• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.39-50
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• 2010

This paper compares a cross-cultural and gender differences and similarities about consumer ethical perceptions and behaviors, and ethical ideologies between Korean and the US college students. It also examines the relationships between consumers' ethical perceptions and behaviors, and the relationships between consumer ethics and ethical ideologies. This research provides some evidence that supports the premise that consumer ethics is influenced to an extent by consumers' nationality and gender. The differences are not universal, however, and could perhaps be described as situational. The American college consumers were found to be more idealistic and relativistic than the Korean college consumers. But the differences were minor The American male college consumers were found to be more idealistic than the American female college consumers. The ethical consumer groups were found to be more idealistic and less relativistic than were the unethical consumer groups. Perceptions were positively related to behaviors in the consumer ethics. But the magnitude of impacts is different between the nations and in the dimensions of consumer ethics.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.628-638
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• 1998

This study, the second in two part series, focuses on effect of product involvement and consumer knowledge on consumers' perceptions of six dimensions of clothing price: price -quality schema, prestige sensitivity: sale proneness, price mavenism, value consciousness, and price consciousness. Additionally, correlation between product involvement and consumer knowledge was examined. Multi-item measures of six dimensions of price, product involvement, and consumer knowledge were included in the questionnaires. The subjects were 264 college students living in Seoul, Korea. The data were collected by self-administered questionnaires and analyzed by factor analysis, regression analysis, and correlation analysis using SPSS PC. In addition, two focus group interviews were conducted to obtain qualitative data for the result interpretation. Results of this study showed that the degree of consumers' product involvement significantly affects consumers' perceptions of each price dimension except price consciousness dimension. Consumers' knowledge about clothing has a significant effect on consumers' perceptions of all price dimensions. Dimensions of product involvement and consumer knowledge were partially correlated. Marketing implications based on these results were suggested.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.857-872
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• 2014

This study investigates the effect of service ubiquity perceptions on consumers' responses to virtual stores such as benefit and risk perceptions, shopping value perceptions, and service usage intention. Data were collected via a self-administered online survey from nationwide consumer panels of an online marketing research firm. Questionnaire items were adopted from previous literature and developed by authors via pretesting to measure variables. The results revealed that virtual store service ubiquity affects consumer benefit perceptions as well as risk perceptions. All benefit perceptions (including time effectiveness, user control, and compatibility) had significant mediating effects between service ubiquity and hedonic/utilitarian shopping service value perceptions. The mediating effect of financial risk was significant only in the relationship between service ubiquity and utilitarian value perception. The findings offer retailers and marketers information in regards to consumers' perception of a virtual store usage, which can enhance service and product strategy.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

The objective of this study was to explore the role of familiarity in cross-cultural product perception and perception changes according to food systems (hot sauce and spicy-chicken) in Korean and US consumers. Free choice profiling was conducted by Korean and US consumers on four spicy-chicken samples made using four hot sauce samples. Half of the hot sauce samples were selected to be more familiar to US consumers and vice versa to Korean consumers. A previous study that investigated cross-cultural perceptions of the same four hot sauce samples in US and Korean consumers was incorporated in this study. For distinct sample differences, US and Korean consumers perceived products similarly. However, for less obvious differences, flavor familiarity seemed to affect consumers' product perceptions. In addition, product perceptions changed more dramatically according to food systems for familiar samples in each country. The findings of this study show that consumers' product perception can be affected by flavor familiarities.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.222-229
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• 2012

This study examined and compared the two perspectives of consumers and employees on the perceptions toward visual merchandising (VMD) of fashion brands in a department store. Importance of VMD elements, roles of VMD, evaluations of VMD elements, and brand and store images were measured and compared. The two types of questionnaires were used to collect data from consumers and employees. A total of 327 consumer samples and 317 employee samples were analyzed. The results showed that there was no difference between the two groups in what VMD elements were the most important. While employees perceived of the role of VMD higher than consumers, consumers evaluated two VMD element factors higher than employees and showed higher store image. Such results were not different by brand types. The study implies that the higher VMD perceptions of consumers are desirable to manage VMD from the employees' perspective.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.346-354
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• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: While the use of food additives in food processing has become a common practice worldwide, consumers' worry about potential hazards has not diminished. The purpose of this study was to identify trends in South Korean parents' perceptions about food additives by analyzing the results of surveys conducted from 2014 to 2018. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We conducted an off-line survey in Korea annually between 2014 and 2018 on perceptions about food additives. The numbers of survey respondents in each year from 2014 to 2018 were 381, 426, 301, 519, and 369, respectively. Our consumer respondents were parents of elementary-school-aged children. RESULTS: The ratios of respondents perceiving "food safety" as the most important factor in purchasing processed foods and "food additives" as the biggest threat to food safety have decreased over the years. However, most consumers still have negative perceptions of food additives. Additionally, among consumers lower confidence in or trust of the Korean government continued throughout the study period and appeared to be the main problem that needs to be overcome. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that Korean parents are still troubled by food additives. Consumers' confidence in the government needs to be increased through public communications. More multifaceted educational programs communicating scientific knowledge of food additives are needed in order to correct consumers' misperceptions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1793-1802
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• 2007

