A STUDY OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN APPAREL INDUSTRY DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Ms. Neelam Gupta
Faculty, Smt. K. G. Mittal College of Arts and Commerce Ms. Swati Parab
Research Scholar, Pacific Academy of Higher Education and Research University, Udaipur Vice Principal-SFC, Smt. K.G. Mittal College of Arts and Commerce
Abstract - Consumer behaviour is dynamic especially Women’s behaviour when we talk about the apparel industry. COVID pandemic brought a Global pause in all areas. Availability of necessities like Food, Shelter and clothing was a challenge. This paper reviews, how consumers manage to fulfil their requirements as it is one of the necessities of our life.
Various factors influence consumer behaviour, especially psychological and economic, wherein psychological factors will describe attitude and perception whereas Economical factors will focus on purchasing power and income level of consumers. This study also reveals the effect of COVID as an opportunity where consumers were diverted towards technology to overcome their needs. Researchers can furthermore study other factors of consumer behavior on the same topic.
Keywords: Consumer Behaviour, Psychological factor, Economical factor, COVID-19, Apparel Industry, Clothing.
1 INTRODUCTION
COVID 19 have impacted everyone's life especially the economic condition of the consumers.
The degree of impact of the pandemic in consumers life differs from person to person. Some are having the very bad financial condition, or some are still balanced. With this good or bad economic condition, the psychology of consumers plays a very important role in their purchase decision. Along with food and shelter, clothing is also one of the necessities of the human being, so managing and fulfilling the needs and requirements in a pandemic situation is the challenge. Because of bad economic condition there is huge decline in purchase of apparel, consumers mostly prefer to purchase cloths occasionally. The study also reveals a positive response towards the online shopping portal, due to COVID consumers were unable to go out for purchase, initially it was ok with the consumers but as time start to extend, consumers started to surf online. Research includes though the consumers don’t want to purchase any product still they were surfing on an online shopping portal, it helps to keep themself busy and stay away from stress, depression, and anxiety. Those who are apparel lovers genuinely started to shop from online portals frequently and started to trust the quality of the product. Customers with the less technological knowledge, they also started to use technology for purchasing product. Online shopping is very common in the urban area but due to COVID rural consumers are also motivated towards online portals for purchasing clothes.
1.1 Research Methodology
The research was conducted by using the primary data collection method. A questionnaire was the mode of collecting responses from the consumer for that 15 question with multiple choice is made in the google form and through a g-mail link shared to the customers.
1.2 Objectives:
1. To understand the change in buying behaviour of consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. To analyze the factors impacting consumer behaviour.
3. To study the psychology of consumers during the pandemic.
4. To understand the economic condition of consumers in COVID 19.
1.3 Hypothesis:
H0: Online apparel shopping enjoyed by the consumer during COVID-19 H1: Apparel shopping not enjoyed by the consumer during COVID-19
1.4 Scope of Study:
To study the economic condition of consumers which directly affects their purchasing power.
The scope of research is to know whether the consumers are having a positive attitude or negative attitude towards purchasing apparel or clothes in this pandemic situation. Are they becoming techno-savvy by using an online shopping portal or still waiting for a retail outlet to open?
1.5 Limitations of Study:
The overall research relies on primary data collected through questionnaires.
No personal interaction with the consumer to understand more about their behaviour and attitude due to COVID-19.
1.6 Sample:
To collect primary data, consumers were segmented into two categories:
Demographic: Age, Gender- Male/Female Geographic: Rural, Urban
Sampling is based on a non-probability sampling method. Under non-probability sampling Judgement or purposive sample, a method is used. Due to pandemic link has been sent to the selected number of customers through social media to fill the form. The main aim was to collect at least 85 responses from young girls and boys to adult plus old age men and women.
For collecting primary data, consumers were segmented into two categories:
Demographic: Age, Gender- Male/Female Geographic: Rural, Urban
Sampling is based on non-probability sampling method. Under non-probability sampling Judgement or purposive sample method is used. Due to pandemic link has been sent to selected number of customers through social media to fill the form. The main aim was to collect at least 50 responses from young girls and boys to adult plus old age men and women.
