• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.114-129
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of consumer's need for uniqueness, whether or not using ALPHA-NUMERIC Brand Name and types of fashion goods upon the consumer's attitude. The experimental design of this study is three-ways complex factors design of 2 (Consumer's Need for Uniqueness : High vs Law) ${\times}$ 2 (Whether or not to use ALPHA-NUMERIC Brand Name : Used brand vs Non-used brand) ${\times}$ 2 (Types of fashion goods: Rational fashion goods vs Emotional fashion goods) The conclusions are as follows. 1. The interaction effect upon a favorite level according to consumer's need for uniqueness, whether or not using ALPHA-NUMERIC brand name and types of fashion goods upon the consumer's attitude is proven significant. For the group where customer's need for uniqueness is low, when ALPHA-NUMERIC brand name is not used, the favorableness of rational fashion good, a parka is lower than that of emotional fashion good, one-piece dress. However, there is no significant difference in favorableness by types of fashion goods when ALPHA-NUMERIC brand name is used. At the group with high need for uniqueness, while there is no significant difference in favorableness when ALPHA-NUMERIC brand name is not used, the favorableness of parka is higher than that of one-piece dress when ALPHA-NUMERIC brand name is used. 2. The interaction effects upon purchase intention according to consumer's need for uniqueness, whether or not using ALPHA-NUMERIC brand name and types of fashion goods are proven significant. For the group where customer's need for uniqueness is low, there is no significant different in the favorableness whether or not ALPHA-NUMERIC brand name is used. On the other hand, the group with high need for uniqueness, if ALPHA-NUMERIC brand name is used, the intention to purchase parka is higher than the intention to purchase one-piece dress.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.54-67
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate the The effect of fashion consumer's need for uniqueness in their clothing purchase behavior and switching intention. A total of 332 cases were included as the subjects of this study and a survey method was used. The data were analyzed by factor analysis, reliability analysis, t-test and multiple regression analysis using the SPSS 22.0 statistical program. The results were as follows. 1. The 3 dimensions (creative choice, unpopular choice, and avoidance of similarity) were extracted from the consumer's need for uniqueness and consumer divided high uniqueness group, middle uniqueness group, low uniqueness group. 2. The 3 factor (esthetic, functional, practical) were extracted from the clothing selection criteria. The three group had a significant difference in clothing selection and switching intention. Aesthetic factor and practical factor were the highest in high uniqueness group. 3. The need for uniqueness has influence on the aesthetic factor and practical factor. The creative choice factor had positive effect on the aesthetic and practical factor, yet unpopular choice factor had negative effect on the practical factor. The need for uniqueness and aesthetic factor has positive influence on brand switching intentions. 4. There was difference in unpopular choices factor by gender. A monthly average expenditure on fashion products had a significant difference in three kind of need for uniqueness. Results of this study provide a basis understand need for uniqueness and their effect on consumer behavior.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.125-134
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• 2008

Consumers' need for uniqueness reflects individual differences in counterconformity and related to the attitude toward brands as well as purchase behavior. To understand the relationship between consumer's personal characteristics and purchase behavior, the study investigated the effect of consumers' need for uniqueness and clothing interest on the brand consciousness, loyalty and purchase intention. Survey was utilized to collect the data and subjects were 271 college students. Measures consisted of five main constructs: Consumer's need for uniqueness, clothing interest, brand consciousness, brand loyalty, and purchase intention. The measurement and structural models were evaluated using PRELIS 2 and LISREL 8.53. Consumer's need for uniqueness was confirmed to have three constructs: creative, unpopular, and avoidance. The researcher tested Model 1 and developed five other models-Models 2 through 6-based on the results from Model 1 evaluation. The additional Models 2 through 6 were nested in Model 1. To select a best model, the researcher compared the value of chi-square, RMSEA, GFI, AIC, and ECVI. Since Model 6 also illustrated conceptually or theoretically reasonable relationships among constructs as well, it was finally selected as a best model. In the Model 6, the creative dimension of consumer's need for uniqueness had a negative relationship with brand loyalty, while the avoidance dimension of consumer's need for uniqueness had positive relationship. The unpopular dimension of consumer's need for uniqueness and clothing interest had significant positive effects on the brand consciousness. The brand consciousness was significantly related to brand loyalty and brand loyalty to purchase intention.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.104-116
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• 2017

