Thai Consumers Behavior towards Fast Fashion

Ni Putu Maha Lina 1

1
Department of International Business, Faculty of Business Administration,
Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10300, Thailand
1
putumahalina@gmail.com

Keywords: fast fashion, market size, purchasing power, consumer behavior, apparel industry

Abstract
Clothing has always been regarded as one of the primary needs of human being. This
concept can be reflected in current clothing trends for teenagers. Teenagers aware of the latest
fashion trend, what update is and what will be upcoming. They are addicted to follow the fashion
trend that is growing over time. Teenagers’ intention to follow current fashion trend has captured by
a retail store. This big opportunity is seen by the retail store that brings them to create a new kind of
fashion, named fast fashion. This paper examines that there is a significant relationship between the
motivation of buying fast fashion and the frequency of purchasing fast fashion in Thai teenagers.
The result shows a relationship at p < 0.05 level (x = 16.995a, df = 9, p = 0.049). The results show a
significant number at the level of significant. A mix-methodology approach is used to gather
quantitative and qualitative data to observe Thai consumer’s behavior towards fast fashion. The
populations for this study comprise residents of Bangkok in 2016 of ages 18-35 years, with 100
subjects partaking in a questionnaire, and 10 subjects partaking in in-depth interviews. Results show
that the motivation of buying fast fashion is significantly pushing Thai Teenagers to buy fast fashion
more than once in the month.

Introduction
Based on data obtained from Market Line, a business information company, the global
apparel industry has been growing at a 4.78% yearly rate since 2011. Now valued at nearly $1.4
trillion dollars in sales for 2017, the industry shows no signs of slowing as the market is projected to
experience 5.91% yearly growth over the next three years. By 2020, the market size of the apparel
industry is expected to reach a mind-boggling $1.65 trillion sales in US dollars worldwide [1].
According to Barnes, L., and Lea-Greenwood, G. (2006, p259) fast fashion is a business
strategy which aims to processes involved in the buying cycle and lead times for getting new
fashion product into stores, in order to satisfy consumer demand at its peak [2]. Teenagers just love
fashion trendy and up to date. The tendency of teenagers who like this kind of fashion gives the
opportunity for retail businesses in creating a new type of fashion called fast fashion. There are
several things that differentiate fast fashion with fashion in general. The differentiating factor that
can be seen from the speed of a fashion company view the trend, produce, distribute and change the
fashion in store rapidly.
Much fast fashion retail store is regularly issued new models in the store. Then the
companies distribute clothes to the supply chain strategy that quickly and accurately to reach the
store. Furthermore, within a week if the clothes are not sold, the retail store will withdraw and
replace them with new ones. The purpose of the fast fashion’s retail store strategy is to establish
customer mindset for always coming to the store and shop. The attitude of loyal customers will
always push the fast fashion business to evolve over time. Consumer purchase behavior can be
defined as behavior that is demonstrated by consumers when looking for, assessing, purchasing,
using and abandoning products and services for which it is expected that they will satisfy the
consumer‘s wishes and needs in the process of change (Solomon et al., 2010).
The author perceives the increasing of the teenagers’ demand in fast fashion as one of an
interesting topic to be observed. The purpose of this research is to find the relationship between the
motivation of buying fast fashion and the frequency of purchasing fast fashion in Thai teenagers.
The author considers it is important to do research in order to understand Thai teenager’s
purchasing behavior in the dynamic world of clothing trends.

Figure 1: Market size of the global apparel industry

By 2020, the market size of the apparel industry is expected to reach a mind-boggling $1.65
trillion sales in US dollars worldwide. Simply put, this rapid growth means that the average
consumer in the world is now buying more than 1.5 times the amount of apparel they did just 6
years ago [1].

Methods and Procedures

- The Chi-square test and significance
The chi-square test is a test of statistical inference used with cross-tabulations to know if the
differences between cells are statistically significant. It compares observed data with the data that
would be expected should a particular hypothesis hold true, and therefore allow us to test that
hypothesis [3].
Statistical significance is a measure of the probability that a relationship identified in a sample
will also be found in the population that the sample represents. A finding or result is said to be
statistically significant if it is found to be highly unlikely that the observed result would occur by
chance. Typically, the cutoff point for drawing such a conclusion is a probability of 1 in 100 (p<.01)
or 1 in 20 (p<.05) that the observed pattern may have occurred by chance. When this is the case, the
result provides sufficient evidence to reject the null hypothesis that there is no relationship [4].
 Table 1: The Chi-square test results from data collected
Chi-Square Tests
Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)
a
Pearson Chi-Square 16.995 9 .049
Likelihood Ratio 17.661 9 .039
Linear-by-Linear Association 1.511 1 .219

N of Valid Cases 100

a. 9 cells (56.2%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 1.10.

The result of Chi-square from table 2 below is based on the questions in questionnaire what
are you look for while buying clothes and what is your frequency of purchasing fashion clothes. We
can see from the table X2 = 16.995a, p = .049. The number of Asymp. Sig (2-sided) is 0.049. To be
statistically significant the values need to be smaller than 0.05 (Pallant, 2010; Qualtrics, 2011). It
can be concluded the result shows a relationship at p < 0.05 level (x = 16.995a, df = 9, p = 0.049)
which mean that results are significant at the level of significant. The result of Chi-square test also
indicates there are associations between motives when buying and frequency of buying clothes.

