Abstract |
- Researchers have investigated the behavioral and demographic characteristics of fashion innovators, opinion leaders, and innovative communicators in samples drawn from
populations residing outside of Oregon. Therefore, the
purpose of the present study was to examine differences
between innovative communicators and non-innovative
communicators in a sample of Oregon women in their shopping
behavior and demographic characteristics. This study was
conducted in order to compare these two segments of Oregon
women with samples drawn from other populations. The first
objective of the study was to examine what retail outlets
were patronized for apparel purchases, what form of payment
was used for clothing purchases, and how much money was
spent annually on these purchases by Oregon women. A
second objective was to develop shopping behavior profiles
of Oregon women who were categorized as innovative
communicators and non-innovative communicators.
Diffusion theory was used to explain the adoption
process by consumers when adopting innovations. On the
basis of their level of innovativeness, Rogers (1983)
categorized individuals into one of five adopter
categories: innovators, early adopters, early majority,
late majority, and laggards. Innovators were found to be
the first in a social group to adopt an innovation, whereas
early adopters were opinion leaders of innovations.
Although functionally different, similarities were found in
the demographic and life-style chararacteristics of
innovators and opinion leaders. The term "innovative
communicator" was used to identify individuals who
simultaneously performed the role of innovator and opinion
leader (Baumgarten, 1975). Life-style research examined
consumer characteristics of innovative communicators and
non-innovative communicators in relation to their shopping
behavior.
Based on diffusion and life-style literature, a number
of hypotheses were developed that examined store patronage,
form of payment, annual amount spent on apparel purchases,
and demographic characteristics in relation to level of
fashion leadership.
Data used for this study were taken from a larger study,
Agriculture Experiment Station Western Region Project W-
175, that was conducted in 1987. From this questionnaire,
items that asked about retail store patronage, clothing
expenditures, fashion leadership, and demographic
characteristics were used for the present study. The
sample consisted of 234 adult Oregon women. Subjects were
classified as innovative-communicators, medium innovative
communicators, or non-innovative communicators based on
summed scores from the fashion innovativeness and fashion
opinion leadership items from the questionnaire.
For statistical analysis, one-way analysis of variance,
post-hoc analysis using the Tukey HSD test, and chi-square
were performed. The .05 confidence level was selected for
claims of statistical significance.
Profiles of Oregon women classified as innovative
communicators and non-innovative communicators emerged
relating to their shopping behavior and demographic
characteristics. Women in Oregon who categorized
themselves as innovative communicators had a higher
household income, spent more money on apparel, always or
often purchased their apparel at specialty stores, and
sometimes purchased apparel at department stores. Oregon
women who categorized themselves as non-innovative
communicators had lower household incomes, spent less money
on apparel, always or often purchased their apparel at
discount stores, and sometimes purchased apparel at
department stores.
In terms of shopping behavior and demographic
characteristics, similarities were found between this
sample of innovative communicators and non-innovative
communicators and samples previously studied. Innovative
communicators and non-innovative communicators among Oregon
women were found to be similar to samples previously
studied with regard to store patronage, clothing
expenditures, and level of income. Innovative
communicators and non-innovative communicators in the
present sample were also similar to samples previously
studied in their use of store credit cards for apparel
purchases. Because of these similarities, results on
profiles of innovative communicators and non-innovative
communicators can be used by retailers in developing
marketing strategies to fit their retail establishments.
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