereas the Depended variable was Sports Participation, Brand Awareness, Purchase Frequency, In-Store Purchase Frequency, Online Purchase Frequency, Influencing Factors and Season for purchasing Sportswear. 2.3. Data Collection At first, a Secondary study on Brand preferences for sportswear was done through the internet and published journals. Later a Self-administered Questionnaire was prepared for collecting Primary data, containing Likert scale questions and close end questions. Primary Data: A Survey method was used in the study to collect Primary data from the general public and consumers, through a structured questionnaire that consisted of 15 items. The first 4 items were designed to collect information on the demographic profile of participants, which included name, age group, gender, and state. All 11 items are related to the preference of the sportswear brands available in India. Secondary Data: Secondary data was collected from published journals and websites.
3. Data Analysis The Collected data was analyzed in SPSS using the following techniques: 3.1. Percentage Analysis To represent the raw structure of data as a percentage for a better understanding of the collected data. 3.2. Bar Graph For comparing the growth of particular data. The bar graph is used for presenting collected data in an organized way usually regarding a certain timeline. 3.3. Chi-Square Test of Independence To determine in one or more categories of a contingency table whether exists any significant association between the observed frequencies and the expected frequencies.
3. Results and Discussion: Following are the results 3.1. Gender Analysis
Table 1: Gender Analysis of Sample Participants
Frequency Percentage (In %)
Male 106 67.1 Female 52 32.9 Total Sample Size 158 100.0 The total sample size taken for the study was 158, out of which 67% (106) were male and 33% (52) were Female.
3.2. Age Group Distribution
Table 2: Age Group of Participants
Age Group Percentage (In Total Below 18 19 - 25 26 - 30 31 - 45 %) Gender Male 5 64 31 6 106 67.1% Frequency Female 3 39 10 0 52 32.9% Count 8 103 41 6 158 Total 100.0% % of Total 5.1% 65.2% 26% 3.8% For Age group of the participants, it was inferred from the table above that, 65% of the participants were between the age group of 19-25, 26% of the participants were between the age group of 26-30, 5% of the participants were below 18 years and 4% participants were between the age group of 31-45.
3.3. Sports or Physical Activity Participation level of Participants
Table 3: Age Group of Participants Sports / Physical Activity Participation Level Gender Frequency Total Male Female Count 48 8 56 Everyday Gender Percentage 45.3% 15.4% 35.4% Count 37 14 51 A few times in a Week Gender Percentage 34.9% 26.9% 32.3% Count 15 17 32 A few times in a Month Gender Percentage 14.2% 32.7% 20.3% Count 5 12 17 A few times in a Year Participation Level Gender Percentage 4.7% 23.1% 10.8% Count 1 1 2 Don't participate Gender Percentage 0.9% 1.9% 1.3% Count 106 52 158 Total Gender Percentage 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% It was inferred from the above table, 35% participants were involved every day in any sport or physical activity, 32% participants took part a few times in a week, 21% participants took part a few times in a month, 11% participants took part a few times in a year and 1% of the participants did not take part in any sport or physical activity.
3.4. Sportswear Brand Awareness
Table 4: Brand Awareness Analysis
Gender Frequency Percentage Apparel Brands Total Male Female In % Adidas 85 47 132 84% Nike 91 50 141 90% Puma 85 46 131 83% Reebok 79 45 124 79% Asics 66 25 91 58% Proline India 30 5 35 22% Shiv Naresh 62 21 83 53% Dida Sportswear 22 3 25 16% HRX by Hrithik Roshan 60 34 94 60% Vector X 47 10 57 36% Decathlon Sports India 89 47 136 87% For Awareness, it was inferred from the above table that, 90% of the participants (86% Male & 96% Female) were aware of the Nike brand, 87% of the participants were aware of the Decathlon brand, 84% of the participants were aware of Adidas brand, 83% of the participants were aware of Puma brand, 79% of the participants were aware of Reebok brand, 60% of the participants were aware of HRX brand, 58% of the participants were aware of Asics brand, 53% of the participants were aware of Shiv Naresh brand, 36% of the participants were aware of Vector X brand, 22% of the participants were aware of Proline India brand and 16% of the participants were aware of Dida Sportswear brand.
