• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.885-898
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• 2015

This study develops scales to measure clothing consumption values for Korean male consumers. This study conducted qualitative and quantitative research to explore a new clothing consumption value among males as well as investigate empirically the measurement of clothing consumption values. In-depth interviews and focus group interviews were collected for qualitative research on 20 Korean men in their 20s-40s who had experience with 2 types of stores in Korean men's fashion. An analysis of qualitative data based on grounded theory approaches identified 6 factors and 15 items. For the empirical research, the questionnaire which consist of 9 factors and 46 items were developed by the results of grounded theory approaches and prior studies. Final measurement scales were based on 651 data used in exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). All subjects were in their 20s-40s. The result from CFA suggested 4 factors and 18 items with showing acceptable construct validity and discriminant validity. Therefore, this study confirmed that clothing consumption value for Korean male consumer consist of ostentatious and brand value, epistemic and possession value, conditional value, and reasonable value. These constructs will provide critical insight in understanding and segmenting Korean male consumers.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.21-40
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• 2002

The purposes of this study were to examine the conceptual structure of consumer characteristics and marketing elements affecting impulsive buying behavior of the CATV home-shopper on fashion products, and to compare the differences of consumer characteristics and marketing elements between impulsive buying shoppers and non-impulsive buying shoppers in CATV home-shopping. We collected data from 263 females of CATV home-shoppers in Busan. Data were analyzed by factor analysis, t- test, $\chi$2-test, and discriminant analysis. The results showed that the exploratory tendency of CATV home-shoppers was consisted of Patronage-orientation, and Product- orientation. The marketing elements perceived by CATV home-shoppers were composed of Promotion, Product and Payment method. There were differences of consumer characteristics and marketing elements between impulsive buying shoppers and non impulsive buying shoppers. Especially, impulsive tendency of shoppers and promotion factor of marketing were significant variables in the impulsive buying behavior of CATV home-shopping. The results provide information about impulsive buying behavior in CATV home-shopping, useful to consumer behavior researchers and retailers.

• Fashion, Industry and Education
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.36-45
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• 2018

Recently China has become one of the major markets for luxury brands. In addition, practicing social responsibility by manufacturers of luxury brands has become ubiquitous because consumers' perception of such practices may affect their purchase decisions positively. This study explored Chinese shoppers' perception of luxury brands' social responsibility practices and their information seeking behavior. In this study, value congruence was used as a theoretical framework. Twelve participants were selected out of customers in a shopping mall in Beijing, and they were subject to in-depth interview. The interview consisted of open-ended questions about perception of luxury brands' social responsibility practices, sources to access such practices, and the degree of personal value congruence to such practices as well as demographic information. Qualitative approach was used to analyze the data. Half of the participants indicated their awareness of the social responsibility practices of luxury brands, which sets up a foundation for understanding importance of luxury brands' social responsibility practices. Approximately half of the participants preferred to learn about luxury brands' socially responsible practices online especially via social media. These findings imply that Chinese luxury shoppers' trust and preference for the companies would be enhanced by effective development and advertisement of companies' social responsibility practices, and thus provide luxury companies with useful information on marketing strategies.

• Fashion, Industry and Education
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.36-52
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• 2017

In this study, we tried to understand preschooler clothing trends and identify the purchase behaviors of various consumers, such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and parents, who are the main consumers of the preschooler clothing market. We conducted in-depth interviews with consumers who were interested in preschooler clothing, purchased it frequently, and bought preschooler clothing within the last three months. Their purchase motivations and purchase behaviors were analyzed through exploratory and inductive analysis. The analysis was conducted by integrating categories into one process centered on core categories through open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. The results of this study included that 1) a variety of clothing purchase behaviors appeared as a central phenomenon, 2) the causal conditions that contributed to this phenomenon were the buyers' childcare experiences, purchase experiences, the personal consumption values of individuals, and income levels, 3) in response to the central phenomenon, the parents' action/interaction strategies were acceptance and rejection of purchased clothing, 4) contextual and Intervening conditions affecting action/interaction strategy were family environment changes, the VIB (Very Important Baby) phenomenon, parents' clothing involvement, and the relationship with the buyers, and acceptance by the users, and 5) as a result of the strategy expressed as acceptance and rejection, various clothing behaviors emerged. In this study, we identified that there are various influencers, apart from parents, involved in children's clothing consumption. Therefore, we need to keep in mind that various purchase behaviors and clothing trends that appear during one's childhood may affect the individual's clothing behavior in the future.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.9
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• pp.101-111
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• 2021

