• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.134-148
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• 2016

In this study, we determined the characteristics and importance of market maven to today's fashion retailers. Market maven is defined as an individual who is highly involved in the marketplace and takes a role as an information diffuser. In order to identify market maven, a total of 415 data were collected from 30-40 consumers who purchased fashion items from the various types of retailers. The data were divided into three groups based on the average score of summated market maven's scale, and the high group was referred to as "market mavens." Results suggested that the market mavens existed in the fashion retailing market and presented the differences from the other two groups. The market maven group spent more and purchased more fashion items than the other groups. With respect to shopping behavior, the market maven group was more likely to browse and bargain hunt when shopping, and showed higher mean scores on impulse buying and overall satisfaction. In addition, market maven tended to purchase fashion items from different types of retailers including online channel. Accordingly, market mavens seemed to present common characteristics with heavy browser, recreational shopper, and/or multi-channel shopper. Market mavens showed shopping enjoyment characteristics when searching for market-related information from various retailers, hence this segment should be the essential target market in the multi-channel retailing environment.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.131-142
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• 2005

The purpose d this study was to examine situations of fashion jewelry brand industry and to find out the problems in Korean jewelry market. Based on literature review, this paper tried to define jewelry first, and to investigate recent the recent situations or status of fashion jewelry markets. The fashion jewelry brand markets were able to be classified into 2 categories such as off-line retailing and on-line retailing including internet shopping and home shopping. As the result, the most problem was the definition of the fashion jewelry. Also our fashion jewelry markets had some serious problems such as complex distribution structure or lack d technical experts. Based on these results, fashion jewelry marketing strategies would be suggested.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.148-158
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• 2018

This study analyzes recent trends in fashion retailing instigated by the fourth industrial revolution and approaches the trends in terms of the convergence of big data and artificial intelligence. The findings are as below. First, companies like 'Edited' and 'Stylumia' offer solutions that support the strategic decisions of fashion brands and fashion retailers by analyzing big data using artificial intelligence. Second, the convergence of big data and artificial intelligence scales personalized service on the web as examples of 'Coded Couture', 'StitchFix', and 'Thread'. Third, the insights gained from artificial intelligence and big data help create new fashion retailing platforms such as 'Botshop' and 'Lyst'. Last, artificial intelligence and big data assist with design. 'Ivyrevel' designs digital fashion, assisted by a macroscopic perspective on fashion trends, market and consumers through the analysis of big data. The Fourth Industrial Revolution brings changes across all industries that will likely accelerate. The fashion industry is also undergoing many changes with advancements in scientific technology. The convergence of big data and artificial intelligence will play a key role in the future of fast-moving industry like fashion, where fickle tastes of consumers are the main drivers.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.11-22
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to examine how congruity between self-image and store image affects a customer's satisfaction with the retailer, loyalty towards that retailer, and patronage behavior toward that retailer in a fashion retailing context. In addition to the direct effects of selfcongruity on consumer responses, the mediating roles of satisfaction and retailer loyalty were also examined. A convenience sample of 137 college students participated in an online survey. Path analysis showed that self-congruity had a direct effect on satisfaction, but not on retailer loyalty and patronage behavior. However, the effect of self-congruity on retailer loyalty and patronage behavior was fully mediated by satisfaction. Satisfaction had a positive effect on both retailer loyalty and patronage behavior. The effect of satisfaction on patronage behavior was partially mediated by retailer loyalty. As supported in the study, self-congruity can induce retailer loyalty. Given that retailers have direct control over developing a certain store image that affects perceptions of self-congruity of their target market, the findings of the study provide useful information for fashion retailers. The findings of the study add to current selfcongruity literature by extending to fashion retailing and also by examining the mediating roles of satisfaction and retailer loyalty on the effects of self-congruity.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.15 no.3 s.68
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• pp.525-540
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• 2007

