Fashion attitudes and buying behaviors of cross-cultural college students toward apparel products

The purpose of this research study was to compare and contrast the fashion attitudes and buying behaviors of college students at a Midwestern university in the United States and at a metropolitan university in China toward apparel products, and to clarify the factors that contribute to differences and similarities among the two markets. Data were obtained from 317 American and Chinese college students with an age range of 18 to 24 years. The consumer decision-making characteristics related to fashion attitudes were supported by the buying behavioral results in this study. Although similarities overweighed differences overall, several subtle differences were identified in buying characteristics by country. The study confirmed that globalization and cultural background factors including demographics and psychographics have an impact on characterizing fashion attitudes and buying behaviors between American and Chinese college student consumers. Implications of the findings suggest to marketers of U.S. apparel firms that several appropriate globalization and management strategies can be implemented for gaining successful market presence in China.