Analysing customer satisfaction: Consumer behaviour of

young persons in the textile industry.

Graduate Technological Institute of Piraeus
Department of Business Administration
Marketing Laboratory
Monokrousos Gerasimos, Laidopoulos !leftherios, Igoumenidis "onstantinos#
Abstract
The sector of clothing in Greece is represented by different markets $hich differ as
for the %ualitatie, %uantitatie and functional characteristics that they hae# &lothing
and foot$ear constituted in '(() '*+ of consumer e,pense and based on estimates
and econometric studies $ill be marginally ascending until -*'* and $ill reach '',
./source0 1Data processing2 Greek national organisation of statistics, National
Accounts and Estimates3# This percentage sho$s that clothing is one of the biggest
consumption categories, and this fact makes young people a ery important customer
target group because they are the ones $ho spend a lot of money on clothing but also
because the latest fashion trends and most of the innoations in the te,tile industry are
related to them#
The aim of this surey is to e,amine the tendencies and consumer behaiour of the
young to$ard clothing and make clear the seeral factors that influence a young
person during the purchase process and categori4e them into the traditional buyer
models or try to find out another one ne$ model#
A surey $as conducted in order to achiee our ob5ecties $ith -.6 young people
$ith rate of respond 7., 77+ /'-73# The young people that finally composed the
sample come from arious financial and educational leels# 8e interie$ed them
using a %uestionnaire consisted from a ariety of '( %uestions diided in to$
categories /'- ordinal and 6 nominal3# In our statistical analysis $e $orked $ith
Descriptie 9tatistics in order to group the ariables gien from the %uestionnaire and
carry out useful results#
'
The ob5ectie of this research is to e,amine the repercussions of the psychological
and social influences inflicted on the customer during the decision : making process#
Issues treated by this research include0 effects of moties in consumer behaiour,
decision :making, loyalty to the brand, the relationship $ith the product, assessment
of attitudes and their changes, social and cultural effects on consumer attitude, typical
consumer models, applications related to market segmentation, product positioning
and promotion, as $ell as the share of preference en5oyed by clothing companies#
;ur main results hae to do $ith the reasons that a young person makes a buying
process# 8e hae a group of people $ho are traditional buyers and they buy 5ust to
coer their needs and other, $ho buy because they recogni4e buying process as a
game or a kind of entertainment and they $ant to sho$ their financial class and their
status through the purchase and use of e,pensie brand name#
In the globali4ation era, $hen the sector in %uestion is under arious kinds of
pressure /large department store chains, illegal trade, lo$ : cost imported products
such as &hinese ones etc3 and the Greek clothing retail business is going through a
crisis, especially as far as the single proprietor is concerned, this research and its
results, can produce important ans$ers as to $hat factors influence a young person
during the purchase process, $hat can urge them into making a purchase and $hat the
additional product oriented serices they consider indispensable for a company#
;ur suggestions for future research should be carried out and focus on the satisfaction
of young people after buying process and the factors that influence and increase this
satisfaction#
The outcomes and implications for practice of this paper is that it gies useful ans$ers
in the %uestion 1$hich is the factors that influence a buyers behaiour<2 and can gie
some suggestions about the additional serices that a company should offer to the
customer such as parking serices, after sales serices, pre=sales serices or about the
$ay and the time that the companies should deelop their product promotion and their
strategic marketing plan#
-
;n the one hand, this paper makes clear the $hole serice pack that a young person
re%uires from a te,tile company# ;n the other hand, after a lot of years $hen today>s
young person $ill became parents $e can make clear if their no$adays behaiour is
influenced only by their age or it is a diachronic and constant behaiour#
"ey $ords0 consumer behaviour, customer satisfaction, clothing purchase, textile
industry.
