The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
A Study of Thai Consumers behavior towards fashion Clothing
Author Apawan Lerkpollakarn, Dr. Ardiporn Khemarangsan International Business Program, Silpakorn University International College
Abstract The research aimed to reveal real behavior of consumers in fashion clothing according to the four main factors between men and women consumers to find out factors which one will impact them the most before make buying-decision. The four main factors are Physical, Identity, Lifestyle and Store environment. Accordingly, a wide variety of general stores, department stores and small retail outlets, in the area of Bangkok, Thailand were selected as the context for this field study. As a consequence, the results of this study indicate that female have a positive impact to physical factor, identity factor, lifestyle factor and store environment factor in buying behavior for fashion and impulse easier to buy clothing than men. However, there is a clear evidence to suggest that women and men will consider the price before buying the garment in the same proportion. The sample size was relatively too small (female = 25 and Male = 25) when compare to the population number in Bangkok. Thus, future research should be a bigger sample and tested in other cultures is needed to enhance the generalizability of the findings.
Keywords Buying behavior, Consumer behavior, clothing, fashion
Introduction For many years fashion has been an area of interest in consumer research. Fashion is a driving force that shapes the way we live—it influences apparel, hairstyles, art, food, cosmetics, cars, music, toys, furniture, and many other aspects of our daily lives that we often take for granted. (SOLOMON Michael R., RABOLT Nancy J.,2002) Fashion is a major component of popular culture that is always changing. With a solid base in social science, and in economic and marketing researches about consumer behavior towards fashion, they provides a comprehensive analysis of today's fashion consumer. Up-to-date, thought-provoking information is presented in an engaging everyday context that helps students, business people and scholars understand how fashion shapes the everyday world of consumers. Nowadays, in addition to the basic functions, clothes can also serve as fashion items, which can tell how significant an individual is, express the status an individual has and what their personal image is like (O’Cass, 2000). Thus, clothing can help represent our personal identity. Consumer behavior towards fashion clothing affects all aspects of the fashion industry, design, production, and merchandising and promotion at all levels, as much as it affects retailing. (P. M. Rath, 2008.) Accordingly, there are many research examines the factors that result from consumer behavior towards fashion for making a purchase decision. The results indicate that fashion involvement is significantly affected by a consumer’s degree of materialism, gender, age and their identities such as mood, color, boldness, taste, sensuality, beauty, attraction to particular clothes, detachment, personal style, elegance and celebrity influence. Physical factors are directly affect to fashion consumption such as health, comfort,
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 15 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
fabric, body shape, balance/fit, body exposure, climate, functionality, seasonality and the culture. Further, it was found that fashion consumer behavior involves in fashion knowledge that they concerns about brand image, store loyalty, perceived value, purchase frequency, money spent, and price consciousness. Moreover, the results indicate that lifestyles influenced consumer confidence in making purchase decisions about fashion such as exclusivity, easy of care, profession, durability, moral, conventions, welfare, quality, versatility, brand, price, age appearance. (Maria Alice V. Rocha, 2005). Lastly, Store Environment also being a factor that affects consumer behavior. An effective mall shopping environment may impact the shopping experience and influence consumers to exhibit more approach behavior, to stay longer and spend money in the mall. (Stoel et al., 2004) The importance of consumer behavior towards fashion clothing has inspired many marketing scholars and practitioners to begin researching the concept of ‘fashion clothing” Under this concept, both inner and outer factors are regarded as valuable assets which can help the companies generate lucrative revenues. Many questionnaires have been done to be attach to possessions at both a theoretical and practical level in understanding consumer behavior related to fashion clothing. This is important because fashion clothing has both important economic and social significance in many societies. As per one of the fashionist said “we are what we wear”. In reality, we are who our clothes allow us to be. (Aron O’Cass, 2002). In this paper, the concept of consumer behavior decision making to clothes would be utilized as a theoretical framework, which would be illustrated in the following chapters.
