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