Contents

Abstract............................................................................................................................. 2

Introduction to Consumer Behaviour....................................................................................... 3

The Apparel Industry............................................................................................................ 4

Consumer Behaviour in the Apparel Industry........................................................................... 4

Consumer Purchase Behaviour............................................................................................. 5

Factors affecting Consumer behavior..................................................................................... 6

1. CULTURAL FACTORS............................................................................................................. 6
2. SOCIAL FACTORS:................................................................................................................. 6
3. PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS.................................................................................................. 7
4. PERSONAL FACTORS............................................................................................................ 8

Case Study: CONSUMER PURCHASE BEHAVIOUR OF APPAREL AMONG COLLEGE GOING

STUDENTS........................................................................................................................ 8

RESEARCH GAP....................................................................................................................... 9
PROBLEM DEFINITION.............................................................................................................. 9
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY..................................................................................................... 9
Data Analysis and Findings........................................................................................................ 10

Conclusion....................................................................................................................... 12

Reference........................................................................................................................ 13

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Abstract
Consumer behaviour theories originated from psychology study in the beginning of 20th century
and did not become systematic theories until 1968.
With the increased importance of quick responsiveness, the fashion apparel industry shifted from
forecasting future trends into using real-time data to understand the needs and desires of the
consumers.
This research addresses the fashion consumer behaviour characteristics, and analyses the how
general consumer behaviour theories apply to fashion consumer behaviour, and what the
underlying causes that form the behaviours'. The analyses are based on combination and
comparison of conventional consumer behaviour theories basis. The main results from the
analyses are respectively obtained in 3 main terms: Decision making process and involvement,
Individual differences, and Group influences.
The three aspects try to cover the main topics according to general consumer behaviour theories.

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Introduction to Consumer Behaviour

Any individual who purchases goods and services
from the market for his/her end-use is called a
consumer.
Consumer Behaviour is a branch which deals
with the various stages a consumer goes through
before purchasing products or services for his end
use.
Consumer behaviour is the study of individuals,
groups, or organizations and the processes they
use to select, secure, use, and dispose of
products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy
needs and the impacts that these processes have
on the consumer and society.

From the marketing perspective, consumer behaviour research is a necessary tool

for the marketers to understand their target market and consumer group, in order to
develop marketing strategies. Because of this, the consumer behaviour theories
have been quickly applied to various sectors of all fields in the world.

Nature of Consumer Behaviour

It is influenced by various factors like, marketing factors, personal factors, and psychological
factors, and situational factors, social and cultural factors.
It undergoes a constant change.
Varies from consumer to consumer.
Varies from region to region.
Important to marketers.
Leads to purchase decision.
Reflects status.

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A purchase decision is the result of each and every one of these factors. An individual and a
consumer is led by his culture, his subculture, his social class, his membership groups, his
family, his personality, his psychological factors, etc. and is influenced by cultural trends as well
as his social and societal environment.
By identifying and understanding the factors that influence their customers, brands have the
opportunity to develop a strategy, a marketing message (Unique Value Proposition) and
advertising campaigns more efficient and more in line with the needs and ways of thinking of
their target consumers. A real asset to better meet the needs of its customers and increase
sales.

The Apparel Industry

Apparel is one of the basic necessities of human civilization along with food, water and shelter.
The Apparel Industry reflects peoples lifestyles and shows their social and economic status. The
Apparel and Textile industry is Indias second largest industry after the IT Industry.
Apparel industry is a billion-dollar industry employing millions of people around the world. Ever
since the economy became more global, consumers have to a large extent been affected by this
fast evolving industry. Fashion reflects our society and our culture, likewise it reflects how people
define themselves. The term involves change and can be defined as series of short-term trends.
One of the most interesting features of the apparel industry is that, it migrates from high cost
nations to the low cost nations. The growth of the domestic demand for clothing in India is linked
with the success of the retailing sector. India presently has entered the second phase of growth
and is witnessing a massive rise in the domestic demand. This is primarily due to the rise in the
standard of living caused by the rise in the middle-income groups. In our present economic world
of demand and supply, price and quality are the key factors, which determine the success of any
business.
The modern fashion industry is built on instant gratification.
In fast fashion, shift comes at a cost. In order to keep prices low, fast fashion retailer uses low
quality materials, selling items that wear out or tear in a span of few months. Rapidly shifting
trends mean consumers regularly buy new clothes without considering whether they are worth the
price.