Literature review
Clothing, as a matter of fact, is a kind of necessity that helps keep our bodies warm. Human beings cannot live without the protection from clothes in adverse conditions and this signifies how important clothing is for us. Nowadays, in addition to the basic functions, clothes can also serve as fashion items, which can tell how significant an individual is, express the status an individual has and what their personal image is like (O’Cass, 2000). Thus, clothing can help represent our personal identity.Shopping for clothes is one of the popular pastimes among people from all ages, different genders and cultural backgrounds. According to the proliferation of design and image in the clothing sector, consumers need to take serious consideration during the buying processes. As mentioned by Rayport and Jaworski (2003), the purchasing processes can be divided into three stages, namely pre-purchase, purchase and post-purchase. Each stage is of equal importance that can alter the consumer buying decision. Once consumers make a purchased decision, consumers may need to recognize their personal needs, read product information, decide which and where to buy, determine whether to buy again from the same retailer, choose the buying modes, show satisfaction to the services or product quality and finally be loyal to the brand. These highlight the complication of buying processes and the potential impact a fashion clothing could impose in between them. Consumer behaviour refers to the activities in which people acquire, consume and dispose products and services (Blackwell et al., 2001). This paper of Consumer behavior towards fashion clothing research is the scientific study of the factors that consumers use to select, secure, use and dispose of products and services that satisfy
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 16 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
their needs. Firms can satisfy those needs only to the extent that they understand their customers. The main objective of this research is to study the factors both inner and outer that results from consumers towards clothes while they go shopping. Also, the paper intend to study the consumer buying behavior in a context of fashion with a special highlighting on the differences among male and female consumers and also on the clothes attributes image and lifestyles. To attain this a survey was contribute across shopping people in Thailand both women and men especially in terms of which factors influence them the most between; Physical, Identity, Lifestyle and Store environment.
Consumer Buying Behavior There are several factors found in literature to justify the buying behavior of consumers. The main factors influencing the buying behavior of consumers are the following: Physical, Identity, Lifestyle and Store Environment.
Physical The physiological factors relate to physical protection, commodity and environment among people such as body shape, balance, comfort, functionality and the culture. Body shapes as an important factor for customer deciding to buy a product. The physical change and deterioration of the body shape has to be addressed to ensure that the garments have appropriate fit for them and features are balanced to their body which is basically show to customer choose in the garment shop for SS, S, M, L, XL or XXL. For example, children, as they are in the process of growing up, they need garments suitable to their age and physical development (McNeal and Yeh, 1996). Product comfort is an important attribute, as consumers wish comfortable products to satisfy certain specific needs. The usefulness is also a factor that consumers have in mind when buying garments, because, for example, if they buy a garment that combines with those of their wardrobes, and they make their choices also considering aspects such as durability and easy care. The product novelty is a factor that fashion followers have into consideration, in each season they renew their wardrobes, and they look for innovation in their wearing way. Culture is the most basic cause of a person's wants and behavior. Human behavior is largely learned. Growing up in a society, a child learns basic values, perceptions, wants, and behaviors from the family and other important institutions. A person normally learns or is exposed to the following values: achievement and success, activity and involvement, efficiency and practicality, progress, material comfort, individualism, freedom, humanitarianism, youthfulness, and fitness and health. Every group or society has a culture, and cultural influences on buying behavior may vary greatly from country to country. (Asifo Shah, 2010.) For example, a culture in Thai, People will wear Thai dress like Sabai and Jong-kra-ben in an official Thai Style custom. In Japan, culture will dress Kimono as Japanese traditional garment. And the Hanbok, semi-formal or formal wear during traditional festivals and celebrations in Korea. (Wikipedia, 2011.)
