Differences in satisfaction with the fit of apparel purchased through catalogs and catalog attributes among three groups (petite, medium, and tall) of women 55 years and older were studied. A national random sample of 3,000 was obtained from two major catalog companies lists of catalogue recipients. The 872 respondents, 55 years and older, were included in the analysis. Overall satisfaction level with 26 specific apparel fit sites was relatively low for the entire sample, especially in relation to length, including blouseslsweater length, leg length of pants, skirtldress length, and jacket length. The petite group showed the least satisfaction with 21 fit sites, while the tall group showed the least satisfaction with 2 fit sites. In terms of catalog attributes, the petite group was least satisfied with Variety of Product Selection factor (e.g., style, color, fabric) and General Size and Fit factor (e.g., sizing definition, ordering information). Managerial implications for apparel manufacturers and catalog retailers to increase consumer satisfaction are given.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Alsop, R. (1984). Firms try new ways to tap growing over-50 population . The Wall Street Journal, August 23, p. 21.
2.
Baines-Love, C. (1982). Women's large size ready-to-wear needs and availability. Unpublished Master's thesis, Texas Woman's University, Denton.
3.
Bratcher, C. (1975). Factors affecting clothing utilization by elderly women. Unpublished Master's Thesis, Oklahoma State University , Stillwater.
4.
Brunn, G. (1983). The shape of your customers. Bobbin, (November), pp. 98-103.
5.
Chowdhary, U.A., & Beale, N.V. (1988). Plus-size women's clothing interest, satisfactions and dissatisfactions with ready-to-wear apparel. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 66, 783-788.
6.
Cheek, W.K. (1978). Clothing deprivation, clothing importance, and self-concept of low socioeconomic fourth grade students enrolled in two types of schools. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University, Columbus.
7.
Churchill, G.A., & Suprenant, C. (1983). An investigation into the determinants of customer satisfaction. Journal of Marketing Research, 19(4), November, 491-504.
8.
Conant, J.S., Brown, J.J., & Mokwa, M.P. (1985). Students are important consumers: Assessing satisfaction in a higher education context. Journal of Marketing Education , 7(2), 13-20.
9.
Cooley, W.W., & Lohnes, P.R. (1971). Multivariate data analysis, New York: John Wiley Sons, Inc.
10.
Czepiel, J.A., & Rosenberg, L.T. (1976). Consumer satisfaction: Toward an integrative framework. Proceedings of the Southern Marketing Association, 169-171.
11.
Day, R.L. (1977). Extending the concept of consumer satisfaction . Advances in Consumer Research, 4(4), 149-154.
12.
Dillman, D.A. (1978). Mail and telephone surveys: The total design method . New York: John Wiley.
13.
Eastlick, M., & Feinberg, R. (1989). Patronage motives of the catalog shopper. ACPTC Proceedings, Monument, CO: Association of College Professors of Textiles and Clothing, Inc., p. 42.
Florin, G. (1991). Your ideal silhouette-body proportion analysis . (2nd ed.), Bloomington, IL : Meridian Education Corporation.
16.
Francis, S.K. (1990). Effect of economic stress on perceived clothing deprivation among high school students. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 8(4), 1-6.
17.
Francis, S.K., & Dickey, L.E. (1984). Dimensions of satisfaction with purchases of women's dresses: Before and after garment care. Journal of Consumer Studies and Home Economics, 8(2), 153-168.
18.
Fransworth, S. (1990). Aging of consumers to spur retail war over market share. Women's Wear Daily, November 12, p. 6
19.
Good, B.A. (1972). A study of textile product knowledge of sales-personnel and customer dissatisfaction with selected apparel. Unpublished Master's Thesis, The Ohio State University, Columbus .
20.
Griffin, J. (1985). Petites: large market overlooked. Bobbin,26, 162-129.
21.
Gulbrandson, R. & Beck, P. (1990). Catalog shopping: Is it for you?North Dakota State University Extension Service, HE-455-LG.
22.
Hogge, V.E., & Baer, M.M. (1986). Elderly women's clothing: acquisition, fit and alterations of ready-to-wear garments. Journal of Consumer Studies and Home Economics, 10(4), 333-341.
23.
Huddleston, P., Ford, I., & Mahoney, M. (1990). The relationship between importance of retail store attributes and lifestyle of mature female consumers. Journal of Consumer Studies and Home Economics, 14(1), 71-85.
24.
James, D. (1983-84). Clothing availability and preferences of large size women. Unpublished Master's thesis, San Francisco State University.
25.
Jones, I. (1975). An investigation to determine the relationship of clothing needs to the physiological, social and psychological needs of the elderly in University City, Missouri, Unpublished Master's Thesis, University of Missouri, Columbia.
26.
Knapp, J.P. (1991). The benefits of consumer education, Ypsilanti, MI: Michigan Consumer Education Center, Eastern Michigan University.
27.
Labat, K., & DeLong, M.R. (1990). Body-cathexis and satisfaction with fit of apparel . Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 8(2), 43-48.
28.
Lambert, Z. (1979). An investigation of older consumers unmet needs and wants at the retail level. Journal of Retailing, 67(4), 75-105.
29.
Lazer, W. & Shaw, E.H. (1987). How older Americans spend their money. American Demographics, 9, (September), 36-47.
30.
Liu, Q. ( 1987). Effects of clothing values on clothing deprivation among high school students. Unpublished master's thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis.