3.5. Sportswear Purchase Frequency: In-store Purchase
Table 5: Analysis of Sportswear Purchase – Instore Purchase Sports Purchase Instore Extremely Moderately Slightly Not at all Total Often Often Often Often Count 11 52 35 8 106 Male Gender % 10.4% 49.1% 33.0% 7.5% 100.0% % of Total 7.0% 32.9% 22.2% 5.1% 67.1% Count 3 10 30 9 52 Gender Female Gender % 5.8% 19.2% 57.7% 17.3% 100.0% % of Total 1.9% 6.3% 19.0% 5.7% 32.9% Count 14 62 65 17 158 Total % of Total 8.9% 39.2% 41.1% 10.8% 100.0% For In-Store Purchases of Sportswear, it was inferred from the above table that, 9% of participants purchased Regularly, 39% of participants purchased Moderately, 41% of participants purchased Marginally and 11% of participants purchased Sportswear rarely from a store.
3.6. Sportswear Purchase Frequency: Online Purchase
Table 6: Analysis of Sportswear Purchase – Online Purchase
Sports Purchase Instore Extremely Moderately Slightly Not at all Total Often Often Often Often Count 17 44 32 13 106 Male % within Gender 16.0% 41.5% 30.2% 12.3% % of Total 10.8% 27.8% 20.3% 8.2% 67.1% Count 3 17 17 15 52 Gender Female % within Gender 5.8% 32.7% 32.7% 28.8% % of Total 1.9% 10.8% 10.8% 9.5% 32.9% Count 20 61 49 28 158 Total % of Total 12.7% 38.6% 31.0% 17.7% 100.0% The Online purchases of Sportswear, it was inferred from the above table that 13% of participants Purchased Regularly. 38% of participants purchased moderately. 31% of participants Purchased Marginally and 18% of participants purchased sportswear Online rarely.
3.7. Brand Preference for Sports Footwear
Table 7: Brand Preference for Sports Footwear
Gender Frequency Percentage Apparel Brands Total Male Female In % Adidas 25 10 35 22% Nike 48 22 70 44% Puma 8 8 16 10% Reebok 5 4 9 6% Asics 8 3 11 7% Shiv Naresh 1 0 1 1% Decathlon Sports India 6 3 9 6% Others 5 2 7 4% 106 52 158 100.0% For Sports Footwear it was inferred from the above table that, 44% of the participants prefer the Nike brand, 22% of the participants prefer Adidas brand, 10% of the participants prefer Puma brand, 7% of the participants prefer Asics brand, 6% of the participants prefer Reebok brand, 6% of the participants prefer Decathlon brand, 1% of the participants prefer Shiv Naresh brand and 4% of the participants prefer other brands not selected for the study. Brands Proline India, Dida Sportswear, HRX, and Vector-X were not at all preferred for footwear.
3.8. Brand Preference for Sports Apparel
Table 8: Brand Preference for Sports Apparels
Gender Frequency Percentage Apparel Brands Total Male Female In % Adidas 28 6 34 22% Nike 24 10 34 22% Puma 7 10 17 11% Reebok 2 3 5 3%
Asics 1 1 2 1 % Shiv Naresh 1 1 2 1% Dida Sportswear 3 0 3 2% HRX by Hrithik Roshan 5 5 10 6% Decathlon Sports India 28 13 41 26% Others 7 3 10 6% 106 52 158 100.0% For Sports Apparel it was inferred from the above table that, 26% of the participants prefer the Decathlon brand, 22% of the participants prefer Adidas brand, 22% of the participants prefer Nike brand, 11% of the participants prefer the Puma brand, 6% of the participants prefer HRX brand, 3% of the participants prefer Reebok brand, 2% of the participants prefer Dida Sportswear brand, 1% of the participants prefer Asics brand, 1% of the participants prefer Shiv Naresh brand and 6% of the participants prefer other brands not selected for the study. Brands Proline India and Vector- X were not at all preferred.
