Jane Boyd Thomas

An exploratory investigation of the virtual community MySpace.com

Purpose – Virtual communities are increasing in popularity and changing the way apparel fashion information is learned and shared by consumers. According to Agins, consumers, as opposed to elite designers, are now dictating fashion trends and pinpointing the ideal places of distribution. The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine the fashion‐related discussion which is taking place on perhaps the best known of these communities, MySpace.com. The three research questions driving this study include: “What are consumers saying about fashion within this particular virtual community?”; “What commonalities exist among the plethora of fashion‐related information available in this context?”; and “What kinds of insights can marketers draw from the categories of fashion‐related information being presented in MySpace.com?”Design/methodology/approach – Content analysis was selected as the method for investigation. Within the forum Fashion and Style, the subgroup FashionLOVERS was selected for investigation b...

Luxury fashion consumption and Generation Y consumers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate Generation Y consumers’ luxury fashion consumption. Generation Y is becoming a very important segment for the luxury market in the USA. Specifically, this study is designed to investigate Generation Y consumers’ consumption of luxury fashion products from the following perspectives: the influence of self-related personality traits on their brand consciousness; and the influence of brand consciousness on consumption behaviours in terms of consumption motivations, purchase intention, and brand loyalty. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual model was developed to represent the proposed relationships among the related variables. An online survey was conducted and 305 valid surveys were collected. The proposed hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) analyses. Findings – From the perspective of self-concept, this research shed some light on the luxury fashion consumption behaviour of Generation Y consumers. Public self-conscious...

Underlying Dimensions of Apparel Involvement in Consumers' Purchase Decisions

The purposes of this study were (a) to determine if apparel involvement is composed of more than one dimension and, if composed of more than one dimension, (b) to determine if variation in apparel involvement dimensions is explained by fiber information sources and demographics. The sample chosen for this study was female apparel consumers (n = 540) from three Southern malls. A questionnaire consisting of an involvement measure, a fiber information source measure, and a demographic measure was handed to mall shoppers who completed and returned the questionnaire (n = 177). Using factor analysis two involvement factors emerged, indicating that apparel involvement is composed of more than one dimension. Analysis of covariance indicated that variation in apparel involvement dimensions is partially explained by fiber information sources. Analysis of variance found that one of the two identified apparel involvement dimensions differed based on 3 of 4 of the consumer demographic variables studied Results may benefit apparel marketers in developing promotional programs and retail management in training sales associates.

Intratype competition among department stores

Prior research on retail patronage patterns has often grouped together heterogeneous competitors and examined them jointly. This present research takes the converse approach and expands on Hirschmans (1979) study. Retail companies that are often viewed as homogeneous are examined here as distinct competitors. The competitive retail companies studied are three types of department stores: Traditional, national chain and discount. Analysis centres upon the development of psychometrically valid constructs of store image resulting in descriptive profiles of customers for each type of store. While the elements of Hirschmans (1979) model are generally upheld as still valid, two new variables concerning the product brand dimension emerged as prime discriminators among regular shoppers of the three store types.

Self‐concept and the fashion behavior of women over 50

Purpose – The purpose of the present study is to examine the connection between the self‐concept and fashion consumer behaviors of senior females.Design/methodology/approach – Participants for the study (n=200) were recruited from 12 chapters of the Red Hat Society located in the Southeastern USA; they completed a self‐administered survey. Relational, individual and collective identities were measured via well‐established, pre‐existing scales. Statistical findings were used to examine how senior females with unique identities (i.e. relational, individual, and collective self‐concepts) differ in terms of their shopping behaviors and fashion orientation.Findings – Statistical results from this study indicate that apparel purchase decisions for senior females are complex and involve issues beyond style, fit, and price. Information on how the identity groups differed from one another in the various shopping behaviors and their interest in fashion is identified.Research limitations/implications – This study pr...

