Masters Theses

Judy K. Miler

Date of Award

6-1987

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major Professor

Mary Frances Drake

Committee Members

Imogene M. Ford, Jamie Havasy

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the internal and external influences that affect the retail apparel buyer's purchase decision of three different levels of women's fashion garments: new fashion, ongoing fashion, and classic fashion. Four major categories of influence were identified as environmental, organizational, group, and individual, with separate influences within each category revealed. A sample of fifteen department store chains with a total of forty-five buyers belonging to Fredrick Atkins Buying Office were sent a questionnaire, resulting in a 87.6% store return rate.

A one-way ANOVA and Duncan's Multiple Range Test were employed to determine significant differences in means between the three fashion garment types. Total weighted scores and frequency distribution were conducted for all forty-six influence questions to determine the weight of influence each question held.

The degree of fashion newness of a garment, and environmental, organizational, group, and individual influences were shown to affect the purchase decisions examined in this study. Nine questions revealed differences between the level of fashion newness of garment types. The most important influences by rank were found to be: expected sales, quality, cost, key seasonal item, being a "good buy," color(s), fiber, styling, planned retail price, and merchandise mix. All forty-six influences tested did, however, show some influence in all cases.

The buyer's role as decision maker was shown to be multi-faceted. Conclusions indicated that the distinctions between consumer and organizational buying, and industrial and retail buying decision making were unjustified. The four interrelated categories of influences identified in the study were also shown to contribute to the retail apparel buyer's purchase decision, and the purchase of newer fashion garments revealed different decision making strategy than garments that were considered classic fashion. A proposed model of integrated influences on the retail apparel buyer's purchase decision, incorporating all influences identified in the study is presented.

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