The Effect of Gender Perception of Online Fashion Platform and the Intention to Use Curation Service on the Attitude toward the Online Fashion Platform : Focusing on the moderating effect of consumers’ biological sex

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of gender perception of online fashion platform, consumers’ biological sex, and the intention to use curation service (high/low) on consumers` attitude toward the online fashion platform. The gender perceptions of online fashion platforms were categorized into four types: masculine, feminine, androgynous, and genderless. For the study, online fashion platforms Musinsa, W Concept, and 29CM were selected. An online survey was conducted with 441 consumers aged 19-34. The three online fashion platforms were found to have different gender perception, Musinsa having significantly high masculinity and low femininity compared to the other two platforms. Results of one-way ANOVA revealed that gender perceptions of online fashion platforms had a significant effect on consumers’ attitude toward the fashion platform. Attitude was significantly high for the fashion platform that was perceived to be androgynous and was the lowest for the fashion platform that was perceived to be genderless. 3-way ANOVA was implemented to examine the interaction effects of gender perception, consumers’ biological sex and the intention to use curation service(high/low). Consumers` biological sex and gender perception had as significant interaction effects on the attitude toward the online fashion platform. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.