Introduction
In the shade of the socio=economic crisis that dominates in the unified $orld=$ide market,
the need for study and analysis of modern consuming tendencies that conditions the
consuming enironment, becomes easily perceptible
A lot of researches, such as that of ?en=@ung @uang, Bruce &# A# Lee and 9hu @sun @o,
$hich $as published in -**7 in the International Marketing Beie$, erify the general
perception that the purchasing force of consumers is influenced by market>s conditions and
influences the market too, as much on an international leel or on a local# Also, more
researchers in the $orld deal daily $ith the obseration of tendencies that condition the
consuming market#
The sector of clothing constitutes one of the largest consuming categories# The latest
tendencies of fashion and most innoations of the market of clothing are addressed mainly to
the young persons#
8orthy of report is the fact that in the current societies, the consumers 1buy2 the real
transaction of purchase $ith all ritual# More analytically, they isit shops, they look at the
shop $indo$s, and they make market research before they proceed to some purchase and
finally are guided to the item that coers better their needs# As @etherington said indeed in
'((-, a lot of economists consider that there e,ists an entire ritual, a classification of factors
of festie nature in the culture of consumerism#
In Greece, it is estimated that significant changes $ill be marked by -*'* according
to a study of I#!#I#B /Institute of !conomic and Industrial Besearch, '(()3, in the amount of
consuming e,penses and in the model of consumption of Greek households#
C
By the end of the )*>s, changes are obsered in the preferences of Greek consumers
in reference to the categori4ation of needs but also to the pecuniary compensation that they
use for the ac%uisition of goods# More concretely, the degree of reaction of the Greek
consumer to changes of the aailable for consumption income sho$s that no$adays clothing
and foot$ear do not constitute a priority contrary to the categories of health, transports and
communications, entertainment, education and serices# Deertheless, the forecasted
tendency of consuming e,pense for the category of clothing appears according to is ascendant
and at least for the last decade, to touch upon a percentage almost e%ual to $hat had been in
the late )*>s# This deelopment is mainly the result of a continuous increase in the national
income in this decade and an increase improement in the naturally aailable income of
households#
The present research studies the consumer behaior and the satisfaction of the
modern Greek consumers# It researches into the ie$s of young persons aged ')=-6 years as
for their preferences in clothing and the factors that influence their purchasing behaior# The
study and analysis of the consumer as deciding is also remarkable# !mphasis is gien in the
strategic repercussions of the psychological and social influence that the consumer undergoes
during the process of decision=making. Einally, an e%ually important aim is the e,amination
of models of consumer behaior# 9ub5ects that should be coered include0 influence of
moties in the behaior of the consumer, decision=making, elaboration of information,
perceptions, concentration in the brand name of product, product>s marketing mi,,
measurement and change of attitudes, social and cultural effects in the behaior of the
consumer, models of consumer behaior, applications in the apportionment of the market, the
placement and the promotion of products#
2. Literature review
2.. Consumer !ehaviour.
Definition0 The official definition of consumer behaiour is gien by the American
Marketing Association as0 the dynamic interaction of the affect and cognition, the
behaiour and enironment through $hich people carry out transactions in their life#
/Bennett '((F, page F(3#
&onsumer behaiour reflects consumers> decisions $ith respect to0
the ac%uisition, consumption, and disposition
of goods and serices, time, and ideas
7
By /human3 decision making /oer time3#
/Prof# Dr# Maggie Geuens, &onsumer Behaiour, '(((3
&onsumer receies stimuli $hich affect on his consuming behaiour# This stimuli
comes from0
The financial enironment /faourable or ominous financial conditions3#
The political enironment /smoothly or foggy political setting3#
The technological enironment /technological progress or recession3#
The company>s marketing mi, as for the product, the price, the place and the
promotion# /!#g# a teleision adertising spot or a handing=oer in the price of
product3#
"ive#$tage %odel of the buying process:
/"otler '((C, p# ')-3
This model implies that consumers pass through all fie stages in buying a product#
This may be the case in high=inoling purchases# In lo$=inolement purchases,
consumers may skip or reerse some of these stages# This model sho$s the full range
of considerations that arise $hen a consumer face a highly inoling ne$ purchase#
Through the studying of consumer behaiour some fundamental %uestions comes
abroad such as0
8hy does consumer buy a product<
@o$ does consumer buy the product<
@o$ does consumes or use the product<
@o$ does consumer deelop a product after buying it<
@o$ consumer e,empted from the product /or his packing3 after its
usage<
F
/Prof# Dr# Maggie Geuens, &onsumer Behaiour, '(((3
Those %uestions find ans$ers through the study of the factors that influences
consumer>s behaiour# Those factors are separated in four categories0 social, cultural,
demographical and psychological# Those factors and its categories are the follo$ing0
1. CULTURAL FACTORS
Culture: &ulture /or ciili4ation3 is the highest entity of personal identification $ith
the society# These entities $ere in the past the nations and could be in the future the
ciili4ations /8estern, Muslim, @indi, &hinese3# @umane behaiour is largely
learned# The gro$ing child ac%uires a set of alues, perceptions, preferences and
behaiours through a process of sociali4ation inoling the family and other
education institutions#
Subculture0 !ach culture consists of smaller subcultures that proide more specific
identification and sociali4ation for its members# 8e can distinguish seeral
subcultures in the different countries# 8e can distinguish0
G Dational groups /immigrants, !uropeans and non=!uropeans3
G Beligious groups /&atholics, Protestants, ;rthodo,, Muslims, and ?e$s3
G Geographical areas /Begions, regional identity3
.