For collecting secondary data various websites were referred.
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
(Bayad Jamad Ali, 2020): Mr. Ali found in his research that due to pandemic consumers have motivated towards online shopping portal. He found positive relation between online shopping and consumers because of safe and easy mode of payment and delivery in pandemic situation.
(VK Pham, 2020): Study says COVID 19 plays important role in creating awareness of utilities of online shopping portal. Before COVID consumers use to hesitate to purchase from online portal but due to pandemic consumers behaviour is changed. When they were not allowed to touch each other because of high spreading rate of COVID, consumers found online shopping is safe and better to follow and maintain social distancing.
(Bharat Patil, Nerita Patil): Research reveals the psychology of the consumer in the initial stage of COVID. As 1st lockdown is declare consumers were experiencing fear and felt unsecured. Consumers predicted the shortage of essential goods and rushed to the market for purchase. In that period online services were also suspended for protection and safety of the consumers.
(Shashin Shah, 2021): Researched that there is a sharp decline in consumer spending on apparel, fashion, and beauty. As customers were stuck at their home they started to scroll and through social media and online shopping portal, consumers engagement with apparel and fashion brands have steadily increased. Some consumers were restraining them from spending in pandemic, so they accustomed to a new normal. Consumers started to order directly from the manufacturer through digital commerce channel.
(Jigyasa Sharma, Shristi Dhanuka, Dr. Jain, Dr. Iqbal): Stated that consumers were aware of online shopping portal but due to COVID they have just grown louder. Consumer behaviour is drastically changed after witnessing decline in economic condition. In pandemic situation either everyone stuck at home idly or they were working from home, so the behaviour or choice of consumers shifted from fashionable branded cloths to normal comfortable cloths.
(Chuanlal Liu, Sibei Xia, Chunmin LANG, 2021): Found that the pandemic lockdown and social distancing is deeply disrupted the consumption pattern of consumers. Consumers shifted their demand towards essential items and reduced spending on non-essential items hence consumers have established and developed new habit for clothing consumption. Social Media and Online shopping portal plays important role in the new consumption pattern of consumer as well as following the protocols to stay home stay safe.
(Duygun, A. ve Sen, E. 2020): The study is based on the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs more focusing on cognitive and emotional needs of consumers. Changes in the consumers behaviour is witnessed, hence this change is more need than the demand. For satisfying needs, consumers came up with new habit for consumption of cloths for that they motivated towards digital platform. Due to effect of COVID 19 possibility that the current digitization process will continue to grow and develop.
3 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION:
Target Audience
By Age By Location
Inference:
Analysis shows that respondents for the survey between the age group 18-30 years are more than 80% and rest are 31 & above. And more than 85% of responses were received from Urban areas.
Survey Responses:
1. Your economic condition during these COVID 19 Pandemic?
Row Label Count
Good 20
Satisfactory 39
Bad 24
Total 83
Inference: Because of pandemic situation many have lost their jobs which impacted near about 50% consumers financial condition is satisfactory and 50% are divided into good and bad.
0 20 40 60 80
18 - 30 31 - 45 45 & Above
Survey Count by Age group
2. Did you minimize shopping clothes during this pandemic?
Row Label Count
Yes 59
No 9
May be 15
Total 83
Inference:
Because of the huge negative impact on financial condition, 72% of respondents reveal that they have reduced purchase of clothing and diverted towards daily essential items like groceries, vegetables during COVID.
3. How often you did Apparel (clothing) shopping during COVID 19 Pandemic?
Row Label Count Once in a
month 15
Frequently 14 Occasionally 54
Total 83
Inference: As consumers were more cautious about daily necessity items hence 65% of consumers started to purchase cloths occasionally and whose financial condition was good, they started to purchase frequently or monthly.