3.9. Purchasing Criteria for Sports Footwear
Table 9: Footwear Purchasing Criteria
Gender Frequency Percentage Footwear Criteria Total Male Female In % Brand Value 57 27 84 53% Prices 65 35 100 63% Product Quality 90 45 135 85% Material 68 37 105 66% Available Colors 41 24 65 41% Size 58 35 93 59% Durability 63 36 99 63% Others 4 4 8 1% For Purchasing Sports Footwear it was inferred from the above table that, Product Quality was the most required criteria for 85%, Product Material was a required criterion by 66% participants, Price of the product was a required criterion for 63% participants, Durability of the Product was a required criterion for 63% participants, Available Size was a required criterion for 59%, Brand Value was a required criterion for 53% participants Available Colors for the product was a required criterion for 41%) of the participants and 1% participants had other criteria like Purpose of the Activity, Comfort and Trend.
3.10. Purchasing Criteria for Sports Apparel
Table 10: Apparel Purchasing Criteria
Gender Frequency Percentage Apparel Criteria Total Male Female In % Brand Value 49 28 77 49% Prices 64 29 93 59% Product Quality 84 45 129 82% Material 79 42 121 77%
Available Colors 47 27 74 47% Product Style 57 28 85 54% Fitting 76 37 113 71% Available Size 57 30 87 55% For Purchasing Sports Apparel, it was inferred from the above table that, Product Quality was the most required criteria for 82% participants, Product Material was a required criterion by 77% participants, Fit of the product was a required criterion for 71% participants, Price of the Product was a required criterion for 59% participants, Available Size was a required criterion for 55% participants, Brand Value was a required criterion for 49% and Available Colors for the product was a required criterion for 47% participants.
3.11. Online Shopping Criteria for Sportswear
Table 11: Online Shopping Criterion for Sportswear
Gender Frequency Percentage Online Purchase Criterion Total Male Female In % Easy Return Policy 69 33 102 65% Detailed Product Description 53 31 84 53% Free Shipping 57 23 80 51% Payment Methods 52 18 70 45% Customer Ratings 52 26 78 50% Discount Available 67 33 100 64% Others 2 1 3 1% For Online shopping of sportswear, it was inferred from the above table that, Easy Return Policy was the most important criteria for 65% of the participants, Discount was a required criterion for 64% of the participants, Detailed Description of the Product was a required criterion for 53% of the participants, Free Shipping was a required criterion for 51% of the participants, Customer ratings was a required criterion for 50% of the participants, Payment Method was a required criterion for 45% of the participants and 1% had other criteria like Genuity of the product.
3.12. Influencing Factors for Sportswear Purchase When Purchasing sportswear, the following influencing factors also affect the preference of sportswear purchase online and In-Store.
3.12.1. Primary Decision Maker when it comes to purchasing sportswear:
Table 13: Primary Decision Maker When Purchasing Sportswear
Primary Decision Maker Disagree Neutral Agree Total % Disagree Agree Strongly Decision Strongly Male Frequency 10 3 18 37 38 106 67%
Female Count 6 2 14 13 17 52 33% Total 16 5 32 50 55 158 Total % of Total 10% 3% 20% 32% 35% 100.0%
When it comes to decision making when purchasing sportswear, it was inferred from the above table that 10% Strongly Disagreed, 3% Disagreed, 20% were neutral, 32% Agreed and 35% Strongly agreed that they are the primary decision-maker when it comes to purchasing sportswear.
3.12.2. Social Media Trends have an influence when purchasing sportswear:
Table 14: Social Media Trend Influence When Purchasing Sportswear
Social Media Trend Influence Disagree Neutral Agree Total % Disagree Agree Strongly Decision Strongly Male Frequency 10 11 34 36 15 106 67.1%
Female Count 6 12 11 16 7 52 32.9% Total 16 23 45 52 22 158 Total % of Total 10% 15% 28% 33% 14% 100.0% When it comes to Social Media Influence when purchasing sportswear, it was inferred from the above table that 10% Strongly Disagreed, 15% Disagreed, 28% were neutral, 33% Agreed and 14% Strongly agreed that Social Media Trends have an influence when it comes to purchasing sportswear.