2. $&CIAL "AC'&($:
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 roduct and brand
references in such areas as clothing, home furnishing, leisure activities,
automobiles, and food and beverages! "#$%&E', ())), ! *+*,
Social roles and statuses: A person participates in many groups throughout life such
as family, clubs, and organi4ations# The person>s position in each group can be
defined in terms of role and status# A role consists of the actiities that a person is
e,pected to perform according to the persons around him or her# !ach role carries a
status reflecting the esteem accorded to it by society# Boles and statuses are at the
same time dynamic and static phenomena0
o they change $ith the economic and social progress /land o$ner, entrepreneur3
o People $ith higher status like to remain their position#
People choose products that communicate their role and status in society# But status
symbols ary for social classes and also geographically#
Reference group: 1A person>s reference groups consist of all social groups that hae
a direct /face to face3 or indirect influence on the person>s attitudes or behaiour2
/";TL!B, -***, p# '.C='.73# 8e distinguish different reference groups0
o Membership groups are the groups to $hich the person belongs#
o Don=membership groups are the groups to $hich a person not belongs, but
$hich influence the attitudes and behaiour of the person#
o Aspiration groups are groups to $hich a person $ould like to belong#
o Dissociate groups are groups $hose alues or behaiour are re5ected#
Opinion leaders: Indiiduals $hich constitute source of information for specific
products and brands, and they influence consumer decisions /opinion follo$er3#
3. PSYCOLO!"CAL FACTORS
Personalit#$ The total internal characteristics of an indiidual that determines the $ay
ho$ he reacts# /!#g# self=monitoring, self=concept, sociability, etc3#
6
Self%concept$ The picture or the perception that each indiidual has for his e,terior
appearance, his mental faculties, his character and generally speaking $hat concerns
the indiidual as a social being#
Lifest#le$ It e,presses the alues that an indiidual has in their life# It constitutes
important ariable of market segmentation#
&oti'ation.
Perception$ The process, $ith $hich an indiidual selects, organises and it interprets
incomes of information $ith an aim to create a reasonable picture for the $orld#
(eliefs and attitudes$ The total kno$ledge from adertises or other promotion
energies, but also personal e,periences, that the indiidual = consumer ac%uires and
maintains in his memory# &onfiguration of specific beliefs and attitudes for specific
products, specific brands, specific retailers, een though for specific production
countries#
). P*RSO+AL FACTORS.
Age and life%c#cle stage: People buy different goods and serices oer their lifetime#
They eat baby food in the early years, most foods in the gro$ing and maturing years,
and special diets in the later years#
Lifest#le: People coming from the same subculture, social class, occupation but may
lead different lifestyles# A person>s lifestyle in the person>s pattern of liing in the
$orld as e,pressed in the persons actiities, interests, and opinions# Lifestyle portrays
the 1$hole person2 interacting $ith his or her enironment#
Occupation: A person>s consumption pattern is also influenced by his or her
occupation# A $hite=collar $orker $ill buy other clothing and food as a blue=collar
$orker#
*cono,ic circu,stances consist of their0
o spendable income
)
o saings and assets
o borro$ing po$er
o Attitude to$ard spending and saing#
To sum up, $e can conclude that consumer>s behaiour in interaction $ith the factors