This study investigates the impact of heuristic factors on customers' perception of information credibility of influencers on YouTube channels, and the association between customers' perception of information credibility and brand attitude, brand credibility, and purchase intention of cosmetic products in Vietnam. A quantitative approach is employed, with a survey of 270 females who are frequent viewers of beauty content on YouTube channels. The data reliability and validity go through various statistical tests including exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Also, structural equation modeling (SEM) is applied to test the hypotheses. The results reveal that there is a positive association between heuristic factors and the perception of information credibility. This perception of information credibility also influences positively on customers' attitudes toward the brand and brand credibility. Purchase intention is also found to be positively associated with the two latter variables. The study's main findings not only offer advice to practitioners on how to choose the right product endorsers and advertising platforms, but they also offer novel insight from the Vietnamese context that could help to extend the heuristic-systematic model and customers' buy intention behavior.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.43-58
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to find the consumer perception and purchasing behaviors of beauty service products based on recent consumer purchasing patterns utilizing social commerce. The research method looked at general characteristics, exploratory factor analysis, reliability T-test, correlation analysis, one way ANOVA, regression analysis of the consumer awareness and purchasing status in the use of beauty social commerce of 228 research subjects in their 20s and 30s residing in Seoul and Gyeonggido. SPSS v. 21.0 was used. The results found the following. First, service quality, interaction, user convenience, and price were set as factors for the validity verification of consumer perception in beauty social commerce. Second, as a result of studying consumer perception regarding beauty social commerce, interaction had the largest correlation while price, service quality, and user convenience followed. As a result of studying the differences according to the general characteristic of gender, user convenience had a larger correlation for female consumers than male consumers. Third, the following was the result of studying purchasing behaviors in beauty social commerce. Among diverse social commerce businesses, Pokemon was the most popular, while among the various coupons available, hair salons were most commonly purchased. The modal value for the number of times consumers used beauty service products was two times a month, and the most popular price ranges were 100,000 KRW or less and 100,000~200,000 KRW. Accordingly, it was observed that social commerce is receiving attention and being considered as the next generation for shopping in the beauty industry. This channel should be well utilized by related industries through the improvement of customer satisfaction, which will lead to repurchases, and consequently result in becoming an actual means for sales in the beauty industry.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.59-69
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• 2010