3.12.3. The opinion of Family has an influence when purchasing sportswear:
Table 15: Family Opinion When Purchasing Sportswear
Family Opinion Disagree Neutral Agree Total % Disagree Agree Strongly Decision Strongly Male Frequency 13 34 35 18 6 106 67.1%
Female Count 9 10 22 9 2 52 32.9% Total 22 44 57 27 8 158 Total % of Total 14% 28% 36% 17% 5% 100.0% When it comes to Family Opinion when purchasing sportswear, it was inferred from the above table that 14% Strongly Disagreed, 28% Disagreed, 36% were neutral, 17% Agreed and 5% Strongly agreed that Family Opinions have an influence when it comes to purchasing sportswear.
3.12.4. The opinion of friends has an influence when purchasing sportswear:
Table 16: Friends Opinion When Purchasing Sportswear
Opinion of Friends Disagree Neutral Agree Total % Disagree Agree Strongly Decision Strongly Male Frequency 13 19 42 24 8 106 67.1%
Female Count 5 14 18 13 2 52 32.9% Total 18 33 60 37 10 158 Total % of Total 12% 21% 38% 23% 6% 100.0% When it comes to Opinion of Friends when purchasing sportswear, it was inferred from the above table that 12% Strongly Disagreed, 21% Disagreed, 38% were neutral, 25% Agreed and 6% Strongly agreed that Opinion of Friends have an influence when it comes to purchasing sportswear.
3.12.5. Society Values/Beliefs have an influence when purchasing sportswear:
Table 17: Consideration of Society Values When Purchasing Sportswear
Society Values/Beliefs Disagree Neutral Agree Total % Disagree Agree Strongly Decision Strongly Male Frequency 25 34 30 13 4 106 67.1%
Female Count 20 16 13 2 1 52 32.9% Total 45 50 43 15 5 158 Total % of Total 28% 32% 27% 10% 3% 100.0% When it comes to Values/Beliefs of the Society while purchasing sportswear, it was inferred from the above table that 28% Strongly Disagreed, 32% Disagreed, 27% were neutral, 10% Agreed and 3% Strongly agreed that Values/Beliefs of Society have an influence when it comes to purchasing sportswear.
3.12.6. Sale or Discount have an influence when purchasing sportswear:
Table 18: Sportswear Brand Switch During Sale or Discount
Brand Switch Disagree Neutral Agree Total % Disagree Agree Strongly Decision Strongly Male Frequency 12 11 36 33 14 106 67.1%
Female Count 5 6 16 13 12 52 32.9% Total 17 17 52 46 26 158 Total % of Total 11% 11% 33% 29% 16% 100.0% When it comes to Sale and discount available while purchasing sportswear, it was inferred from the above table that 11% Strongly Disagreed, 11% Disagreed, 33% were neutral, 29% Agreed and 16% Strongly agreed that Available discount and Sale an influence when it comes to purchasing sportswear.
3.13. Preferred Season for purchasing sportswear
Table 19: Preferred Season of Sportswear Purchase
Season Total Spring Summer Autumn Monsoon Winter Anytime Male Frequency 1 14 3 2 18 68 106
Female Count 2 9 0 0 4 37 52 Total 3 23 3 2 22 105 158 Total % of Total 2% 15% 2% 1% 14% 66% 100.0% For Preferred season when purchasing Sportswear, it was inferred from the above table that 66% Participants preferred to purchase sportswear in any season, 15% participants preferred purchasing during Summer, 14% participants preferred purchasing during Winter, 2% participants preferred purchasing during Spring, 2% participants preferred purchasing during Autumn, and 1% participants preferred to purchase during monsoon.