that influenced it can be attributed concisely $ith the follo$ing diagram0
2.2 Customer $atisfaction.
Besearchers define consumer satisfaction in arious $ays /see Table '3# 9ome of the
definitions proided in the consumer satisfaction literature are fundamentally inconsistent
$ith one another# In other cases, the definitions hae oerlapping components but are
partially inconsistent# 8hen e,amined as a $hole, three general components can be identified
(
in e,tant definitions0 '3 consumer satisfaction is a response /emotional or cognitie3H -3 the
response pertains to a particular focus /e,pectations, product, consumption e,perience, etc#3H
and C3 the response occurs at a particular time /after consumption, after choice, based on
accumulated e,perience, etc3# As can be seen by e,amining Table ', these three general
categories capture the essence of all the definitions presented# As e,pected, e,isting
definitions are inconsistent in the specifics associated $ith the type, focus and timing of the
satisfaction response#
'A!L)
Conceptual and &perational *efinitions in Consumer $atisfaction Literature
Tse and
8ilton
'())
The consumer>s response to the
ealuation of the perceied discrepancy
bet$een prior e,pectations /or some
norm of performance3 and the actual
performance of the product as
perceied after its consumption /p#
-*73#
Besponse
to the
ealuation
Perceied
discrepancy bet$een
prior e,pectations /or
some norm of
performance3 and the
actual performance of
the product
Post
consump
tion
&adotte,
8oodruff
and
?enkins
'()6
&onceptuali4ed as a feeling deeloped
from an ealuation of the use
e,perience /p# C*F3#
Eeeling
deeloped
from an
ealuation
Ise e,perience During
consump
tion
8estbroo
k '()6
Global ealuatie 5udgment about
product usageJconsumption /p# -.*3
Also cited @unt /'(663#
Global
ealuatie
5udgment
Product
usageJconsumption
During
consump
tion
LaBarber
a and
Ma4ursk
y '()C
Post purchase ealuation# &ited
;lier>s /'()'3 definition0 An
ealuation of the surprise inherent in a
product ac%uisition andJor consumption
e,perience /p# C(73#
!aluation 9urprise Post
purchase
Product
ac%uisiti
on andJor
consump
tion
e,perien
ce
8estbroo
k and
Beilly
'()C
An emotional response to the
e,periences proided by and associated
$ith particular products or serices
purchased, retail outlets, or een molar
patterns of behaiour such as shopping
and buyer behaiour, as $ell as the
oerall marketplace /p# -F.3# An
emotional response triggered by a
cognitie ealuatie process in $hich
the perceptions of /or beliefs about3 an
ob5ect, action, or condition are
compared to one>s alues /or needs,
$ants, desires3 /p# -F)3#
!motional
response
!,periences proided
by and associated
$ith particular
products or serices
purchased, retail
outlets, or een molar
patterns of behaiour
such as shopping and
buyer behaiour
Perceptions of /or
beliefs about3 an
ob5ect, action, or
condition are
compared to one>s
alues
Postpurc
hase
&hurchill
and
9urprena
nt '()-
&onceptually, an outcome of purchase
and use resulting from the buyer>s
comparison of the re$ards and costs of
the purchase relatie to anticipated
conse%uences# ;perationally, similar to
attitude in that it can be assessed as a
;utcome &omparison of the
re$ards and costs of
the purchase relatie
to anticipated
conse%uences
Implies
after
purchase
and use
$ource Conceptual *efinition (esponse "ocus 'ime
;lier
'((6
The consumer>s fulfilment response# It
is a 5udgment that a product or serice
feature, or the product or serice itself,
proided /or is proiding3 a pleasurable
leel of consumption=related fulfilment,
including leels of under= or oer
fulfilment /p# 'C3
Eulfilment
responseJ5udg
ment
Product or
serice
During
consump
tion
@alstead,
@artman,
and
9chmidt
'((7
A transaction=specific affectie
response resulting from the customer>s
comparison of product performance to
some prepurchase standard /e#g#, @unt
'(66H ;lier '()(3 /p# '--3#
Affectie
response
Product
performance
compared to
some
prepurchase
standard
During
or after
consump
tion
Mano
and
;lier
'((C
/Product satisfaction3 is an attitude =
like post consumption ealuatie
5udgment /@unt '(663 arying along
the hedonic continuum /;lier '()(H
8estbrook and ;lier '(('3 /p# 7F73#
Attitude =
ealuatie
5udgment
Karying along
the hedonic
continuum
Product
Post
consump
tion
Eornell
'((-
An oerall post purchase ealuation