This study examined the relationship between consumers' ethical ideologies and consumers' perceptions of fashion counterfeits. Forsyth's Ethics Position Questionnaire(EPQ) measuring consumers' ethical ideologies-- idealism and relativism -- was used. College students enrolled at a large university in a metropolitan area participated(N=314). There were no significant differences between counterfeit purchasers and non-purchasers on their ethical ideologies, while there were significant differences between these two groups on their perceptions toward two of the perceptions toward counterfeit factors: economic and psychological uncertainty. Idealism was not significantly related to participants' perceptions toward fashion counterfeit, while relativism was positively related only to participants' perceptions concerning the return-related uncertainty of fashion counterfeits. The results of a multiple regression revealed that consumers' economic, psychological, and return-related uncertainty were significant predictors of intent to buy counterfeit goods.

• Fashion Information and Technology
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• v.2
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• pp.48-58
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• 2005

Purchase decision behavior for and satisfaction with apparel among retail buyers and consumers were compared. Kunz's behavioral theory of the apparel fm was the conceptual framework; Oliver's disconfirmation model guided measurement of satisfaction. Buyers and consumers indicated their perceptions about shopping orientations, variables that influenced apparel purchasing decisions, the importance of aspects of customer service and attributes that they expected to find and found when shopping. Surveys were mailed to retailers and consumers identified by random sampling of company lists. Respondents were 66 buyers and 344 consumers. MANOVA revealed differences in retailers 'and consumers' shopping orientations, the influence of variables on purchase decisions, and perceptions of the importance of customer service. Paired sample t tests indicated dissatisfaction for buyers on 10 apparel/shopping attributes and consumers on nine items. Results support the need for vertically integrated manufacturers to redesign strategies that are more appealing to both retail buyers and consumers.

• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.49-62
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• 1999

Since the Internet was applied for commercial purpose, many companies have been making use of the Internet in electronic commerce and the Internet has brought many changes on consumer and supplier behaviors. It seems that consumers and suppliers can obtain more accurate information rapidly and pay less for the same product/service than in traditional commerce. This study tries to investigate the difference in the cost factors perceived by consumers between traditional commerce and the Internet commerce. Empirical results show that there is no significant difference in consumers' perception of cost factors between traditional commerce and the Internet commerce. Contrary to general perception, a large number of consumers do not believe that the Internet commerce is generally more economical than traditional commerce. The factors where the consumers think Internet commerce has cost advantages are search cost and purchasing cost. However, consumers are understanding the benefits of the Internet commerce and are expecting that Internet commerce bring about economic advantages in consumer markets in the near future.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.63-72
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• 2019

Purpose: Black Friday is a globally used as a promotion event. A lot of South Korean retailers also have used it as their promotion concepts. But South Korean Consumers' response to Black Friday has never been investigated academically. This study examined Black Friday shopping of South Korean consumers, including experiences, perceptions, motives and shopping mechanism. Research design, data and methodology: To verify the purposes of this research, a survey was conducted with 462 participants. This study analyzed descriptive features of experiences, perceptions and motives and developed and tested the model of shopping mechanism. Results: South Korean consumers perceive Black Friday as one of the credible marketing tactics offering a big price discount. They have generally positive perceptions and shopping experiences toward Black Friday. The key motive of Black Friday shopping is for saving cost. In addition, for South Korean consumers, perceived deal value, perceived innovativeness, saving cost motive and fun motive are important antecedents of shopping on Black Friday, and attitude toward Black Friday plays a mediating role between antecedents and shopping behavior. Conclusions: The findings of this study provide practical and theoretical insight to understand the impact of Black Friday in South Korea.