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 17 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
Identity Concerning Identity factors, these play a strong influence on consumers behavior in fashion clothing, as some of them choose a product simply by reliance, mood, personal style, celebrities influence or even brand image. Fashion is based on mood and emotions as being aesthetically beautiful, conquering others, the emotional factors being on the basis of consumer's feelings and emotions. The wish to be involved with fashion is an emotional factor that leads consumers to buy fashion clothes, as they want them to be modern and attractive. Often, the purchase of fashion clothes is not done by need but for pleasure. According to Tay (2008), the behaviour of the modern consumer lies on looking for pleasure with the consumption experience itself. Frequently, people looks for new stimuli, new sensations and, as pleasure is subjective and personal, consumption is thus oriented by the individual themself. For example, people will have an opportunity to spend money for clothing when they feel good or satisfied with it. (EunJoo Park, 2006.) Personality is another personal factor that influences purchasing, since every consumer has a different personality. Factors such as self-confidence, domain of himself, good fellowship and autonomy, define the individuals personality and, consequently, different purchasing processes. (VIGNALI, 2011) Each person's distinct personality influences his or her buying behavior. Personality refers to the unique psychological characteristics that lead to relatively consistent and lasting responses to one's own environment. It is usually described in terms of traits such as self-confidence, dominance, sociability, autonomy, defensiveness, adaptability, and aggressiveness. The basic self-concept premise is that people's possessions contribute to and reflect their personality; that is, "we are what we have." Accordingly, Personality can be useful in analyzing consumer behavior for certain product or brand choices. For example, clothing marketers have discovered that shopping people tend to be high on sociability. Thus, to attract customers, Clothing brand create the products and accessories in which people can suit their garment and socialize over a party such as necklace, earrings, bag or shoes etc. Mass media (TV, movies, magazines, internet) pervade the everyday lives of people living in every societies, and undoubtedly one of the effects of such media saturation is the pervasive transmission of celebrity ideals. More recently, advertisers have begun attempting to quantify and qualify the use of celebrities in their marketing campaigns by evaluating their awareness, appeal, and relevance to a brand's image and the celebrity's influence on consumer buying behavior. From fashion trends to the way their dress, the attractiveness of a celebrity's lifestyle can be the important factor that influence people's beliefs, interests and behaviors to follow the trend of fashion clothing. In example, celebrities have become the trendsetters in fashion. From red carpet award shows to celebrity gossip magazines, media coverage of "who" a celebrity is wearing can influence a person's decision to buy the latest designer clothing and accessories. Brand is a powerful tool to attract more consumers to buy particular products, especially clothing. Some may even regarded it as equity as it can add values to the products. With a well-known brand name, consumers would appear to be more likely to purchase the products in much higher prices. As far as the same level of product quality is concerned, consumers would prefer buying brand-name products (Bello and Holbrook, 1995). Several brands, under the influence of globalization and concerted
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 18 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
efforts from media advertising, have become popular not only in their country of origin, but also in other markets with high potential. Having a strong and remarkable brand image could help establish an identity in marketplace (Aaker, 1996), widen the profit margins, encourage greater intermediary co-operation as well as increase the chance for further brand extension (Delgado-Ballester and Munuera-Aleman, 2005). In accordance with Delong et al. (2004), consumers appear to rely on the brand image as long as they have little knowledge about the brand. Successful branding could make consumers aware of the presence of the brand and hence could increase the chance of buying the company’s products and services (Doyle, 1999).