/p#''3#
;erall
ealuation
Post purchase
perceied
product
performance
compared $ith
prepurchase
e,pectations
Post
purchase
8estbroo
k and
;lier
'(('
A post choice ealuatie 5udgment
concerning a specific purchase
selection /Day '()73 /p# )73#
!aluatie
5udgment
9pecific
purchase
selection
Post
choice
;lier
and 9$an
'()(
Do conceptual definition# /8ith the
salesperson3 a function of fairness,
preference, and disconfirmation /pp#
-)=-(3#
9alesperson
During
purchase
'*
summation of satisfactions $ith arious
attributes /p# 7(C3#
;lier
'()'
An ealuation of the surprise inherent
in a product ac%uisition andJor
consumption e,perience# In essence,
the summary psychological state
resulting $hen the emotion
surrounding disconfirmed e,pectations
is coupled $ith the consumer>s prior
feelings about the consumption
e,perience /p# -63#
!aluation
9ummary
psycholog
ical state
!motion
9urprise
Disconfirmed
e,pectations coupled
$ith the consumer>s
prior feelings
Product
ac%uisiti
on andJor
consump
tion
e,perien
ce
9$an,
Tra$ick
and
&arroll
'()*
A conscious ealuation or cognitie
5udgment that the product has
performed relatiely $ell or poorly or
that the product $as suitable or
unsuitable for its useJpurpose# Another
dimension of satisfaction inoles
affect of feelings to$ard the product /p#
'63#
&onscious
ealuation
or
cognitie
5udgment
Another
dimension
inoles
affect of
feelings
Product has
performed relatiely
$ell or poorly or that
the product $as
suitable or unsuitable
for its useJpurpose
To$ard the product
During
or after
consump
tion
8estbroo
k '()*
Befers to the faourability of the
indiidual>s sub5ectie ealuation of
the arious outcomes and e,periences
associated $ith using or consuming it
/product3 /@unt '(663 /p# 7(3#
Eaourabil
ity of the
indiidual>
s
sub5ectie
ealuation
;utcomes and
e,periences
During
consump
tion
&ustomer satisfaction has three stages0
'# The pre=sales stage $here there are the e,pectations for the product, the profits, the
price and the aailability of product#
-# The sales stage $hen customer trays the enironment, the product, the type of
serice, the deliery, the %uality and the redress from the market#
C# The after=sales stage $hen customer e,pects the support or the adices, the
replacement of product or the return of sum, repairs and processes of charges#
/&hurchill and 9uprenant, '()-3#
As concluded by the literature reie$ and alidated by the group and personal
interie$ data, there appears to be three essential components of consumer
satisfaction0
''
'# 9ummary affectie response $hich aries in intensityH
-# 9atisfaction focus around product choice, purchase and consumptionH and
C# Time of determination $hich aries by situation, but is generally limited in
duration# /Giese and &ote J Defining &onsumer 9atisfaction, -**-3
So consumer satisfaction is:
A su,,ar# affecti'e response of 'ar#ing intensit#. %he e-act tye of affective
resonse and the level of intensity likely to be e-erienced must be e-licitly
defined by a researcher deending on the conte-t of interest!
.ith a ti,e%specific point of deter,ination and li,ited duration. %he researcher
should select the oint of determination most relevant for the research /uestions
and identify the likely duration of the summary resonse! 0t is reasonable to
e-ect that consumers may consciously determine their satisfaction resonse
when asked by a researcher1 therefore, timing is most critical to ascertain the
most accurate, well2formed resonse! 3irected toward focal aspects of product
ac-uisition and.or consu,ption. %he researcher should identify the focus of
interest based on the managerial or research /uestion they face! %his may include
a broad or narrow range of ac/uisition or consumtion activities4issues!
/Giese and &ote J Defining &onsumer 9atisfaction, -**-3
*issatisfaction.
&onceptuali4ing dissatisfaction has receied relatiely little attention in consumer
research# The e,isting research in the area has e,amined the unidimensionality of the
satisfaction J dissatisfaction construct /Maddo, '()'H 9$an and &ombs '(6.3#
Besearchers hae taken t$o approaches to conceptuali4ing and operationali4ing the
dissatisfaction construct0
&onsumer dissatisfaction is portrayed as the bipolar opposite of
satisfaction /e#g#, Mittal, "umar, and Tsiros '((( /completely
satisfiedJery dissatisfied3 9preng, Mac"en4ie, and ;lshasky '((.