Hypothesis Testing
H1: There is an association between Gender and Sports Participation. Level of Significance is 0.005 (5% confidence level)
Table 20: Gender and Sports Participation Crosstabulation
Sports Participation A few A few times A few times Don't Total Everyday times in a in a Week in a Month participate Year Count 48 37 15 5 1 106 Male Expected Count 37.6 34.2 21.5 11.4 1.3 106.0 % within Gender 45.3% 34.9% 14.2% 4.7% 0.9% 100.0% Count 8 14 17 12 1 52 Gender Female Expected Count 18.4 16.8 10.5 5.6 .7 52.0 % within Gender 15.4% 26.9% 32.7% 23.1% 1.9% 100.0% Count 56 51 32 17 2 158 Total Expected Count 56.0 51.0 32.0 17.0 2.0 158.0 % within Gender 35.4% 32.3% 20.3% 10.8% 1.3% 100.0%
“Chi-Square Tests” Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) “Pearson Chi-Square” 26.603a 4 .000 “Likelihood Ratio” 26.718 4 .000 “Linear-by-Linear Association” 24.661 1 .000 “N of Valid Cases” 158 a. 2 cells (20.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is .66.
“Symmetric Measures” Value Approx. Sig. Phi .410 .000 Nominal by Nominal Cramer's V .410 .000 N of Valid Cases 158 To find an association between Gender and Sports Participation, Pearson Chi-Square was used between the two variables. There is a significant association between Gender and Sports Participation, x2(4, N = 158) = 26.603, p < .05. The expected count is less in 2 cells (20.0%) and the assumptions have not been violated. Cramer’s V = .41-Large effect size in the study. Therefore, the Null Hypothesis (There is no association between Gender and Sports Participation) is rejected and the Alternative Hypothesis (There is a significant association between Gender and Sports Participation) is Accepted. We conclude that there is a significant relationship between Gender and Sports Participation. When we consider every day sports or physical activity, Men participate more often in physical activities than females (45% to 15%).
H2: There is an association between Gender and Brand Awareness Level of Significance is 0.005 (5% confidence level)
Table 21: Brand Awareness and Gender Crosstabulation
Gender Total Male Female Count 85 47 132 Adidas Expected Count 90.1 41.9 132.0 % within Gender 11.9% 14.1% 12.6% Count 91 50 141 Nike Expected Count 96.2 44.8 141.0 % within Gender 12.7% 15.0% 13.4% Count 85 46 131 Puma Expected Count 89.4 41.6 131.0 % within Gender 11.9% 13.8% 12.5% Count 79 45 124 Brand Reebok Expected Count 84.6 39.4 124.0 Awareness % within Gender 11.0% 13.5% 11.8%
Count 66 25 91 Asics Expected Count 62.1 28.9 91.0 % within Gender 9.2% 7.5% 8.7%
Count 30 5 35 Proline India Expected Count 23.9 11.1 35.0 % within Gender 4.2% 1.5% 3.3%
Count 62 21 83 Shiv Naresh Expected Count 56.7 26.3 83.0 % within Gender 8.7% 6.3% 7.9%
Count 22 3 25 Brand Awareness Dida Sportswear Expected Count 17.1 7.9 25.0 % within Gender 3.1% 0.9% 2.4% Count 60 34 94 HRX by Hrithik Expected Count 64.2 29.8 94.0 Roshan % within Gender 8.4% 10.2% 9.0% Count 47 10 57 Vector X Expected Count 38.9 18.1 57.0 % within Gender 6.6% 3.0% 5.4% Count 89 47 136 Decathlon Sports Expected Count 92.8 43.2 136.0 India % within Gender 12.4% 14.1% 13.0% Count 716 333 1049 Total Expected Count 716.0 333.0 1049.0 % within Gender 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
“Chi-Square Tests” Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) “Pearson Chi-Square” 22.107a 10 .015 “Likelihood Ratio” 24.296 10 .007 “Linear-by-Linear Association” 2.590 1 .108 “N of Valid Cases” 1049 “a. 0 cells (0.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 7.94.”
“Symmetric Measures” Value Approx. Sig. Phi .145 .015 Nominal by Nominal Cramer's V .145 .015 N of Valid Cases 1049
To find a relationship between Gender and Sportswear Brand Awareness, Pearson Chi-Square was used between the two variables. There is a significant relationship between Gender and Brand Awareness, x2(10, N = 158) = 22.107, p < .05. The expected count is less in 0 cells (0.0%) and the assumptions have not been violated. Cramer’s V = .14-Medium effect size in the study. Therefore, the Null Hypothesis (There is no association between Gender and Brand Awareness) is rejected and the Alternative Hypothesis (There is an association between Gender and Brand Awareness) is Accepted. We conclude that there is an association between Gender and Brand Awareness. When we consider Sportswear brand Awareness for Brand Adidas, Women are more aware of the brand than men (14% to 12%).