An exploratory investigation of Black Friday consumption rituals

Purpose – The purpose of the present study is to explore the collective consumption rituals associated with Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and one of the largest shopping days in the USA.Design/methodology/approach – The research design for this study followed the approach of psychological phenomenological interviewing. Over a two‐year period, the authors, along with trained research assistants, conducted interviews with experienced female Black Friday shoppers.Findings – Qualitative data from 38 interviews indicated that Black Friday shopping activities constitute a collective consumption ritual that is practiced and shared by multiple generations of female family members and close friends. Four themes emerged from the data: familial bonding, strategic planning, the great race, and mission accomplished. The themes coalesced around a military metaphor.Practical implications – The findings of this study indicate that Black Friday shoppers plan for the ritual by examining advertisements and strat...

An exploratory investigation of the dramatic play of preschool children within a grocery store shopping context

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the consumer socialization of preschool age children in a peer‐to‐peer context as they participate in dramatic play in a grocery store setting.Design/methodology/approach – This research employs a case study approach as outlined by Yin. A preschool located within a major metropolitan area in the Southeastern USA was selected for investigation. Located within each of the three classrooms was a grocery store learning center. This learning center provided children the opportunity to engage in dramatic play while enacting grocery shopping scripts. A total of 55 children between the ages of three‐ and six‐years old were observed over a six‐week period. Observations were recorded via field notes and transcribed into an electronic data file. Emergent themes were compared with theoretical propositions, fleshing out an overall interpretation and description of the case context.Findings – Findings indicate that even very young children (ages three to six years) are ...

