Relationship of body satisfaction to virtual product experience and perceived risk of product performance in online and multi-channel apparel shopping

The purpose of this study was to investigate how consumers\u27 body satisfaction relates to utilitarian and hedonic perceptions of virtual product experience, perceived risks of product performance, attitudes toward product and brand, and behavioral intentions toward information search and purchase across shopping channels. A conceptual model was developed, combining two theories: perceived risk theory and the technology acceptance model. A Web-based experimental survey was conducted. Out of 7,000 female college students randomly selected from a large midwestern university in the U.S., 403 female students responded. Findings from SEM analysis showed that individuals\u27 satisfaction with their own bodies positively related to perceived enjoyment of virtual product experience and indirectly related to perceived risk of product performance, attitude toward product or brand, and channel choice and usage intentions for pre-purchase information search and purchase. Perceived enjoyment of virtual product experience was an intervening variable on the relationships between body satisfaction and the other risk perception and attitudinal and behavioral response variables. Hedonic product experience in online apparel shopping helped consumers with higher body satisfaction to alleviate perceived risks of product performance, facilitate more favorable attitude toward product or brand, and increase behavioral intentions for information search offline and purchase online. The findings provide an understanding that current prevailing risk reduction strategies in online apparel markets--virtual product experience technology and multi-channel retailing--are more effective for consumers with stronger body satisfaction. In addition, multi-group SEM analysis revealed significant differences of virtual product experience, risk perception, and channel usage intention between online shoppers and online browsers (or in-store shoppers). The online shoppers seemed to perceive more usefulness of virtual product experience and had more information search intention offline than did the online browsers. The findings have managerial implications for multi-channel apparel marketers and retailers to improve risk reduction strategies of online apparel retailing in the body-absent environment of internet shopping and to promote channel adoption and usage for both information search and purchase, thereby creating cross-shopping synergy

Consumers’ Virtual Product Experiences and Risk Perceptions of Product Performance in the Online Co-Design Practice: A Case of NIKEiD

Consumers tend to perceive product performance risk—the uncertainty and consequences of a product not functioning at some expected level— about visual, tactile, and trial attributes of apparel products such as style, fabric, color, touch, weight, fit, or comfort in apparel shopping (Yu, Lee, & Damhorst, 2012). Online consumers might perceive higher levels of visual, tactile, and trial risks of product performance, based on the evaluation of product attributes through virtual product experience (Yu et al., 2012). In particular, mass customized apparel or footwear could engender a greater risk of product performance

Comparisons of Financial Performance Measures of Global Sourcing and Made-in-USA Domestic Production Strategies

Globally sourcing basic goods generally increases the firm\u27s profits, while that for fashion/seasonal products tends to result in lost sales due to stockouts or high rates of markdowns on unsold inventories. Domestic production under the supply chain management system could be effective in response to customers\u27 demands more promptly and frequently. This study examined differences in financial productivity of global versus domestic sourcing scenarios for fashion/seasonal products, considering merchandise plan errors due to market uncertainty. Sourcing Simulator, merchandise planning simulation software, is used to create a series of merchandise planning simulations for global and domestic sourcing scenarios. A total of 530 simulations with merchandising performance measures were analyzed. The findings from this study provide an insight about financial performance measures regarding global and domestic sourcing scenarios under demand uncertainty

Effect of Brand Familiarity and Brand Loyalty on Imagery Elaboration in Online Apparel Shopping

Imagery elaboration is defined as the activation of store information in the production of mental images beyond what is provided by the stimulus (Babin & Burns, 1998, p. 266). When consumers virtually experience or evaluate apparel products, imagery elaboration could be evoked through various features provided by online retailers. Previous studies examined te positive effect of evoked imagery elaboration on attitudinal reponses toward the brand and toward the ad in advertisements (Babin & Burns, 1998; Ellen & Bone, 1991). Due to the limitatin of virtual product experience may play an important role to help consumers imagine or evaluate features, fnctions, or usages of apparel products

