Private Label Apparel Research Articles

Luxury Strategy Comparing SPA Brands and Luxury Brands — Flagship Store Strategy for Large Store Location —

Not only luxury brands, but also fast fashion brands such as ZARA and H&M have successfully opened flagship stores in prime locations such as Ginza, Tokyo. The market-entry strategy via flagship stores appears to be successful, as numerous companies have adopted it. However, for this strategy to work, it is important to consider and verify not only the place, but also the product, price, and promotion aspects. This study systematically investigates the flagship store strategy by comparing the strategies of luxury brands, represented by Chanel and Louis Vuitton, and those of SPA (Specialty store retailer of Private label Apparel) brands, represented by ZARA, developed by the Spanish Inditex Corporation.

FLAGSHIP STORE STRATEGY FOR BRAND BUILDING — COMPARISON BETWEEN LUXURY BRANDS AND SPA BRANDS —

Not only luxury brands, but also fast fashion brands such as ZARA and H&M have successfully opened flagship stores in prime locations such as Ginza, Tokyo. The market-entry strategy via flagship stores appears to be successful, as numerous companies have adopted it. However, for this strategy to work, it is important to consider and verify not only the place, but also the product, price, and promotion aspects. This study systematically investigates the flagship store strategy by comparing the strategies of luxury brands, represented by Chanel and Louis Vuitton, and those of SPA (Specialty store retailer of Private label Apparel) brands, represented by ZARA, developed by the Spanish Inditex Corporation.

Influence of consumer perceptions of private label brands on store loyalty – evidence from Indian retailing

In India growth of private label brands corresponds with the increasing share of organized retailing. The consumer perceptions of private label apparel brands of retail department stores have been ...

DIFFERENCES IN THE BRANDING STRATEGY OF THE BIG 3 SPA BRANDS ZARA UNIQLO AND H&M

Effective branding strategy requires systematic management of brand identity and brand image. Brand identity refers to the company’s plan with regard to what associations consumers hold for the brand, whereas brand image refers to the associations consumers actually hold for the brand. According to Aaker (1996), brand identity consists of brand essence, core identity, and extended identity. Brand image, on the other hand, consists of attributes, benefits, and attitudes (Keller, 1993). Given the nature of brand identity and brand image, branding strategy aims to strengthen congruence, but lessen discrepancy among the components. The strategy can be either manipulative or reflective, i.e., changing brand image to correspond with brand identity or changing brand identity to adopt brand image, respectively. Branding strategy of SPA (Specialty Store Retailer of Private Label Apparel: i.e., fast fashion) brands is not an exception. However, SPA brands are characterized as quick response production capabilities with enhanced design capabilities to produce hot products that capture the latest consumer trends and exploit minimal production lead times to match supply with uncertain demand (Cachon & Swinney, 2011). Consequently, branding strategy of SPA brands is expected to be more reflective than manipulative. The primary purpose of this study is to verify the expectation, analyzing the branding strategy of the big 3 SPA brands: ZARA, Uniqlo, and H&M. All being SPA brands, the big 3 brands still need to differentiate from the competitors. From the perspective of this study, the differentiation strategy is expected to be manifested in the components of brand image to reflect, i.e., more emphasis on the reflection of attributes, benefits, or attitudes. Accordingly, this study also examines how the details of branding strategy differ among the big 3 SPA brands in this regard.

A Development of a Simulation Tool for Production Planning with Capacity-Booking at Specialty Store Retailer of Private Label Apparel Firms

A Development of a Simulation Tool for Production Planning with Capacity-Booking at Specialty Store Retailer of Private Label Apparel Firms