H3: There is an association between Gender and Brand Preference for Sports Footwear. Level of Significance is 0.005 (5% confidence level)
Table 22: Gender and Footwear Brand Preference Crosstabulation
Footwear Brand Preference Decathlon Total Adidas Nike Puma Asics Sports India Count 25 48 8 8 6 95 Male Expected Count 23.6 47.2 10.8 7.4 6.1 95.0 % within Gender 26.3% 50.5% 8.4% 8.4% 6.3% 100.0% Count 10 22 8 3 3 46 Gender Female Expected Count 11.4 22.8 5.2 3.6 2.9 46.0 % within Gender 21.7% 47.8% 17.4% 6.5% 6.5% 100.0% Count 35 70 16 11 9 141 Total Expected Count 35.0 70.0 16.0 11.0 9.0 141.0 % within Gender 24.8% 49.6% 11.3% 7.8% 6.4% 100.0%
“Chi-Square Tests” Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) “Pearson Chi-Square” 2.650a 4 .618 “Likelihood Ratio” 2.523 4 .641 “Linear-by-Linear Association” .050 1 .823 “N of Valid Cases” 141 “a. 2 cells (20.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 2.94.”
“Symmetric Measures” Value Approx. Sig. Phi .137 .618 Nominal by Nominal Cramer's V .137 .618 N of Valid Cases 141 To find a relationship between Gender and Brand Preference for Sports Footwear, Pearson Chi- Square was used between the two variables. There is no relationship between Gender and Brand Preference for Sports Footwear, x2(4, N = 141) = 2.650, p > .05. The expected count is less in 2 cells (20%) and the assumptions have not been violated. Cramer’s V = .14 - Medium effect size in the study. Therefore, we fail to reject Null Hypothesis (There is no association between Gender and Brand Preference for Sports Footwear) and the Alternative Hypothesis (There is a significant association between Gender and Brand Preference for Sports Footwear) is Rejected. We conclude that there is no association between Gender and Brand Preference for Sports Footwear.
H4: There is an association between Gender and Brand Preference for Sports Apparels. Level of Significance is 0.005 (5% confidence level)
Table 23: Gender and Apparel Brand Preference Crosstabulation
Apparel Brand Preference Decathlon Total Adidas Nike Puma HRX Others Sports India Count 28 24 7 5 28 7 99 Male Expected Count 23.1 23.1 11.5 6.8 27.8 6.8 99.0 % within Gender 28.3% 24.2% 7.1% 5.1% 28.3% 7.1% 100.0% Count 6 10 10 5 13 3 47 Gender Female Expected Count 10.9 10.9 5.5 3.2 13.2 3.2 47.0 % within Gender 12.8% 21.3% 21.3% 10.6% 27.7% 6.4% 100.0% Count 34 34 17 10 41 10 146 Total Expected Count 34.0 34.0 17.0 10.0 41.0 10.0 146.0 % within Gender 23.3% 23.3% 11.6% 6.8% 28.1% 6.8% 100.0%
“Chi-Square Tests” Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)
“Pearson Chi-Square” 10.418a 5 .064 “Likelihood Ratio” 10.248 5 .069 “Linear-by-Linear Association” .490 1 .484 “N of Valid Cases” 146 “a. 2 cells (16.7%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 3.22.”
“Symmetric Measures” Value Approx. Sig. Phi .267 .064 Nominal by Nominal Cramer's V .267 .064 N of Valid Cases 146 To find an association between Gender and Brand Preference for Sports Apparels, Pearson Chi- Square was used between the two variables. There is no association between Gender and Brand Preference for Sports Apparels, x2(5, N = 146) = 10.418, p > .05. The expected count is less in 2 cells (16.7%) and the assumptions have not been violated. Cramer’s V = .27-Large effect size in the study. Therefore, we fail to reject Null Hypothesis (There is no association between Gender and Brand Preference for Sports Apparels) and the Alternative Hypothesis (There is a significant association between Gender and Brand Preference for Sports Apparels) is Rejected. We conclude that there is no association between Gender and Brand Preference for Sports Apparels.