- Cross-tabulation Analysis
The chi-square test results indicate a significant level of relationship between the two (p = 0.002).
The chi-square table in results should include a value and associated level of significance (p)
(Asymp. Sig. (2-sided). The significant value should be smaller than 0.05 (Pallant, 2010; Qualtrics,
2011).

Empirical Results

The questionnaire was distributed and fulfilled by 100 respondents. Out of all respondents,
2% are 26-35 years old. And the rest of 98 % are 18-25 years old. In Figure 2, female respondents
are 67 %. The rest 33 % are male. Results show a significant relationship between the motivation of
buying fast fashion and the frequency of purchasing fast fashion in Thai teenagers (see table 2).

However, this study employs mix-methodological research focusing on quantitative data

through questionnaire and qualitative data through the in-depth interview. The results here show
there is a relationship between the motivation of buying fast fashion and the frequency of buying
fast fashion in Thai teenagers. Reasons given include price, brand, quality, and others factor while
buying clothing.

- Hypothesis
HO: There is no relationship between the motivation of buying clothes and the frequency of
purchasing clothes in Thai teenagers.
H1: There is a relationship between these variables.
Table 2: Test of a significant relationship between the motivation of buying clothes and the
frequency of purchasing clothes in that teenagers
look * frequency Crosstabulation
Frequency Total
once in the once in the once in two more than
month three month month once in the
month
Count 4 4 4 17 29
% within look 13.8% 13.8% 13.8% 58.6% 100.0%
quality % within
18.2% 36.4% 26.7% 32.7% 29.0%
frequency
% of Total 4.0% 4.0% 4.0% 17.0% 29.0%
Count 7 2 3 10 22
% within look 31.8% 9.1% 13.6% 45.5% 100.0%
brands % within
31.8% 18.2% 20.0% 19.2% 22.0%
frequency
% of Total 7.0% 2.0% 3.0% 10.0% 22.0%
Look
Count 6 5 4 24 39
% within look 15.4% 12.8% 10.3% 61.5% 100.0%
prices % within
27.3% 45.5% 26.7% 46.2% 39.0%
frequency
% of Total 6.0% 5.0% 4.0% 24.0% 39.0%
Count 5 0 4 1 10
% within look 50.0% 0.0% 40.0% 10.0% 100.0%
others % within
22.7% 0.0% 26.7% 1.9% 10.0%
frequency
% of Total 5.0% 0.0% 4.0% 1.0% 10.0%
Count 22 11 15 52 100
% within look 22.0% 11.0% 15.0% 52.0% 100.0%
Total % within
100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
frequency
% of Total 22.0% 11.0% 15.0% 52.0% 100.0%
 Figure 2: The motivation of buying clothes and the frequency of purchasing clothes in thai
teenagers bar chat

The clustered bar chat option highlights the motivation of buying fast fashion and the
frequency of purchasing fast fashion on Thai teenager. There are many factors that drive
respondents’ motivation to go for shopping. Options in the questionnaire are common factors which
are able to generalize consumers’ motivation before making a buying decision. In connection with
the theory of fast fashion, the price factor will determine the purchase option [5]. It is based on the
price of fast fashion which is affordable and cheap. There are four options on the questionnaire are,
quality, brand, price, and others. There are 39 % of respondent choose price, 29 % choose quality,
22 % of respondents choose the brand, and 10 % choose others.
The second question is purposed to find out how often consumers shop fast fashion.
Generally, there is a tendency of consumers to come at any time to the fast fashion retail. This is
because the latest update of the collection in the fast fashion retail Collections are not sold will be
drawn and updated with the latest collections [5]. The author wants to know, how intense the
respondents came to buy clothes. Options in the questionnaire provide choice to the respondents in
a different time period. The options are once in the month, once in two months, once in the three
months and more than once in the month. 52% respondents choose more than once in the month, 22
% of them choose once in the month, 15 % choose once in two months, and 11 % choose once in
three months.

Conclusion
This paper examines a strongly significant relationship between the motivation of buying
fast fashion and the frequency of purchasing fast fashion in Thai teenagers. A mix-methodologies
approach is used to gather quantitative and qualitative data on buying fashion. The populations for
this study comprise residents of Bangkok in 2016 of ages 18-35 years, with 100 subjects partaking
in a questionnaire, and 10 subjects partaking in in-depth interviews. Results show that the
motivation of buying fast fashion is significantly pushing Thai Teenagers to buy fast fashion more
than once in the month.

Acknowledgment
The author expresses their thanks to Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon.
The author is using this opportunity to express their gratitude to everyone who supported them
throughout final outcome of the research.

References
[1] Ganit Singh, Fast Fashion Has Changed the Industry and the Economy. (2017). Information on
https://fee.org/articles/fast-fashion-has-changed-the-industry-and-the-economy/
[2] Maria Hansson, What Impact has a Fast Fashion Strategy on Fashion Companies’ Supply Chain
Management? Halmstad University, 2011. Information on
http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:456484/FULLTEXT01.pdf
[3] Martin Davis and Nathan Hughes, Doing a Successful Research Project Using Qualitative Or
Quantitative Methods, (2014).
[4] James O. Aldrich and James B. Cunnningham, Using IBM SPSS Statistics Second Edition,
(2016).
[5] Tina Yinyin Wang, Consumer Behavior Characteristics in Fast Fashion, Sweden, University of
Boras, 2010. Information on http://bada.hb.se/bitstream/2320/7723/2/2010.13.16.pdf