Consumer Behaviour in the Apparel Industry

The conventional consumer behaviour acknowledged theory indicates that there are
three basic psychological processes that make up one important category of consumer
decision making in general, they are,

Information processing

Learning

Attitude and behaviour change.

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Fashion reflects the way the consumer reacts to and is influenced by social, economic,
technological, and others environmental forces in our lives.

Because fashion reflects life, consumers are obviously important in determining what
fashion will be and what the fashion industry will produce.

The ability to understand consumer preferences is a valuable asset at any level of the
fashion industry.

Fashion begins and ends with the consumer.

Fashion executives, marketers and merchandisers including buyers, designers learn about
consumer behaviour in order to get clues as to what products consumers might need or
want to buy in the future.

Consumer Purchase Behaviour

The actions a person takes in purchasing and using products and services, including the mental
and social processes that precede and follow these actions can be called as consumer behaviour.
It helps us to answer questions such as:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)

Why people choose one product or brand over another?

How they make these choices, and
How companies use this knowledge to provide value to consumers.

Consumer purchase decision process: Behind the visible act of making a purchase, lies a decision
that must be investigated. The purchase decision process is the stages a buyer passes through in
making choices about which products and services to buy.
There are five stages of consumer behaviour:

Due to the increase in the number of working people and substantial raise in income,
spending power has increased over the years, and particularly the young Indians in the age
of 15 25 like to shop more.

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Apparel is a highly symbolic product category due to its high visibility. Individuals will often
make assumptions about a persons self-concept simply on the basis of his/her clothing
(Soloman & Rabolt, 1999).

Self-concept is a dynamic structure that changes according to the nature of the social
surroundings or situation (Banister & Hogg, 2006).

Consumers will change their consumption behaviour based on a current change in their
self-concepts (Banister & Hogg, 2006).

Factors affecting Consumer behavior

1. CULTURAL FACTORS
Culture: Culture (or civilization) is the highest entity of personal identification with the society.
These entities were in the past the nations and could be in the future the civilizations (Western,
Muslim, Hindi, Chinese). Humane behaviour is largely learned. The growing child acquires a set of
values, perceptions, preferences and behaviours through a process of socialization involving the
family and other education institutions.

Subculture: Each culture consists of smaller subcultures that provide more specific identification
and socialization for its members. We can distinguish several subcultures in the different countries.
We can distinguish:
National groups (immigrants, Europeans and non-Europeans)
Religious groups (Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, Muslims, and Jews)
Geographical areas (Regions, regional identity)

2. SOCIAL FACTORS:
Social class: Social classes are relatively homogeneous and enduring divisions in a society,
which are hierarchically ordered and whose members share similar values interests and
behaviour Social classes show distinct product and brand preferences in such areas as clothing.
Social roles and statuses: A person participates in many groups throughout life such as family,
clubs, and organizations. The persons position in each group can be defined in terms of role and
status. A role consists of the activities that a person is expected to perform according to the

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persons around him or her. Each role carries a status reflecting the esteem accorded to it by
society. Roles and statuses are at the same time dynamic and static phenomena:
o they change with the economic and social progress (land owner, entrepreneur)
o People with higher status like to remain their position.
People choose products that communicate their role and status in society. But status symbols vary
for social classes and also geographically.

Reference group: A persons reference groups consist of all social groups that have a direct
(face to face) or indirect influence on the persons attitudes or behaviour (KOTLER, 2000, p. 163164). We distinguish different reference groups:
o Membership groups are the groups to which the person belongs.
o Non-membership groups are the groups to which a person not belongs, but which influence
the attitudes and behaviour of the person.
o Aspiration groups are groups to which a person would like to belong.
o Dissociate groups are groups whose values or behaviour are rejected.
Opinion leaders:Individuals which constitute source of information for specific products and
brands, and they influence consumer decisions (opinion follower).

3. PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS
Personality: The total internal characteristics of an individual that determines the way how he
reacts. (E.g. self-monitoring, self-concept, sociability, etc).
Self-concept: The picture or the perception that each individual has for his exterior appearance,
his mental faculties, his character and generally speaking what concerns the individual as a social
being.
Lifestyle: It expresses the values that an individual has in their life. It constitutes important
variable of market segmentation.
Perception: The process, with which an individual selects, organises and it interprets incomes of
information with an aim to create a reasonable picture for the world.
Beliefs and attitudes: The total knowledge from advertises or other promotion energies, but also
personal experiences, that the individual - consumer acquires and maintains in his memory.
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Configuration of specific beliefs and attitudes for specific products, specific brands, specific
retailers, even though for specific production countries.

4. PERSONAL FACTORS.
Age and life-cycle stage: People buy different goods and services over their lifetime. They eat
baby food in the early years, most foods in the growing and maturing years, and special diets in
the later years.

Lifestyle: People coming from the same subculture, social class, occupation but may lead
different lifestyles. A persons lifestyle in the persons pattern of living in the world as expressed in
the persons activities, interests, and opinions. Lifestyle portrays the whole person interacting with
his or her environment.
Occupation: A persons consumption pattern is also influenced by his or her occupation. A whitecollar worker will buy other clothing and food as a blue-collar worker.
Economic circumstances consist of their:
o spendable income
o savings and assets
o borrowing power
o Attitude toward spending and saving.

Case Study: CONSUMER PURCHASE BEHAVIOUR OF APPAREL AMONG

COLLEGE GOING STUDENTS

College students as a young consumer group have gained significant importance from
marketers in recent years because of their growing purchasing power.

They have easy access to credit cards and income from part-time jobs to spend.

Students tend to spend money on clothing and beauty products, and find these items to be
important.

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Therefore, college students apparel shopping orientation is important to research because

it is an important sector of consumer behaviour.

RESEARCH GAP
This study is further motivated by the gap in knowledge of apparel shopping behaviour in Indian
Apparel market and among college going students and the necessity for manufacturers, retailers,
marketers and researchers to gain scientific knowledge regarding variables influencing apparel
shopping behaviour.

PROBLEM DEFINITION

The research problem that directed this investigation is: What are the variables influencing
apparel shopping behaviour within a multicultural consumer society?

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design: First a secondary study is done on the apparel market in India through
books and the internet. Then a questionnaire is prepared to collect primary data from
management students of different areas, family income, gender, and attitude regarding
purchase behaviour of apparel.

Sampling design: A random sample of 315 students residing in Patna will be taken and
would cover people of different incomes and gender. 173 will be male and 142 will be
female (Considering a lot size of 35000 students)

Data collection: The primary data will be collected using a structured questionnaire.

Data analysis: The collected data was then analysed using various quantitative tools.

Data analysis and findings: Findings will be shown in bar graphs and pictorial diagrams
like pie chart.

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Data Analysis and Findings

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The conclusion that we can draw through this survey is that college going students do prefer
brands which provide comfort and fitting and also they prefer a reasonable price or discount price
product. These people hardly go for high range cloth.
It was also found that college students are frequent buyers and they prefer street shopping rather
than e-commerce and tailor made as they get maximum variety in stores.
Most of their purchases are a spur of the moment and when they see, they buy.
It was also found that to try out a new style college students are greatly influenced by celebrity
style but due unavailability of celebrity style in retail outlets they go with available style in store.

Conclusion
Growing economy has made Indian consumers more prosperous. An indication of this is clearly
given by the investigation on consumer behaviour of young Indian consumers in the age of 15-25.
Now-a-days, fashion clothing could be defined as fundamental for both reasons, firstly due to its
economic value and secondly due to the social function meaning that apparel provides to
consumers existence. However, with the growing level on both expectations and variety of
clothing products from current fashion consumers, companies are facing the problem to predict
what consumers are asking for, when and for what price.
As apparel is an important indispensable part of our life, so it is necessary to study the behaviour
of the consumer related to apparel buying. Once the buying behaviour of the consumer is
determined, its easy for marketers and businessmen to increase their sales and achieve
maximum profit.

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Reference

Fashion from concept to consumer; 4th edition; Gini Stephens Frings.

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