Green or an environmental consciousness has been a major issue for businesses and government offices, as well as consumers, worldwide. In response to this movement, the Korean government announced, in the early 2000s, the era of "Green Growth" as a way to encourage green-related business activities. The Korean fashion industry, in various levels of involvement, presents diverse eco-friendly products as a part of the green movement. These apparel products include organic products and recycled clothing. For these companies to be successful, they need information about who are the consumers who consider green issues (e.g., environmental sustainability) as part of their personal values when making a decision for product purchase, use, and disposal. These consumers can be considered as eco-sumers. Previous studies have examined consumers' purchase intention for or with eco-friendly products. In addition, studies have examined influential factors used to identify the eco-sumers or green consumers. However, limited attention was paid to eco-sumers' disposal or recycling behavior of clothes in comparison with their green product purchases. Clothing disposal behaviors are ways that consumer can get rid of unused clothing and in clue temporarily lending the item or permanently eliminating the item by "handing down" (e.g., giving it to a younger sibling), donating, exchanging, selling, or simply throwing it away. Accordingly, examining purchasing behaviors of eco-friendly fashion items in conjunction with clothing disposal behaviors should improve understanding of a consumer's clothing consumption behavior from the environmental perspective. The purpose of this exploratory study is to provide descriptive information about Korean eco-sumers who have ecologically-favorable lifestyles and behaviors when buying and disposing of clothes. The objectives of this study are to (a) categorize Koreans on the basis of clothing disposal behaviors; (b) investigate the differences in demographics, lifestyles, and clothing consumption values among segments; and (c) compare the purchase intention of eco-friendly fashion items and influential factors among segments. A self-administered questionnaire was developed based on previous studies. The questionnaire included 10 items of clothing disposal behavior, 22 items of LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) characteristics, and 19 items of consumption values, measured by five-point Likert-type scales. In addition, the purchase intention of two eco-friendly fashion items and 11 attributes of each item were measured by seven-point Likert type scales. Two polyester fleece pullovers, made from fabric created from recycled bottles with the PET identification code, were selected from one Korean brand and one US imported brand among outdoor sportswear brands. A brief description of each product with a color picture was provided in the survey. Demographic variables (i.e., gender, age, marital status, education level, income, occupation) were also included. The data were collected through a professional web survey agency during May 2009. A total of 600 final usable questionnaires were analyzed. The age of respondents ranged from 20 to 49 years old with a mean age of 34 years. Fifty percent of the respondents were males and about 58% were married, and 62% reported having earned university degrees. Principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation was used to identify the underlying dimensions of the clothing disposal behavior scale, and three factors were generated (i.e., reselling behavior, donating behavior, non-recycling behavior). To categorize the respondents on the basis of clothing disposal behaviors, k-mean cluster analysis was used, and three segments were obtained. These consumer segments were labeled as 'Resale Group', 'Donation Group', and 'Non-Recycling Group.' The classification results indicated approximately 98 percent of the original cases were correctly classified. With respect to demographic characteristics among the three segments, significant differences were found in gender, marital status, occupation, and age. LOHAS characteristics were reduced into the following five factors: self-satisfaction, family orientation, health concern, environmental concern, and voluntary service. Significant differences were found in the LOHAS factors among the three clusters. Resale Group and Donation Group showed a similar predisposition to LOHAS issues while the Non-Recycling Group presented the lowest mean scores on the LOHAS factors compared to the other segments. The Resale and Donation Groups described themselves as enjoying or being satisfied with their lives and spending spare-time with family. In addition, these two groups cared about health and organic foods, and tried to conserve energy and resources. Principal components factor analysis generated clothing consumption values into the following three factors: personal values, social value, and practical value. The ANOVA test with the factors showed differences primarily between the Resale Group and the other two groups. The Resale Group was more concerned about personal value and social value than the other segments. In contrast, the Non-Recycling Group presented the higher level of social value than did Donation Group. In a comparison of the intention to purchase eco-friendly products, the Resale Group showed the highest mean score on intent to purchase Product A. On the other hand, the Donation Group presented the highest intention to purchase for Product B among segments. In addition, the mean scores indicated that the Korean product (Product B) was more preferable for purchase than the U.S. product (Product A). Stepwise regression analysis was used to identify the influence of product attributes on the purchase intention of eco product. With respect to Product A, design, price and contribution to environmental preservation were significant to predict purchase intention for the Resale Group, while price and compatibility with my image factors were significant for the Donation Group. For the Non-Recycling Group, design, price compatibility with the factors of my image, participation to eco campaign, and contribution to environmental preservation were significant. Price appropriateness was significant for each of the three clusters. With respect to Product B, design, price and compatibility with my image factors were important, but different attributes were associated significantly with purchase intention for each of the three groups. The influence of LOHAS characteristics and clothing consumption values on intention to purchase Products A and B were also examined. The LOHAS factor of health concern and the personal value factor were significant in the relationships with the purchase intention; however, the explanatory powers were low in the three segments. Findings showed that each group as classified by clothing disposal behaviors showed differences in the attributes of a product, personal values, and the LOHAS characteristics that influenced their purchase intention of eco-friendly products. Findings would enable organizations to understand eco-friendly behavior and to design appropriate strategic decisions to appeal eco-sumers.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.77-84
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• 2015

According to a recent survey, the sales amount of luxuries and imitations is getting larger. Especially young consumers in 2,30's have a strong desire to own luxuries, so I tried to build a theoretical base on the 20's consuming trend. Meanwhile, targeting university students who represent consumers in 20's, I investigated the recognition of luxuries, shopping experience, main shopping items, monthly spending money, and future purchase intention. I also investigated shopping experience of imitation, main shopping items, purchase reasons, and future purchase intention. I tried to suggest lots of academic and practical implications in marketing strategy building of luxury brand, aiming young consumers in 20's. On the social-psychological view point, young generation have relatively weak sense of control or self-efficacy. So, they are easily submerged in conspicuous consumption by the atmosphere around. As a result of empirical research, I found that Korean students recognized luxuries as excellent in quality, or the world famous brand. In particular, statistically significant gender difference was shown in the luxuries characteristics as the high-quality brand for male students and the world famous brand for female students. Most respondents have experience buying luxuries. And more monthly spending money, more experience they have. Respondents' purchased items were in order of fashion goods, clothing, watches/jewelry, cosmetics/perfume. And the statistically significant differences between gender and monthly spending money were shown. Not many respondents purchased luxuries imitations, and main purchased items were fashion goods. Most of purchase motives are price over quality and economy reason. The phenomena that the respondents of relatively high levels of monthly spending money had lots of luxuries imitations shopping experiences is interesting. Female students showed higher purchase intention for luxuries and imitations than male students. There was no statistically significant difference in grade level, but was found something interesting in monthly spending money. As monthly spending money increased, the purchase intention of luxuries increased, but the purchase intention of luxuries imitations decreased. However, non-linear trend was shown in the specific allowance level. This is replicate of the luxuries imitations purchase experience. Following studies will be needed for the exact interpretation for this. This study is an exploratory and descriptive, but can provide lots of fruitful academic and practical implications in formulating luxuries marketing strategies.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.188-198
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• 2010

