Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles (한국의류학회지)

The Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles (한국의류학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Impact of Salespersons and Other Customers in a Fashion Store -Focus on Physical Attractiveness and Self-image Congruence-

패션 점포 내 판매원과 다른 고객에 대한 신체적 매력과 자기이미지 일치 효과

  • Kim, Yunjeong (Dept. of Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design, Seoul National University) ;
  • Lee, Yuri (Dept. of Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design, Seoul National University/Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National University) ;
  • Kim, Boram (Dept. of Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design, Seoul National University)
  • 김윤정 (서울대학교 의류학과) ;
  • 이유리 (서울대학교 의류학과/서울대학교 생활과학연구소) ;
  • 김보람 (서울대학교 의류학과)
  • Received : 2014.03.31
  • Accepted : 2014.06.26
  • Published : 2014.12.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

This study investigates how the physical attractiveness of salespeople and other customers and self-image congruence influence customer perception and brand attitude. As a result of a pretest, four types of pictorial stimuli were developed: physical attractiveness of salespeople (high/low) ${\times}$ that of other customers (high/low). Stimuli were developed using Photoshop CS. A total of 550 samples in two experiments were used and all respondents were women in their 20s and 30s. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and SEM. The result of analysis shows that the physical attractiveness of salesperson had a significant impact on perceived quality, but that of other customers did not. However, self-image congruence with other customers shows a significant effect on perceived quality; however, salespeople did not. The impact of the perceived product quality on brand attitude is higher than perceived service quality. This study adds to fashion retailing literature by demonstrating that physical attractiveness and self-image congruence can influence a customers' perception of product or service quality and brand attitude. It provides interesting insight into how retailers can use social factors as a strategic tool in a retail setting.

