Abstract
According to Engel, Blackwell, & Miniard (52) A salesperson is a strong aspect of manipulation in customers’ decision procedure since a store image and aptitude to formulate loyalty can profoundly count on the capability and traits of the salesperson in a retail atmosphere. A customer may completely expect buying, but this purpose may change if the salesperson’s presentation is not pleasing. Engel et al. (95) designated that appearance is a significant feature of a salesperson. Clothing (Fashion) is an indispensable element of the salesperson’s appearance and it can broadcast many denotations, such as mood, attitude, and identity (Stone 62).The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of a salesperson clothing (fashion) and how it influences the behaviour of the consumer. Rooted in the preceding literatures, a theoretical model was created as a structure of the study. This model proposes that clothing type (Fashion) of a salesperson controls consumer outlook toward the salesperson, which consecutively controls consumer anticipation and appraisal of the salesperson’s presentation. This anticipation and assessment of the salesperson’s performance, and expectation disconfirmation that is the confirmation or disconfirmation between consumer anticipation and assessment of the salesperson’s performance are three issues that manipulate consumer contentment with the salesperson’s presentation.
Introduction
According to Horn & Gruel, Fashion is an integral feature in the daily human lives and communications with others (81). It can broadcast an enormous array of denotations such as value, character, mood, and feelings (Stone 78). Kaiser (87) initiated an interdisciplinary and theoretical structure using representative interaction supposition and cognitive social psychology for learning fashion and manifestation as a type of communication. Emblematic interaction engaged with interactions amongst persons that are understandings of fashion symbols between a wearer and a perceiver while cognitive social psychology considers fashion cues as pieces that might be chosen by perceivers to instigate supposition processes about wearers. Kaiser’s interdisciplinary and theoretical framework concerned the study of the interpersonal and situational features of the significances allocated to fashion and the understanding of fashion as a symbolic representation of the self and others (84).
This structure demonstrated the significance of fashion indications in perceptual and communicative processes. In addition, Roach-Higgins and Eicher fashioned a theoretical framework for understanding the connection between identity and the societal aspects of clothing (92). They argued that fashion as a communicator of character from the viewpoint of emblematic interaction hypothesis. Identities were communed by clothing since it illustrated the social positions of the wearer to both the wearer and the observer. Both Arnheim (49) and Asch (46) designated that the perceiver prearranged constituent parts of manifestation into a global impression. Co-dependent denotations were formed from the observer's association of the physical message prompts within the adjacent context or milieu. Damhorst (90) accentuated that fashion was a methodical means of broadcast of information about the wearer, implicating that numerous messages might be sent to the observer.
Consistent with preceding research, fashion has played an imperative role in human behaviour. It is considered not merely as body shield or adornment but as well as a communication instrument in human dealings. In the retail surroundings, the salesperson is a strong issue of authority on consumers since store image and the aptitude to build allegiance can greatly bank on the salesperson’s presentation and traits such as his/her attentiveness, expertise, friendliness, and appearance (Engel, Blackwell, & Miniard 95). The merchant signifies retailers to customers and operates as the transaction or exchange purpose between retailers and consumers (Wilkie 94). The further the consumer becomes fond of the salesperson, the more probable the consumer acknowledges the salesperson's proposals.
Objective
The intention of this project is to see whether indiscriminately chosen people at a shopping mall respond differently when asked to buy clothes by a salesperson dressed up in different ways.
Hypothesis
There will be a significant interaction of the clothing type of the salesperson type (i.e., formal, informal) on consumer attitude (i.e., positive, neutral, negative) toward the salesperson.
Method
The existing research was an experimental study with a 1 x 2 between-subjects factorial design: random selected individuals in the mall and two clothing types (fashion sense) of the salesperson (type A, type B). Only the grouping of men’s gear was picked as clothing for the salesperson. This was done to reduce the manipulation of the salesperson’s sex on the results. In this experiment, the clothing types A, representing formally dressed type, entail a black dress shoes, tie, navy blue suit, and white dress shirt. The clothing type B, casually dressed type had a navy blue chino pants, tennis shoes, and navy blue crew-neck long sleeve shirt as part of the closet.