/ery satisfiedJery dissatisfied33H
;r
'-
&onsumer satisfaction and dissatisfaction are ie$ed as t$o
different dimensions /e#g#, Mano and ;lier '((C and 8estbrook
and ;lier '((' use unipolar satisfaction and unipolar
dissatisfaction measures3#
(easons for reali+ation of purchases
The reasons that are considered by young people as important for the reali4ation of
purchases are0
The pleasure from the process of purchase# This is the main reason that affects
the consumers at a percentage of CC,( +#
9atisfaction of the need for pro5ection and a sense of uni%ueness# !ach person and
especially young persons $ant to feel comfortable in his clothes and distinctie#
!specially this reason is catching on at a percentage of CC,(+ that is also a ery
high percentage#
A lesser percentage goes to clothes being $orn out#
Einally it is reali4ed at a percentage of 76, )+ that ne$ consumers buy things that
they neer use because they see the purchasing process as recreational#
%ethodology
Structure of -uestionnaire
In order to study the need of clothing satisfaction in young persons a research
$as held $ith the help of a suitable %uestionnaire# The %uestionnaire is constituted by
'( %uestions of closed type, $hich is diided into0
'- categorical /nominal3 and,
6 ordinal, %uestions#
Eor the achieement of the research ob5ecties a %uestionnaire of Kidal Dia4
Bada from the Iniersity of Daarre, $as used /a single consumer or different types
of consumer, '(()3 translated and modified according to the needs and the aims of
research but also according to the Greek reality#
The %uestionnaire referred to issues $ith regard to0
'C
The recording of place of reali4ation of purchases#
The consuming satisfaction from the purchases that they reali4e#
The factors that influence the consumers in their purchases#
The satisfaction that they feel from the process of purchase#
Their preferences, by means of a list of the most popular companies of clothing#
Eor the ans$ers $as selected the fifth degree Linkert scale from 1Disagrees
Absolutely2 /'3 until 1Agrees Absolutely2 /F3# Einally, categorical and ordinal %uestions of
closed type $ere used# Eor the statistical analysis the statistical parcel 9P99 $as used# As
statistical analysis method, the descriptie statistics $ere used, $hich contribute in the
inferences of useful conclusions $ith the calculation of meters as the medium, the median, the
top, the breadth, the %uadrants as $ell as the fre%uencies# Also for the better optical
comprehension of results $ere used histograms#
$election of sample
The research took part in the $ider region of Athens $hich demographically coers
the 7*+ of the country# 8e $ere addressed to the F,F6+ of young persons $ho lies in the
$ider region of Attica aged from ') to -6 years /GB!!" DATI;DAL 9TATI9TI&AL
;BGADI9ATI;D3# That corresponds the ',7)+ of young persons in entire country /GB!!"
DATI;DAL 9TATI9TI&AL ;BGADI9ATI;D3# 8e $ere addressed in -.6 indiiduals
form $hich only '-7 $ere supplemented and filled the specifications, so the rate of the
successful ans$ering is 7., 77 +#
%ethod of collection of elements
By the e,isting '-7 %uestionnaires -7 $ere selected $ith accidental sampling, for the
control of any faults or omissions# Then the ans$ers that e,ist in the %uestionnaires $ere
checked $ith the ans$ers $hich hae been typed in 9P99# Erom this check no result error
registrations, double registrations or omissions $as found#
,eriod of conduct of research
The research took place from -F=''=-** 7 until -F=F=-**F in a period of . months,
included also authorLs process#
'7
*emographic elements
The age mean of the asked persons is the -' years# The 7C, F+ asked is men and the
F., F+ $omen#
Diagram '0 Percentage of men =$omen
Researc/ for t/e clot/ing preferences of #oung persons
The sum that is e,pended on aerage for clothing annually is 'CF(M# Because
there is no symmetry of sample>s ariable mean /factor of asymmetry 9 N 7,C*.O'3
cannot be considered the medium numerical representatie statistical meter# The
preailing price that is simultaneously also sample>s intermediate is calculated in
'***M# The e%uality of this t$o statistical meters of location made us to consider the
price of '***M ery significant# Thus, the .-, .+ of sample e,pends appro,imately
'***M for clothing $hile remainder percentage C6, 7+ e,pends aboe '***M# The
table $ith the more important meters of location and dissemination that concerns the
sum that is being e,pended annually for clothing is gien belo$#
Table1 : Sum expended annually for clothing
Mean
'CF(,FF
Median
'***
'F

MEN-WOMEN

4!"#$
"%!"#$
Mode
'***
Std. Deviation
'7**,CC
Skew ness
7,C*.
