Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences Parents' Buying Decision on Luxury Branded Children's Clothing
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Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 9(14) Special 2015, Pages: 87-92 ISSN:1991-8178 Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences Journal home page: www.ajbasweb.com Parents’ Buying Decision on Luxury Branded Children’s Clothing 1Isma Suhaila Ismail, 2Naem Farveez Azim Azmi, 3Robert Jeyakumar Nathan, 4Masyitah Mahadi 1,4Learning Institute for Empowerment, Multimedia University, Jalan Ayer Keroh Lama, 75450 Melaka, Malaysia. 2Universiti Kuala Lumpur-MICET, Taboh Naning, 78000 Alor Gajah, Melaka, Malaysia. 3Faculty of Business, Multimedia University, Jalan Ayer Keroh Lama, 75450 Melaka, Malaysia. ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history: This is an exploratory study of the parents‟ buying decision on luxury branded Received 22 February 2015 children‟s clothing. Parents‟ purchasing patterns on clothing have changed over the Accepted 20 March 2015 years. They have developed a buying habit which merchandisers need to understand Available online 23 April 2015 and could influence to maximize their business opportunities. For some parents, buying clothes has gone beyond the necessity; buying luxury branded clothes which have Keywords: higher price and quality has become a norm. In addition, some parents even buy luxury Parents’ buying decision, luxury branded clothes for their children who would eventually outgrow these clothes quite brand, social status, product and fast. This study investigates the factors that influence parents‟ buying decision on service quality, materialism luxury branded children‟s clothing in Malaysia. Factors including social status, product and service quality, materialism and gender were investigated. A survey questionnaire is used as the primary data collection tool whereby 250 samples were collected from parents in Malaysia. Findings suggest social status, product and service quality, and materialism are significantly related to parents‟ buying decision, while parents‟ gender has not been found to be a significant differentiator in their purchase decision. Research limitations and suggestions for future research are also presented. © 2015 AENSI Publisher All rights reserved. To Cite This Article: Isma Suhaila Ismail, Naem Farveez Azim Azmi, Robert Jeyakumar Nathan, Masyitah Mahadi, Parents‟ Buying Decision on Luxury Branded Children‟s Clothing. Aust. J. Basic & Appl. Sci., 9(14): 87-92, 2015 INTRODUCTION active in the workforce, have small children. One of the things that are commonly noticed is that parents In the merchandising business, specifically clothe their children the way they themselves are pertaining to the clothing or apparel for children, attired. The parents have their own „minis‟ walking producers and retailers are aware that children do not about with them, tagging along wherever they go. have the power to decide much less the power to This shows that parents are willing to buy branded purchase their own clothes. Therefore, the target clothes for their children despite the reality that their buyers are actually the parents and caretakers of children always outgrow these clothes very quickly. these children. A more important aspect for the Indeed, consumer behavior widely expresses the merchandisers is to influence the purchase decision attitude of every consumer when making decisions in of these adults, especially for branded or luxury buying products that attract them or the loyalty that clothes for children, which so far has been they have in those products or brands. successful. Due to this idea, it is relevant to note It has also been noted that consumers‟ which factors that mainly influence the decision of purchasing behavior may be estimated by the mixture parents when they shop for their children‟s clothes. of fashion inventiveness and status utilization This research focuses on the relationship between the (O‟Cass and Frost, 2002). Thus, parents with higher parents‟ buying decisions on luxury branded social status may have the tendency to buy luxury children‟s clothing and the factors influencing them. goods, which include their children‟s luxury clothing, Living in the 21st century gives significant and they are more than willing to do so. To other difference in various aspects of life for people people, this may invoke a pertinent question that especially in the metropolitan areas. One of them is begs an answer. If this luxury clothing for children is the ability to have a stable income and higher pay for as expensive as the adults‟ apparel, then why would both male and female workers. This is similarly parents want to purchase them for their children, who experienced by parents living in cities in Malaysia. may not be able to appreciate it, much less wear it for Generally, these relatively young parents, who are long since they outgrow these clothes very fast? It is Corresponding Author: Isma Suhaila Ismail, Learning Institute for Empowerment (LiFE), Multimedia University, Jalan Ayer Keroh Lama, 75450 Melaka, Malaysia. Mob: 0060136131287, E-mail: [email protected] 88 Isma Suhaila Ismail et al, 2015 Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 9(14) Special 2015, Pages: 87-92 found that parents prefer to purchase more upmarket through luxury items. A study shows that respondents luxury brands instead of domestic brands (Speece graded individuals wearing designer brands such as and So, 1998), and additionally, it has been found Polo or Ralph Lauren clothes as belonging to a that parents buy luxury brands and well-known higher social status than those who wear ordinary products for their child or children in an active store brands (Workman, 1988). Nevertheless, brand, manner (Corral, 1999). An earlier study shows that, price, origin, and features in the design can be in general, people‟s need for appearance and considered alternative gauges of external clues to the materialism stems from their concerns on how others quality and the value of a product amongst perceive them (Powderly and MacNulty, 1990). More consumers (Dawar and Parker, 1994). The credibility specifically, it is found that parents who purchase of a particular brand such as its high price and luxury brands for child apparel have their own social markings, displays wealth and status (Vigneron and and financial status (Darian, 1998). Indirectly, Johnson, 1999). Therefore, it is highly significant to parents are able to impress others with the examine how social status greatly affects parents‟ appearance of their children in order to manifest and buying decision. to increase their social status in the eyes of the In addition, there is a clear upward trend in an society. It is quite obvious that parents with individual‟s perception as high quality products and significant financial resources are able to purchase services have developed a minimum standard rather luxury products without any qualms, and normally, than a point of distinction in many businesses. with higher income comes higher status. Therefore, Product and service qualities are crucial in affecting parents who have these ideas in their minds or who parents‟ perceptions derived from social status, as have stereotypical thinking with regards to income they influence the final purchase decision. It is and status would try to fit into this image through the maintained that product quality is an evaluation on display of materialism. how a product conveys the advantages desired by This study is to investigate what factors customers to satisfy their needs (Keller, 2008). In influence parents‟ buying behavior with regards to relation to purchase decision, parents nowadays are branded child apparel. The investigation focuses on concerned with the quality of their children‟s select areas, which are the social status in terms of clothing. Therefore, it is significant to examine how reputation and image, product and service quality, service and product quality could impact parents‟ materialism, and gender. Therefore, the following buying decision. question is formulated for this research: Apart from social status and quality, materialism What are the factors that influence parents‟ is another factor that might affect parents‟ buying buying decision on branded or luxury clothing for decision. A primary trait of materialism is the use of their children? Based on this question, the following belongings and consumer possessions to display an questions related to parents‟ purchase decision with individual‟s personal identity (Dittmar, 1992). regards to other pertinent factors are then formulated. Materialistic people are expected to value overtly These questions are specific in nature to seek the exhibited possessions as the symbols of their status relationship between the dependent variable and the and success; hence the possessions become a great independent variables. significance to them. Similarly, people who are (1) Does the perception of social status and materialistic use their possessions as markers to reputation influence parents‟ buying decision on measure personal success (Cleveland, Laroche and luxury branded children‟s clothing? Papadopoulos, 1999). (2) Is there any strong relationship between parents‟ Finally, gender of parents is also seen as a buying decision with the product and service quality? possible factor in making the final decision in (3) Is there any materialistic motivation among the purchasing luxury clothes for their children. A study parents when they decide to purchase luxury branded indicates that mothers (females) dominate the clothes for their child/children? purchasing behavior in regards to branded children‟s