Adolescents' Purchasing Role Structure when Shopping by Catalog for Clothing

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to further the understanding of the consumer socialization process by examining the purchasing role structure of adolescents who purchase clothing through catalogs. Purchasing role structure refers to the influence of socialization agents on adolescents' purchase decisions. In particular, there are two major categories of socialization agents: those independent of family members (decisions made alone or with friends) and those dependent on family members (consider what their family members would think of the purchase decision). Results suggest that adolescents believe their catalog purchase decisions are independent from family members. In other words, adolescents do not consider what their family members would think of the purchase decision. Younger adolescents perceive direct and indirect influence more often from parents and indirect influence more often from siblings and friends than do older adolescents. In addition, the younger adolescents perceive indirect parental influence more often on all garment types except dress clothes and direct parental influence on all garment types except dress clothes and socks. As in previous research, these findings suggest that as a child ages parental influence decreases. Male adolescents in the sample perceive indirect influence from their siblings more often than females. By contrast, females perceive indirect influence from their friends more often than males did.