• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.41-58
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• 1999

The purposes of this study were 1) to segment the market based on purchase frequency of products such as apparel, food, home electronics, life commodity in department store and low-price retailing, 2) to identify differences among segments in belief and attitude toward each store, purchase frequency of apparel items in each store and demographic variables. The data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire from 274 married women living in Seoul, Korea and analyzed by factor analysis, cluster analysis, one-way ANOVA and x$^2$-test. The results of this study were as follows: First, using cluster analysis on purchase frequency of products in each store, four groups were identified and labeled as department store patronage/ non-purchasers of apparel in low-price retailing(25.2%), purchasers of apparel in department store and low-price retailing(16.8%), low-price retailing patronage(30.3%) and non-purchasers of products in department store and low-price retailing(27.0%). Second, a series of one-way ANOV As revealed significant differences among four segments on beliefs of low-price retailing(four store attributes: price and variety of apparel product, facilities for convenient shopping, promotion, brand-reputation and fashionability of apparel product) and department store(three store attributes: price and variety of apparel product, facilities for convenient shopping and promotion) and attitude toward low-price retailing and department store. Attitude toward each store was yielded using Fishbein's multiattributes model. There were also significant differences among groups in purchase frequency of seven apparel items in low-price retailing and six apparel items in department store, and six demographic and personal variables(age, educational status, type of husband's occupation, monthly income and housing). Finally, the papers discussed manageral implications for each segments as well as theoretical implications.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.373-384
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• 1999

The purposes of this study were 1) to test the differences between two groups who have high and low purchase of apparel in low-price retailing concerning consumers' beliefs and attitude toward low-prce retailing 2) to identify differences between these two groups in type of information search and use of information sources and 3) to investigate differences between department store and low-price retailing in consumers' satisfaction toward products and purchase frequencies of apparel items and differences between two groups in demographic variables. The data were collected via a self-administeered questionnaire from 474 femail adults in Seoul Korea and analyzed by factor analysis t-test and paired t-test. The results of this study were as follows : First based on a series of t-test and paired t-test. the results showed that those who had a high purchase of apparel in low-price retailing had significantly higher belief scores on all of the five store attributes and a more favorable attitude toward low-price retailing than did those who had low purchase. Second those who had high purchase of apparel in low-price retailing had significantly higher scores on ongoing and prepurchase information search and on use of mass media information and interpersonal information source than did those who had low purchase. Third in case of high purchase consumers of apparel in low-price retailing there were not found significant differences between department store and low-price retailing there were not found significant differences between department store and low-price retailing in purchase frequency on man's and women's casual wear of department stores than low-price retailing. However low purchase consumers of apparel in low-price retailing revealed significantly higher purchase frequency on all of seven apparel items of department stores than low-price retailing. Finally there were significant differences between two groups in demographic variables. The papers discussed theoretical implications as well as manageral implications.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.70-79
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• 2010

There has been some research conducted that addressed immoral consumer behaviors in Korea; however, most of this research focused on purchasing counterfeits or shoplifting. High return rates of apparel and used apparel returns have been acknowledged as problem areas within the fashion industry. However, very few researchers have addressed this issue. Therefore, the goal of this research was to explore consumer's retail borrowing experience using a mixed methods approach. In study 1 Korean consumer's retail borrowing experiences was explored through focus group interviews. Findings informed study 2 an examination of apparel consumers' attitudes toward retail borrowing behavior via an online survey. Findings assist both researchers' and practitioners' understanding of retail borrowing behaviors and provide insight into retail borrowing issues in the apparel retail industry. For study 1, five focus-group interviews were conducted with seven panels of individuals that had retail borrowing experience within the past year. Thirty-five Korean consumers who lived in a metropolitan area participated in the focus group interviews. Most of consumers were in their 20's (n=21) and were women (n=24). Most participants purchased apparel items from a retail store and returned the worn items for either a full refund or exchanged the worn item for another item. Motives underlying retail borrowing behavior included social needs, job-related needs, fashion needs, and "smart shopping." Similar to existing research findings from other countries, social needs were the most frequently mentioned cause of retail borrowing in fashion stores. Consumers' moral values, attitude toward large corporations, and prior retail borrowing experience were mentioned as possible factors affecting consumers' retail borrowing behavior. For study 2, the questionnaire used to gather the data was developed based on the findings of part I and existing research. Questions concerning consumers' moral beliefs, sensation seeking tendencies, self-worth, past retail job experience, retail borrowing experience, and some demographic characteristics were included in the questionnaire. The data were collected via an online survey using an online panel provided by a commercial online research company located in Seoul, Korea. In order to obtain various consumers, a quota sample was (male: female=1:1, 20's:30's:40's=1:1:1, retail experience: no retail experience=1:3) obtained from the company. A total of 401 consumers who had shopped for apparel items during the prior 6 months participated in the online survey. The results indicated that 19.7% of the respondents reported they had experience borrowing fashion merchandise. Among these individuals, male borrowers (57%) outnumbered female borrowers. In terms of age distribution, x2 revealed that there was a statistical difference between respondents with and without retail borrowing experiences: 41.8% of the respondents with retail borrowing experience were in their 40's, while respondents without retail borrowing experience were evenly distributed between their 20's to 40's. There was also a significant difference between respondents with and without retail borrowing experience in terms of income: respondents with retail borrowing experience tended to have higher incomes than those without retail borrowing experience. T-tests were performed to compare respondents' fashion shopping behavior, moral beliefs, sensation-seeking tendencies, and attitudes toward retail borrowing behavior between participants with and without retail borrowing experience. As compared to those with no borrowing experience, respondents with experience tended to shop for fashion items more frequently and spent more on shopping for fashion items. Consumers with experience borrowing tended to have higher sensation-seeking tendencies than consumers without retail borrowing experience. A regression analysis revealed that attitudes toward fashion retail borrowing were negatively related to consumers' moral beliefs, but positively related to monthly fashion shopping frequency, sensation-seeking tendencies, and past fashion retail borrowing experience. Among these variables, past retail borrowing experience was the most significant predictor, followed by moral beliefs. This research serves as an initial attempt to address the motives that underlie retail borrowing behaviors and the factors affecting those behaviors. The findings of this study may facilitate an understanding of the consumer's retail borrowing, which will provide a basis for approaches that may help decrease retail borrowing and inappropriate returns at fashion retail stores. The findings may also provide materials for consumer education over the long term. In order to better understand fashion retail borrowing behavior, more research is needed in the future.