• Fashion, Industry and Education
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.11-24
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• 2017

The objectives of this empirical study were to examine the relationships between shopping motivations, Pine and Gilmore's four experience realms (4Es), the emotional components of pleasure and arousal, and patronage intention toward small apparel retailers. Data from 128 college students were collected through an online survey. Regression analysis results revealed the positive impact of shopping motivations on the hypothesized experiential realms and partial effects of the 4Es on pleasure and arousal. Pleasure and arousal were found to affect patronage intention. This research benefits small retailers by identifying the experiential marketing strategies that positively affect consumer emotional experiences, which are important to consequent patronage intention toward small apparel retailers.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.43 no.7 s.209
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• pp.159-170
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate the causes of managerial failure in small apparel retailers by using the qualitative research method. The study was performed by interviews from thirteen owners/managers who experienced failure as small apparel retailers from November 2003 to February 2004. The causes of failure in the small apparel businesses were human related problems, marketing strategy problems, marketing mix, weak managerial ability, and business environment related problems. Of special interest was causes such as incomplete legal documents with franchisers, unexpected tax investigation from the office of National Tax Administration(NTA), sexual discrimination for women owners, and incapable risk management. It is interesting to note that tax investigation by NTA and sexual discrimination in the business custom were shown as the main causes of business failure in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.968-979
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• 2008

Since community growth and vitality frequently depend on local businesses and community inhabitants depend on local retailers for their daily necessities, studying small businesses in rural areas is important to community sustainability. The purpose of our research was to investigate what marketing, merchandising, customer service, or business operation strategies were being implemented by successful independent rural retailers(i.e., clothing, jewelry, floral, hardware etc.), in competition with large discount stores in the U.S.. In addition, social capital as indicated by community involvement was examined for its use as a business strategy that contributes to the success of small retailers. In-depth interviews were conducted with 27 rural retailers representing three communities within a Midwestern state. Data were content analyzed. Participants were following several of the recommended business strategies but opportunities existed to implement changes. Results are discussed in terms of key practices followed by these successful small business owners.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.18-33
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• 2005

The purposes of this study were to investigate the difference of the SCM activities in the general characteristics of fashion enterprises and to inquire out the general characteristics affecting the introduction of SCM. The characteristics of apparel manufactures were also compared through the cluster analysis of the SCM activity levels of apparel manufactures. Through questionnaire survey, a total af 214 data - 123 from 64 apparel manufacturers, 46 from 40 fabric suppliers and 45 from 4 retailers - were used for analysis. The analysis on the relation between the SCM activity levels and the general characteristics of fashion enterprises showed that the SCM activities were affected by product assortment pattern and SCM introduction level for fabric suppliers, production method, product assortment pattern, business type and SCM introduction level for apparel manufacturers, and SCM introduction level for retailers. The cluster characteristics related to the SCM activity levels of apparel manufacturers showed that the clusters with higher level were tending to doing business internationally and trying to manufacture in a small lot in variety. The higher level clusters also revealed relatively low in the occupation ratio of fashion goods and high in quick response ratio compared to the lower level clusters.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.31-46
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to explore the ways of improving Korean apparel firms' competitiveness by examining the Korea's number one trading partner U.S. apparel industry. Especially, the Los Angeles area apparel industry which is the second largest and the primary market center on the west coast was analysed. The following strategies are suggested to Korean apparel firms to function more effectively in incleasingly competitive U.S. markets: l)Basics can be produced in lower wage countries meanwhile quick turnaround and high quality works can be produced either in Korea or U.S. 2)Manufacturers might try to have direct relationship with powerful retailers who have their own private labels of store-brand lines. 3)Apparel companies can open market showrooms in the California Market Center. For small firms they can contact with independent representatives who receive commissions for showing lines for manufacturers or rent space for showing the lines during market weeks. 4)Apparel firms can contact buying offices to introduce their products to retail buyers. 5)Korean firms can contact Korean-American apparel firms to gain easy access to U.S.Market.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.335-348
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• 2000

This study examines changes in economy status of retailers with self-employed and introduce a re-education program for enhancing their market competition supported by KeiMyung University and the city of Daeku. There are more than 80 participants for this program, mostly employed in small business in such as supermarket, apparel industry, conventional type of market and so on. The questionnaires were administered to all participants and analyzed the level of satisfaction for categories included in survey to evaluate the program. The results of study leads us to suggest the ways how those small business families can survive in furture and give the motives to develop new marketing strategies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.265-279
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• 1993