SPA 브랜드의 의류치수 사용 실태에 관한 연구

The purpose of this study is to investigate various information relating to research on the dimensions of clothing used in the sale of products via the internet that used to target global SPA((Specialty Store Retailer of Private Label Apparel) brands sold in Korea. A total of 12 SPA brands including seven global SPA brands and five national. SPA brands were surveyed in this study. Brands were chosen net sales and consumer preferences the last three years. In all SPA brands, literal size designation such as S, M, L and numeric size designation such as 0, 2, 4 or 32, 34, 36 etc. were mixed, but in case of Jean, the size codes mark waist circumference were dominant. European size codes were more common in case of European brands while literal codes were more dominantly used for American size codes with in the US brands. By reviewing the measurement information of the body and product size, the product measurement methods of UNIQLO, FOREVER 21 and TOPTEN were much more accountable and excellent than other brands. However, most of the others didn't offer proper information such as pictograms or figures about measurement methods relating body sizes and product sizes. In addition, most of global SPA brands offered size conversion chart which consumers could reference, however of none of the national SPA brands offered a conversion size chart on their website. Regardless of the type of clothing, the coverage of clothing size was higher than in global SPA brands such as H&M GAP compared to national SPA brands. In particular, 8seconds did not present apparel size ranges that fit consumers' individual clothes sizes.

Topical collection editor’s note: Innovations in teaching and industry practices

The topical collection of Fashion and Textiles is a result of 2014 KSCT-ITAA Joint Symposium which took place at the ITAA Annual Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. The theme of the joint symposium was The Culture of Collaborations: New Directions in Clothing and Textiles Teaching and Research, and over fifty papers were presented at the conference. Session 1 included presentations on Curriculum, Undergraduate Programs, and Industry Relations, and Session 2 included research presentations on Innovative Research/Creative Activity in Clothing and Textiles. Authors of the presented papers were invited to submit their manuscripts to the Topical Collection of Fashion and Textiles. One out of the four articles in this collection (Ha-Brookshire), was originally presented in Session 1 and the other three were presented in Session 2: one in the field of consumer behavior (Yun, Jung, and Choo) and two in the field of product development (Kim; Sang and Park). The articles suggest directions for innovations in teaching and practices, thus the topical collection was titled Innovations in Teaching and Industry Practices. Ha-Brookshire’s article, “Global Sourcing: New Research and Education Agendas for Apparel Design and Merchandising” is a concept paper that proposes new research and educational agendas. The author reviews the role of global sourcing in the industry and education, and explores the relationship between apparel design or apparel merchandising and global sourcing. The author asserts that global sourcing may serve as a connector that links between the conventionally divided two major tracks in apparel industry: apparel design and apparel merchandising. The research article by Yun, Jung, and Choo explores shopper experience in fitting rooms in the specialty retailers of private label apparel (SPA) stores using grounded theory method. They focused on the fact that the fitting rooms of SPA stores, which is a relatively new type of retailer, provide shoppers unobstructed opportunities in that these stores usually provide larger number of fitting rooms which are less controlled compared to conventional apparel stores. The article describes the activities that shoppers perform in the fitting rooms in detail, as well as the contextual and intervening conditions of such activities. According to the authors, in the fitting rooms in SPA stores, shoppers engage in activities beyond just checking out the fit of the selected garments. The fitting rooms liberate shoppers to experiment with the abundant products, enjoying different images the garments allow them to create, and also obtain fashion information from observing other shoppers in line. Open Access

Comparison between Clothing Sizing Systems of Korean and Foreign SPA Brands for Clothing Size Satisfaction of Tall Women in their Twenties

The purpose of this study is to identify the differences between clothing size satisfaction and clothing sizing systems of Korean and foreign SPA (specialty retailer of private label apparel) brands according to height group, and provide foundation material that can be used to establish product strategy from the perspective of Korean SPA brand clothing sizes in order to secure competitiveness in the international market. Satisfaction of tall women in their twenties with the clothing sizes of SPA brands was researched, and t-test was conducted to examine differences between clothing size satisfaction of Korean and foreign SPA brands between the two height groups. Then, differences in the size minimum and maximum values, size ranges, size intervals and size numbers between clothing sizing systems of Korean and foreign SPA brands were researched and comparatively analyzed. Existing clothing sizes need to make improvements considering the lengths and shoulder width of tall consumers. And Korean SPA brands need to diversify the range and number of sizes in the clothing sizing system, and set a separate tall-size group, or apply the relationship between vertical and horizontal sizes of clothing to establish a clothing sizing system. A product strategy that applies the results of this study will solve the clothing size dissatisfaction of tall female consumers and stimulate sales of Korean SPA brand clothing products. The study has value in that it extracted realistic problems by researching clothing sizing systems of products that are actually sold.