Std. Error of Skew ness
,-')
Range
()**
Minimum
-**
Maximum
'****

8ith a first ie$ to the follo$ing diagram and to the table $here is presented
the means of annual e,penses of men and $omen $e obsere that there does not e,ist
difference in the amount that is e,pended by these t$o categories# It is more erified
also $ith a t = test by $hich it is checked if the means are same# 9o it is e,amined the
hypothesis m'Nm- /m' the mean of men and m- of $omen3# Erom this control of
hypothesis check it results that m'Nm-#
*iagram 2: ,ercentage of annual expenses -men# women.
Q15
5
0
0
0
,
0
0
3
0
0
0
,
0
0
2
3
0
0
,
0
0
1

0
0
,
0
0
1
5
0
0
,
0
0
1
3
5
0
,
0
0
1
2
0
0
,
0
0
1
0
0
0
,
0
0
!
0
0
,
0
0
"
5
0
,
0
0
"
0
0
,
0
0
#
0
0
,
0
0
5
0
0
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0
0
$
0
0
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0
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0
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M
i
s
s
i
n
g
%
e
r
&
e
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t
#0
50
$0
30
20
10
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Q1"
'()*+,*
*)-R*S
'able /: Average of annual expenses -%en#0omen.
'.

1iews for the choice of shop
Important criterion for the shop choice constitutes the ariety of the colors,
models /6'+3, serice /6C, 7+3, and the easy access $ith the means of mass transport
/.-, (+3 and finally the shop=$indo$ /.-, '+3# This percentage comes from the sum
of the ans$ers 1enough important2 and 1ery important2# Belo$ $e gie the table
that appears the means and the formal diergences of indiidual criterion that are used
in the shop choice for the purchase of some clothing# Although these criterion are
presented $ith order of classification#
'able 2: Criterion for the selection of the shop
Mean Std. Deviation
SER.+/E 3,!" ,!1$
.*R+E-( 01
/020RS *)D
DR*3+)'S
3,"3 1,0$$
S40%53+)D03 3,#2 1,1$3
E*S( *//ESS 6(
MM-
3,#0 1,12$
M*) ) 5$
Mean 13#1,5"
Std. Deviation 150,"
30M*) ) #!
Mean 135",!"
Std. Deviation 1320,$"

'6
S-R*-E'+/
20/*-+0)
3,2 1,123
*2-ER)*-+.ES 01
%*(
2,!" 1,30!
/*%*6+2+-( 01
%*R,+)'
2,"! 1,35
!,amining the preference of consumers for the type of shop that is selected for
the purchases of clothing goods, is concluded that big part of ne$ purchasers does not
prefer the $ard shops /percentage of negatie ans$ers roughly e%ual $ith .F,C+3, the
stock houses /66,7+3, and hypermarkets /rate of refusal (6,.3# The commercial
centers and department stores assemble the bigger percentage of positie ans$ers# ;f
course it has to be pointed out that for the department stores and commercial centers
the negatie and positie ans$ers are shared# 9imply $e consider these t$o categories
the most preferable market locations because the remainder categories present ery
small percentage of positie ans$ers#
In search of tendency for the preailing regions that prefer the young persons for
their purchases the &entre assembles the biggest percentage of preferences /7*,
C+3# The region of Piraeus constitutes the second pole of attraction /--, .+3#
9ignificant element of research constitutes the finding of '- most popular companies
of clothing that prefer the young persons# The table of these companies $here
criterion of classification constituted the mean is gien belo$#
Table ": %ost popular companies
Mean Std. Deviation
)+,E ,5! ,50
D+ESE2 ,55 ,$!
7*R* ,53 ,500
*D+D*S ,52 ,501
%8M* ,$1 ,$!5
-0MM( 4+21+'ER ,3 ,$!
2E.+9S ,35 ,$0
09)E+2 ,31 ,$##
D.,.).( ,2 ,$51
')
/*2.+) ,2E+) ,2" ,$$"
-R8SS*RD+ ,22 ,$1!
)*8-+/* ,22 ,$1!