31.
Lowe, E.D. & Dunsing, M.M. (1981). Clothing satisfaction determinants. Home Economics Research Journal, 9(4), 363-373.
32.
Lumpkin, J., Greenberg, B., & Goldstucker, J. (1985). Marketplace needs of the elderly: Determinant attributes and store choice. Journal of Retailing, 61(2), 75-105.
33.
Lumpkin, J., & Hite, R. (1988). Retailers' offerings and elderly consumers' needs: Do retailers understand the elderly?Journal of Business Research , 16(4), 313-326.
34.
Miller, N.H., & Petrich, B. (1986). Elderly consumers: Problems and behaviors. Journal of Consumer Studies and Home Economics, 10(1), 45-57.
35.
Morris, W., & Bader, I. (1983). Clothing. In Daily needs and interests of older people (pp. 205-218). Spring-field, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
36.
Ondovcsik, M. (1981). Petite sportswear: S-o-o-obry!Stores, 63, 20-26, 70.
37.
Oliver, R. (1980). A cognitive model of the antecedents and consequences of satisfaction decisions. Journal of Marketing Research, 17(4), November, 460-469.
38.
Patterson, C.A., & Warden, J. (1984). Selected body measurement of women aged sixty-five and older. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 2(2), 23-30.
39.
Pietsch, J. (1990). Market segmentation of petite catalog shoppers: Shopping behavior and satisfaction with apparel, Unpublished Master's Thesis, Colorado State University, Fort Collins.
Reich, N., & Goldsberry, E. (1990). Development of body measurement tables for women 55 years and older and the relationships to ready-to-wear garment size. A research proposal prepared for The Institute for Standards Research, Philadelphia, PA.
42.
Reich, N., Goldsberry, E., & Otten, P. (1990). Revised apparel sizing standards: A necessity for older females. Manuscript submitted for publication.
43.
Richards, M. (1981). The clothing preferences and problems of elderly female consumers. The Gerontologist, 21(3), 263-267.
44.
Richardson, P. (1975). Clothing preferences and problems of a selected group of women over sixty-five years of age and over living in Tallahassee, Florida, Master's Thesis, Florida State University, Tallahassee.
45.
Rosenblad-Wallin, E., & Karlsson, M. (1986). Clothing for the elderly at home and in nursing homes. Journal of Consumer Studies and Home Economics, 10(4), 343-356.
46.
Rucker, M., Ho, H., & Prato, H. (1989). Consumer evaluation of the mail order apparel market. ACPTC Proceedings, Monument, CO: Association of College Professors of Textiles and Clothing, Inc., p. 43.
47.
Schewe, C. (1988). Marketing to our aging population: Responding to physiological changes. The Journal of Consumer Marketing , 5(3), 61-73.
48.
Schuster, J.D., & Kelly, D.H. (1974). Preferred style features in dresses for physically handicapped elderly women. The Gerontologist, 14(2), 106-109.
49.
Seitz, V., (1987). Clothing interest as an indicator of catalog use . Home Economics Research Journal, 16(2),120-126.
50.
Seitz, V., & Massey, T. (1989). The influence of product involvement regarding catalog preference for apparel purchases. ACPTC Proceedings, Monument, CO: Association of College Professors of Textiles and Clothing, Inc., p. 41.
51.
Shim, S., & Drake, F. (1990). Consumer intention to purchase apparel by mail order: Beliefs, attitude, and decision process variables. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 9(1), 18-26.
52.
Shim, S., & Kotsiopulos, A. (1990). Women's physical size, body-cathexis, and shopping for apparel. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 71, 1031-1042.
53.
Shim, Kotsiopulos, A., & Knoll, D. (1990). Short, average-height, tall, and big men: Body-cathexis, clothing and retail satisfactions, and clothing behavior. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 70, 83-96.
54.
Smallwood, V., & Wiener, J. (1987). Light and heavy catalog shoppers of clothing. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 5(3), 25-30.
55.
Smathers, D., & Horridge, P.E. (1978-79). The effects of physical changes on clothing preferences of elderly women. International Journal of Aging & Human Development, 9(3), 273-278.
56.
Spruiell, P., & Jernigan, M. (1982). Clothing preferences of older women: Implications for gerontology and the American clothing industry. Educational Gerontology, 8(5), 485-492.
57.
Stuart, G.M. (1983). The nature of the relationship among clothing deprivation, self-esteem, and socioeconomic status of early adolescents. Unpublished master's thesis, University of Missouri, Columbia.
58.
Swan, J.E., & Combs.,L.J. (1976). Product performance and consumer satisfaction: A new concept. Journal of Marketing,40(1), 25-33.
59.
U.S. Bureau of the Census (1989). Statistical abstract of the Untied States, (109th ed.), Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
60.
Waddell, F. (1976). Developing consumer education programs for older adults. In F. Waddle (Ed.) The Elderly consumer (pp.483-492). Columbia, MA. The Human Ecology Center, Antioch College.
61.
Walach, J. (1986). Big world of petites. Stores, 68, 37-40.
62.
Westbrook, R.A. (1981). Sources of consumer satisfaction with retail outlets . Journal of Retailing, 57(3), 68-85.
63.
Woodson, E.M., & Horridge, P.E. (1990). Apparel sizing as it relates to women age sixty-five plus. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 8(4), 7-13.
