The purpose of this study is to identify the antecedents of consumers' decision postponement on purchasing fast fashion brands. Ongoing search behavior, overchoice confusion, and similarity confusion were considered as antecedents. It was hypothesized that ongoing search behavior influences decision postponement both directly and indirectly through overchoice confusion and similarity confusion. Data were gathered by surveying university students in Seoul, using convenience sampling. Three hundred five questionnaires were used in the statistical analysis, which were exploratory factor analysis using SPSS and confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis using AMOS. Factor analysis proved that ongoing search behavior, overchoice confusion, similarity confusion, and decision postponement were uni-dimensions. Tests of the hypothesized path proved that ongoing search behavior influences decision postponement indirectly through overchoice confusion. In addition, similarity confusion influences decision postponement. The results suggest some confusion reduction strategies for marketers of fast fashion brands. Suggestions for future study are also discussed.
The quick response(QR) system is very popular in Korean apparel companies. However, the usage of QR system was not known well. The purpose of this study is to identify the usage of the quick response decision support system(QR DSS) and postponement manufacturing in the Korean apparel company. The researched company was the only one which used the QR DSS. The researchers carried out the depth interview with the QR decision makers of the company. This company had 14 brands, and had used the QR DSS since January, 2008. The results are as follows: The QR DSS was supportive computer software program, and it helped the staffs to make agile decision about QR repeat production of clothing. The QR DSS automatically calculated the related data, and suggested the expected sales volume and the proper supply amounts of the styles. There were four functions in QR DSS : 'QR Alert', 'Proper Supply Amount Simulation', 'Sensible QR', and 'Supply/Sales Simulation by Item'. The men's clothing brands effectively used 'Supply/Sales Simulation by Item' function. And the women's clothing brands effectively used 'QR Alert' function. This company also used the postponement production system for QR repeat production. The postponement production was conducted with four methods : the yarn stocking, the grey fabric stocking, the dyed fabric stocking, and the fabric sourcing. The men's clothing brands usually used of the yarn stocking methods and the dyed fabric stocking methods. The women's clothing brands usually used the grey fabric stocking methods. By using QR DSS and postponement production system the company was able to shorten the lead time for QR decision making.