• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.904-915
• /
• 2009

This study compares fashion leaders and market mavens by examining the demographic characteristics of fashion leaders and market mavens and how they differ in their evaluation of store and shopping related attributes. Data originated from a national consumer mail survey in the United States. The survey included items measuring market mavenism, fashion leadership, store evaluative attributes, and personal information. Responses from 380 consumers were used for data analysis. Female consumers were found to be more active in word-of-mouth activities in general. Young consumers were more inclined to express fashion leadership while age was not related to market mavenism. A lower level of education increased tendencies for both market mavenism and fashion leadership. In terms of store evaluative criteria, the majority of items in the survey were more important as fashion leadership and market mavenism tendencies increased. Interestingly, the need for knowledgeable or helpful salespeople did not increase with fashion leadership tendencies. Also, fashion leaders were interested in easy return of merchandise and were likely to spend more time in the stores. This study sheds important light on how fashion leadership differ compared to market mavenism. By simultaneously examining fashion leadership and market mavenism using a strong sample base, this study provides sound evidence of how consumers interested in fashion may have differing needs for shopping.

• Journal of Distribution Research
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.25-57
• /
• 2012

This study identified motives for writing apparel product reviews in online stores, and determined what motives increase the behavior of writing reviews. It also classified store customers based on the type of writing motives, and clarified the characteristics of internet purchase behavior and of a demographic profile. Data were collected from 252 females aged 20s' and 30s' who have experience of reading and writing reviews on online shopping. The five types of writing motives were altruistic information sharing, remedying of a grievance and vengeance, economic incentives, helping new product development, and the expression of satisfaction feelings. Among five motives, altruistic information sharing, economic incentives, and helping new product development stimulate writing reviews. Store customers who write reviews were classified into three groups based on their writing motive types: Other consumer advocates(29.8%), self-interested shoppers(40.5%) and shoppers with moderate motives(29.8%). There were significant differences among three groups in writing behavior (the frequency of writing reviews, writing intent of reviews, duration of writing reviews, and frequency of online shopping) and age. Based on results, managerial implications were suggested. Long Abstract : The purpose of present study is to identify the types of writing motives on online shopping, and to clarify the motives affecting the behavior of writing reviews. This study also classifies online shoppers based on the motive types, and identifies the characteristics of the classified groups in terms of writing behavior, frequency of online shopping, and demographics. Use and Gratification Theory was adopted in this study. Qualitative research (focus group interview) and quantitative research were used. Korean women(20 to 39 years old) who reported experience with purchasing clothing online, and reading and writing reviews were selected as samples(n=252). Most of the respondents were relatively young (20-34yrs., 86.1%,), single (61.1%), employed(61.1%) and residents living in big cities(50.9%). About 69.8% of respondents read and 40.5% write apparel reviews frequently or very frequently. 24.6% of the respondents indicated an "average" in their writing frequency. Based on the qualitative result of focus group interviews and previous studies on motives for online community activities, measurement items of motives for writing after-purchase reviews were developed. All items were used a five-point Likert scale with endpoints 1 (strongly disagree) and 5 (strongly agree). The degree of writing behavior was measured by items concerning experience of writing reviews, frequency of writing reviews, amount of writing reviews, and intention of writing reviews. A five-point scale(strongly disagree-strongly agree) was employed. SPSS 18.0 was used for exploratory factor analysis, K-means cluster analysis, one-way ANOVA(Scheffe test) and ${\chi}^2$-test. Confirmatory factor analysis and path model analysis were conducted by AMOS 18.0. By conducting principal components factor analysis (varimax rotation, extracting factors with eigenvalues above 1.0) on the measurement items, five factors were identified: Altruistic information sharing, remedying of a grievance and vengeance, economic incentives, helping new product development, and expression of satisfaction feelings(see Table 1). The measurement model including these final items was analyzed by confirmatory factor analysis. The measurement model had good fit indices(GFI=.918, AGFI=.884, RMR=.070, RMSEA=.054, TLI=.941) except for the probability value associated with the ${\chi}^2$ test(${\chi}^2$=189.078, df=109, p=.00). Convergent validities of all variables were confirmed using composite reliability. All SMC values were found to be lower than AVEs confirming discriminant validity. The path model's goodness-of-fit was greater than the recommended limits based on several indices(GFI=.905, AGFI=.872, RMR=.070, RMSEA=.052, TLI=.935; ${\chi}^2$=260.433, df=155, p=.00). Table 2 shows that motives of altruistic information sharing, economic incentives and helping new product development significantly increased the degree of writing product reviews of online shopping. In particular, the effect of altruistic information sharing and pursuit of economic incentives on the behavior of writing reviews were larger than the effect of helping new product development. As shown in table 3, online store shoppers were classified into three groups: Other consumer advocates (29.8%), self-interested shoppers (40.5%), and moderate shoppers (29.8%). There were significant differences among the three groups in the degree of writing reviews (experience of writing reviews, frequency of writing reviews, amount of writing reviews, intention of writing reviews, and duration of writing reviews, frequency of online shopping) and age. For five aspects of writing behavior, the group of other consumer advocates who is mainly comprised of 20s had higher scores than the other two groups. There were not any significant differences between self-interested group and moderate group regarding writing behavior and demographics.

