Malaysian Millennials’ Clothing Apparel Choice: A Study on Brand Factors and the Implications on Consumer Preferences

Abstract

The objective of this research is to examine the effects of brand factors and country of origin factors on self-concept and its implications on consumer preference. Furthermore, the research also studied the moderating effect of fashion consciousness on consumer preference. The research is centred on the Malaysian Millennials in the clothing industry. The data for this research is obtained through primary data survey that was conducted through physical questionnaire distribution and online questionnaires sent via Google Forms. A total number of 230 responses were collected and analysed using factor analysis and partial least squares - structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) techniques. The findings indicated that brands factors had greater impact on self-concept in comparison to country of origin. The brand association and brand personality dimensions were found to have significant roles in brand factors. Self-concept is found to have a positive influence on consumer preference. However, fashion consciousness did not moderate the relationship between self-concept and consumer preference. The findings of this study will be useful to marketers to devise a more strategic marketing mix and develop a suitable market entry strategy based on the contributing factor that would yield a better return on investment (ROI).