The purpose of this study was to explore how consumers evaluate clothing quality. The researchers used a questionnaire based on responses from previous clothing quality research. It included statements to assess consumers’ use of informational cues to evaluate clothing quality and their expectations of high‐quality garments. A total of 146 students completed the questionnaire. An analysis of the data indicated that 75% of the informational cues and 36% of the expectations of a high‐quality garment were used by the respondents when considering the quality of a garment. The results of this study support the multidimensional nature of consumers’ perception of clothing quality using both informational cues and consumers’ expectations of high‐quality garments.

The means-end chain model provided the framework to assess how consumers evaluate clothing quality by examining the cognitive structure that exists between the evaluative criteria used to judge quality and personal values. The in-depth probing technique of laddering was used to elicit responses from 25 women. Analysis of the resulting protocols indicates that for this group of consumers, the concept of perceived clothing quality includes a number of associated concepts at various levels of abstraction. While a number of attributes were identified by the subjects, only "fabric" was consistently chosen by the women to denote quality. The underlying reasons for their choice become evident at higher levels of abstraction where other concepts of perceptions of quality emerged. In this study, consumers evaluated quality using attributes that they associated with social, psychological, economic, physiological, and aesthetic consequences. Research to assess how consumers evaluate quality should be designed to include factors other than physical attributes.

and extrinsic cues) as well as abstract features that are ascribed to the product by the user such as beauty and durability (aesthetic and performance cues). [1][2][3][4][5] However, findings of the studies have sometimes been inconsistent suggesting there are underlying factors that influence why some consumers find some informational cues salient when evaluating quality while other consumers do not. Determining what factors influence consumers' choice of informational cues for evaluating clothing quality is essential to better understand consumers' perception of quality.The importance of knowledge in the consumer decision-making process has provided a rich area of research for consumer behaviourists and may provide insights into how consumers evaluate clothing quality. The literature suggests that the amount and quality of knowledge consumers have about a product effects the types of concrete cues they use to evaluate it. Unfamiliar or low-familiar consumers are more likely to use extrinsic cues when evaluating products while those more familiar with a product use intrinsic cues. 6 For clothing quality, this would mean that less knowledgeable consumers rely on extrinsic cues such as price or brand name to evaluate it and those more knowledgeable would use intrinsic attributes such as seam type or fabric. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect knowledge has on how consumers evaluate clothing quality. Specifically, do more knowledgeable consumers use different information cues to evaluate clothing quality than less knowledgeable consumers? Review of literatureMany studies that have focused on consumers' evaluation of clothing quality have been limited to the effect concrete characteristics of the product (extrinsic and intrinsic cues) have on their perceptions of clothing quality. Extrinsic cues such as price and brand name are related to the product, but are not a physical part of it. Abstract This study was designed to determine the effect knowledge has on the types of information cues used to evaluate clothing quality. Students ranked the importance of 24 product attributes for evaluating clothing quality before beginning a 15-week university course on evaluation of clothing products and again at the conclusion of the course. Most (64%) of the intrinsic cues were ranked significantly higher on the pretest than post-test and many of the extrinsic (75%) and aesthetic (67%) cues rated significantly lower. There were no differences in the ranking of the performance cues. However, caution should be taken when interpreting the results of the study. Although all of the cues ranked significantly higher in the post-test were intrinsic cues, when evaluating the relative ranking of the cues in the pretest and post-test, there were few differences. The same five aesthetic cues were in the top third on both tests and the same six intrinsic cues were in the bottom third on both tests. The findings of this study suggest that knowledge does influence how consumers evaluate quality and additional research that focu...

This study was designed to determine the effect knowledge has on the types of information cues used to evaluate clothing quality. Students ranked the importance of 24 product attributes for evaluating clothing quality before beginning a 15‐week university course on evaluation of clothing products and again at the conclusion of the course. Most (64%) of the intrinsic cues were ranked significantly higher on the pretest than post‐test and many of the extrinsic (75%) and aesthetic (67%) cues rated significantly lower. There were no differences in the ranking of the performance cues. However, caution should be taken when interpreting the results of the study. Although all of the cues ranked significantly higher in the post‐test were intrinsic cues, when evaluating the relative ranking of the cues in the pretest and post‐test, there were few differences. The same five aesthetic cues were in the top third on both tests and the same six intrinsic cues were in the bottom third on both tests. The findings of this study suggest that knowledge does influence how consumers evaluate quality and additional research that focuses on the effect of knowledge in consumers’ evaluation of clothing quality is needed.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how retail buyers rate the importance of selected educational criteria. Questionnaires were mailed to 388 retail buyers in department, discount and speciality stores; the usable response rate was 28 per cent. Results of this study indicated that buying criteria such as planning and organising work effectively, retail mathematical skills, finding information to solve problems and critically interpreting information were rated very highly by the respondents. Also rated highly were criteria related to the knowledge of apparel products, from fibre through garment construction to the end‐use performance.