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Does Size Really Matter? The Effect of Vanity Sizing on Product EvaluationsThe Effect of Vanity Sizing on Product Evaluations
JoAndrea Hoegg Maura L. ScottAndrea C. Morales Darren W. Dahl
Marketing & Consumer SizeSize
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Vanity SizingVanity Sizing
Let ‘em eat cake, but if you want to sell ‘em
clothes, trick ‘em into thinking that the cake they
eat doesn’t put on pounds.”
(Eisenberg 2009)
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The sizes, they are a-changin’y g
Size 14 19501950 and
todaytoday
Even in a 10-year span….
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e a 0 yea spaSize 8 in 1986 is equal to size 10 in 1997 (Workman & Lentz 2000)
The sizes, they are a-changin’y g
W i t M t f Si 7/8 P t
363840
Waist Measurements for Size 7/8 Pants
2830323436
2426
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Are your pants lying to you?e you pa ts y g to you
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Our ResearchOur Research
How does vanity sizing affect consumers?Evaluation of clothing and retailersgEffects on self esteemEffects on shopping behaviours
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Self-Esteem and Altered Sizes
Appearance Self Esteem – critical to sense of self worth• Chronic level• Context dependent
P l k t tt i iti b t d id• People seek to attain positive boosts and avoid negative drops that deviate from their normal level self-esteem.
• Clothing size may impact how we feel about ourselves.
L t l f th i• Lower appearance esteem people are more aware of their size.
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Self-Esteem and Altered Sizes
Hypothesis 1: When a clothing item that fits is a smallerHypothesis 1: When a clothing item that fits is a smaller size than expected, consumers will evaluate the item more positively.
Hypothesis 2: When a clothing item that fits is a larger size than expected consumers will evaluate the item morethan expected, consumers will evaluate the item more negatively.
Hypothesis 3: When appearance esteem is bolstered, threats to self-esteem from larger size labels are
iti t d
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mitigated
Study 1: Fitting Room ExperienceExperience
Variables manipulated:• Size on labels: smaller vs. larger than
expectedBolstered self esteem: intellect vsBolstered self esteem: intellect vs. appearance
KKey measures: • Attitude toward the pants (bad/good,
dis/like, un/pleasant, un/satisfied)• Likelihood to shop at the store
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Study 1: Fitting Room ExperienceExperience
Two Phase StudyPhase 1 Bolstering• Intellect:
Aptitude test (GRE Jiang et al. 2010)
Outcome: 89th percentile – you’re smart!• Appearance:
“Symmetry and proportion test” – digital h tphotos
Outcome: 89th percentile – you’ve got a great shape!
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great shape!
Study 1: Fitting Room ExperienceExperience
Phase 2: Evaluating a new local fashion retailerPhase 2: Evaluating a new local fashion retailer
Size label manipulated on pants hangersTwo Sizes Smaller (10 labeled “6”; 8 labeled “4”; etc )Two Sizes Smaller (10 labeled 6 ; 8 labeled 4 ; etc.)Two Sizes Larger (10 labeled “14”; 8 labeled “12”; etc.)
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Study 1: Attitude toward PantsPants
5.5
4.794.825
5.5
4.30
4
4.5
Bolstered 3.75
3.5
4 Intelligence
Bolstered Appearance
3Two sizes larger Two sizes smaller
Appearance
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Study 1 SummaryStudy 1 Summary
Consumers like small sizes and dislike large sizesConsumers like small sizes and dislike large sizes.
Reactions to clothing size seem to be driven in gpart by appearance self esteem. • Bolstering feelings about appearance reduces the
threat and mitigates the negative evaluationg g
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How Do Consumers Cope?
Requiring a larger size is a threat to appearance self
p
q g g ppesteem.
Consumers compensate for threats by consuming.• Affirm threatened aspects of the self• Compensatory consumption
Hypothesis 4: When a clothing item that fits is a larger size than expected, consumers will have higher purchase intentions for non-sized productsintentions for non sized products
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Study 2: Measurement ExperienceExperience
Variables manipulated• Size: expected size, two sizes larger than expected
Phase 1: R t t d i i b i ttiReport expected size in business attire
Phase 2: (three weeks later)Evaluate tailor made clothing
Key Measures: Willingness to pay for suitAttitude toward the suitAttitude toward the suitLikelihood of purchasing other products from retailer
> Sized items (skirts, blouses, undergarments) > Non-sized items (fragrance, scarves, jewelry/watches)
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Evaluating Custom-Made Business SuitBusiness Suit
Go into Dressing RoomgTake MeasurementsBring Sheet to Administrator
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Evaluating Custom-Made Business SuitBusiness Suit
Administrator References Fictitious Size Chart, Assigns Size and Suit
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Sample Card
Study 2 ResultsStudy 2 Results
Attitude toward suit WTP5.49
4.535
6Attitude toward suit
$188.00
$148 00$160
$200WTP
3
4$148.00
$120
$160
1
2
$40
$80
0Expected Size Larger Size
$0
$40
Expected Size Larger Size
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Expected Size Larger Size19
p < .05p < .05
Study 2 ResultsStudy 2 Results
Likelihood of Purchasing Other Items
4 83 5.005
6
4.834.44
4.074
5
3
4Sized Items
Non-Sized Items
2Expected Size Larger Size
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Expected Size Larger Size
Summary – Study 2y y
Evidence of a coping mechanism• Evidence of a coping mechanism through consumption.
Th t d i di id l h i d d• Threatened individuals purchase non-sized goods and avoid sized goods.
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Can Consumers Protect Themselves?Themselves?
Consumers’ Knowledge of Persuasion Attemptsg pConsumers have ideas about persuasion that help them form
attitudes about influence agents (Friestad & Wright 1994)
Reduced size label persuasion attempt
Hypothesis 5: The effects of altered sizing practice will be reduced when consumers are wary of marketing persuasion tacticsare wary of marketing persuasion tactics.
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Study 3Study 3
Variables ManipulatedSize: smaller than expected vs. larger than expectedS i i f k tSuspicion of marketers: yes vs. no
Two part study:Two part study:Part 1: Read persuasion knowledge article or neutral
articleP 2 S i b l i d iPart 2: Scenario about selecting and trying on pants
… as you pull the pants up you find that they are far [too loose/too tight]...After trying on a few pairs, you find a pair that fits perfectly that is labeled two sizes
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find a pair that fits perfectly that is labeled two sizes [smaller/larger] than your normal size.
Study 3 Results - AttitudesStudy 3 Results Attitudes
5.32
4 785
6
4.78
3.884
5
Not Suspicious
3.28
3
Suspicious
2Smaller Size Larger Size
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ConclusionsConclusions
• Consumers like fitting into smaller sizes andConsumers like fitting into smaller sizes and respond very negatively to larger sizes
• Size label can act as a boost or threat to consumers’ self esteemself esteem. • Is boosted self esteem a good thing in this case?
• Consumers respond to appearance threats byConsumers respond to appearance threats by purchasing non-sized appearance-enhancing items.
• Improving consumers’ awareness of marketing tactics reduces but does not eliminate the effectstactics reduces, but does not eliminate the effects.
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Thank you!