H5: There is an association between Gender and Sportswear purchased Online. Level of Significance is 0.005 (5% confidence level)
Table 24: Gender * Sports Purchase Online Crosstabulation
Sports Purchase Online Extremely Moderately Slightly Not at all Total Often Often Often Often Count 17 44 32 13 106 Male Expected Count 13.4 40.9 32.9 18.8 106.0 % within Gender 16.0% 41.5% 30.2% 12.3% 100.0% Count 3 17 17 15 52 Gender Female Expected Count 6.6 20.1 16.1 9.2 52.0 % within Gender 5.8% 32.7% 32.7% 28.8% 100.0% Count 20 61 49 28 158 Total Expected Count 20.0 61.0 49.0 28.0 158.0 % within Gender 12.7% 38.6% 31.0% 17.7% 100.0%
“Chi-Square Tests” Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) “Pearson Chi-Square” 9.092a 3 .028 “Likelihood Ratio” 9.169 3 .027
“Linear-by-Linear Association” 8.544 1 .003 “N of Valid Cases” 158 “a. 0 cells (0.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 6.58.”
“Symmetric Measures” Value Approx. Sig. Phi .240 .028 Nominal by Nominal Cramer's V .240 .028 N of Valid Cases 158 To find an association between Gender and Sportswear purchased Online, Pearson Chi-Square was used between the two variables. There is no association between Gender and Sportswear purchased Online, x2(3, N = 158) = 9.092, p > .05. The expected count is less in 0 cells (0.0%) and the assumptions have not been violated. Cramer’s V = .24-Medium effect size in the study. Therefore, we fail to reject Null Hypothesis (There is no association between Gender and Sportswear purchased Online) and the Alternative Hypothesis (There is a significant association between Gender and Sportswear purchased Online) is Rejected. We conclude that there is no association between Gender and Sportswear purchased Online.
H6: There is an association between Gender and Sportswear purchased In-Store. Level of Significance is 0.005 (5% confidence level)
Table 25: Gender and Sports Purchase Instore Crosstabulation
Sports Purchase Instore Extremely Moderately Slightly Not at all Total Often Often Often Often Count 11 52 35 8 106 Male Expected Count 9.4 41.6 43.6 11.4 106.0 % within Gender 10.4% 49.1% 33.0% 7.5% 100.0% Count 3 10 30 9 52 Gender Female Expected Count 4.6 20.4 21.4 5.6 52.0 % within Gender 5.8% 19.2% 57.7% 17.3% 100.0% Count 14 62 65 17 158 Total Expected Count 14.0 62.0 65.0 17.0 158.0 % within Gender 8.9% 39.2% 41.1% 10.8% 100.0%
“Chi-Square Tests” “Value” df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) “Pearson Chi-Square” 16.996a 3 .001 “Likelihood Ratio” 17.637 3 .001 “Linear-by-Linear Association” 12.881 1 .000 “N of Valid Cases” 158
“a. 1 cells (12.5%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 4.61.”
“Symmetric Measures” Value Approx. Sig. Phi .328 .001 Nominal by Nominal Cramer's V .328 .001 N of Valid Cases 158
To find an association between Gender and Sportswear purchased In-Store, Pearson Chi-Square was used between the two variables. There is a significant association between Gender and Sportswear purchased In-Store, x2(3, N = 158) = 16.996, p < .05. The expected count is less in 1 cell (12.5%) and the assumptions have not been violated. Cramer’s V = .33-Large effect size in the study. Therefore, the Null Hypothesis (There is no association between Gender and Sportswear purchased In-Store) is Rejected and the Alternative Hypothesis (There is a significant association between Gender and Sportswear purchased In-Store) is Accepted. We conclude there is a significant association between Gender and Sportswear purchased In-Store. When we consider In-Store Purchase of Sportswear, Men purchase Sportswear Extremely often than females (10% to 6%).