People tend to maintain and express their individuality in unique ways. Consumer's need for uniqueness is defined as an individual's pursuit that differentiates themselves from others, thereby developing and enhancing their personal identities. This study examined the effect of consumers' need for uniqueness on fashion orientation and consumption values. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey distributed to people visiting the fashion show center during Seoul Fashion Week. The survey questions were designed using the 5-point Likert scale and Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ value of questions was reliable as .628-.862. The study's results indicate that people with high need for uniqueness are very interested in fashion and think that is important to be well-dressed. In addition, the results suggest that people with high needs for unusual choices who enjoy challenging the prevailing taste of people want to be fashion leaders and are attracted to products that express their personality well. And people with high needs for creative choices and incompliant choices value their own satisfaction and happiness with the products. On the other hand, consumer's needs for incompliant choices have a negative effect on social value. As a result, people with high needs for incompliant choices would break social norms rather than consider social status and reputation when they purchase fashion products. The concluding section of the paper discusses the implications of this research for fashion companies.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.76-95
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• 2020

Consumers want to express their original unique personality, and even are willing to endure high expenses in order to do this. One noticeable strategy in the market, used by companies to suit for this consumer sentiment, is that of employing limited edition marketing and limited free gifts. This study investigated the effects of limited free gifts on consumer response. Specifically, the present study examined how the need for uniqueness moderated the effects of limited free gifts on brand commitment and attitudes. The online survey method was used to gather the data and a total of 224 data were used to analyze data. The results of the research were as follows. The findings revealed four dimensions of limited free gifts: scarcity/specialty, not for sale, complementarity, and risk. Complementarity positively affected brand commitment, while all four dimensions of limited free gifts positively influenced brand attitude. In addition, the need for uniqueness was proven to be the strongest variable which positively influenced brand commitment and attitudes. Also, when the need for uniqueness was applied as a moderating variable, depending on the levels of the need for uniqueness, the effects of riskiness on the consumer's response were shown to be different. The findings of this study infer various academic and practical applications.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.422-434
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• 2017

The influence of information on other's preference on one's attitude formation can vary with consumer's uniqueness motive and product attributes. When high-CNFU individuals are given the information on the preference of others toward an experience attribute, the uniqueness aspect of their self-identity is aroused. As conforming to others' preference causes concern that their uniqueness-related self-esteem is threatened, they contrast away from the majority. On the other hand, they form their attitude toward search attributes regardless of the preference of others. In contrast, for low-CNFU individuals, knowing the majority's choice of experience attributes does not arouse the uniqueness aspect of their self-identity and not threaten their self-esteem. Thus, they tend to conform to the majority regardless of the type of product attributes. This study suggests whether or not the attribute signals the identity of a person as another criterion that distinguishes experience and search attributes. The results imply that when targeting a consumer with a strong desire for uniqueness, it would be more effective for a company to develop features that are not popular.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.1-17
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• 2020

This study investigated the perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of potential consumers toward using 3D printers to create their personal clothes. An online survey and a series of Welch's t-tests and ANOVA were conducted to investigate the differences in demographic characteristics, prior experiences in 3D printing, and levels of need for uniqueness among the sub-groups. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to test the relationships among variables of the modified Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). There were significant differences in gender and prior experiences regarding the UTAUT of personal 3D printing. The need for uniqueness has a positive effect on consumers' intention to use 3D printing technology for designing personal clothes and perception of the price of the 3D printer used to create individual clothes is important. Positive relationships were found between UTAUT variables as well as the use and purchase intentions. This study analyzed the potential for popularization of 3D printing technology to create fashion items and explore consumer willingness to embrace and use personal fashion designs. The results of this study are expected to assist consumers, designers, retailers and marketers, and experts in 3D printing technology by providing insight into consumer awareness and acceptance of personalized 3D-printed fashion and products.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.377-388
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• 2022

The Personal sense of uniqueness (PSU) is positively associated with subjective well-being and has been recently shown its correlation with happiness, influencing consumer's experience behavior. However, the effects of hedonic and eudaimonic experience on conspicuous and inconspicuous (consumer's need for status and inner fulfillment) are unknown. The purpose of this research is to address a gap existing in the literature by testing the effects of PSU on hedonic and eudaimonic leisure experiences and how happiness leisure experiences effects conspicuous and inconspicuous consumption. The relationships hypothesized in the model are tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and bootstrapping procedure. Data was gathered using a self-administrated survey, answered by 200 consumers based on consumers' leisure experiences. The findings of this study suggest that (i) PSU positively and significantly influence hedonic and eudaimonic happiness; (ii) the effect of PSU on eudaimonic happiness is higher than in hedonic happiness; (iii) eudaimonic happiness positively and significantly influence conspicuous and inconspicuous consumption; and (iv) hedonic happiness negatively and significantly influence conspicuous and inconspicuous consumption. This study helps fill a gap in the literature by introducing and testing the effect of hedonic and eudaimonic leisure experiences and the relationship between these constructs and PSU and (in) conspicuous consumption.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.79-89
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• 2018