Lifestyle The way of life is another factor that influences the consumer buying behavior, as a given garment is intended to a given life style. Consumers frequently choose certain kinds of products, services and activities since these are associated to a certain life style such as profession, quality, and price. Occupation also influences garment purchasing decision. It can be related to each person possesses different roles and status in the society depending upon the groups, clubs, family, organization etc. to which they belongs. For example a woman is working in an organization as finance manager. Now she is playing two roles, one of finance manager and other of mother. Therefore her buying decisions will be influenced by her role and status. As a manager of an organization, she will try to purchase business suits, whereas while at home she will purchase informal garments like t-shirt. Quality of clothing is considered as the main factors of consumer towards buying decision. The consumer will look at the quality and durability of products that it can be used in a long time and appropriate to a price or not. The design is also an important motivation for purchasing and consumption of fashion, since, in a garment, consumers give more and more relevance to aesthetical appearance, like the line and look, among many others. The characteristics or attributes of fashion products also influence purchasing, since they interfere on the value, style and quality of product. (Hong et al.,2002; Wickliffe and Psysarchik, 2001). Price is a factor that influences a lot the purchase of a product since consumers consider a better product the one with better price (Hanf and Wersebe, 1994). The acceptance of a product is reached when there is equilibrium between value and price that the consumer is willing to pay for it. In general, the consumer considers a low price product the one that is outdated or with low quality. However, financial capacity is evidently a factor that influences the purchasing process, as the higher it is, the higher the acquisition power and garment consumption. In other words, demographic factors, age, monthly income, living place, marital status, professional situation ally make an individual to choose certain brands or stores, instead of others (Paulins and Geisteld, 2003). For example, If the income and savings of a customer is high then they will purchase more expensive clothes and consider to a brand. On the other hand, a person with low income and savings will purchase inexpensive clothes and neglect to an image of brand.
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 19 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
Store Environment Store Environment is an important factor that influencing fashion shopper to decide in buying the garments. Shoppers’ perceptions of a store environment may also have an impact on their mood while shopping (Chebat and Michon, 2003). Perception of the mall environment has been found to be an antecedent to arousal (Baker et al., 1994). Darden et al. (1983) suggest that shoppers’ attitude towards a mall environment may be more important in influencing affective response than attitude towards a product. An effective mall shopping environment may increase shopping value and induce consumers to exhibit increased approach behaviors and staying longer in the mall (Stoel et al., 2004). Moreover, the consumer tend to be like store where locate near the house which is their behavior will lead to a high store loyalty, because consumers tend to minimize the time of shopping, hence they return to the shop they know best, where they are most likely to find the exact product they are looking for. Mall operators and retailers are recognizing more and more the positive impact of the environment on shopping behavior (Laroche et al., 2005; Stoel et al., 2004). A store environment can be an important basis for consumer’s evaluation of the products (Baker et al., 1994). Research suggest that ambient cues (physical aspects of store environment, such as lighting, music, color, and display, etc.) and social cues (the perception of crowding and friendliness of employees) are important atmospheric factors that influence consumers’ affective states in the store environment, which in turn, impact their shopping and purchasing behavior (Baker et al., 1992; Turley and Milliman, 2000). Further, consumers’ perceptions of the store environment influenced their perceptions of product quality. The studies suggest that consumers’ mall perceptions influence their evaluations of the products available at the mall. (Chebat and Michon, 2003) Moreover, Fashion shopper will have positive behavior to buy the garment in the department store, if there are good promotions and the discount period from the stores take place.
Research Methodology With a view to finding out the underlying principles of certain phenomenon, research is required. In terms of the science of knowledge acquisition, epistemology is about the science of knowing, whereas methodology is acknowledged to be the science of finding out (Babbie, 2004). During the course of consumer behavior towards fashion clothing research, data are gathered, recorded and analyzed in a systematic and objective manner so as to apprehend and foresee how consumers feel, think and behave (Arnould et al., 2004). In general, there are two types of research methods, namely qualitative and quantitative research. Each of them encompasses a variety of approaches, which are determined on the kinds of data being collected. This chapter aims at discussing the research setting, and the collection and measurement of the data.
