The Research Journal of the Costume Culture (복식문화연구)

The Costume Culture Association (복식문화학회)
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The role of visual and verbal information on the functionality of shapewear in female consumers' online purchase decisions

  • Shin, Eonyou (Dept. of Apparel, Housing, and Resource Management, Virginia Tech) ;
  • Zhang, Ling (Dept. of Apparel, Events, and Hospitality Management, Iowa State University) ;
  • Hwang, Chanmi (Dept. of Apparel, Merchandising, Design, and Textile, Washington State University) ;
  • Baytar, Fatma (Dept. of Fiber Science & Apparel Design, Cornell University)
  • Received : 2019.10.16
  • Accepted : 2019.12.03
  • Published : 2019.12.31
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Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to examine the role of information on shapewear's functionality in consumers' purchase decisions in an online shopping context. Through two steps of stimulus development process, four mock websites were developed to conduct a main study. In the main study, a 2 (visual information: absent vs. present images of the shapewear's functionality) x 2 (verbal information: absent vs. present descriptions of the shapewear's functionality) between-subject factorial design was employed to examine the impact of visual and verbal information regarding the functionality of shapewear on the consumer decision-making process (i.e., attitudes and purchase intentions). The results showed that verbal information about how shapewear reduces the size of specific body parts (i.e., waist, abdomen, hips, and thighs) were effective in increasing perceived attractiveness in an online context, which increased attitudes and purchase intentions. In addition, attitudes toward the shapewear mediated the effects of expected physical attractiveness on purchase intentions. The results of this study provided empirical support for the importance of expected physical attractiveness in consumers' online purchase decision on shapewear and useful managerial implications for enhancing the effectiveness of online shapewear presentations by including descriptions of the functionality of shapewear in decreasing the size of body parts.

Keywords

References

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