Purpose - This research aims to investigate the factors that influence consumer's overseas online shopping behavior. Consumers adopt overseas online shopping as a new buying way and more and more consumers prefer overseas online shopping than traditional shopping ways. Consumers' behaviors in this shopping experience can be different from other shopping experiences. With the increase of overseas online shopping, we need to find antecedents and results of overseas online shopping. Especially there would be positive or negative factors which influence overseas online shopping motivation. To find the relationship, this study examines self-efficacy and impulsivity as major factors which influence overseas online shopping. We also suggest that several attitude factors increase self-efficacy and it is positively related to customer satisfaction. On the other hand, we assume that overseas online shopping factors influence impulsivity of buying and it will decrease customer satisfaction. Research design, data, and methodology - This empirical study data were collected from Korean people who experience overseas online shopping. The subjects for this study were confined to shoppers who used overseas online shopping within the past six months. A total of 267 responses were gathered. SPSS 23.0, PLS 2.0 software were used in the data analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to show sample characteristics. We examined reliability, validity test for constructs. All measurement items used seven-point scales(1= very strong disagree, 7 = very strongly agree) drawn from previously published papers. Partial Least Square method was applied to find the relationship between antecedent factors and dependent factors and hypotheses were estimated. Results - Results show that perceived superiority, perceived ease of use, perceived transaction safety, perceived behavioral control positively affect self-efficacy. Self-efficacy influences positively to consumer's post purchase satisfaction. Perceived monetary benefit and perceived uniqueness motivated impulse buying. This can make consumer's post purchase dissatisfaction. Conclusions - This paper attempted to confirm the existence of both the positive and negative faces of overseas online shopping. The result reveals that self-efficacy is a major factor which may increase satisfaction in the overseas online shopping. Usually, we can think monetary benefit and uniqueness of products motivate overseas online shopping. But it can also intrigue impulse buying and negatively affect customer relationship. Therefore companies should provide enough products information to their potential customers and they might apply adequate processes such as recommendation, comparing systems to build long term relationship with their customers.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2010

During the past 10 years, sales of luxury goods increased significantly to more than US$ 130 billion in 2007. In this industry, more than half of the revenue comes from Asia where the average income has risen significantly, and the demand for luxury products is forecast to grow rapidly. Purchasing luxury brands appears to be an intriguing social phenomenon that is profitable for companies in this region. As a newly developed country, Korea is one of the most attractive luxury markets in Asia. Currently, a total of 120 luxury fashion brands have entered the Korean market, primarily in luxury districts in Seoul where the competition is fierce. The purposes of this study are to: (1) identify antecedents of attitude toward luxury brands, (2) examine the effect of attitudes toward luxury brands on customer equity, (3) determine the impact of attitudes toward luxury brands on customer lifetime value, and (4) investigate the influence of customer equity on customer life time value. Previous studies have examined materialism, social need, experiential need, need for uniqueness, conformity, and fashion involvement as antecedents of attitude toward luxury brands. Richins and Dowson (1992) suggested that that materialism influences consumption behavior relative to quantity of goods purchased. Nueno and Quelch (1998) reported that the ownership of luxury brands conveys information related to the owner's social status, communicates an image of success and prestige, and is a determinant of purchase behavior. Experiential need is recognized as an important aspect of consumption, especially for new products developed to meet consumer demand. Since luxury goods, by definition are relatively scarce, ownership of these types of products may fulfill consumers' need for uniqueness. In this study, value equity, relationship equity, and brand equity are examined as drivers of customer equity. The sample (n = 114) was undergraduate and graduate students at two private women's universities in Seoul, Korea. Data collection was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire survey in March, 2009. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, factor analysis, reliability analysis, and regression analysis using SPSS 15.0 software. Data analysis resulted in a number of conclusions. First, experiential need and fashion involvement positively influence participants' attitude toward luxury brands. Second, attitude toward luxury brands positively influences brand equity, followed by value equity and relationship equity. However, there is no significant relationship between attitude toward luxury brand and customer lifetime value. Finally, relationship equity positively influences customer lifetime value. In conclusion, young consumers are an important potential consumer group that tries different brands to discover the ones most suitable for them. Luxury marketers that use effective marketing strategies to attract and engender loyalty among this potentially lucrative consumer group may increase customer equity and lifetime value.