Discussion The Sample Size taken for this study is 158 people who responded through an Online Questionnaire via Email, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. 67% were Male Participants and 33% were Female. This reflects the fact that in India there are more Male using the Internet than females. As per the study, in 2016 the distribution of Internet users for India stood at 70% for the male participants to 30% for females. These numbers are expected to change by the year 2020 to 60% for the male participants to 40% for females(16). 65% of the participants were between the age group of 19-25 years, and 25% were between the age group of 26-30 years. This figure ensures that the study is precise as there is a maximum number of young adults and the study is concerned with young adults. Sports or Physical Activity was an Everyday activity for 35% of the participants (45% Male & 15% Female) and a few time times a week activity for 32% of the participants (35% Male & 27% Female). Men took part in physical activities more frequently than females. This is mostly because of the attitude towards women when it comes to Sports participation in India(17). There are also numerous constraints that women face and act as barriers that restrict their participation in sports activities (18). For Brand Awareness, among all the International brands that were taken for the study, Nike was the Most recognized brand among the participants with a 90% awareness level among the participants (86% Male & 96% Female) followed by Decathlon with 87% awareness level. For Indian Brands, HRX was the most recognized brand with a 60% awareness level among the participants. For Purchasing frequency, 39% of the participants purchased Moderately from Store whereas 38% of the participants purchased moderately Online. It shows that Sportswear is not purchased regularly both Online or Instore. It was also seen that Male participants at 16% (Extremely Often) purchase more sportswear Online than Female participants at 6% (Extremely Often). As also shown by the study, Male
Shoppers tend to have a positive attitude when it comes to online shopping compared to Women(19). Brand Preference for purchasing Sports footwear was given to Nike with 44% followed by Adidas at 22% and Puma at 10%. For Sports Apparel the preferred brand was Decathlon at 26% followed by Adidas and Nike at 22% and Puma at 11%. The results are supported by the fact that Decathlon has become the most popular Sports retailer in India by offering a variety of products across different sports and has taken over rival brands like Nike, Adidas, and Puma(20). When Purchasing Footwear, the factor that is most required by the participants in the Quality of the Product at 85%. Product Material is required for 85% and Price of the Product for 63% of the Participants. The same can also be said When it comes to the Purchasing factors for Sports Apparel. Product Quality is important for 82%, Product Material for 77%, and Price of the product for 59%. This states the fact that Price comes secondary to Product Quality. When Shopping for Sportswear Online factors like Easy Return Policy and Discount are important for 65% and 64% of the participants respectively. Also, a Detailed Description of the Product is essential for 53%. Hence Trust and Convenience of Easy return policy, Good Product Quality, and Price are important factors that affect Online Shopping(21). When we consider Other Influencing factors that affect preference for Sportswear, 67% agree that they are the only person who makes the decision when purchasing sportswear. 47% are influenced by Social media trends for Sports, 42% disagree that Family opinion is needed, 60% disagree that the consider Society values when the purchase sportswear. 45% also switch to other brands during sale or Discount on sportswear. For 66% of the participants purchasing sportswear doesn’t need to be done during any specific season.
4. Conclusion: The study reflects that Brand Preference given for Sports Apparel and Footwear by the 158 participants. It can be concluded that Men participate more often in Sports and physical activity then Women. Sportwear is not purchased regularly both Online and In-Store. Nike was the most recognized brand for sportswear and most preferred for Sports Footwear whereas, Decathlon is the most preferred brand for sports apparel in India. Men are frequent online shoppers when it comes to sportswear. Factors that affect most when purchasing Sportswear are Product Quality, Product Material, and Price. When we consider the factor for purchasing Online, Easy Return Policy and Discounts are important Factors. Other Influencing Factors that affect brand preference are Social Media Trends and Sales. During Sales, brand loyalty is hard to maintain. Sportswear can be purchased in any season. Ethical Clearance: Not applicable Source of Funding: Self-funded Conflict of Interest: There is no conflict of interest among the authors
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