Child Labor Exploitation and Corporate Social Responsibility: A Case Study of the Specialty Store Retailer of Private Label Apparel Brands in Bangladesh

Although corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become increasingly important in the contemporary business environment, ethical and social...

Advertising in a Competitive Market: The Role of Product Standards, Customer Learning, and Switching Costs

Standard models of competition predict that firms will sell less when competitors target their customers with advertising. This is particularly true in mature markets with many competitors that sell relatively undifferentiated products. However, the authors present findings from a large-scale randomized field experiment that contrast sharply with this prediction. The field experiment measures the impact of competitors' advertising on sales at a private label apparel retailer. Surprisingly, for a substantial segment of customers, the competitors' advertisements increased sales at this retailer. This robust effect was obtained through experimental manipulation and by measuring actual purchases from large samples of randomly assigned customers. The effect size is also large, with customers ordering more than 4% more items in some categories in the treatment condition (vs. the control). The authors examine how these positive spillovers vary across product categories to illustrate the importance of product standards, customer learning, and switching costs. The findings have the potential to change our understanding of competition in mature markets.

Role of Psychological Factors in Purchase Behaviour with Reference to Private Label Apparels

After the government’s decision to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in the retail sector, attention has been focused on this sector. This is a red signal for the organised and unorganised players in India as the weapon of private label will be a game changer in the near future. Private labels are not new to the Indian consumers as most of the Indian giants have equipped their stores with it. Private labels in food and grocery have been successful in the Indian market and brands in many more categories have come into the world’s largest consumer market. Private label studies have investigated grocery products, food products and routine consumables like dairy products and staples. The main objective of the research is to find out the role of psychological factors in purchase behaviour with reference to private label apparels. It further investigates the reliability and validity of the scale designed to measure the psychological factor responsible for private label apparel purchase behaviour. After review of literature, focus group and expert discussions were conducted to identify psychological factors and their influence on private label brand purchase behaviour. A total of 9 psychological factors were derived after the preliminary study and were included in the questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed using five-point Likert scale and survey was carried out in different organised apparel retail stores in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

SPA 매장의 VMD 구성요소가 몰입과 구매 후 만족에 미치는 영향

본 연구의 목적은 SPA(Speciality retail store of Private label Apparel) 매장에서 VMD(Visual Merchandising) 구성요소가 소비자의 몰입과 구매 후 만족에 미치는 영향을 분석하는 것이다. 독립변수인 VMD 구성요소로는 상품연출과 공간연출을 설정하였고, 이들이 감정적 몰입과 구매 후 만족에 미치는 영향에 대해서 실증분석하였다. 가설검증을 위해서 SPSS(Statistical Package for the Social Sciences)12.0과 LISREL(Linear Structural Relation) 8.7을 활용하여 변수들 간의 경로분석을 실시한 결과, 상품연출과 공간연출은 모두 몰입과 구매 후 만족에 유의적인 영향이 있는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 몰입도 구매 후 만족에 유의적인 영향이 있는 것으로 나타나서, 설정된 가설이 모두 채택되었다. 뿐만 아니라 경로계수에 대한 직접효과와 간접효과 분석을 통해서 몰입의 매개효과도 유의적인 것을 알 수 있었다. 본 연구의 의의는 SPA 매장의 VMD 구성요소 중에서 상품연출과 공간연출은 둘 다 중요한 요인이지만, 그 중에서 공간연출이 몰입과 구매 후 만족에 더 중요한 영향을 미친다는 것을 발견하였다. 또한 VMD 구성요소는 소비자의 감정적인 몰입에 영향을 주고, 이것이 구매 후 제품 만족도에 영향을 주는 이른 바 감정 인지 이론에 근거를 두고 있음을 재검증함으로서, VMD 전략 수립 시에 요구되는 실무적이고 이론적인 지침에 대한 근거를 제공하였다는 점을 들 수 있다. The purpose of this study to analysis influence commitment and post-purchase satisfaction on VMD components within SPA stores. VMD Components are consist of product directing and space directing as independent variables, we are empirical study on affective commitment and post product purchasing satisfaction. To validate the hypothesis by path analysis conducted between variables using SPSS 12.0 and LISREL8.7, the results are as follows : First, product directing and space directing have significant effect on commitment and post-purchase satisfaction. Second, commitment have significant effect on post-purchase satisfaction. Third, we found commitment have mediate effects from analysis direct affect and indirect affect of path coefficients. Contribution of this study to found VMD components consist of product directing and space directing are both important factors SPA stores, among them space directing is more important role commitment and after purchasing satisfaction. And that is based on emotion-cognitive theory by revalidation, these results are used on developing VMD strategy that is required at the time of practical and theoretical guidance of SPA stores.