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 20 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
Research Setting Methodology Different research methods should be adopted based on the nature of this research. This dissertation aims at finding out consumer purchasing behavior on clothing in which their beliefs, opinions and attitudes towards the 4 main factors are investigated. As far as the description and explanation of factors are concerned, quantitative research focuses on analyzing numerical data whereas qualitative research deals with meanings, examining the attitudes, feelings and motivations of people (Babbie, 2004; Dey, 1993). Hence, quantitative research is more suitable in terms of analyze data based on representative samples from a large population in this research. Moreover, quantitative analysis is stronger than qualitative analysis in that it can persuade readers with large-scale, numeric data. Questionnaires form are chosen as the data collection methods. Questionnaire survey was employed as the tool to collect primary information of consumers buying behavior towards clothing choice in factors. The aim of survey was to obtain information about the influence by the above mentioned factors at the purchase decision making on consumers towards fashion clothing. The surveyed factors were: Physical, Identity, Lifestyle and Store Environment. The measurement will be generate into 5 levels as follows; Very high = 5, High =4, Moderate=3, Low=2, Very low=1
Sampling
The 50 consumers, who shop in general stores, departmental stores, boutiques, shopping malls, small retail etc, both male and female in the area of siamsquare and paragon. Siamsquare and Paragon are the main area of shopping center located in the heart of Bangkok. Many people come to look for what they need about Fashion especially clothes and accessories. According to the research are focused on consumer who have a sense of buying fashion clothing, so Siamsquare is a best place to collect the information. A structured questionnaire which consists of 2 sections. The first one is asked about personal information such as Gender, age, occupation and income and the second one is asking consumer to rate level of buying behavior towards fashion clothing in four main factors. Questionnaires were distributed to many careers such as student, business owner, office workers, freelance and etc. And the Age will be divide into 4 groups between less than 15, between 15-25, between 25-35 and More than 35.
Hypotheses
Based on literature survey the following hypotheses have been derived: H.1) Woman will consider body shape before buying a garment than men. H.2) Women are easily affected by fashion trends and celebrities than men.
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 21 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
H.3) Both men and women will consider the price before buying the garment in the same proportion. H.4) Women will usually go to the department store when it is on sales period than men. Data Analysis and Hypothesis Testing H.1 Woman will consider body shape before buying a garment than men. The data presented in table below shows results extracted on the one way Anova to find significant between the Independent variables and the dependent variable
ANOVA
Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. Q1.1 Between 23.120 1 23.120 80.651 .000 Groups Within 13.760 48 .287 Groups Total 36.880 49 Q1.2 Between 13.520 1 13.520 29.498 .000 Groups Within 22.000 48 .458 Groups Total 35.520 49 Q1.3 Between 20.480 1 20.480 35.109 .000 Groups Within 28.000 48 .583 Groups Total 48.480 49
After run One Way ANOVA. The results of gender, all of them are significant. It denote that the difference gender are affect to the consumer buying behavior in fashion clothing, which questioned gender-related differences for each of the four factors components of buying behavior. The first test, for buying fashion clothing spontaneously, was significant at the .000. Women were more likely to buy fashion clothing by considering their body shape spontaneously (10 people) compared to men (0 people). The result of the second test, to determine whether a significant gender difference in term of “Before buying a garment do you just if it will suit on you or not?.” It seem that women more extremely buying a garment after just that it suit or not (8 people) compare to men (0 people) The result of the third test, to determine whether a significant gender difference existed between men and women in term of consumer had bought clothes out of impulse and later regretted. The score is Women (9 people) are more had experience to bought clothes out of impulse and later regretted than men (0 people). For more comparison information (See Table below.)
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 22 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
GENDER * Q1.1 CCrosstabulationrosstabulation
Count
Q1.1
2 3 4 5 Total GENDE 1 3 19 3 0 25 R 2 0 1 14 10 25
Total 3 20 17 10 50
GENDER * Q1.2 Crosstabulation
Count
Q1.2
2 3 4 5 Total GENDE 1 4 14 7 0 25 R 2 0 4 13 8 25
Total 4 18 20 8 50
GENDER * Q1.3 Crosstabulation
Count
Q1.3
1 2 3 4 5 Total GENDE 1 1 6 13 5 0 25 R 2 0 0 5 11 9 25
Total 1 6 18 16 9 50
* This overall result showed that for the Physical factors women were more likely to affected than men. Likewise in our Hypothesis, Woman will consider body shape before buying a garment than men.
H.2) Women are easily affected by fashion trends and celebrities than men.