4. Which platform you used for Purchasing Apparel (Cloths)?
Row Label Count Online 33 Offline 46
Both 4
Total 83
Inference: When asked to respondent 56% of consumers have started to use online portals for shopping And near about 40% were still waiting and managing to purchase directly from the retail store and few of them were using both.
5. Which Shopping mode is more convenient for you?
Row Label Count Online 35 Offline 43 Local Shop 3
Both 2
Total 83
6. Which Online Portal you preferred for Shopping Row Label Count
Myntra 17
Amazon 41
Flipkart 22 Offline / Retail 3
Total 83
Inference: When asked about the preference for an online shopping portal 50% of consumers like and trust to purchase from Amazon and 27% from Flipkart and 20% from mantra and only 2% have selected other Which shows that in India consumers are fore familiar with Amazon.
7. Are you aware of Virtual try and Shop Clothes? (Virtual Apparel Shopping).
Row Label Count
Yes 48
No 35
Total 83
Inference: Although virtual try is a new concept in a market still 58% of respondent knows about it which shows that how consumers were engaged with online shopping portal during COVID and trying to explore themself with new trend and concept of the market.
8. Are you happy about Quality of clothes purchased online?
Row Label Count
Yes 30
No 16
Ok 47
Total 83
Inference: All though people have started to purchase online still are not fully satisfied with the quality of clothes only 37% of consumers are happy with the quality which they purchase online.
9. How many times you open Online Shopping Portal for window shopping?
Row Label Count Everyday 8 Weekend 20 Occasionally 55
Total 83
Inference: When asked about surfing on shopping portal 10% of consumers showed strong response as they surf daily which help them to engage and reduce stress and 25% use to surf on a weekend as they don’t have any other choice to go out during pandemic and 67%
genuinely surf occasionally when they want to purchase from online portals.
10. Did you felt that spending time on online portals helped you to keep engaged?
Row Label Count
Yes 26
No 21
May be 35 Total 83
Inference: When asked about time spending on online portals helps them to keep engage only 25% of consumers said no and others gave a positive response. This shows how consumers perceptions have changed towards online shopping portals during COVID 19.
11. What is your attitude towards Online Shopping Row Label Count
Positive 62 Negative 21 Total 83
Inference: During the pandemic consumers were not allowed to go out for purchasing essential items hence they started to use online portals which created a huge impact on the attitude of consumers. 75% of consumers have a positive attitude towards online shopping and 25% still have a negative attitude just because of quality issues.
12. Were you encouraged towards Online Shopping due to COVID - 19 Pandemic Row Label Count
Yes 52
No 31
Total 83
Inference: During COVID 19 people were stuck at home for following safety guidelines like social distancing and stay home stay safe which encouraged 63% of consumers towards online shopping.
13. Will you continue to shop Apparel Online even after COVID - 19 Pandemic.
Row Label Count
Yes 33
No 11
May be 39
Total 83
Inference: Only 14% have denied continuing with online shopping and others showed a positive response which indicates that how consumers have become techno-savvy and explored themself with a new market or online market.
14. Do you visit retail outlet during this pandemic for purchasing clothes?
Row Label Count
Yes 40
No 43
Total 83
Inference: Apart from the safety guidelines and safety measures near about 48% of consumers managed to shop offline from a retail outlet and 52% of consumers were health-conscious they do not visit the retail store.
15. Do you feel safe purchasing clothes from retail outlet during this pandemic.
Row Label Count
Yes 40
No 43
Total 83
Inference: Those who are really health conscious and know the impact of coronavirus don’t find it safe to go out and purchase from the retail store and 49% of consumers said they feel safe and good to purchase from a retail outlet by taking care of social distancing and other safety measures.
4 CONCLUSION
Change is the only constant; consumers have proven the term in this pandemic situation.
Everything in our life has two aspects positive and negative hence the consumers who have taken this COVID in a positive manner they started to learn the technology, they started to explore themself with different shopping portal for fulfilling their needs and requirement also helps them to stay busy and stay away from anxiety and stress.
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