• Journal of Fashion Business
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.59-71
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this thesis is to analyse the style, color, and items of '06-07 F/W women's street fashion in Dalian. The cultural, racial and geographical uniqueness, asks for the analysis, based on the individual local area on the part of Korean fashion company desiring to launch into China fashion market. I would contribute to the understanding the preference of fashion in northeastern area, thereby, affording a fundamental resources for designing strategies for Korean fashion brands in China. The period of investigation is about 15 weeks from 23 Sep. 2006 until 6 Jan. 2007, with combined use of camcorder and digital camera. The site was Victory Shopping Plaza, in center of City, also with Mycal, Ansung, Dasang department store situated in the Economic Development Zone. Finally, 900 photos were selected for analysing. The result of this study are as follows: 1. Preferred clothing styles are jean casual 45.4%(409), sports casual 16.3%(147), character casual 8%(72), feminine 20.6%(185), Classic 9.7%(87). Compare to the former study about Spring, Sports casual showed dominant rate about 36.0% in casual style. In Winter, however, the preference were changed from sport casual to jean casual. 2. Preferred clothing items are parka/padding coat 32.3%(291), jumper 31%(279), T-shirts 16%(144) and jacket 7.5%(67) for tops, pants 91.8%(826) and skirts 8.2%(74) for bottoms. In the pants, straight pants 78.4%(648), bell bottom pants 10.9%(90), capri pants 7.4%(61), cargo pants 2.9%(24), bermuda pants 0.4%(3) were listed respectively. In the skirts, A-line skirt 51.3%(38), pleats skirt 25.7%(19), flare skirt 12.2%(9), semi-tight skirt 8.1%(6), tight skirt 2.7%(2) were listed. Finally the skirt length midi 75.7%(56), mini 18.9%(14) and maxi 5.4%(4) were listed. 3. Preferred colors are red 21.8%(196), white 21.6%(194), black 16.4%(148), yellow 10.0%(90), beige 9.3%(84), green 7.9(71) and blue 6.3%(57) for tops, and black 40.8%(367), blue 37.7%(339), gray 4.6%(41), white 4.3%(39) etc. for bottoms.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.269-281
• /
• 2012

This study investigates the influence of technology readiness, fashion innovativeness, and participation level perception on the acceptance intention of 3D virtual fitting systems. We presented a 3D virtual fitting system with detailed information that was watched by respondents who subsequently completed a research questionnaire. The data were collected from 300 subjects with an age range of 21 to 39 who have experienced Internet shopping. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha, factor analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis were conducted. The results were as follows. First, fashion innovativeness, technology innovativeness, participation level perception, and optimism significantly influenced the acceptance intention. Second, fashion innovativeness, technology innovativeness, participation level perception, and optimism positively influenced the acceptance intention in the male group; however, technology innovativeness, participation level perception, optimism, and insecurity significantly influenced the acceptance intention in the female group. The results indicated that a marketing strategy has to be designed that focuses on consumers with high technology, fashion innovativeness, and optimism to increase the acceptance intention. In addition, markers have to enhance a participation level perception that will contribute to the introduction of 3D virtual fitting systems. Another notable finding was the importance to differentiate marketing strategies according to gender.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.38 no.6
• /
• pp.913-928
• /
• 2014

This study estimated a dual path model to predict consumers' intention to use a QR code virtual store by the effect of a mobile transaction system and a facilitating condition that also examined the role of experience and the use of an intention model in the context of a QR code virtual store. A longitudinal field study was conducted at selected QR code virtual stores. A questionnaire containing mobile transaction system, facilitating condition, performance expectancy, effort expectance, and intention to use was administered at two different points in time: Initial use (T1) and the second use after one month (T2). This study sampled 109 subjects who voluntarily participated in field studies twice at different time points (pooled sample=218). Participants were asked to visit at the QR code virtual store and undertake shopping tasks on their smartphones. The estimated dual path model showed that a mobile transaction system had a positive effect on performance expectancy, which influenced intention to use; however, facilitating condition had a positive effect on effort expectancy, but the effort expectance did not lead to intention to use. The effort expectance significantly also affected the performance expectance influencing intention to use QR code virtual stores. It was also found that use experience moderated the effect of mobile transaction systems on performance expectancy. The findings discussed a critical and success factor in consumer technology acceptance and use over time. A managerial implication was also discussed to capture potential users by emphasizing performance expectancy with the superiority of an innovative system or consumer facilitating condition as external resources in the introduction stage of new technology.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.335-348
• /
• 2020

