Consumer Purchasing Decisions Essay Writing & Fast Fashion Industry Includes Retailers, Consumers - Management Assignment Help

Assignment Task

Consumer purchasing decisions

The objectives of this essay aims to integrate consumer behaviour literature and then develop creative solutions to the unsustainable consumption decisions. This unsustainable overconsumption trend, involves  the current fast fashion market, and how the high levels of consumer demand lead to the overconsumption of fast fashion items (Jeffery et al. 2018). This problem is influenced by the consumer behaviour of ‘perception’ which affects personal consumer purchasing decisions. The essay will also discuss two ethical theories (Utilitarianism and Virtue Ethics), and how both of these ethical theories have the ability to influence but also fix the problem at hand.  

Overconsumption is defined as a “problem involving mainstream middle and higher-income markets representing consumers with substantial disposable income for discretionary spending consuming something (in this instance fast fashion) to excess  (Jeffery et al. 2018, p.1; Sheth, Sethia and Srinivas 2011, p. 25). This leads to both environmental (such as carbon emissions, air pollution and landfill) and social degradation (underpaid workers in factories) (Jeffery et al. 2018). 

The main stakeholders that are affected by the overconsumption of the fast fashion industry include retailers, consumers, the environment and the government (Ree  2016). The problem lies at the heart of retail stores being able to introduce and sell  new clothing items at extremely low prices (Fairhurst & Bhardwaj 2010). Whilst this is  perceived by consumers as being very affordable, the clothing itself is usually thrown  out or damaged after 1-2 wears (Rahman & Gong 2016). This is due to the relatively  low quality of the fast fashion items which eventually results in individuals spending  large amounts of money replacing the poorly made fashion items (Jeffery et al.  2018).  

Large fast fashion businesses such as Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) and Zara have  started to design clothes that have durable fabrics (such as organic cotton and  recycled polyester), introduced garment recycling and offered discounts to  customers who decide to recycle their old clothes in these stores (Shen, 2014;  Jeffery et al. 2018). These strategies employed are great short-term solutions to  addressing the problem, however in order to solve overconsumption in the long-term,  it is clear that marketers need to ensure that the customers perception changes.

This problem of overconsumption is largely due to the fact that the consumer  behaviour of individuals is highly influenced by the perceived fashion status quo,  which directly impacts upon the personal purchasing decisions of individuals (Scott,  Martin & Schouten 2014). If marketers can understand how the influence of the  consumer behaviour works, this, in effect will allow marketers to challenge the notion  that there is one fixed unitary perception towards consumer behaviour (Solomon,  Russell-Bennett & Previte 2012). 

According to Sirgy (1982, p.288) perception is the “process of selecting, organising,  and interpreting information inputs to produce meaning”. In his writing Sirgy (1982) cited Birdwell (1968); Grubb and Hupp (1968) as having paralleled self-concept with  perception and treated it as a single variable. However, looking at the theory  developed from Birdwell (1968) inclusively, does not accurately illustrate the true  dynamics that perception has on the twenty-first Century fast fashion market (Sirgy  1982). This is due to the fact that effective advertising techniques (such as word of  mouth and reference groups) would have little to no effect on consumers, as this  theory is based purely on one’s own perception of self (needs and desires) without  considering the influence of others on one’s perception (Bertrandias & Goldsmith  2006). 

Grubb and Grathwhohl (1967) state that marketers can use the purchase, display  and use of goods to effectively communicate symbolic meaning to different  consumers. This type of advertising appeals to an individual’s sensory systems  (vision, smell, sounds, touch and taste) and can be used to influence how  consumers behave unconsciously (Soars 2009). For example, Patagonia heavily  relies on using strong visual ques such as a natural environmental backdrop and the  slogan “Better than new” for their “Worn Wear” campaign. This highlights that having  clothes that are durable and that last for a long time reduces environmental wastage  (Hepburn 2013). 

The last dimension of perception is related to Schenk and Holman’s (1980) view of  situational self-image and how it creates a desirable perception of one’s self that  others wish they could associate with the individual. This can be viewed as a  potential problem as some consumers perceive that their ideal search for self-identity  begins with wearing “in-fashion clothing styles” which unconsciously leads to a need 

of wanting to be accepted by others (Johnson, Nagasawa & Peters 1977). These in fashion clothing styles within the Western World are created usually through the  media (fashion shows and fashion blogs on YouTube) and celebrities (Chittenden  2010). This in turn creates a perception that clothing must only be worn once and  this results in new pieces of clothing being bought regularly (Morgan & Birtwistle  2009).  

If large multinational fast fashion businesses (such as Zara and H&M) are able to  change their target market’s perception similar to how Patagonia was able to, then  this potential problem can be transformed into a solution (Ward 2017). This could be  fulfilled through celebrity endorsements that encourages longer use of clothing items, which could lead to consumers adopting a more mindful consumption approach  (Ward 2017). However, in order for this to change, both businesses and consumers  will need to first shift their thoughts towards a more utilitarian and renewed virtue  ethics approach. 

One ethical theory is Utilitarianism which is defined as providing “the greatest good  for the greatest number” (Tuomo and Uusitalo 1996, p.52). The second ethical  theory “Virtue Ethics” is defined by Tuomo and Uusitalo (1996, p.53) “as focusing on  the virtue or moral character of the person carrying out an action. This provides  guidance as to the sort of characteristics and behaviours a good person will seek to  achieve”. 

In other words, utilitarianism focuses specifically on how morally right choices are  those that increase the good that benefits the greatest number of people. Whereas  Virtue Ethics is different as it focuses on the individual themselves and how they can  become a morally good and admirable person who pursues Eudaimonia. (Macquarie  University 2018). 

Many retail businesses have chosen to adopt a Utilitarian approach, evident through  the companies focusing specifically on the economic and social consequences for  their actions (Mohr, Webb & Harris 2001). It is at this stage that the businesses are implementing an indirect Utilitarian approach. Here they are trying to sell large  amounts of cheaply made clothing that benefits only the larger stakeholders, being  the company and the customer and forgetting about the minor stakeholder (that is  the environment) (Joergens 2006).

This combined with consumers adopting virtue ethics to symbolically keep up with  the status quo, also indirectly demonstrates ignorance towards mindful consumption  (Samuelson & Zeckhauser 1988). This “enclothed cognition affect” of virtue ethics  means that “influential individual’s” followers will wear similar clothes to them, to  ensure that they feel like they ‘belong’ to that group (Chittenden 2010). This  illustrates how many young people define their own virtue ethics (within the clothing  world), based upon what influential people around them are currently “wearing”, with  little to no thought about the effect overconsumption has (Piacentini & Mailer 2004). 

Both Utilitarianism and Virtue Ethics can be used as a framework to fix the problem.  Retail businesses could instead choose a Utilitarian approach that practically and  realistically focuses on the planet, people and profits (Turker & Altuntas 2014). For  example businesses could use the just-in-time approach which focuses on meeting  demands with the relevant supply, which minimises the potential for over-ordering on  clothing products (Bhardwaj & Fairhurst 2010). Companies such as Royal Apparel  make clothing from recycled materials (such as plastics and carpet fibres) and if all  large fast fashion retailers began to follow this trend and advertise it, then it is more  likely that consumers will purchase this type of inventory (Bartl et al. 2005).  

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