Keywords

References

  1. Argo, J. J., Dahl, D. W., & Morales, A. C. (2008). Positive consumer contagion: Responses to attractive others in a retail context. Journal of Marketing Research, 45(6), 690−701. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.45.6.690
  2. Argo, J. J., & Main, K. J. (2008). Stigma by association in coupon redemption: Looking cheap because of others. Journal of Consumer Research, 35(4), 559−572. https://doi.org/10.1086/591102
  3. Baker, J. (1987). The role of the environment in marketing services: the consumer perspective. In J. Shanahan (Ed.), The services challenge: Integrating for competitive advantage (pp. 79-84). Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association.
  4. Baker, J., Grewal, D., & Parasuraman, A. (1994). The influence of store environment on quality inferences and store image. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 22(4), 328-339. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092070394224002
  5. Baker, J., Parasuraman, A., Grewal, D., & Voss, G. B. (2002). The influence of multiple store environment cues on perceived merchandise value and patronage intentions. Journal of Marketing, 66(2), 120-141.
  6. Buunk, A. P., & Dijkstra, P. (2011). Does attractiveness sell? Women's attitude toward a product as a function of model attractiveness, gender priming, and social comparison orientation. Psychology & Marketing, 28(9), 958-973. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20421
  7. Choo, H. J., Lee, M. A., & An, M. A. (2011). The effect of physical attractiveness of fitting model: Focusing on the dual paths of psychological distance and identification. Journal of Consumer Studies, 22(3), 57-82.
  8. DeNora, T., & Belcher, S. (2000). When you're trying something on you picture yourself in a place where they are playing this kind of music-musically sponsored agency in the British clothing retail sector. The Sociological Review, 48(1), 80-101. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-954X.00204
  9. Ericksen, M. K. (1997). Using self-congruity and ideal congruity to predict purchase intention: A European perspective. Journal of Euromarketing, 6(1), 41-56. https://doi.org/10.1300/J037v06n01_04
  10. Gagliano, K. B., & Hathcote, J. (1994). Customer expectations and perceptions of service quality in retail apparel specialty stores. Journal of Services Marketing, 8(1), 60-69. https://doi.org/10.1108/08876049410053311
  11. Jones, A. M., & Buckingham, J. T. (2005). Self-esteem as a moderator of the effect of social comparison on women's body image. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 24(8), 1164-1187. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2005.24.8.1164
  12. Keller, K. L. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity. The Journal of Marketing, 57(1), 1-22.
  13. Kim, M. H., & Jeon, J. O. (2009). A study on the negative emotions about highly attractive model in ads. Korean Journal of Consumer and Advertising Psychology, 10(2), 183-207.
  14. Kim, N. (2007). The effect of other customers as a dimension of servicescape. Unpublished master's thesis, Yonsei University, Seoul.
  15. Kim, S. H. (2007). Effect of the verbal and non-verbal communication of salespersons in service encounter on customers' emotion and behavioral intension-Focusing on the emotional contagion phenomenon-. Journal of Consumer Studies, 18(1), 97-131.
  16. Koering, S. K., & Page, A. L. (2002). What if your dentist looked like Tom Cruise? Applying the match-up hypothesis to a service encounter. Psychology & Marketing, 19(1), 91-110. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.1003
  17. Lee, D. J., Kim, M. S., Yu, B. H., & Kim, A. (2008). The effects of brand-self congruity, brand-event congruity, eventself congruity on consumer's brand relationship quality. Journal of Consumer Studies, 19(2), 191-213.
  18. Lee, H. S., Ahn, K. H., & Ha, Y. W. (2006). Consumer behavior. Seoul: Bobmunsa.
  19. Lee, M. H., & Lim, S. J. (1999). An effect of extrinsic cue on product evaluation (Part I). Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles, 23(8), 1218-1227.
  20. Lehtinen, U., & Lehtinen, J. R. (1991). Two approaches to service quality dimensions. Service Industries Journal, 11(3), 287-303. https://doi.org/10.1080/02642069100000047
  21. Lovelock, C. H. (1996). Service marketing (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
  22. Lucker, G. W., Beane, W. E., & Helmreich, R. L. (1981). The strength of the halo effect in physical attractiveness research. The Journal of Psychology, 107(1), 69-75. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223980.1981.9915206
  23. McElroy, J. C., & DeCarol, T. E. (1999). Physical attractiveness on cognitive evaluations of saleswomen's performance. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 7(1), 84-100.
  24. Malär, L., Krohmer, H., Hoyer, W. D., & Nyffenegger, B. (2011). Emotional brand attachment and brand personality: The relative importance of the actual and the ideal self. Journal of Marketing, 75(4), 35-52. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.75.4.35
  25. Malhotra, N. K. (1988). Self concept and product choice: An integrated perspective. Journal of Economic Psychology, 9(1), 1-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-4870(88)90029-3
  26. Martin, C. L., & Pranter, C. A. (1989). Compatibility management: Customer-to-customer relationships in service environments. Journal of Services Marketing, 3(3), 5-15.
  27. Morrow, P. C. (1990). Physical attractiveness and selection decision making. Journal of Management, 16(1), 45-60.
  28. Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1985). A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research. The Journal of Marketing, 49(4), 41-50.
  29. Rosenberg, M. (1979). Conceiving the self. New York, NY: Basic Books.
  30. Shin, J. R. (2010). Effects of congruence between self image and brand image on brand attitude of jean brands. Unpublished master's thesis, Konkuk University, Seoul.
  31. Sirge, M. J. (1982). Self-concept in consumer behavior: A critical review. Journal of Consumer Research, 9(3), 287-300. https://doi.org/10.1086/208924
  32. Soderlund, M. (2011). Other customers in the retail environment and their impact on the customer's evaluations of the retailer. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 18(3), 174-182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2010.09.006
  33. Soderlund, M., & Julander, C. R. (2009). Physical attractiveness of the service worker in the moment of truth and its effects on customer satisfaction. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 16(3), 216-226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2008.11.008
  34. Sundaram, D. S., & Webster, C. (2000). The role of nonverbal communication in service encounters. Journal of Services Marketing, 14(5), 378-391. https://doi.org/10.1108/08876040010341008
  35. Yoon, S. W., Seol, S. C., & Hwang, K. M. (2003). Impact of attractiveness and gender on customers' attitude toward salesperson and purchase intention. Journal of Marketing Management Research, 88(1), 55-78.
  36. Yuen, E. F., & Chan, S. S. (2010). The effect of retail service quality and product quality on customer loyalty. Journal of Database Marketing & Customer Strategy Management, 17(3), 222-240. https://doi.org/10.1057/dbm.2010.13
  37. Zeithaml, V. A. (1988). Consumer perceptions of price, quality, and value: A means-end model and synthesis of evidence. The Journal of Marketing, 52(3), 2-22. https://doi.org/10.2307/1251446

Cited by

  1. The Effects of Family Restaurant’s Social Servicescape on Positive Emotion and Voluntary Behavior vol.9, pp.6, 2018, https://doi.org/10.13106/ijidb.2018.vol9.no6.65.
  2. A Study of Consumers’ Responses to the Attributes of Salespeople in Fashion Retail Stores vol.20, pp.5, 2018, https://doi.org/10.5805/SFTI.2018.20.5.509