Sustainability and Social Responsibility

U.S. Generation Z Consumers' Motivations and Purchase Behavior Towards Secondhand Clothing

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Abstract

The purpose of the study is to identify emerging themes influencing U.S. Gen Z consumers’ motivations toward secondhand shopping and their willingness to purchase secondhand clothing. A qualitative method approach was used to conduct 18 in-depth interviews as a data collection method. The interviews were semi-structured with the deliverance of open-ended/semistructured questions carried out in a conversational style. For understanding Gen Z consumer’s buying behavior, theory planned behavior (TPB) is applied to explore their motivation for buying secondhand clothing. TPB includes three variables: attitude,subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. Those three variables have an impact on behavioral intention, which consequently will influence the actual purchase behavior of consumers. The participants were motivated to shop secondhand clothing for the following values perceived: (1) financial benefit, (2) social value, (3) emotional value,(4) convenience value, (5) sustainability value, and (6) perceived behavior control.

Keywords: motivations, U.S. Gen Z consumers, purchase behavior, secondhand clothing, secondhand clothing motivations

How to Cite:

Silva, C., Mccarver, M., Wang, C., Wang, T. & Chi, T., (2020) “U.S. Generation Z Consumers' Motivations and Purchase Behavior Towards Secondhand Clothing”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 77(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.11725