This study intended to construct the brand switching matrix in the Korean casual wear market and to analyze it in various aspects. 1,014 sample data were collected in Seoul area, a center of fashion retailing. Since the respondents cited over 200 brand names as their last 2 purchased casual wear brands, 15 most frequently-purchased brands were selected for constructing the brand switching matrix. As a result of the examination, it was founded that the brand loyalty was dominant rather than brand switching in the casual wear market. Polo was identified as the leading brand in the market. Its brand equity, which was comprised of brand recognition, brand preference (loyalty), perceived quality, and brand association, was evaluated very high. Especially, the strength of Polo was the consumer's strong preference and the brand image of simplicity, naturalness, and neatness. After combining 15 brands into 6 groups based on the style and price, additional interpretation was performed on this 'trend switching matrix.' A transition of fashion trend in casual wear was observed. Applying the brand switching matrix on fashion products gave us much insight to the market.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.22-32
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to suggest the appropriate marketing strategies for Korean fashion companies wishing to enter the US market. In-depth-interview with documentary research were performed to investigate the seven Korean fashion companies launching in the US market as wholesalers or retailers. The interviews were executed from May to July 2007. The results of the study were summarized in accordance with Marketing Mix(4P's). In most cases, the brand targets are female customers of 20's to early 30's. The products carried by the companies are trendy with a tint of vintage and oriental feelings. The price ranges from middle to high level. Most brands are engaged in wholesaling through trade shows to sell the merchandise for department stores or specialty stores, but recently are trying to convert to retailing. Trade shows and show rooms are used as one of the promotion tools, but celebrity marketing has also been active for the promotions. Most companies suggested their superior qualities of the products as their strength, and the lack of experience and information as their weakness. Most companies forecast that the influence of FTA between Korea and the US may be limited because of Korea companies' overseas outsourcing system.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.10 no.8
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• pp.45-53
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• 2019

Purpose - The purpose of this study was to clarify the factors to make an exclusive importation contract between foreign fashion brands and local retailers for successful business in Korea. Even though imported fashion brand market shows stead increasing in terms of sales amount, the number of store related study was very rare in fact. Meanwhile, as long as this business is glowing a lot of brands are suffering from bad business performance or getting in ruins thus these problems result in foreign currency loss. The local marketers therefore, strongly expect to know the solution for this matter. Research design, data, and methodology - For the qualitative research, 10 experts who are operating foreign brands with an exclusive contract at a department store or at duty free shop now and who had at least over 10 years of related working experience were included. The factors for the exclusive importation contract with foreign brands were drawn up through the one-to-one in-depth interview method from September 3, 2017 to January 15, 2018. The expert group for the validity analysis includes 2 professors and 5 postgraduate students. Results - As a result of qualitative study on the factors for imported fashion brand's launching with the exclusive importation contract, it turned out that there were 5 factors - safety, profitability, reliability, speed and global retailing. Safety, profitability, and reliability have been mentioned in most related surveys but some details are added and speed and global retailing have been newly highlighted and many unknown legal issues that it was not easy to get form common academic research are included. Speed simply means quick lead time and global retailing means stores where located in other countries. Conclusions - The reason that qualitative research should be done before the quantitative research is due to the scant theoretical background for this matter. Because the market of an imported fashion brand is steadily increasing, determining the factors to make exclusive importation contract is very meaningful from the point of academic and business. After this study, many marketers may get basic conditions to apply for real business and I hope the following quantitative research will give more effective results. The next study also will have extended range concerning industry area, product and distribution channel.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.477-490
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• 2013

This study explores critical and success factor of benefits and risks for predicting the acceptance of QR code virtual fashion stores. As an exploratory approach, this study conducted focus group interviews(FGI) with 21 panels who had experience with selected QR virtual stores (e.g., Home plus, 11th Street, Pin & Fit). Content analysis was used to generate 184 excerpts and classify into benefits and risks related to QR code virtual stores. With respect to benefits, content analysis identified four factors: Affective appeal, perceived usefulness, ubiquity, and brand promotion. Also, contents regarding perceived risks were classified into four factors: Complexity, lack of information, lack of technology infrastructure, and perceived cost. A managerial implication was discussed for predicting consumer technology acceptance of a QR code virtual store in the fashion retailing market.