Which Dress Do You Like? Exploring Brides’ Online Communities

Abstract To find the perfect wedding dress, a bride will consult bridal magazines, bridal fairs, family, and friends. Today’s bride might also watch popular television shows such as TLC’s, “Say Yes to the Dress,” or read and/or post comments on popular online wedding planning sites such as TheKnot.com, Weddingchannel.com, and Brides.com. According to Nelson and Otnes (2005), “Many brides use the Internet as a resource because it enables them to easily access information and communicate with widely dispersed providers of wedding resources” (p. 90). Nelson and Otnes (2005) found that many brides are participating in online virtual communities (i.e., Internet-based message boards) that “focus on the shared ritual and offer camaraderie and information exchange” (p. 90). In fact, the Bridal Association of America reported that 77% of brides in 2009 used the Internet to aid in the planning and/or purchasing of wedding related products and services. The purpose of this exploratory research is to investigate the types of information shared on social media sites by brides who are searching for a wedding dress. This research is unique because it explores the types of information shared in a popular wedding online community, www.Brides.com. As the influence of online communities on purchase decisions, including wedding dresses, continues to grow; it is important that designers, retailers, and manufactures understand how a brides online community friends many influence her purchase decision. For quite some time, marketers have recognized the potential of online communities to generate word of mouth. Research has shown that consumers seek advice and brand meaning from online communities (Brown, Broderick, & Lee 2007; Fischer, Bristor, & Gainer 1996; Granitz & Ward 1996; Moore, Mazvancheryl, & Rego 1996; Muniz & O’Guinn 2001; Scarpi 2010). Jepsen (2006) found that, when researching products, consumers prefer gathering information from people in online communities rather than through commercial sources (i.e., sales people, brochures, and advertisements). This preference may be due to the fact that people join online communities because these forums share valuable information (Dwyer 2007). Our research builds upon the work of Kozinets, deValck, Wonjnicki, and Wilner (2010) by examining the types of information shared in a popular wedding online wedding community. The information shared on Brides.com differs from product reviews as it is more identity and community driven. In other words the information shared is not driven by traditional apparel product evaluative criteria of product quality, performance and price. Instead this study provides a unique and valuable perspective on the types of information shared via consumer-to-consumer word of mouth in online communities that is far beyond the traditional evaluative criteria used for apparel purchased. Using established netnography research methods a total of 739 individual posts were examined. The conversations analyzed revealed four categories of discussion: community rituals and artifacts, communal norms, community cohesion, and communal sharing. Our findings expand marketers’ understanding of word of mouth and its relationship to online communities. Specifically, information shared on www.Brides.com is different from product reviews as it is more identity and community driven. The conversations analyzed in the sample of 739 posts revealed four categories of discussion: community rituals and artifacts, communal norms, community cohesion, and communal sharing. In exploring how community rituals and artifacts shape and influence the “dream dress” concept, we uncover the holistic influence of community members on wedding dress purchase decisions. The posts on Brides.com discussed how the brides felt deep emotions as they searched for and identified the perfect wedding dress. The communal norms discussion focused on how much to spend and where to shop. This is not surprising because many brides have a limited budget for the wedding and want to purchase high-quality items within that budget. Community cohesion around brands was evident in the data as the brides questioned and discussed various brands and designers of wedding gowns. The fourth category of discussion was centered around the emotional tension and physical isolation from family and friends. In their research on intercultural wedding message boards Nelson and Otnes (2005) found that members of the online community often serve as friends and counselors. The brides seem to trust the other members of the community and are comfortable seeking their advice and accepting as truth their opinion. Findings from this exploratory study provide insight into the word of mouth that impacts complex choices and decisions involved in the purchase of a wedding dress. Unlike previous research on brand communities (Algesheima, Dholakia, & Herrmann, 2005; Kates, 2004; Leigh, Peters & Shelton, 2006; Muniz & Schau, 2007), this study has not focused on the characteristics of the community members, but more on the holistic socio-emotional interactions that exist among community members. By becoming members of these types of communities, wedding dress designers, manufacturers and retailers could better understand the questions and issues posited by brides. Findings from the current study identify opportunities where designers, manufacturers, and retailers can better connect with brides. We believe the first strategy is to build social media into the business model. Our findings demonstrate that brides want to talk to others about their wedding gown purchase decision process. However, for many companies associated with bridal gowns, social media is more akin to a fan or information page. There needs to be more engagement with brides. While consumers might understand the evaluative criteria for purchasing a winter coat or a skirt, they may not know how to evaluate the price of a wedding dress. Wedding dress designers, manufacturers, and retailers need to educate consumers on the pricing of wedding dress. Videos where designers talk about how a wedding dress is constructed and construction elements that are worth paying more for and those that are not essential could be posted on the designer’s website with easy links for sharing with online community forums like Brides.com. Finally, there is an opportunity for creating online experiences that lend themselves to mobile (i.e., smart phones and tablet) devices. Apps that connect brides to advice and reassurance would be useful when the bride is shopping and/or in need of connecting with members of the bridal community for advice.

The underground mall

Purpose – A dynamic retailing format is emerging in metropolitan cities across the USA: the underground mall (UGM). The UGM is a place of trade where a cluster of socially networked buyers (i.e. potential customers) and sellers (i.e. retailers) meet face‐to‐face in a private setting (i.e. in the sellers garage or in a neighborhood clubhouse) for the purpose of trade. This study seeks to detail how this unique retailing format operates and examines factors influencing consumption within this gray market.Design/methodology/approach – Two theories were utilized in developing a framework for data collection: gray markets and market embeddedness. Data were collected via in‐depth interviews with 16 UGM shoppers. The data were analyzed and interpreted according to the protocol for phenomenology.Findings – A combination of diverse retailing and socialization benefits drives the gray market of the UGM. Retailing benefits include a wide variety of vendors and products, unique items, convenience, a personalized sho...

Voluntary simplicity: The Great American Apparel Diet

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine consumers’ motivations to participate in voluntary simplicity in the current market environment.Design/methodology/approach – Using established qualitative research methods, 834 individual autobiographies and blog entries from The Great American Apparel Diet (GAAD) are examined.Findings – Six general categories of internal and external motivations to engage in voluntary simplicity are identified. Findings expand marketers’ understanding of voluntary simplicity and the role of virtual communities inspiring behavior in the contemporary marketplace.Originality/value – This research is unique because it explores personal information shared in the blog entries of participants in the GAAD.