Abstract
We conducted a random allocation experiment at fashion week in Berlin in 2017, testing how face-to-face (f2f) communication affects sales of a fashion start-up focusing on second-hand. The experiment revealed that 11% of guests of an f2f event afterwards turned paying customers with an average basket size 11.8% higher than the overall sales event average. We add insights to research on entrepreneurial practice as well as on offline operations in the context of circular consumption in fashion, exposing the leveraging effect of f2f communication for customer acquisition and revenue of start-ups in the field of sustainable fashion.
Highlights
There are many perceptions of sustainable fashion among consumers, such as green, fair trade and slow fashion [1]
Given the need to remedy negative environmental and social impacts of current fashion business models [5], our research examines whether f2f communication has a leveraging effect in sustainable fashion: How does f2f communication support the sales of second-hand fashion even if new and unworn options are available at the same time and in the same context? In order to examine how f2f communication affects second-hand fashion, Vinokilo (VK), a German fashion start-up, agreed to participate in a field experiment at fashion week in Berlin in 2017
The insights derived allow us to determine the impact of f2f communication on incremental sales on a short-term basis, making this experiment beneficial for practitioners in small and medium sized companies toying with the idea of an f2f event
Summary
There are many perceptions of sustainable fashion among consumers, such as green, fair trade and slow fashion [1]. Given the need to remedy negative environmental and social impacts of current fashion business models [5], our research examines whether f2f communication has a leveraging effect in sustainable fashion: How does f2f communication support the sales of second-hand fashion even if new and unworn options are available at the same time and in the same context? In line with the findings of Guiot and Roux [6], Cervellon et al identify price sensitivity and frugality as the main drivers to purchasing second-hand fashion [7]. There is no research on f2f communication and its effect on second-hand fashion sales We close this knowledge gap by conducting a field experiment studying f2f communication in relation to second-hand fashion sales. The insights derived allow us to determine the impact of f2f communication on incremental sales on a short-term basis, making this experiment beneficial for practitioners in small and medium sized companies toying with the idea of an f2f event
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