Designed as a two-part study, the current study systematically evaluates the e-service quality performance of luxury fashion websites (Study 1) and investigates actual shoppers' perceptions and ...evaluations of the e-service quality of luxury fashion websites and their influence on e-satisfaction and e-loyalty (Study 2). This study further examines the moderating role of luxury online shoppers' income levels in the relationship among perceptions and evaluations of e-service quality, e-satisfaction, and e-loyalty. The results of the study confirm a preliminary stage of e-commerce development for luxury fashion websites, revealing a large gap between online and offline experiences. The comprehensive e-service attributes identified and empirically tested in the study will be useful to both academic researchers and industry practitioners not only for assessing current e-service quality, but also identifying specific areas for improvement.
The fashion industry generates packaging waste through the entire supply chain. Although brands are making efforts to improve packaging sustainability as demands for low-impact packaging are rising, ...there is a lack of empirical evidence of innovative packaging solutions among fashion retailers. This study represents the first global report on sustainable packaging innovation in the fashion sector. A data-mining approach was utilized to gather a sample of 400 international fashion brands that advertise sustainable packaging solutions across five continents. The sustainability of the packaging solution was evaluated for each brand based on three factors: sustainability mission, the availability of packaging data, and the actual sustainability of the package. The results showed that 57% of brands have made evident progress in the sustainable packaging area; 34% of brands have initiated the transition from conventional to improved packaging; the remaining brands have committed to rethink (1%) or to improve (8%) their packaging in the future. By providing comprehensive state-of-the-art evidence about practical achievements in the sustainable packaging field, this global report intends to help academics and practitioners to evaluate the environmental, social, and economic impacts of existing packaging products and to design circular packaging that minimizes these impacts.
PurposeThis empirical research, adopting an international retailing perspective, aims to examine the parenting advantages offered by emerging market multinationals (EMNCs) in luxury fashion retail ...sector.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers adopted a qualitative case study, and the qualitative data were collected through ten semi-structured interviews with senior managers.FindingsIt is a win–win situation for the EMNCs as parent groups of Western luxury fashion brands, as the EMNCs can access critical assets including advanced brand management expertise, retailing know-how, and the services skills needed for higher income consumers. Meanwhile, the subsidiary brands benefit from a high degree of autonomy, intra-group resource utilisation, a competitive brand portfolio and most importantly economies of scales in the value chain, particularly in production. The perceived risks of EMNCs ownership include potentially restricted autonomy and the uncertainty over corporate development activities in the future, as well as the risks of diluting brand image caused by the inconsistency between country of origin and country of ownership.Research limitations/implicationsVery few EMNCs have moved into luxury fashion retailing to date, which means that the sampling frame was small. The findings were generated from China, which is perceived to be of considerable psychic distance in terms of culture and policies compared to other emerging markets that have been heavily influenced by colonialism.Practical implicationsThis paper suggests that practitioners, particularly EMNCs, support their subsidiary luxury fashion brands through parenting advantages and develop their own high-end fashion brands through internationalisation.Originality/valueThis empirical study contributes to the current international retailing literature by offering in depth insights of parenting advantages offered by EMNCs in luxury fashion retailing. It also enriches the EMNC literature, which has mainly adopted an international business scope, by extending this understanding into luxury fashion retailing.
This research aims to empirically examine the internal branding processes implemented by a global sports fashion firm to turn all employees into competent brand ambassadors. Brand-oriented training ...was hypothesized as an antecedent of salesperson brand identification and brand commitment, which drive brand-aligned behavior, the critical trait of employee brand ambassadors. These hypotheses were tested by surveying 141 corporate and retail employees of a global sportswear fashion brand's regional operations in Mexico. The principal conclusion is that brand-oriented training proves a significant driver of salesperson brand identification. Furthermore, brand identification drives brand commitment and brand-aligned behavior among all company employees, not just salespersons
In recent efforts, instead of the conventional co-branding marketing approach, many fashion brands have tried to break through the original image by applying a crossover alliance method, and have ...achieved good results in practice. However, whether this kind of alliance can effectively enhance consumers’ online brand engagement is still a key question to be addressed. Using the S-O-R model, the paper introduces two mediating variables, novelty perception and hedonic perception, to explore the potential mechanism of brand image differences and product type differences on consumers’ online brand engagement under the background of a crossover alliance of fashion brands. This study shows that (1) brand image differences and product type differences positively affect consumers’ novelty perceptions and hedonic perceptions, and (2) such positive perceptions facilitate online brand engagement of consumers.
The assertive online strategies of Portuguese luxury fashion brands/designers (LFBDs) are essential for managers to succeed in the digital medium and establish long-lasting relationships with ...clients. This paper explores the challenges in digitizing all the distinctive elements of a luxury fashion brand: the product characteristics, the luxury atmosphere, the personalization of the service, and the services provided. Fourteen Portuguese brands/designers were selected for content analysis. According to Hansen’s framework, 43% of Portuguese LFBDs fail to share information about their companies on their websites, and only 43% include promotions. Only 36% have a community outside the websites, compared to 93% of the international luxury fashion brands. Moreover, Portuguese websites lack 360° technology and augmented reality. Considering the Digital Visual Merchandising – MVD Grid, Portuguese LFBDs do not allow multiple zooms and 2D F/T cursor change, while international brands feature these tools. Regarding the Social Media Performance Analysis Grid, the global average engagement rate of Portuguese LFBDs on Facebook is 0.19% and on Instagram – 0.89%. According to Social Media Content Analysis Grid, Portuguese brands bet a lot on sharing content in story format, mainly on Instagram; however, Facebook has a higher network value. Therefore, the findings show that Portuguese LFBDs should be present and market their products online. This online presence must be supported by a multi-channel strategy while maintaining luxury product characteristics and elements of differentiation.