This study attempts to examine the influence that negative WOM (NWOM) has in an online context. It specifically focuses on the impact of the service failure description and the perceived intention of the communication provider on consumer evaluations of firm competence, attitude toward the firm, positive word of mouth and behavioral intentions. Studies of communication persuasiveness focus on "who says what; to whom; in which channel; with what effect (Chiu 2007)." In this research study, we examine electronic web posting, particularly focusing on two aspects of "what": the level of service failure communicated and perceived intention of the individual posting. It stands to reason electronic NWOM that appears to be trying to damage a product’s or firm's reputation will be viewed as more biased and will thus be considered as less credible. According to attribution theory, people search for the causes of events especially those that are negative and unexpected (Weiner 2006). Hennig-Thurau and Walsh (2003) state "since the reader has only limited knowledge and trust of the author of an online articulation the quality of the contribution could be expected to serve as a potent moderator of the articulation-behavior relationship. We therefore posit the following hypotheses: H1. Subjects exposed to electronic NWOM describing a high level of service failure will provide lower scores on measures of (a) firm competence, (b) attitude toward the firm, (c) positive word of mouth, and (d) behavioral intention than will subjects exposed to electronic NWOM describing a low level of service failure. H2. Subjects exposed to electronic NWOM with a warning intent will provide lower scores on measures of (a) firm competence, (b) attitude toward the firm, (c) positive word of mouth, and (d) behavioral intention than will subjects exposed to electronic NWOM with a vengeful intent. H3. Level of service failure in electronic NWOM will interact with the perceived intention of the electronic NWOM, such that there will be a decrease in mean response on measures of (a) firm competence, (b) attitude toward the firm, (c) positive word of mouth, and (d) behavioral intention from electronic NWOM with a warning intent to a vengeful intent. The main study involved a2 (service failure severity) x2 (NWOM with warning versus vengeful intent) factorial experiment. Stimuli were presented to subjects online using a mock online web posting. The scenario described a service failure associated with non-acceptance of a gift card in a brick-and-mortar retail establishment. A national sample was recruited through an online research firm. A total of 113 subjects participated in the study. A total of 104 surveys were analyzed. The scenario was perceived to be realistic with 92.3% giving the scenario a greater than average response. Manipulations were satisfactory. Measures were pre-tested and validated. Items were analyzed and found reliable and valid. MANOVA results found the multivariate interaction was not significant, allowing our interpretation to proceed to the main effects. Significant main effects were found for post intent and service failure severity. The post intent main effect was attributable to attitude toward the firm, positive word of mouth and behavioral intention. The service failure severity main effect was attributable to all four dependent variables: firm competence, attitude toward the firm, positive word of mouth and behavioral intention. Specifically, firm competence for electronic NWOM describing high severity of service failure was lower than electronic NWOM describing low severity of service failure. Attitude toward the firm for electronic NWOM describing high severity of service failure was lower than electronic NWOM describing low severity of service failure. Positive word of mouth for electronic NWOM describing high severity of service failure was lower than electronic NWOM describing low severity of service failure. Behavioral intention for electronic NWOM describing high severity of service failure was lower for electronic NWOM describing low severity of service failure. Therefore, H1a, H1b, H1c and H1d were all supported. In addition, attitude toward the firm for electronic NWOM with a warning intent was lower than electronic NWOM with a vengeful intent. Positive word of mouth for electronic NWOM with a warning intent was lower than electronic NWOM with a vengeful intent. Behavioral intention for electronic NWOM with a warning intent was lower than electronic NWOM with a vengeful intent. Thus, H2b, H2c and H2d were supported. However, H2a was not supported though results were in the hypothesized direction. Otherwise, there was no significant multivariate service failure severity by post intent interaction, nor was there a significant univariate service failure severity by post intent interaction for any of the three hypothesized variables. Thus, H3 was not supported for any of the four hypothesized variables. This study has research and managerial implications. The findings of this study support prior research that service failure severity impacts consumer perceptions, attitude, positive word of mouth and behavioral intentions (Weun et al. 2004). Of further relevance, this response is evidenced in the online context, suggesting the need for firms to engage in serious focused service recovery efforts. With respect to perceived intention of electronic NWOM, the findings support prior research suggesting reader's attributions of the intentions of a source influence the strength of its impact on perceptions, attitude, positive word of mouth and behavioral intentions. The implication for managers suggests while consumers do find online communications to be credible and influential, not all communications are weighted the same. A benefit of electronic WOM, even when it may be potentially damaging, is it can be monitored for potential problems and additionally offers the possibility of redress.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.97-125
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• 2012

