Adolescents' Clothing Purchase Motivations, Information Sources, and Store Selection Criteria: A Comparison of Male/Female and Impulse/Nonimpulse Shoppers

The purpose of this study was to examine high school adolescents' clothing shopping frequency, expenditure, purchase motivations, information sources, and store selection criteria and to determine the similarities and differences between male and female as well as impulse and nonimpulse shoppers. A survey design was used to collect the data. One hundred thirty-seven high school students, in 9th to 12th grade, 69 males and 68 females, were recruited. Similarities were found between male and female participants. They spent similar amounts of money on clothing and had similar degrees of conformity, sexual attraction, and recognition motivations. For both genders, friends were the most important clothing information source, and price was the most important criterion for store selection. Significant differences were also found between genders. Female participants shopped significantly more often than males and had higher recreation clothing purchase motivation. Certain information sources, such as friends and magazines/books, had more influence over clothing purchase decisions made by females compared to males. Certain criteria such as product variety/availability and store display carried more weight for females than males when making a store selection. When impulse and nonimpulse shoppers were compared, significant differences were found in all the clothing behaviors examined in the study (i.e., clothing shopping frequency, expenditure, purchase motivations, information sources, store selection criteria). Educational and marketing implications are recommended.

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