Ju-Young M. Kang

e-Mass customisation apparel shopping: effects of desire for unique consumer products and perceived risk on purchase intentions

To facilitate apparel firms’ development of effective strategies for e-mass customisation of apparel, this study examined the indirect effects of desire for unique consumer products and the perceived risk on purchase intentions of e-customised apparel based on the theory of planned behaviour. An online survey with a mock website for customised business wear was used to collect data from 296 college students. Structural and measurement models were estimated. Findings showed that interactive function and a quick and convenient co-design process were the important attributes of favourable attitudes towards e-customised apparel. Desire for unique consumer products had an indirect effect on purchase intention through attitude and subjective norm. Perceived risk had an indirect effect on purchase intention through subjective norm. However, perceived behavioural control was not a significant predictor of purchase intention of e-customised apparel. Based on these findings, managerial implications were provided.

Consumer style inventory and intent to social shop online for apparel using social networking sites

Purpose – The purpose of this paper are to examine: first, whether the consumer style inventory (CSI) consumer decision-making styles were related to opinion seeking using electronic word of mouth (eWOM) in social networking sites (SNSs) and attitudes toward online social shopping using SNSs; and second, whether opinion seeking in SNSs and attitudes mediated the links between decision-making styles and intent to social shop online for apparel using SNSs. Design/methodology/approach – The conceptual foundation was based on Engel, Kollat, and Blackwells model. In total, 304 college students who are SNS users provided usable responses. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed model and research hypotheses. Findings – Among the CSI consumer decision-making styles, novelty/fashion consciousness decision-making style was the most important antecedent of opinion seeking using eWOM. The brand consciousness decision-making style was the most important antecedent of favorable attitudes. Novel...

Clothing functions and use of clothing to alter mood

The purpose of our study was to examine the antecedents to use of clothing to alter mood by identifying personality traits, social appearance anxiety, clothing in relation to self as structure (CSS), and clothing functions. Undergraduate women participated (n=310) in the study. Path analysis using structural equation modelling was used to test our hypothesised model. Perfectionism was related to social appearance anxiety and CSS. Neuroticism was related to social appearance anxiety. Individuals who experienced social appearance anxiety tended to select clothing for its ability to provide comfort, camouflage flaws in appearance, and provide assurance. Individuals who felt a close connection between clothing and the self (CSS) tended to select clothing for its ability to camouflage flaws in appearance and provide assurance, fashionability, and individuality. CSS in combination with the camouflage clothing function played the most important role in predicting the use of clothing to alter mood.

MC 2.0: testing an apparel co-design experience model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test an online apparel co-design experience model and to investigate six determinants (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, enjoyment, level of personalization, social presence, and attitude towards the co-designed product) of online apparel co-design experience and effects on behavioural intention. Design/methodology/approach – Female college students (n=265) were surveyed after an actual online apparel co-design experience in a computer lab and interactions with other users wherever such arenas were provided. structural equation modelling was used for data analysis. Findings – The findings revealed that subjects’ apparel co-design experience was positively affected by enjoyment, attitude towards the co-designed product, perceived ease of use, and social presence. And behavioural intention towards the mass customization sites was positively affected by subjects’ attitude towards the co-design experience, subjective norm, and enjoyment. Originality/value –...

Online customer relationship marketing tactics through social media and perceived customer retention orientation of the green retailer

Purpose Despite the importance of incorporating social media with customer relationship management (CRM), the implementation of social CRM is still in its initial stages for a majority of green brands. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether consumers’ perception-based factors of the online CRM tactics through social media (i.e. perceived marketer-dominated information quality, perceived interaction quality, and perceived service content quality in social media) offered by the green brand were related to the perceived customer retention orientation (CRO) of the green fashion retailer, which was related to patronage intention towards the green retailer, and the moderating effect of green consciousness on the link between perceived CRO of the green retailer and patronage intention. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from social media users (n=631) using a consumer panel via an online survey. Structural equation modelling was employed to test the proposed model and research hypotheses. Findings This study found that the perceived CRO of the green retailer was positively related to patronage intention. The perceived marketer-dominated information quality and perceived service content quality in social media were positively related to the perceived CRO of the green retailer. Green consciousness moderated the link between perceived CRO and patronage intention. Originality/value First, this study contributes to the further theoretical understanding of the underlying factors that influence customer perception of the CRO of the green retailer and green patronage intention. Second, on a managerial level, this proposed model provides green retailers with beneficial insights into the development of successful social CRM.

