Fashion involvement, opinion-seeking and product variety as stimulators for fashion e-commerce: an investigated model based on S-O-R model

• Published in: Asia Pacific journal of marketing and logistics Vol. 34; no. 10; pp. 2410 - 2434
• Main Authors: Alanadoly, Alshaimaa, Salem, Suha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Patrington Emerald Publishing Limited 22.11.2022; Emerald Group Publishing Limited
• Subjects: Consumer behavior; COVID-19; Decision making; Purchasing; Malaysia; India; Fashion e-consumers; Fashion involvement; Malaysia; Consumer decision-making; S-O-R model; Opinion-seeking
• ISSN: 1355-5855; 1758-4248
• DOI: 10.1108/APJML-06-2021-0447

PurposeThis study's aim was to investigate the stimulators of fashion e-consumers within e-commerce environments. The study proposed a framework utilizing stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) theory to suggest that fashion involvement and opinion-seeking would act as sociopsychological stimuli, while product variety as an objective stimulus. Perceived quality is proposed as an organism, moderated by perceived price. Consumer buying behavior within e-commerce environments presents the framework's response. The study looked at variables with deeper insights into Malaysian fashion consumers.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative method was used to assess the significance of relationships within the proposed model. Partial least squares structural equation modeling technique was implemented to assess the framework's relationships with a sample size of 374.FindingsResults indicate that fashion involvement is significantly associated as a sociopsychological stimulus, with product variety being an objective stimulus for Malaysian fashion e-consumers. Perceived quality is significantly represented as an organism through the framework, and buying behavior is the latent response. Price would significantly moderate the relationship between fashion involvement and quality. Opinion-seeking was found not to be a significant stimulus for Malaysian e-consumers.Originality/valueContribution of this study goes to the existing literature by providing a deeper understanding of Malaysian e-consumer behavior by applying S-O-R theory. Malaysian fashion e-consumerism was suggested to be influenced by product involvement, quality, price, opinion-seeking and product range offered; therefore, a proposed framework was demonstrated and tested.