Cognitieve dissonantie bij fast fashion aankopen. De invloed van houdbaarheid en schaarste.

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of perceived perishability and scarcity on the level of cognitive dissonance consumers display after a purchase in a fast fashion store. Proposed was that consumer fashion innovativeness and fashion involvement would have a moderating influence on the connection between perceived persishability, scarcity and cognitive dissonance.

To investigate this proposed connection, a survey was administered among the customers of fast fashion retailer Zara. The consumers were asked to answer 28 questions about their purchase, as soon as they left to store. 127 surveys were collected, and 117 of them were used in this research.

Results of the analysis support the hypothesis that consumer fashion innovativeness moderates the connection between perceived perishability and cognitive dissonance and the connection between scarcity and cognitive dissonance. The hypothesis that perceived perishability and scarcity causes a high level of cognitive dissonance could not be supported. Also the moderating influence of product involvement on the connection between perceived perishability and cognitive dissonance and the connection between scarcity and cognitive dissonance could not be supported.

This is the one of the only papers describing the influence of perceived perishability and scarcity on cognitive dissonance in a fast fashion retail environment. Since the proposed connection could not be supported, fast fashion retailers could use this research to form their marketing strategies. Limited availability is used to create a state of mass exclusivity. Expected was that this limited availability would cause accelerated purchases which would lead to cognitive dissonance after the purchase. However, this hypothesis was not supported, so fast fashion retailers can keep this marketing strategy to boost their sales. They should keep in mind the (small) moderating influence of consumer fashion innovativeness on this connection, so consumers with a high level of consumer fashion innovativeness, show less cognitive dissonance after a purchase under the conditions of perceived perishability and scarcity.

The sample of this study only covers a city in the East of the Netherlands, it is not a random sample. Because of this, there is a limitation on the generalization of the results. Secondly, online shopping was not in scope for this research, while online shopping is gaining popularity.