A Study of a Social Content Model for Sustainable Development in the Fast Fashion Industry

Due to an increase in clothes consumption and a decrease in the trend cycle, middle-class consumers generally prefer clothes that are cheap and trendy. The share of global SPA (Specialty store retailer of Private label Apparel) brands in the world fashion market is steadily expanding. However, SPA clothes emphasize trends, resulting in disposal after a season regardless of the quality. Today, the growth of fashion waste raises serious environmental concerns. This study develops sustainable social content for fast fashion. The fast fashion industry has not yet made suitable efforts to achieve sustainability, even though serious environmental pollution is produced by fast fashion. This study investigates the possibility that fashion social content can focus on environmentally friendly products, customer service, fair employment opportunities, fair allocation of profits, diversity of quality and design, and ecosystem promotion. The study provides data to execute a new marketing strategy for sustainable development of global a SPA brand. The qualitative research of the present study was conducted via one-on-one in-depth interviews. The subjects of the qualitative research were individuals who had extensive knowledge about the subject of this research and were employed in the fast fashion and ethical fashion industries. After the qualitative interviews, 200 students were surveyed, and 166 were chosen as research subjects. The results are as follows. First, five sub-themes, including fair-trade storytelling, independent designers, an eco-friendly identity, understanding differences in reform and redesign, and changes in consumer perception, are investigated through in-depth interviews. Second, based on a consumer survey about the intent to participate in different programs, such as 1:1 sponsorship, eco-friendly design sourcing, a reform style contest, redesign consulting, and an eco-fashion gallery, eco-friendly design sourcing programs have the highest intent to participate of all the studied sustainable social programs. The present study is a timely investigation because there has been an increase in the social awareness of benefit sharing. Moreover, consumer perception of the environment is on the rise in South Korea. This study is a pioneer in applying social sustainability, which has until now been used in the fields of environmental, economic, and social research, to fashion social content. The implications for fast fashion firms that care about the ecological consumers are discussed, as are opportunities for further research.

The Influence of Perceived Price and VMD Fitness of SPA Brand on Multi-dimensional Commitment

The purpose of this study is to analyzed that the perceived price and VMD fitness of the SPA(speciality store retailer of Private label Apparel) brand characteristics impacts on multidimensional commitment consist of affective commitment, calculative commitment and behavioral commitment. Using SPSS 18.0 and AMOS 18.0 by structural equation modeling analysis, we found that perceived price have effects on affective commitment, behavioral commitment and calculative commitment significantly, and VMD fitness have effects affective commitment significant only. Affective commitment and calculative commitment on behavioral commitment was affected significantly. Through this study we found that perceived price and VMD fitness SPA brand maintaining relationships between the consumer and the seller are an important factors.

