Date of Graduation

5-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Human Environmental Sciences

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development

Advisor/Mentor

Apple, Laurie

Committee Member/Reader

Cheramie, Lance

Committee Member/Second Reader

Southward, Leigh

Abstract

Consumers shop at multiple retailers for different needs. It is understood that many choose a retailer for an experience and others will shop at large discount retailer for the better savings aspect. These two retailers are constantly working on improving customer experience as well as trying to increase their sales. In a time where E-commerce is at an all-time high, these two retailers also need to consider how other retailers compare against them in different sales categories. Since March of 2020, the retail world shifted with COVID-19 disrupting the supply chain. As retailers solve ways to keep consumers content and coming back to their stores amidst the supply chain issues, they need to consider the quality of their apparel sectors. As online shopping rises, more online retailers will begin to compete with large retailers like A fast fashion online retailer has seen a rise in popularity in the recent years with its trendy clothing and cheap prices. These three retailers all sell swimwear but give different consumer experiences. As retailers adjust to store and production shortages, it is important to understand how the quality of clothing will keep sales consistent. Consumers are likely to keep shopping at locations where they trust the quality of clothing instead of having to deal with returns and customer service desks. The purpose of this research looks at how consumers view quality of women’s swimwear. As participants of this study examined the three different swimsuits and thought about what “quality” means to them, retailers can use this study to better understand what consumers are looking for when they are shopping. Consumers not only look at branding, pricing, and construction, but overall will judge a garment on how these three factors are combined.

Keywords

Consumer perception; brand; price; brick-and-mortar retailers; online retailers; swimsuits

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