Consumers of used clothing

Graduation date: 1982The study was undertaken to investigate characteristics of\ud consumers of used clothing and the outlets in which used clothing is\ud sold. The investigation of consumer characteristics involved demographic factors such as sex, age, educational level, employment\ud status, family composition, income level, user of clothing purchased,\ud use of clothing, reasons for shopping in used-clothing stores, attitude toward used-clothing stores, and perceived fashion innovativeness.\ud Used clothing stores were assessed with attention to price points,\ud store atmosphere, store conveniences, and store merchandise. Relationships between consumer characteristics and patronage of used clothing\ud outlets were also investigated.\ud Two questionnaires were developed for the study. An interview\ud schedule was devised to obtain information regarding consumer characteristics. A rating sheet for stores was developed to assess store\ud image points. Stores with higher image points were assigned type "A";\ud stores with lower points were assigned type "B". Chi square analyses of data at a .05 significance level show\ud ed that two out of six null hypotheses were rejected; one hypothesis\ud was partially rejected.\ud The study found that consumers of type A store differ from\ud consumers of type B store in the sex of the consumer, user of clothing\ud purchased, and use of clothing categories purchased. More male consumers patronized stores with overall lower store image while females\ud patronized used clothing stores with higher store image. Consumers\ud bought more used clothing for themselves and for work from stores with\ud higher image points. Consumers who shopped in used clothing outlets\ud with lower store image bought clothing for themselves, children, and\ud others, primarily for home use