Men's branded underwear: an investigation of factors important to product choice

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore factors important to the product choice stage of the decision‐making process for the men's branded underwear consumer.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach to data collection and interpretation was used. Individual in‐depth interviews were conducted with fifteen participants who had purchased men's branded underwear within six months prior to the study. Eight males and seven females, aged 23‐55, were given a voucher to purchase men's underwear at a designated US department store and asked to bring their purchases to the interview. A semi‐structured interview schedule was followed which posed open‐ended questions about purchasing men's branded underwear in general and specifically with regard to the use of the voucher. Interviews were audio recorded with participant's consent and lasted approximately 45‐60 min.FindingsA thematic interpretation of the interview data led to the development of three emergent thematic areas used to explore issues that surfaced within and across responses. Factors important to participants' decision‐making are discussed relative to their product choices. A typology of consumer profiles was developed from the data based on involvement level, brand loyalty, gender, evaluative criteria and silhouette preference.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations of the study include a focus on perceptions of US consumers located in a large urban area and a focus on the department store channel. Implications of participants' experiences for marketing men's branded underwear are considered.Practical implicationsThis study provides insight into factors important to US consumers when purchasing men's branded underwear.Originality/valueThis paper offers an examination of consumer decision‐making relative to men's branded underwear, an understudied product category. Findings provide an in‐depth understanding of the consumer's perspective, an understanding that is essential to successful product development and brand positioning.