Does Apparel Purchase Involve Joint Purchase Decision-Making? -Interpersonal Influences between Spouse or Significant Others-

Abstract

This study examined factors that influenced susceptibility to dyadic influences between opposite-gender couples on making apparel purchase decisions. This study focused on main effects of couple identity, product knowledge, clothing involvement and gender, and the interaction effects of gender with other factors for normative and informational influences. A survey was conducted on 155 males and 166 females currently married or in a relationship between the ages of 20 and 50 living in South Korea. For normative influence, the main effects of joint couple identity and clothing involvement (fashion interest, symbolism, and pleasure), and the interaction between gender and clothing involvement (fashion interest) were significant. The interaction between gender and other variables were insignificant. For informational influence, the main effects of partner's product knowledge, pleasure, and gender as well as the interaction effects between fashion interest and gender, and between pleasure and gender were significant. Marketers may find implications from the study results on how couples influence each other in making apparel purchase decisions.