This study examines the cultural differences in Korea and the United Kingdom, and how they affect consumer complaint behavior(CCB). Technological advances allow consumers to easily access information anywhere in the world using the internet thus they demand even higher expectations from the sellers. Consumers from different cultural backgrounds, especially the millennial generation, have different ways of expressing a dissatisfying shopping experience. For this comparative study, in-depth interviews were conducted based on the methodology set by grounded theory. The results of the axial coding produced by recombining the data from open coding were visualized as a paradigm model. The main phenomenon of attitude towards complaining was formed following the causal conditions of dissatisfaction that occurred after purchasing fashion products online. The contextual condition, which is the cultural factors, affects the formation of the attitude towards complaining; and the intervening conditions, which are personal value and amplifications of dissatisfaction, had a moderating effect between the causal condition and the main phenomenon. Complaining costs, the likelihood of successful complaint, attribution, and the importance of the product were the determinants of the complaining behavior after the attitude towards complaining was formed. As a result, there were three classifications of consumer complaining behavior: no action, private action, and public action. This research will serve as a guide for online companies that wish to enter the UK fashion industry with a competitive edge.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.871-883
• /
• 2018

This study tests consumer responses to online product recommendation service offered by a website. A product recommendation service refers to a filtering system that predicts and shows items that consumers would like to purchase based on their searches or pre-purchase information. The survey is conducted on 300 people in an age group between 20 and 40 years in a panel of an online survey firm. Data are analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling by AMOS 20.0. The results show that personalization quality does not have a significant effect on trust, but relationship quality and technology quality have a positive effect on trust. Three types of quality of recommendation service also have a positive effect on commitment. Trust and commitment are factors that increase service usage intentions. In addition, this study reveals the moderating effect of light users vs heavy users based on online shopping time. Light users show a negative effect of personalization quality on trust, indicating that they are likely to be uncomfortable to the service using personal information, compared to heavy users. This study also finds that trust vs commitment is an important factor increasing service usage intentions for heavy users vs light users.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.556-568
• /
• 2018

In this study, we surveyed the current status and sizing system of the custom dress shirts sold through online shopping, compared with the sizing system of the ready-made dress shirts. We tried to collect the information needed to make the well fitted dress shirts for middle-aged men from this study. The 17 online custom dress shirt brands were selected and the sales type, sales price, design options and size options of each brand were analyzed. The sizing systems of online custom dress shirt brands were compared with the sizing system of the 10 ready made dress shirt brands. The result showed that online custom dress shirts brands offered a variety of design options and size options to meet the consumers' individuality, taste and demand for good fit. In the ready-made brands, all 10 brands were using the same size notation system. In the same size designation, the difference in product size among the ready-made brands showed a tendency to be smaller than the online custom brands. The online custom brands had the different size notation system among brands. The size notation, the number of size designation and the size interval were different for each brand. Also, in the online custom brands, the product size among brands differed from each other in the same size designation. Therefore, the standardized size information and sizing system for middle-aged men that could be used as criteria when making the product size and pattern design in online custom brands were needed.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.51-58
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study was to analyze how the appreciation or recognition of quick response systems, with the utilization of technology, can improve operations for businesses in the DongDaeMoon fashion market. A survey was conducted from April 25 to May 10 in 2007, among owners and designers of wholesale shops in the DongDaeMoon fashion market. Data was collected from 270 subjects, and general descriptive and comparative statistical analysis was applied to acquire various parameters. Firstly, the product types within the DongDaeMoon fashion market were small and medium quantity batch production systems. The majority of businesses adopted the production strategy of outsourcing through subcontracted factories. To re-order, a fashion merchandising required 2 to 3 days. Secondly, the design sources of fashion merchandises were national fashion brands, popular items within the same industries, and also fashion magazines. New products was made within 4 days after a sample item was received. Business acquaintances were fashion retail shops of DongDaeMoon, and internet or home shopping companies. Thirdly, the recognition of importance and effects of quick response systems was difference between high and low group of the utilization of technology in the DongDaeMoon fashion market.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
• /
• v.14 no.6
• /
• pp.928-940
• /
• 2012

The present study aimed to propose the competitive strategy to fashion brand franchise stores by analyzing articles regarding success stores as published in fashion magazines. A total of 91 articles were selected from three fashion magazines and content analysis was applied to extract major factors. Four types of trading areas and eight product types were compared by the major factors. As results, six major factors composing competitive strategy were analyzed such as personal selling, management of sales forces, promotion, customer relationship management, management of store space, and relationship with headquarter. Comparing competitive factors by the types of trading area, management of sales forces and personal selling were crucial for central district and for outlets/interchange district. On the other hand, personal selling and customer relationship management were important for local district while management of store space and personal selling were critical for tenants of the large discount store/shopping mall area. Comparing by product types, personal selling was the most important factor for all product types except young casualwear whereas the second important one was management of sales forces for adult casualwear, womenbbbs wear, and others. For menbbbs wear, sales promotion was the second important one whereas management of store space was the second crucial one for underwear and childrenbbbs clothing. Based on the present study result, it is proposed that competitive strategy of individual fashion brand franchise store should be differently developed because the characteristics of trading area and product type are different and in turn, customers benefit and competition might be different.