Identifying Characteristics of the Tween Fashion Consumer Groups

Twenty-one million tweens in the U.S. market account for $43 billion in spending power. Apparel represents one of the primary purchase categories tweens want to spend their money (Cotton Inc., 2012). Tweens aged 7 to 14, especially girls, are very aware of fashion, enjoy apparel shopping, and feel confident in dressing themselves (Brock, Ulrich, & Connell, 2010). While the tween market has been featured, the prevailing literature on tween consumers is limited, particularly information on tweens with regards to their fashion innovativeness and fashion opinion leadership

Colorfastness of Naturally-Dyed Fabrics Using Contact Dyeing Method

The purpose of this study was to examine colorfastness of naturally-dyed fabrics using contact dyeing and a natural mordant in relation to different mordant concentrations, mordanting procedures, and heating times. Natural dyes still are exclusively used with chemical mordants and large quantities of water, making the process of natural dyeing unsustainable. The use of the contact dyeing method and natural mordant may have potential for reducing water wastes and developing a more sustainable way of natural dying. Mashed blue berries were sprayed on bleached cotton fabrics, and vinegar, used as a mordant, was applied in different mordant concentrations, mordanting procedures, and times exposed to heat. Results indicate time exposed to heat had significant impact on color change and staining on cotton rather than mordant concentrations and mordanting procedures. Further research is needed because overall colorfastness of the contact-dyed cotton fabrics to laundering was poor to moderate

Representation of Aging Women in Fashion and Non-fashion Advertisements

The purpose of this study was to investigate how older women are represented in fashion media compared to non-fashion media, based on the social comparison theory

Relationship of body satisfaction to virtual product experience and perceived risk of product performance in online and multi-channel apparel shopping

The purpose of this study was to investigate how consumers' body satisfaction relates to utilitarian and hedonic perceptions of virtual product experience, perceived risks of product performance, attitudes toward product and brand, and behavioral intentions toward information search and purchase across shopping channels. A conceptual model was developed, combining two theories: perceived risk theory and the technology acceptance model. A Web-based experimental survey was conducted. Out of 7,000 female college students randomly selected from a large midwestern university in the U.S., 403 female students responded. Findings from SEM analysis showed that individuals' satisfaction with their own bodies positively related to perceived enjoyment of virtual product experience and indirectly related to perceived risk of product performance, attitude toward product or brand, and channel choice and usage intentions for pre-purchase information search and purchase. Perceived enjoyment of virtual product experience was an intervening variable on the relationships between body satisfaction and the other risk perception and attitudinal and behavioral response variables. Hedonic product experience in online apparel shopping helped consumers with higher body satisfaction to alleviate perceived risks of product performance, facilitate more favorable attitude toward product or brand, and increase behavioral intentions for information search offline and purchase online. The findings provide an understanding that current prevailing risk reduction strategies in online apparel markets--virtual product experience technology and multi-channel retailing--are more effective for consumers with stronger body satisfaction. In addition, multi-group SEM analysis revealed significant differences of virtual product experience, risk perception, and channel usage intention between online shoppers and online browsers (or in-store shoppers). The online shoppers seemed to perceive more usefulness of virtual product experience and had more information search intention offline than did the online browsers. The findings have managerial implications for multi-channel apparel marketers and retailers to improve risk reduction strategies of online apparel retailing in the body-absent environment of internet shopping and to promote channel adoption and usage for both information search and purchase, thereby creating cross-shopping synergy.</p

Consumers’ Virtual Product Experiences and Risk Perceptions of Product Performance in the Online Co-Design Practice: A Case of NIKEiD

Consumers tend to perceive product performance risk—the uncertainty and consequences of a product not functioning at some expected level— about visual, tactile, and trial attributes of apparel products such as style, fabric, color, touch, weight, fit, or comfort in apparel shopping (Yu, Lee, & Damhorst, 2012). Online consumers might perceive higher levels of visual, tactile, and trial risks of product performance, based on the evaluation of product attributes through virtual product experience (Yu et al., 2012). In particular, mass customized apparel or footwear could engender a greater risk of product performance.</p