Abstract
The wearable acceptability range (WEAR) Scale has been a useful tool used in consumer behaviour and product development research to better identify the social acceptance of wearable devices. In this study, we aimed to introduce an extended WEAR Scale to the apparel field by (a) refining existing measurement items and (b) validating this scale for use with smart apparel. Using a quantitative research method, an online survey was conducted with a convenience sample of US consumers aged 18 years old and over. Total 663 usable data were obtained and used for the data analysis. NVivo, SPSS, and AMOS programs were used to perform (a) a content analysis of the open-ended questions to identify recurring phrases, (b) basic descriptive statistics, and (c) a structural equation model testing, here validating the WEAR Scale, respectively. A 4-factor, 15-item WEAR Scale validated for examining consumers’ acceptance of smart apparel. The four WEAR dimensions are smart apparel in relation to: (a) design and aesthetics (four items), (b) self-expression (four items), (c) consequences (three items), and (d) reflection (four items). The findings of this study show the importance of these dimensions for the social acceptance of smart apparel. Therefore, this scale will be useful for the practical application in the apparel industry by providing better understanding of various aspects that smart apparel should consider during the product design and development stage. The scale can also be integrated with other consumer behavioural concepts to develop an emerging theoretical framework for the studies on smart apparel. Limitations and implications for future research were also discussed.
Highlights
Wearable technology, referring to body-mounted, networked, technological devices capable of collecting data, tracking activities, and customizing experiences in accordance with users’ needs and desires, enables consumers’ awareness about their health conditions such as diet and physical activity (Piwek et al 2016)
The purpose of this study was to introduce an extended wearable acceptability range (WEAR) Scale to the apparel field by (a) refining measurement items in the WEAR Scale that was originally developed for wearable devices and (b) validating this extended scale for use with research on smart apparel
60% indicated that they own wearable technology embedded products, such as Fitbit (37%), Apple watch (18%), Samsung Gear2 (2%), and Garmin smartwatch (2%)
Summary
Wearable technology, referring to body-mounted, networked, technological devices capable of collecting data, tracking activities, and customizing experiences in accordance with users’ needs and desires, enables consumers’ awareness about their health conditions such as diet and physical activity (Piwek et al 2016). A wearable device should be comfortable and well-fitting for a person’s own body and wearers must often reflect on the social acceptability of wearing the device and anticipate reflection of others (Kelly 2016). Wearable technology has infiltrated a variety of areas including healthcare, fitness, medical, and fashion industries (Dunne 2010; Duval et al 2010; Gepperth 2012; Kelly 2016; Perry et al 2017). The growth of wearable products (e.g., Google glasses, Apple watch, Fitbit, Bluetooth headsets) and the wide assortment of these products available on the market has been increasing and propagated rapidly to our society for the past 10 years, because of the capability for fitness and medical data tracking as well as real time data monitoring
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