Abstract
This study investigates the purchasing and wearing conditions of wetsuits, and analyzes consumer awareness on wetsuit functional factors between domestic and imported brands. This research provides basic information on presenting competitiveness and developing suitable wetsuits for the Korean body shape through an investigation of a size system. An in-depth interview was conducted to consider consumer awareness with 10 persons of different levels of scuba diving experience. The survey variables consist of classified suggestion of inquires for functional factors and size systems. We distributed 80 questionnaires to scuba diving club members; subsequently, a total of 66 usable data sets were coded for statistical analysis through SPSS WIN 18.0. The result shows that respondents preferred imported ready-to-wear brands, whereas national ready-to-wear brands were purchased less often. However, the difference in customer awareness of functional factors between domestic and imported brands was not significant. In evaluating the size system of six brands (including three domestic and three imported brands), wetsuits of domestic brands were better fitted to the Korean body shape than imported brands; however, competitiveness has been hindered by public perception that domestic brands imitate imported brands. The results suggest that domestic brands can strengthen their competitiveness through promoting a lower price and size suited to Koreans while trying to change public perception as imitators of imported brands.