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 23 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
ANOVA
Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. Q2.1 Between 30.420 1 30.420 31.200 .000 Groups Within 46.800 48 .975 Groups Total 77.220 49 Q2.2 Between 3.380 1 3.380 3.770 .058 Groups Within 43.040 48 .897 Groups Total 46.420 49 Q2.3 Between 9.680 1 9.680 9.794 .003 Groups Within 47.440 48 .988 Groups Total 57.120 49 Q2.4 Between 18.000 1 18.000 28.800 .000 Groups Within 30.000 48 .625 Groups Total 48.000 49 Q2.5 Between 32.000 1 32.000 30.769 .000 Groups Within 49.920 48 1.040 Groups Total 81.920 49
After run One Way ANOVA. The results of gender, all of them are significant. It denotes that the difference gender are affect to the consumer buying behavior in fashion clothing, which questioned gender-related differences for each of the four factors components of buying behavior. The first test, for buying fashion clothing spontaneously, was significant at the .000. Women were more likely to buy fashion clothing by affected from celebrities and models (9 people ) compared to men (1 people). The result of the second test, to determine whether a significant gender difference in term of “Fashion to you is: A way to express inner self.” It seem that women are seem to think that fashion can express her inner self than men compare to 6 women and 2 men in the level of very high(5). The result of the third test, to determine consumer between men and women that how much they care about using brands. The score is Women (6 people) are consider using brand for clothing than men (12 people) in the level of high(4) The result of the fourth test, to determine whether a significant gender difference in term of “I easier to buy things when I am feeling good.” It seem that women are seem
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 24 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
to think that they will easier to buy clothes when they are feeling good than men compare to 7 women and 0 men in the level of very high(5). The result of fifth test, to determine consumer between men and women that how much they follow the fashion trend from Magazines and TV shows. The score is Women (7 people) are follow fashion trend from Magazines and TV shows than men (0 people) in the level of very high(5). For more comparison information (See Table below)
GENDER * Q2.1 Crosstabulation
Count
Q2.1
1 2 3 4 5 Total GENDE 1 4 8 9 3 1 25 R 2 1 0 3 12 9 25
Total 5 8 12 15 10 50
GENDER * Q2.2 CrosstabulatioCrosstabulationnnn
Count
Q2.2
1 2 3 4 5 Total GENDE 1 0 5 12 6 2 25 R 2 1 1 8 9 6 25
Total 1 6 20 15 8 50
GENDER * Q2.3 Crosstabulation
Count
Q2.3
1 2 3 4 5 Total GENDE 1 2 9 7 6 1 25 R 2 1 1 7 12 4 25
Total 3 10 14 18 5 50
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 25 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
GENDER * Q2.4 Crosstabulation
Count
Q2.4
1 2 3 4 5 Total GENDE 1 1 8 11 5 0 25 R 2 0 0 7 11 7 25
Total 1 8 18 16 7 50
GENDER * Q2.5 Crosstabulation
Count
Q2.5
1 2 3 4 5 Total GENDE 1 7 8 7 3 0 25 R 2 1 1 6 10 7 25
Total 8 9 13 13 7 50 * This overall result showed that for the Identity factors women more likely to looked at their Identity will be support them to buying the garment than men. Likewise in our Hypothesis, Women are easily affected by fashion trends and celebrities than men.
H.3 Both men and women will consider the price before buying the garment in the same proportion.
