Fashion Stores Between Fun and Usefulness

Consumers may act on the spur of the moment, driven by fun and curiosity, or be goal-oriented utilitarians. Focusing on consumers as they buy in fashion specialty shops, we test the effects of these two different orientations on a number of variables. Results show that hedonism and utilitarism exert very different effects, and are not pre-determined by age and gender: managers can therefore raise and lower them to their advantage. Our findings suggest that playfulness pays back, in terms of store loyalty, frequency of purchase and higher spending. Retailers should therefore focus on hedonic value, and raise the hedonic potential of the store.