AcknowledgmentThis study is partially financed by the Portuguese national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, under the project UIDB/05422/2020.
The aim of this study was to determine consumer segments based on the acceptance of shoppable ads from fashion brands on online social media platforms. To achieve this objective, we used the ...technology acceptance model (TAM) to offer a vision of the perceptions of the shoppable ads, attitudes and behaviors of social network users, using social media marketing activities as a background. Second, we searched for fashion social buyer segments using finite mixture partial least squares (FIMIX-PLS). Third, we sought to characterize these consumer segments. A sample of 486 users of social networks who accessed through mobile devices was obtained. The inclusion of social media marketing variables as antecedents of acceptance allowed us, to a large extent, to understand the intention to buy clothing by these social media users. The a posteriori segmentation technique helps to identify different types of users who use shoppable ads and their relationship with age and concerns about privacy, trust and purchases made on the Internet. The results show that, based on the explained variance and model fit, the proposed variables allow us to explain acceptance, with two groups of consumers within the sample being found.
This research investigates the attitudes and behaviors of Generation Z university students in the UAE towards sustainable fashion using a local college in Abu Dhabi as the study population. The ...literature review highlights a potential gap between the sustainability claims of Generation Z and their actual pro-environmental behaviour. The research aims to explore this gap by connecting the study to a Middle Eastern high-street fashion brand. The study uses components of Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour and Stern's Value Belief Norm Theory to design the research. The research gap is addressed using both qualitative and quantitative primary research methods. The survey data are analyzed using SPSS, with statistical analysis techniques such as correlation, cross-tabulation, frequency tables, and pivot tables. Thematic analysis is used to analyse the qualitative interview data. The findings suggest that the primary reasons for choosing the brand are modesty, price, and fashion, rather than its sustainability appeal.
PurposeThe aim of this paper is to identify ways and motives of application of e-commerce in the foreign expansion of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) fashion brands.Design/methodology/approachA ...multiple case study was used as the research method. Data were obtained from primarily in-depth interviews with managers of four Polish SMEs –fashion brands owners, whose products are sold in the foreign markets using e-commerce, and secondary sources.FindingsThrough this study the authors identified both strategic-proactive and market-reactive motives of e-commerce applications in SMEs’ fashion brands in the internet-enabled foreign expansion and three different models of usage of e-commerce in the foreign expansion of SMEs.Research limitations/implicationsThe research was based on the multiple case study of only Polish SMEs in the fashion industry. The conclusions of this study can be applied by fashion companies in their internet-based foreign expansion.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the existing body of literature on the internationalization process of SMEs, and particularly on the application of cross-border e-commerce in the foreign internet-enabled expansion of fashion SMEs by identifying three various models of applying e-commerce, in the internet-enabled foreign expansion and their both proactive and reactive motives.
The article’s purpose is to substantiate scientific and applied recommendations for the using of modern digital marketing tools to promote fashion brands. The subject of research is the theoretical ...foundations of the formation and operation of a system of priority channels for the promotion of brands of light industry enterprises in terms of increasing business risks. Methodology. The methods of scientific abstraction, analysis and synthesis, systemic, dialectical, expert, analogies and structural-functional research methods are used. Results. The study has shown that most of the world’s brands in the fashion industry determine e-commerce the main vector of their development. This is due to changes in consumer behaviour and due to the significant impact of the pandemic on the retail sector. There are highlighted adverse factors of development of Ukrainian fashion brands. It has been identified promising channels for promoting fashion brands in the online space. The use of User Journey Map and User Flow is justified to ensure the convenience of using the online store and reduce the amount of time spent on shopping. The key elements of the information architecture of the site are highlighted: cognitive load and mental models. The set of brand measures to encourage users to expand interaction with content (official advertising from the social network) (for Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest), advertising with well-known bloggers whose audience is similar to the brand’s audience (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), mass following and mass liking (Instagram); mutual PR (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok); Giveaway (Instagram)). Brand accounts must be fully consistent with the brand’s corporate identity and complement each other. There are shown the advantages of marketplaces in the promotion of goods of the fashion industry and the criteria for their selection in this market. There are determined the specifics of the use of social networks in the promotion of clothing and footwear brands. There are given characteristics of content in social networks Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest. There are proposed options for the development of stages of the sales funnel for fashion brands in social networks. It is determined that the strategy of brand development should be based on the specifics of the range in social networks, the portrait of the target audience, the character and DNA of the brand. It is based on the capabilities and goals of social networks. It is stated that with the correct use of resources and opportunities of social networks it is possible to ensure the growth of brand awareness and increase loyalty to it. Practical implications. The results of the study can be used to develop strategies and tactics for promoting fashion brands of Ukrainian companies in the Internet. Value/originality. The value of the article is due to the presence of recommendations for choosing the most effective channels for promoting fashion brands in the online space. There are proposed the functionality of the online store for fashion brands, the criteria for choosing marketplaces, the relevant social networks for the promotion of brands and the direction of their coordination with the company’s website.
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