Augmented reality and motion capture apparel e-shopping values and usage intention

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine: whether monetary, convenience, emotional, and social values were related to utilitarian and hedonic performance expectancies, which were then related to usage intention of augmented reality and motion capture (ARMC) e-shopping via a webcam and whether ego involvement and cognitive effort moderated the links between performance expectancies and usage intention. Design/methodology/approach – The proposed model was based on Prospect Theory and the Value-Attitude-Behavior hierarchy consumer decision model. The participants were US online apparel shoppers (n=806) and were drawn from an online consumer panel. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed model and research hypotheses. Findings – This study identified that utilitarian performance expectancy was positively related to usage intention. However, hedonic performance expectancy was not positively related to usage intention. Monetary, convenience, emotional, and social values had an in...

Repurchase loyalty for customer social co-creation e-marketplaces

Purpose – Social co-creation refers to the process of using social media as a vehicle to carry out customer co-creation engagements. By allowing many customers to contribute to a specific co-creation initiative, social media makes co-creation platforms more efficient. The purpose of this paper is to examine: first, whether usability and information quality, visual appeal and image, interactivity, and web innovativeness, as perceived web site quality dimensions, were related to value equity; second, whether value equity was related to commitment and repurchase loyalty to social co-creation; and third, the moderating effects of aesthetic appreciation and fashion opinion leadership. Design/methodology/approach – The conceptual foundation was based on the Quality-Value-Satisfaction model. Data were collected from US online apparel shoppers (n=691) using a consumer panel via an online survey. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed model and research hypotheses. Findings – Usability and ...

Customer interface design for customer co-creation in the social era

The purpose of this study was to examine (1) whether six elements of a customer interface for co-creation, (a) character, (b) choice, (c) community, (d) contact interactivity, (e) convenience, and (f) customization, were related to customer commitment to co-creation, (2) whether customer commitment was related to patronage intention toward co-creation of ordinary fashion products (study 1) and Hawaiian Aloha fashion products (study 2), and (3) whether the moderating effects of financial and product performance risks affected the relationship between commitment and patronage intention. Data were collected from online apparel shoppers (n=688) for study 1 and online apparel shoppers who are willing to engage in co-creation for Aloha fashions (n=336) for study 2, using a U.S. consumer panel via an online survey. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed model. Among the 6Cs of the customer interface design for co-creation, character, choice, and customization were found to be important elements that affected customer commitment to co-creation for both ordinary fashion products and Aloha fashion products. Product performance risk did not moderate the relationship between customer commitment and patronage intention. The differences between the results of ordinary fashion products and Aloha fashion products were discussed. This study examined the influence of interface components for customer co-creation.Character, choice, and customization were related to customer commitment to co-creation.Community and contact interactivity were not related to customer commitment.Performance risk did not moderate the effect of commitment on patronage intention.

Investigation of the role of proximity of clothing to self anticipating risky appearance management behaviours

Body dissatisfaction has been reported as a primary force behind individuals’ engaging in appearance management behaviours (AMBs), even in problematic behaviours, such as eating disturbances and other risky behaviours. As a consequence of the importance of the identified phenomena, we investigated whether ‘proximity of clothing to self’ (PCS) would account for a personal difference in the relationship between ones body dissatisfaction and his/her engagement in risky and non-risky AMBs, and thus it would moderate the relationship. A total of 158 survey responses collected from female college students in a Midwestern university were used. Two-way analysis of variances were employed for analysis. The results confirmed that PCS moderated the effect of body dissatisfaction on engagement in risky AMBs. In other words, the results indicated that PCS can play a role in signalling ones tendency to engage in risky AMBs. The finding that PCS serves as a factor in predicting ones engagement in risky AMBs (when she or he experiences body dissatisfaction) will be useful in fashion practice in order to help prevent extreme and problematic AMBs.

Showrooming, Webrooming, and User-Generated Content Creation in the Omnichannel Era

ABSTRACT Omnichannel retailing characterizes a seamless and integrated approach of diverse retail channels. Showrooming and webrooming are prominent shopping trends among consumers in omnichannel retail. The purpose of this study was to examine (1) whether omnichannel consumers’ psychographic characteristics (i.e., information attainment, price comparison, social interaction, assortment seeking, and convenience seeking) had an influence on showrooming and webrooming, which then had an influence on omnichannel consumers’ user-generated content creation intention on social media and (2) whether the social-local-mobile (SoLoMo) experience moderated the links between omnichannel consumers’ showrooming/webrooming and user-generated content creation intention. An online survey was administered to a total of 680 omnichannel consumers with showrooming and webrooming experience from a U.S. consumer panel. This study found that omnichannel consumers’ showrooming and webrooming positively affected user-generated content creation intention on social media. Omnichannel consumers’ information attainment, price comparison, and social interaction positively affected showrooming. Information attainment, social interaction, and assortment seeking positively affected webrooming. The SoLoMo experience moderated the link between webrooming and user-generated content creation intention on social media. Managerial implications were discussed.