Elsevier

Journal of Business Research

Volume 65, Issue 11, November 2012, Pages 1583-1589
Journal of Business Research

Apparel product attributes, web browsing, and e-impulse buying on shopping websites

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.02.043Get rights and content

Abstract

This study explores the relationship among product attributes, web browsing, and impulse buying for apparel products in the Internet context. University students completed a total of 356 usable questionnaires. Data analysis was conducted using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling via LISREL 8.8. Findings confirm that apparel product attributes consist of three factors: variety of selection, price, and sensory attributes. The study confirms that two types of web browsing occur: utilitarian and hedonic. In an estimated structural model, the variety of selection has a positive effect on utilitarian web browsing, whereas price has a positive effect on hedonic web browsing. Additionally, utilitarian web browsing has a negative effect on impulse buying, whereas hedonic web browsing has a positive effect on impulse buying for apparel on shopping websites. In particular, the factors of variety of selection and sensory attributes have direct effects on e-impulse buying for apparel. Managerial implications for more effectively managing the process of securing online customers through the use of utilitarian and hedonic product information concludes the article.

Introduction

Recent reports maintain apparel retailers' websites are powerful drivers of online sales. In the United States, for example, online apparel sales for 2008 versus 2007 increased to $26.6 billion, which exceeded both computer and automobile sales. Forrester Research Inc. (2008) estimates U.S. online sales will rise 17% to $204 billion in the near future. South Korea is an Internet leader with the highest percent of users in the Asian market (Goad, 2000). Approximately 99% of South Korean Internet users make purchases online. Apparel is an especially common consumer purchase online (International Herald Tribune, 2008). In fact, online sales of apparel increased to $25 billion in 2008 from $23 billion in 2007. Furthermore, apparel ranked as the best-selling online product, accounting for 67% of retail sales in e-shopping venues (Korea National Statistical Office, 2009). Therefore, apparel e-tailers have a competitive advantage in creating business opportunities in the Korean marketplace.

Given the profitability of this category, e-tailers are taking advantage of apparel products. Apparel represents a constantly changing experiential product rich with symbolic meaning that can lead to various kinds of hedonic consumer behavior, such as browsing or impulse buying (Chang et al., 2004, Kim, 2008, Park and Kim, 2008). Many online researchers and practitioners would like to know how web browsing can spur online shoppers to purchase products they might not buy otherwise. Madhavaram and Laverie (2004) suggest that online retailing encourages impulse purchasing as consumers are able to browse and respond more easily to their changing moods (Donthu and Garcia, 1999, Lim and Hong, 2004, Madhavaram and Laverie, 2004, Pulliam, 1999, Rowley, 2001).

Recent research on web browsing focuses on not only utilitarian but also hedonic considerations, suggesting the importance of the hedonic aspects of impulse buying for apparel products (Jones et al., 2003, Lee and Lee, 2003, Phau and Lo, 2004, Park et al., 2006, Smith and Sivakumar, 2004). Apparel retailers need to give special attention to the conversion of web browsers to impulse purchasers as this shift will play an important role in the growth of e-business.

Product-specific attributes in websites encourage consumer browsing behavior, which can often lead to impulse buying behavior. Whether or not apparel product attributes contribute to impulse buying behavior is of particular interest. For traditional retailers, apparel is viewable as a high impulse product category (Bellenger et al., 1978, Lim and Hong, 2004, Park and Kim, 2008, Rhee, 2007). In general, informational and emotional web content such as screen design associates with web browsing (Lee and Lee, 2003). For feel and touch products such as apparel, however, product attribute presentation on a website are a critical stimulus to promote web browsing because consumers cannot try-on or touch apparel in the online shopping context. Therefore, e-business managers need to allocate critical factors of specific apparel attributes between sessions of hedonic and utilitarian browsing in order to attract browsers or first-time visitors and allow e-commerce sites to more profitably target and market to their customers. Despite the vast amount of data available online, few efforts identify the relationship between specific product attributes and web browsing behavior for apparel products in the online shopping context.

This study presents a model of Internet impulse buying for strategic e-business management in a specific product category and explores the critical factors of product attributes and their impact on browsing for apparel on shopping websites in a particular national market (South Korea). Specifically, the objectives are: (a) to identify critical factors of apparel product attributes relevant to web browsing (i.e., utilitarian vs. hedonic); and (b) to estimate a structural model of causal relationships among product attributes, web browsing, and e-impulse apparel buying on shopping websites. Such a focus on apparel products sheds light on complex issues in browsing online shopping venues, and provides opportunities for strategic development and promotion in fashion direct marketing. Due to the potential for strong growth in e-commerce in the South Korean market, this study also can help managers identify successful applications in apparel electronic marketing on a global basis.

Section snippets

Web browsing for apparel

The first stage of online shopping, web browsing, involves consumers skimming for information and making choices via the Internet (Rowley, 2001). Many consumers place great emphasis on browsing and information gathering while shopping online (Choi et al., 2005, Smith and Sivakumar, 2004). Browsing behavior has a longer flow state allowing consumers the opportunity to eliminate or reduce risks relevant to shopping tasks. Two types of searches categorize browsing: utilitarian and hedonic.

Measures

To test the proposed hypotheses, a self-administered questionnaire was developed using multi-item scales drawn from the literature. Questions mainly addressed product attribute, web browsing and e-impulse purchases on online apparel shopping websites. After initial questionnaire generation, in-depth interviews with university faculty and graduate students were conducted to refine the instrument. These interviews enabled the researchers to gauge the clarity of the tasks and verify that important

Measurement model result

With CFA assessing measurement reliability and validity, all observed indicators were set free by standardizing all exogenous and endogenous latent variables. CFA revealed the χ2 value was 631.41 with 237 degrees of freedom, which was significant (p < .001). Other fit indices were within acceptable ranges (GFI = .87; AFGI = .84; CFI = .97; RMSEA = .06). The measurement model presented in Table 1 shows the factor loadings for each construct as statistically significant and greater than .70 (i.e., ranging

Conclusions and implications

Within a dynamic e-tail environment, web browsing is viewed as an important part of the shopping experience. This study provides insight for marketers into developing e-business strategies by understanding impulse buying behavior in conjunction with browsing the web. The study focuses on three attributes as perceived by Korean consumers: variety of selection, price, and sensory attributes. The findings confirm that product attributes are significantly related to web browsing and e-impulse

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the following colleagues for their assistance in reviewing initial drafts of this research. Thomas A. Dukes, Troy University Montgomery; Walter Henley, University of North Alabama; Mary Catherine Colley, Troy University Phoenix City; and. Sampath Ranganathan, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

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    The lead author gratefully acknowledges financial support provided by the Dong-A University Research Fund to conduct this study.

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