Companies recently introduce art collaborated products incorporating culture into a product. Art collaborated products include incorporating famous movies and/or design of an artist into a newly launched product. The introduction of art collaborated products are gradually increasing. However, research for this trend is relatively scarce. Although research concerning design has discussed a number of different factors as playing a role in influencing responses to design including culture, fashion, innate preferences, etc.), only limited attention has been paid to the processes by which consumers generate responses to product designs. People with different characteristics may respond differently. When people encounter these art products, they may become curious, may think that these products are unique, novel and innovative. People tend to show different levels of curiosity when they encounter new and novel objects, which they have rarely seen or experienced. Curiosity is defined as a desire for acquiring new knowledge and new sensory experience. Previous studies demonstrated that curiosity motivates individuals to engage in exploratory behaviors. People also show different levels of need for uniqueness, which is defined as being different from others or becoming distinctive among a larger group. Individual's need for uniqueness results from signals conveyed by the material objects that individuals choose to display. Recently, researcher have developed the need for uniqueness with three distinct constructs. These three concepts include creative choice, unpopular choice, and avoidance of similarity. Creative choice is a trait tendency of an individual by expressing or differentiating himself from others through consumptions of unique products. Unpopular choice is related to an individual's tendency to consume products, which deviates from group norms. Avoidance of similarity is linked to the avoidance of consumption behavior of products that are not famous. Past research implies that people with different levels of need for uniqueness show different motivational processes. Previous research also demonstrates that different customer emotions may be derived when consumers are exposed to these art collaborated products. Research tradition has been investigated three different emotional responses such as pleasure, arousal, and dominance. Pleasure is defined as the degree to which a person feels good, joyful, happy, or satisfied in a situation. Arousal is defined as the extent to which a person feels stimulated, active, or excited. Dominance is defined as the extent that a person feels powerful vis-a-vis the environment that surrounds him/her. Previous research show that complex, speedy, and surprising stimuli may excite consumers and thus make them more pleased and engaged in their approach behavior. However, the current study identified these emotional responses as positive emotion, negative emotion, and arousal. These derived emotions may lead consumers to approach and/or avoidance behaviors. In addition, males and females tend to respond differently when they are exposed to art collaboration products. Building on this research tradition, the current study aims to investigate the inter-relationships between individual traits such as curiosity and need for uniqueness and individual's emotional responses including positive and negative emotion and arousal when people encounter various art collaborated products. Emotional responses are proposed to influence purchase intention. Additionally, previous studies show that male and females respond differently to similar stimuli. Accordingly, gender difference are proposed to moderate the links between individual traits and emotional responses. These research aims of the current study may contribute to extending our knowledge in terms of (1) which individual characteristics are related to different emotions, and (2) how these different emotional responses inter-connected to future purchase intention of arts collaborated products. In addition, (3) the different responses to these arts collaborated products by males and females will guide managers how to concoct different strategies to these segments. The questionnaire for the present study was adopted from the previous literature and validated with a pilot test. The survey was conducted in Daegu, a third largest city in South Korea, for three weeks during June and July 2011. Most respondents were in their twenties and thirties. 350 questionnaires were distributed and among them 300 were proved to be valid (valid response rate of 85.7%). Survey questionnaires from valid 300 respondents are used to test hypotheses proposed. The structural equation model (SEM) was used to validate the research model. The measurement and structural model was tested using LISREL 8.7. The measurement model test demonstrated that consistency, convergent validity, and discriminat validity of the measurement items were acceptable. The results from the structural model demonstrate that curiosity has a positive impact on positive emotion, but not on negative emotion and arousal. Need for uniqueness has three different sub-concepts such as creative choice, unpopular choice, and avoidance of similarity. The results show that creative choice has a positive effect on arousal and positive emotion, but has a negative impact on negative emotion. Unpopular choice has a positive effect on arousal, but on neither positive nor negative emotions. Avoidance of similarity has no impact on neither emotions nor arousal. The results also demonstrated that gender has a moderating influence. Males show more negative emotion to creative and unpopular choices. Implications and future research directions are discussed in conclusion.