The neutral fundamental styles of the clothing were opted for so that all participants would wear in spite of their age differences. A comparable navy blue color was alos selected for both fashion types to decrease the manipulation of color difference. Both Adolescent and elderly customers were selected as the participants in the study since the populace of these age groups are quickly escalating and will become increasingly vital segments in the market (Zollo 98). The LSD Test: Mean Scores of Consumer Attitude toward the Salesperson Between the Experimental Groups
Mean Scores of Consumer Attitude
Group 1 (Adolescent Participants / Formal Clothing Type) 3.72a
Group 2 (Adolescent Participants / Informal Clothing Type) 4.17a
Group 3 (Elderly Participants / Formal Clothing Type) 5.63b
Group 4 (Elderly Participants / Informal Clothing Type) 3.80a
a, b. Means with different superscript letters are significantly different at the .001 level.
7 was the highest possible score
The Hypothesis was made to scrutinize whether there would be a noteworthy interaction between the fashion senses of the salesperson on the changeable consumer outlook toward the salesperson. The two-way ANOVA test was done to scrutinize whether there was a noteworthy interaction in the effects of fashion of the salesperson on consumer’s attitude toward hi. The results showed that elderly participants had a considerably more positive attitude toward the salesperson than did adolescent participants. The salesperson with the formal clothing type obtained an appreciably more positive attitude from all participants.
A noteworthy interaction of the fashion of the salesperson on consumer attitude toward the salesperson was found (see Table 1). Table 2 showed the mean scores of the consumer attitude toward the salesperson. The Elderly participants who interacted with the salesperson with a formal clothing type had the highest score. The Least-significant difference (LSD) test was conducted to examine whether there was a significant difference between the means of consumer attitude toward the salesperson. These results indicated that the elderly participants had the most positive attitude toward the salesperson with a formal clothing type than the other participants. These results also indicated that the adolescent participants had a more positive attitude toward the salesperson with an informal clothing type than the salesperson with a formal clothing type. Founded on these results, the Hypothesis was held.
Discussion
A significant interaction was observed when the influence of the salesperson’s clothing on consumer satisfaction with the salesperson’s performance was examined. Clothing types were significantly related to the adolescent and elderly participants’ attitudes toward the salesperson. Elderly participants had a significantly more positive attitude toward the salesperson when the salesperson wore a formal clothing type. Adolescent participants had a more positive attitude toward the salesperson when the salesperson wore an informal clothing type. This significant interaction may be explained by the consistency between the clothing type that participants preferred to wear and the clothing type that the salesperson wore. Elderly participants significantly preferred to wear a formal clothing type more than an informal clothing type and they had a significantly more positive attitude toward the salesperson when the salesperson wore a similar formal clothing type. Adolescent participants significantly preferred to wear an informal clothing type more than a formal clothing type, and they had a more positive attitude toward the salesperson when the salesperson was in a similar informal clothing type.
This finding supports the proposition of Stone (62), which indicated that individuals who share similar appearance symbols or at least the same understanding of such symbols are more likely to engage in meaningful communication. If there is similarity between the salesperson and the consumer in the sales interaction, the consumer is attracted to the salesperson and therefore likes the salesperson (Woodside & Davenport 74).
Conclusion
In this study, the resemblance was found between the fashion that the participant preferred to wear and the clothing type that the salesperson was wearing in the scenario. This resemblance might augment the salesperson’s attractiveness. That, consecutively, might be related to a positive consumer attitude toward the salesperson. These results may provide some implications for retailers. When retailers request what their salespersons should wear, they should first understand the clothing type that their target customers prefer to wear. For example, based on the current results, an informal clothing type may be a better choice for the store when adolescents are the only target customers. For elderly consumers, having salespersons wear a formal clothing type is a better choice for the stores where elderly consumers are the prime customers. Department stores may have salespersons wear clothing types according to the target customers in each section.
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