Segmenting the teen girl apparel market: differences in fashion involvement, materialism and social responsibility

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this work was to identify segments of the US teen girl market based on the importance that these consumers assign to various product attributes in the apparel purchase decision process and to characterize these consumer segments in relation to their engagement in fashion and social responsibility. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey was administered to 157 teen girls (14-18 years). The questionnaire included demographic items and measures of the importance of product attributes in the apparel purchase decision, fashion involvement, materialism, charitable/social cause involvement and past socially responsible apparel purchasing behavior. A two-step cluster analysis, employing Ward’s method and k-means clustering, was conducted on each participant’s factor scores on the four dimensions of the product attributes scale. Findings – Three clusters were identified: the Conventionalists (n = 50, 31.8 per cent), the Self-Satisfiers (n = 34, 21.7 per cent) and the Embracers (n = 73, 46.5 per cent). MANOVA revealed differences among the clusters related to fashion involvement, social cause involvement, materialism and past socially responsible apparel purchasing behavior. Practical implications – Results suggest that teen girls may respond positively to trendy apparel products designed with attention to issues of the environment, labor and/or charitable/social causes, particularly if the products are perceived as esthetically appealing and provide utilitarian value. Originality/value – This work offers unique insights into teen girls’ apparel consumption behaviors by employing a benefit segmentation approach to explore the role that issues of social responsibility may play in teen girls’ apparel purchase decisions.

Materialistic values and green apparel purchase intention among young Vietnamese consumers

“…For them, green apparels may convey the image of uniqueness, knowledge and natural association. Thus, buying and using the products may help the young consumers express the self as knowledgeable ones and a sign of their success (Ogle et al , 2014). This provides another piece of evidence that materialism is not necessary to be antithetical to pro-environment consumption (Andreou, 2010; Ogle et al , 2014).…”

“…Young Vietnamese consumers are expected to be the important group who are more knowledgeable about sustainable and responsible consumption, and thus are more likely to become pioneers in green purchase behaviors. Young people generally are more concerned with apparel products than the older ones (Ogle et al , 2014; Vieira, 2009) and they are considered a significant market segment for apparel products (Valaei and Nikhashemi, 2017). They are more influenced by fashion and more likely to engage in trying new products (Dickson et al , 2004).…”

“…Past research’s empirical findings pertaining to the relationship between materialistic values and green purchase behavior are unclear and inconsistent. In the literature, there has been empirical evidence to show that materialism is not necessary to be antithetical to pro-environment consumption (Andreou, 2010; Ogle et al , 2014). Environment-friendly consumption may be positively associated with high social status and convey a “costly signal.” The findings from a recent study by Strizhakova and Coulter (2013) suggest that materialism has a strongly positive effect on environmentally friendly tendencies including willingness to pay extra for environment-friendly products among people with the global cultural identity, in the context of both emerging and developed markets.…”

“…Those consumers holding high level of success value may demonstrate greater concern for self-status. They may view products such as clothing as signs of success (Ogle et al , 2014). In our study, SUC is proposed as a positive predictor of the ATT toward purchase of green apparel products.…”

Extension of the tripartite model of body influence: the role of materialism on body satisfaction and fashion involvement

“…Several studies have noted negative consequences of excessive fashion involvement, such as compulsive buying behavior (Johnson & Attmann, 2009;Park & Burns, 2005;Yurchisin & Johnson, 2004), hoarding behavior (Byun & Sternquist, 2011), and negative mood and dissatisfaction (Tiggemann, Polivy, & Hargreaves, 2009). Studies have demonstrated that fashion involvement is positively related to the material good life ideal (i.e., materialism) (e.g., Browne & Kaldenberg, 1997;Choo, Hong, & Moon, 2010;Jina, 2010;Lertwannawit & Mandhachitara, 2012;Muzinich, Pecotich, & Putrevu, 2003;O'Cass, 2000O'Cass, , 2001O'Cass, , 2004Ogle, Hyllegard, Yan, & Littrell, 2014;Park, Burns, & Rabolt, 2007;Podoshen, Li, & Zhang, 2011;Vieira, 2009) and the body perfect ideal (Apeagyei, 2008;Banister & Hogg, 2004;Khare, Mishra, & Parveen, 2012;Rathnayake, 2011;Shim, Kotsiopulous, & Knoll, 1991).…”