Post-purchase Drama: Do the Retailers Lose from Girls Gone Wild in Fast Fashion Environments?

Young, female consumers are driven to purchase apparel products from fast fashion retailers (e.g., Zara, H&M, Forever 21) because the products are limited in number (i.e., scarce) (Mittone and Savadori 2009), only available for a limited time (i.e., perishable) (Cachon and Swinney 2011), and inexpensive (Byun and Sternquist 2011). These appealing characteristics encourage positive attitudes and subsequent purchase behavior (Homer and Kahle 1988; Kahle 1980), which is likely to be impulsive (Bhardwaj and Fairhurst 2009; Verplanken and Sato 2011). However, feelings of regret following impulse buying behavior may lead to product returns (D’Innocenzio 2011). Based on this reasoning, the following hypotheses were developed: H1: Perceived perishability is positively related to attitude toward fast fashion retailers; H2: Perceived scarcity is positively related to attitude toward fast fashion retailers; H3: Perceived low price is positively related to attitude toward fast fashion retailers; H4: Attitude toward fast fashion retailers is positively related to impulse buying behavior in fast fashion retail environments; H5: Impulse buying behavior in fast fashion retail environments is positively related to negative post-purchase emotional response; and H6: Negative post-purchase emotional response is positively related to product returning behavior in fast fashion retail environments.

To test the hypotheses, a convenience sample of 303 female undergraduate students completed a questionnaire containing multi-item scales based on previous literature (e.g., Rook and Fisher 1995). Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The final model showed moderate, but acceptable, fit (χ ² ₍₆₉₇₎ = 2,586.45, p = .00; CFI = .85; TLI = .84; RMSEA = .08). The paths to attitude toward fast fashion retailers from perceived perishability (γ = .14, t = 2.13, p ≤ .03), perceived scarcity (γ = .16, t = 2.21, p ≤ .03), and low price (γ = .05, t = 5.62, p ≤ .00) were all positive and significant. Thus, H1, H2, and H3 were supported. The path between attitude and impulse buying was positive and significant (γ = .08, t = 8.50, p ≤ .00), thus supporting H4. H5 was supported because the path between impulse buying at fast fashion retailers and negative post-purchase emotional response was positive and significant (γ = .04, t = 4.16, p ≤ .00). The last hypothesis proposed a positive relationship between negative post-purchase emotional response and product returning behavior. The path was positive and significant (γ = .12, t = 7.30, p ≤ .00). Thus, H6 was supported.

The results of the current study suggest that perceptions of scarcity, perishability, and low cost do have an indirect impact on young, female consumers’ impulse buying behavior via their attitudes toward fast fashion retailers. However, because impulse buying is associated with frequent product returns (Kang and Johnson 2009), fast fashion retailers may need to restrict returns or increase prices slightly to compensate for lost profits. The moderate fit of the model suggests that other constructs have an impact on consumers’ behavior in fast fashion retail environments. These additional antecedents and consequences of fast fashion consumption behavior may offer insights to practitioners and contribute to the process of theory building.