The channel of distribution exists for the purpose of moving product from the manufactuerer to the final consumer. In order to satisfy consumer needs, channels provide for the those products to arrive at the right place, at the right time and in the quantity, quality and price desired. Currently, there has been an emerging interest in the improvement of distribution system in many areas of industries and Korean government because of a market liberalizatiion begun at 1989 and still has processed step by step. In the wave of market liberalization, an understanding of the channel of distribution and structure would be very crucial when developing the opportunities of competitive advantages in Korean apparel industry. The purposes of this study were to investigate the determinants of the distribution channel and to identify how to respond to the market liberalization for developing the possible future strategies in the apparel industry. Data for this study were obtained from interviews with managers in apparel company in addition to a questionnaire mailed to over 106 middle management position of apparel company. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. The results of this study were summarized as follows. 1. In the distribution channel of the apparel industry, a vertical marketing system, comprising producer, apparel company, retailer, prevailed without intermediaries such as wholesalers or vendors. Especially, the apparel company controlled marketing channel members. This type of system may reflect added product cost and may be not advantageous to retailers and consumers because most apparel companies are responsible for its own transfortation, storage and stocks after season. 2. In the view of market liberalization, most apparrel companies showed double-edged viewpoints. In terms of positive aspect, it would give stimulus to broaden variety of fashion merchandise and to improve product quality of fashion merchanise which were the most disadvantageous factors in competing with oversea's brands. In terms of negative aspect, it would bring the bankruptcy of small or medium sized apparel firms and the foreign products' penetration in domestic market. From this study, severel recommedations were suggested forward to improve the present condition in apparel industry. They included eliminating the power of apparel company and reinforcing middlemen for more efficient distribution system and for satisfying consumer needs in rapidly changing environment. Also it included government supports, reinforcement of information system, improvement in channel structure, and career development program in conjunction with apparel companies and academic society for improving scientific management and future potential strategies in Korean apparal industry.

• International Journal of Costume and Fashion
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.81-91
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in purchase behaviors for school uniforms among adolescent consumer groups which were segmented by the type of retailer they patronized. An online survey was carried out and 907 data sets were analyzed using SPSS. The results support that classifying adolescent consumers according to what type of retailers they patronize lead to a proper understanding of the segmentation of the school uniform market. The adolescent consumers consisted of five groups categorized by the retailer types. These types included special stores, department stores, discount stores, small custom-made stores and stores designated by schools. The results also indicated that consumer groups segmented by retailer patronage differ significantly in their use of multimedia information sources. Five consumer groups showed significant differences in two purchase evaluative criteria: utilities and promotions.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.79-102
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• 2007

Consumers evaluate stores by comparing stores that we, in their minds, similar and are competitive with one another; and in this way, the term "consideration set of stores" is defined as those store alternatives the consumer is aware of and evaluates positively. The purpose of this study is to aid in understanding the consideration set of stores in store choice processes in apparel product purchases. More specifically, this study aims to clarify the relation between consideration set of stores and importance of store image. As a result, the respondents of quantitative study were classified into seven groups by the number of stores and store types they considered: 1) "small-road shop sets group" ; 2) "small-market sets group" ; 3) "small- department store sets group" ; 4) "small-department store/outlet sets group" ; 5) "large-department store/market sets group" ; 6) "large-department store/road shop sets group" ; and 7) "large-department store sets group". Further, significant differences among the groups in the importance of store image were observed. For example, low prices were an important factor in both the small-market considering group and large-department store/market considering group when choosing a retail store, there were also differences in the considering groups in that for the small-department store considering group, store mileage-discount cards were important whereas ample space for relaxation around the stores were important retail store selection factors for the large-department store/road shop considering group. This study may provide a useful direction to retailers in finding out who the target customers and competitive stores are and allow retailers to make proper marketing strategies.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.1-24
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• 2011

1. Introduction: Contrast to the offline purchasing environment, online store cannot offer the sense of touch or direct visual information of its product to the consumers. So the builder of the online shopping mall should provide more concrete and detailed product information(Kim 2008), and Alba (1997) also predicted that the quality of the offered information is determined by the post-purchase consumer satisfaction. In practice, many fashion and apparel online shopping malls offer the picture information with the product on the real person model to enhance the usefulness of product information. On the other virtual product experience has been suggested to the ways of overcoming the online consumers' limited perceptual capability (Jiang & Benbasat 2005). However, the adoption and the facilitation of the virtual reality tools requires high investment and technical specialty compared to the text/picture product information offerings (Shaffer 2006). This could make the entry barrier to the online shopping to the small retailers and sometimes it could be demanding high level of consumers' perceptual efforts. So the expensive technological solution could affects negatively to the consumer decision making processes. Nevertheless, most of the previous research on the online product information provision suggests the VR be the more effective tools. 2. Research Model and Hypothesis: Presented in