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 26 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
ANOVA
Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. Q3.1 Between 8.000 1 8.000 13.714 .001 Groups Within 28.000 48 .583 Groups Total 36.000 49 Q3.2 Between 12.500 1 12.500 33.186 .000 Groups Within 18.080 48 .377 Groups Total 30.580 49 Q3.3 Between 10.580 1 10.580 27.842 .000 Groups Within 18.240 48 .380 Groups Total 28.820 49 Q3.4 Between 8.000 1 8.000 24.121 .000 Groups Within 15.920 48 .332 Groups Total 23.920 49 Q3.5 Between .000 1 .000 .000 1.000 Groups Within 11.280 48 .235 Groups Total 11.280 49
After run One Way ANOVA. The results of gender, from the test 1 to 4 are significant. It denote that the difference gender are affect to the consumer buying behavior in fashion clothing, which questioned gender-related differences for each of the four factors components of buying behavior. However, the fifth test is not significant in rate 1.000. As per the question that “Did you attend any kind of fashion show recently?” It is shown that consumer will not follow the fashion clothing trend from any kind of fashion show. The others interesting factors to affect consumer to buy fashion clothing will be clear from others factors like Magazines, celebrities and clothing brand instead. The first test, for buying fashion clothing spontaneously, was significant at the .001. Women will have rate of fashion sense than men between 6 women and 1 men are rate themselves in very high level. The result of the second test, to determine whether a significant gender difference in term of “Do you buy accessories, shoes, and make up matching up to your clothes?” It seem that women are seem to think that they will match up
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 27 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
accessories, shoes, and make up to suit the clothes that they are going to buy than men compare to 10 women and 0 men in the level of very high(5). The result of the third test, to determine consumer between men and women that when they buy clothes how much they will consider the quality and durability than sense of favor. The score is Women (11 people) are consider the quality and durability than sense of favor before they buy clothes than men (0 people) in the level of very high(5). The result of the fourth test, to determine the consumer between men and women that when they buy clothes, they always consider the prices in the same proportion between to 14 women and 15 men in the level of high(4). For more comparison information (See Table below.)
GENDER * Q3.1 Crosstabulation
Count
Q3.1
2 3 4 5 Total GENDE 1 4 13 7 1 25 R 2 1 4 14 6 25
Total 5 17 21 7 50
GENDER * Q3.2 Crosstabulation
Count
Q3.2
2 3 4 5 Total GENDE 1 0 18 7 0 25 R 2 1 1 13 10 25
Total 1 19 20 10 50
GENDER * Q3.3 Crosstabulation
Count
Q3.3
2 3 4 5 Total GENDE 1 2 9 14 0 25 R 2 0 1 13 11 25
Total 2 10 27 11 50
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 28 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
GENDER * Q3.4 Crosstabulation
Count
Q3.4
2 3 4 5 Total GENDE 1 1 8 15 1 25 R 2 0 0 14 11 25
Total 1 8 29 12 50
* This overall result showed that for the Lifestyle factors women more likely to have the Lifestyle in regular that will be support them to buying the garment easily than men. Likewise in our Hypothesis, both men and women will consider the price before buying the garment in the same proportion.
H.4 Women will usually go to the department store when it is on sales period than men.
ANOVA
Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. Q4.1 Between 1.280 1 1.280 2.743 .104 Groups Within 22.400 48 .467 Groups Total 23.680 49 Q4.2 Between 3.380 1 3.380 9.303 .004 Groups Within 17.440 48 .363 Groups Total 20.820 49 Q4.3 Between .720 1 .720 1.763 .190 Groups Within 19.600 48 .408 Groups Total 20.320 49
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 29 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
After run One Way ANOVA. The results of gender, from the test 2 only is significant .004. It denote that only store environment that have a period of on sales available will affect the consumer buying decision for fashion clothing. However, the first and third test is not significant in rate .104 and .190. As per the first test that “Do you usually go to shopping or buy clothes at the nearest department store to your house?” It is shown that consumer behavior towards fashion clothing will not affect from store environment factor. In the same way, the fifth test “I like to go this store because the staffs are very knowledgeable about fashion and they are warm welcome.” also indicate that the staffs from the clothing store will not impact to buying behavior towards fashion clothing from consumers
Results and Recommendations
Based on the survey results and theoretical comparative literature review, companies need to be aware of the implications of Physical, Identity and Lifestyle in fashion consumer choice. There is a clear evidence to suggest that women and men will consider the price before buying the garment in the same proportion. Moreover, women will tend to follow the fashion trend from celebrities and magazines which is affect to the buying behavior towards fashion clothing. This provides opportunities and challenges for fashion business to focus on the TV. and while celebrities express to the public. Commonly called "testimonials," or "celebrity endorsements," this technique of persuasion says that consumers relate to the person(s) appearing in the ad: if the celebrity/athlete/star uses the product, then it must be good, so I will purchase/use it too. (McREL, 2010.) Moreover, the internet shopping is gaining its popularity among consumers nowadays. So, it will be a good chance for clothing company and organization to try and open shopping online for clothing. And this topic should be a good choice for further research.
