Presenter: Kathryn C. Dutton
Advisor(s): Cynthia Istook, Ph.D.
Author(s): Kathryn C. Dutton
Graduate Program: Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management

Title: Importance of Brand on Young Adults’ Intent to Purchase

Abstract: Teens and college age consumers spend approximately $200 billion a year, yet the market still remains a mystery to the retail industry. A number of factors like brand, price, store name, advertisements, reality TV shows, and celebrities can affect the consumer’s purchase intentions and the importance of these factors remain unknown.

The purpose of this study was to determine the value 15- to 25-year-old females place on brand, in comparison to price, fabrication, style, and retail outlet, when considering apparel purchases. A pilot study was used to determine popular fashion brands among the age group and to collect information on fashion styles that the young adults associated themselves with. Findings from the pilot surveys assisted in the development of the online questionnaire which included images of top and bottom weight garments. Each garment image included a variety of known information about the garment, like brand, price and fabrication.

The findings will be beneficial to further understanding the factors that affect the purchasing decision process of the young adult consumer. Brand, price, fabrication, style and retail outlets were studied factors, and while all the factors are important, some more than others proved to be more valued when the consumer considered their intent to purchase a garment.