Mode:s of &onsuming ;e<aviour resu:ting from t<e sam=:e
The analysis of particular sample helps in the distinguishing of consumer>s
behaior type# The elements that compose the consumer>s behaior sample are also in
effect for the men and for the $omen# The predominating consuming man en5oys
shopping, considers that is gien him more pleasure than the use of good, stops $ear
some clothing $hen it does not like it anymore if it is e,cept fashion# Also sometimes
buys things that they could neer be used, and gies more importance in $hat he likes
really and no in the brand name of clothing# The total of sample beliees that real
bargains e,ist, if someone could find them# Also, the indiiduals usually decide at the
buying time $hich ne$ shop they $ould like to isit# /Table .3
'able 3: !elow is given the table with the means of each variable that concerns
the types of consuming behavior.
'(
The %uality despite the price is something that is considered seriously by the
consumers and this appears from the affirmatie ans$er in the relatie %uestion#
/Table 63# Kery important element constitutes also the obseration that big
percentage of sample is positie in clothing that is in=fashioned#
'able4: "actors that effect our selections
Mean Std. Deviation
Relation of quality of price , 5$$ ,$!!#"
In-fashioned goods , $#"" ,500!
Opinions of friends , 33" ,$"51!
Comparison of prices , 31$5 ,$##21
Advertised goods , 223 ,50301
Goods with strong brand
names
, 251 ,$3!3$
Advice from salesmen , 1210 ,32"$1
Conclusions
&onsidering the importance of the classic ariables such as age, se,, education and social
place, becomes easily understanding that from the present research comes out a %uestion#
Mean Std. Deviation
Usually I decide the moment
where I buy something
3,!$ 1,!!3
0 like to get dressed with
clothes which are in fashion
3,"# 1,13$
I lie visit new shops 3,"0 1,01
!hen I do shopping I appreciate
more the quality than the price
3,50 1,01#
I lie to accompany the others
when they go for shopping
3,21 1,233
"he goods I buy are important
because they increase the quality
of life
3,12 1,02$
I feel embarrassed when I see
somebody wearing the same
clothes with me
2,!1 1,31!
Usually I buy goods which I did
not intend to buy
2,$1 1,02
-*
1@o$ much the traditional consuming behaior is opposed to the current consuming behaior
of young persons<2 It $as reali4ed that there are consumers $ho mainly buy goods aiming to
the satisfaction that they $ill hae for some of their basic needs and some other : the young
persons that they come from a safety socio=economic enironment : $ho breaks the
traditional consuming habits through selecting e,pensie brand=name products for reasons
such as prestige and social pro5ection# In a lot of cases the last ones, byes goods that probably
$ill neer use because for them, the process of purchase is a $ay of entertainment,
characteri4ing thus their consuming behaior as total absurd#
In our opinion, this behaior is an outcome of a particular social gro$th and, een if
behaior of young persons could change from certain social circumstances in a gien
moment, in long run $ill return in the same situation $hen these circumstances change again#
In the ne,t years, $hen the current parents $ill become older and the youth replace them,
$ill be possible to be e,amined in $hich point this behaior is based in the age factor of
youth, or if their behaior it is actually a result of a social process#
(eferences:
'# 9urey0 "roeber : Biel J 8einberger, "onsumententenerhalen :
T!&@DI9&@! IDIK!B9ITPT MQD&@!D /TIM3
-# 9urey0 9ystematically arying consumer satisfaction and its implications for
product choice = $haun %c5uitty De$ Me,ico 9tate Iniersity, Adam "inn
Iniersity of Alberta, 6ames !. 0iley Kictoria Iniersity
C# http0JJ$$$#ama#org /American Marketing Association 3
7# G# 9iomkos /Ph#D3 J &onsumer Behaior and 9trategic Marketing, 9tamoulis
publications, '(((#
F# Philip "otler, Marketing Management, Interbooks publications, -***#
.# Defining customer satisfaction J ?oan L# Giese 8ashington 9tate Iniersity
?oseph A# &ote 8ashington 9tate Iniersity J Academy of Marketing 9cience
Beie$ Kolume -*** Do# ' Aailable0
http0JJ$$$#amsreie$#orgJarticlesJgiese*'=-***#pdf &opyright R -**- :
Academy of Marketing 9cience#
6# $$$ #statistics #gr J Dational statistical serice
-'
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