Retail Product Development and Brand Management Collaboration between Industry and University Student Teams

Abstract This paper describes a collaborative project between academia and industry which focused on improving the marketing and product development strategies for two private label apparel brands of a large regional department store chain in the southeastern United States. The goal of the project was to revitalize product lines of the two brands by incorporating student ideas for new solutions, thereby giving the students practical experience with a real-life industry situation. There were a number of key players involved in the project. A privately-owned department store chain based in the southeastern United States which was seeking an academic partner had recognized a need to update two existing private label brands. They targeted middle-aged consumers looking for casual, moderately priced merchandise. The company was seeking to change direction with both packaging and presentation, and possibly product design. The branding and product development divisions of the company contacted professors in an ac...

A decision tree approach to modeling the private label apparel consumer

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to profile the private label apparel consumer using demographic and behavioral predictors. The paper also aims to examine cross‐shopping behaviors among purchasers of private label apparel across the five top US private label apparel retailers.Design/methodology/approachDecision tree analysis is used to model the impacts of demographics and behaviors on private label purchasing. A secondary database (n=1,289) of US private label purchasers provides data for the analysis.FindingsFindings indicate demographic predictors as important drivers of private label apparel purchase among retailers positioned as providers of value, while behavioral drivers are more common among patrons of retailers that are differentiated on service or brand. Cross‐shopping is more common among the retailers positioned on value.Research limitations/implicationsThe research design provides a profile of the private label consumer but does not explain why this consumer chooses private labels over national brands. The data‐mining approach provides an innovative tool for identifying the drivers of private label consumption. Future research should investigate these drivers more deeply, to establish a fuller understanding of this consumer. The sample is limited to US consumers.Practical implicationsFindings suggest that retailers positioned on value/low price need to differentiate private labels to deter cross‐shopping. Likewise, comparatively upscale retailers need to continue to be sensitive to the behavioral demands of their respective target market.Originality/valueResults provide a profile of the private label consumer and offer insight into private label cross‐shopping using an innovative modeling approach that facilitates examination of actual purchase data.

Consumer Attitude toward Private Apparel Brands according to Internet Shopping

As more consumers shop online and prefer private label apparel products, the importance of private label apparel brand of Internet shopping malls are increasing. This study investigated consumer attitudes toward private label apparel brand of Internet shopping malls. Attitudes were conceptualized into two sub-factors: utilitarian and hedonic. Based on findings of prior studies, subjective norm and familiarity were included as antecedents to attitude variables. Purchase intention and word of mouth intention were also included as consequence variables of attitudes. Types of Online shopping malls were considered as moderating variable. For the empirical research, the Online survey was conducted. Young male and female consumers who have experience in Internet shopping of clothing products participated in the study. 429 questionnaire were used for the final statistical analysis. Results indicated that subjective norm had significant influence on consumer attitudes toward private label apparel brand. Familiarity however did not have significant influence on attitude variables for general internet shopping malls. For specialized Internet shopping malls, familiarity had significant influence only on hedonic attitude. Attitude variables had significant influence on purchase intention and word of mouth intention. Subjective norm and familiarity had significant influence on purchase intention and word of mouth intention.

A Study on a Product Supply of Casual Apparel Brands - Focused on SPA Characteristics -

The purpose of this study is to identify the SPA(Specialty store retailer of Private label Apparel) characteristics and product supply process of Korean casual apparel brands. The research was conducted by questionnaire surveys to 63 casual apparel brands. SPA characteristics of each brand were measured with four SPA characteristic indices: short product supply cycle, spacious retail floor, single brand retail store, and low product price compared to the quality of the product. The 63 apparel brands were grouped by SPA index score. The brands belonged to group H had high index score and brands in group L had low index score. The results of this study showed that the most of the casual apparel brands' products were sold at department stores, especially the brands belonged to group L greatly depended on department stores. Few apparel brands have spacious retail floor. The retail product price of the brands belonged to group H was low price while the product price of the brands belonged to group L was in the medium-high price. The supply time of the new products was short in general. The most brands supplied new styles to the retail floor within 1 to 3 weeks. The information technology was heavily used. The brands belonged to group H highly used information technology including bar codes system, pas data analysis, and inventory control system. The current style trends were analyzed with street fashion and feedback from the shop managers.