Limitation of the research During the course of research, several limitations were found to hinder the overall accuracy of the findings. There are three limitations regarding the sampling method, time and also language skills. As far as sampling method is concerned, quantitative research can not provide representative samples or any comments from the target population. Many Students were used as the subjects for investigation and they tend to be more susceptible to the views, ideas and products of other cultures than older people, having a propensity of getting deviated results. In terms of time, since Questionnaire were chosen to be the method of data collection, the number of samples questions is limited and the target population will not have much time to realize all questions and then answer with carefully. Finally, the responses from the target population to questionnaire can be subjected to researcher’s effects like language skills. For example, somebody cannot understand English in some words and sentences. During the interviews, the characteristics of the interviewers, for instances reading skills, gender and age, will have an effect on the interviewees’ willingness to participate and their nature of
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 30 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
answers. In addition, interviewers’ questioning skill is also one of the determinants for answer accuracy.
Recommendations for further research
Although the findings from this research are interesting and useful as one may think, there are several limitations as mentioned in the previous section. It is important to make improvement in the further research to provide more fruitful and representative findings. More factors should be questioned in the questionnaire. More samples should be asked to collect as much data as the researcher can. This could provide much more conclusive results. Besides, other kinds of research methods such as focus group and even some qualitative research methods could be used like interview the target group so as to provide findings from different perspectives. Further research could also be done on comparisons between some other countries’ consumers in which they are found to have significant impact on consumer behavior.
References
Alvarez, B. A & Casielles, R. V. (2005). Consumer evaluations of sales promotion: The effect on brand choice. European Journal of Marketing, 39 (1), 54-70.
Bruce M., Daly L. (2006), Buyer behavior for fast fashion. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management Vol. 10 No. 3, 2006 pp. 329-344.
Carpenter, J. M., Fairhurst, A. (2005), Consumer shopping value, satisfaction, and loyalty for retail apparel brands. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 9 (3), 256-269.
Dholakia, R. R. (1999), Going shopping: Key determinants of shopping behaviors and motivations. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 27 (4), 154- 165.
Corstjens, M. & Lal, R. (2000), Building store loyalty through store brands. Journal of Marketing Research , 37 281-291.
Judith C. Forney, Eun Joo Park, Lynn Brandon (2005), Effects of evaluative criteria on fashion brand extension. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management Vol. 9 No. 2, 2005pp. 156-165
Lamb, J. and Kallal, M. (1992), “A conceptual framework for apparel design”, Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 42-7.
O'Cass, A. (2002). An assessment of consumers product, purchase decision, advertising and consumption involvement in fashion clothing. Journal of Economic Psychology, 21 545-576.
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 31 The 2nd national and International Graduate Study Conference 2012
Rocha V., Hawkins D. (2005), Age, gender and national factors in fashion consumption. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management Vol. 9 No. 4, 2005 pp. 380-390.
Stávková J., Stejskal L., Toufarová Z. (2008), Factors influencing consumer behavior. 276–284.
Zhang, Z., Li, Y., Gong, C. and Wu, H. (2002), “Casual wear product attributes: a Chinese consumers’ perspective”, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 6 No. 1, pp. 53-62.
How Do Celebrities Influence People? Christina Shaffer, eHow Contributor. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_6675427_do-celebrities-influence- people_.html
Celebrities in Advertising. Retrieved from http://www.frankwbaker.com/celebrityads.htm
Graduate School of Silpakorn University 32