• The Journal of Natural Sciences
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.209-216
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• 1998

The results of the study of diving the 21st century's Korea fashion market into consumer market, fashion market, and a new marketing strategy are as follows. The 21st consumer market is First, a fashion democracy phenomenon. As many people try to leave unconditional fashion following, consumer show a phenomenon to choose and create their own fashion by subjective judgements. Second, a phenomenon of total fashion pursuit. Consumer in the future are likely to put their goals not in differentiating small item products, but considering various fashion elements based on their individuality and sense of value. Third, world quality-oriented. With the improvement of life level, it accomplishes to emphasize consumers' fashion mind on the world wide popular use of materials, quality, design and brand image. Fourth, with the entrance of neo-rationalism, consumers show increasing trends to emphasize wisdom, solidity in goods strategy pursuing high quality fashion and to demand resonable prices. Fifth, concept-oriented. Consumers are changing into pursuing concept appropriate to individual life scene. Prospecting the composition of the 21st century's fashion market, First, sportive casual zone will draw attention more than any other zone. This is because interest in sports will grow according to the increase of leisure time and the expasion of time and space in the 21st century, and also ecology will become the important issue of sports sense because of human beings's natural habit toward nature. Second, the down aging phenomenon will accelerate its speed as a big trend. Third, a retro phenomenon, a concept contrary to digital and high-tech, will become another big trend for its remake, antique, and classic concept in fashion market with ecology trend. New marketing strategy to cope with changing fashion market is as follows. First, with the trend of borderless concept, borders between apparels are becoming vague, for example, they offer custom-made products to consumers. Second, as more enterprises take the way of gorilla and guerrilla where guerrillas who aim at niche market show up will develop. Basically, they think highly of individual creative study, and pursue the scene adherence with high sensitiveness. However this polarization becomes mutually-supplementing relationship showing gorilla's guerilla movement, and guerilla's gorilla high-tech. Third with the development of value retailing, enterprises pursuing mass merchandising of groups called category killers are expanded and amplified to new product fields, and expand business' share. Fourth, using outsourcing, the trend to use exterior function leaving each enterprise's strength by inspecting its own work is gradually strong. Fifth, with the expansion of none store sale, the entrance of the internet and the CD-ROM sales added to communication sales such as catalogues are specified. An eminent American think tank expect that 5-5% of the total sale of clothes and home goods in 2010 will be done by none store sale. Accordingly, to overcome the problems, First international, global level marketing, Second, the improvement of technology, Third, knowledge-creating marketing are needed.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.82-100
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• 2015

Mobile fashion apps present much opportunity for marketers to engage consumers, however not all apps provide enough functions for their targeted audience. This study aims to determine how mobile fashion apps can be used to build brand community with consumer engagement. Qualitative data on fashion mobile apps were collected from the Apple app store and Android market during the spring and summer of 2015. A total of 110 fashion mobile apps were collected;, 50 apps were identified as apparel brands that either manufacture or sell apparel to consumers, which we categorized as "brand" fashion apps, and the remaining 60 were categorized as "non-brand" fashion apps. The result of the study can be summarized as below. The 60 non-brand fashion apps were grouped into 5 app types: shopping, searching, sharing, organizational, and informational. The main functions are for informational use and shopping needs, since at least half (31 apps) are used for either retrieving information or for shopping. However, in contrast, social networking and location were infrequent and not commonly utilized by these apps. The most common type of non-brand fashion apps available were shopping apps;, many shopping apps enable users to shop from several different websites and save their items into one universal shopping cart so that they only check out once. Most of these apps are informational and help consumers make more informed decisions on purchases;, in addition many offer location services to help consumers find these items in store. While these apps perform several functions, they do not link to social media. The 50 brand apps were grouped into 5 brand types: athletic, casual, fast fashion, luxury, and retailer. These apps were also checked for attributes to determine their functionality. The result shows that the main functions of brand fashion apps are for information (82% of the 50 apps) as well as location searching (72% of 50 apps). Conversely, these apps do not offer any photo sharing, and very few have organizational or community functions. Fashion mobile apps and m-marketing elements: To build brand community, mobile apps can be designed to motivate consumer's engagement with brands. The motivations of fashion mobile apps are useful in developing fashion mobile apps. Entertainment motives can be fulfilled with multimedia attributes, functionality motives are satisfied with organizational and location-based features, information motives with informational service, socialization with community and social network, learning and intellectual stimulation from informational attributes, and trend following through photo sharing. The 8 key attributes of mobile apps can correspond to the 4 m-marketing elements (i.e., Informative content, multimedia, interactions, and product promotions) that are further intertwined with m-branding elements. App Attributes and M-Marketing aim to Build Brand Community;, the eight key attributes can impact on 4 m-branding elements, which further contribute to building brand community by affecting consumers' perceptions of brands preference and advocacy, and their likelihood to be loyal.