Impact of Consumer Installment Debt on Food Expenditures

Trends in consumer installment credit over the period 1980 to 1989 are discussed; as well, a two-equation recursive model is developed to identify and assess the impact of installment credit on food expenditures. The first equation concerns factors affecting the ratio of consumer installment credit to personal disposable income, namely habit persistence, expected income, the prime interest rate, the unemployment rate, and the percentage of the population aged 25 to 44. The second equation focuses on factors affecting real per capita food expenditures, namely the real price of food, real per capita personal disposable income, seasonality, and a polynomial distributed lag of the measure of the ratio of consumer installment credit to personal disposable income from the first equation. The ratio of installment credit to personal disposable income has a positive effect on food expenditures; over the long run a one percent change in this ratio leads to a 0.15 percent change in real per capita food expenditures. On average, it takes just over six months for a change in this ratio to be transferred to food expenditures.     

浙江省农村居民家庭生活消费结构变动及需求弹性分析

本文采用扩展线性支出系统,利用1998、2003年浙江省农村家庭消费开支调查资料,对浙江省农村居民家庭消费结构进行了分析研究,试图揭示出消费结构的特征和变动方向,以认识和把握浙江省农村居民消费需求的变化趋势,从而为浙江省制定宏观产业政策、产品结构调整以及企业制定营销战略提供参考信息.     

加速商品流通促进消费扩大内需

运用Feldstein和Ascauser的模型,对城市、农村以及全体居民的人均消费、人均可支配收入和人均财政支出进行分析,可以看出,人均可支配收入、人均财政支出以及人均消费逐年增加,具有相同的趋势。并且人均可支配收入、人均财政支出的逐年增加,对于人均消费的提高分别具有积极地促进作用。而推动商品流通的良好发展,可以提高城市居民人均可支配收入以及增加政府财政支出,促进城市居民人均消费增加,即有效扩大内需。政府机构要加强市场流通体系以及商品流通基础设施建设;开拓消费领域,完善消费政策;推动农村商品流通,刺激农村居民消费。     

Functional forms of household expenditure patterns in the United States

Engel curve analyses of six major categories of expenditures are presented. Data for U.S. consumer units are from the 1989 Consumer Expenditure Survey. Six different functional forms for each of the six expenditure categories were compared and the form with the best fit between permanent income, as derived from an instrumental variable approach, and expenditure was selected for each expenditure category. Regressions of each expenditure with permanent income and selected household characteristics are discussed.     

Are Emerging Markets Catching Up With the Developed Markets in Terms of Consumption?

ABSTRACT

The study tests the consumption convergence hypothesis between developed and emerging markets over a 30-year period (1980–2009) with eight consumption variables: consumer expenditure on food, consumer expenditure on household goods and services, average consumption of calories per day, average consumption of protein per day, and possession of four durables: dishwasher, microwave oven, refrigerator, and washing machine. Socioeconomic influence on consumption convergence is also tested with income, energy consumption, life expectancy, and trade. The regression results indicate that the emerging markets are catching up in terms of consumption but the rate is very slow. Consumption of durables shows slightly faster convergence than other variables. All four socioeconomic variables exert some degree of influence on consumption convergence, with income showing the greatest effect. Knowledge about convergence should be useful to managers for demand estimation and forecasting and for market penetration, segmentation, and positioning strategy.     

Are Apparel Trade Restrictions Regressive?

Consumer welfare losses from apparel trade restrictions are estimated across different household income levels using Hicksian Equivalent Variations. The 1980–1992 Consumer Expenditure Survey, the 1980–1992 Consumer Price Index, and the 1990 ACCRA Cost of Living Index were used. For price differences under 45 percent, consumer welfare loss from higher apparel prices due to trade restrictions is greater as a percent of total expenditures for wealthy households than for poor households. Apparel trade restrictions, therefore, have a progressive effect.     

新疆城镇居民收入与消费行为关系研究

运用计量经济学的方法,选取1995——2009年的有关统计数据,对新疆城镇居民收入与新疆城镇居民消费行为进行分析、结果表明新疆城镇居民人均可支配收入和人均消费性支出之间具有长期稳定的均衡关系。误差修正模型表明城镇居民人均生活费支出的变化不仅取决于可支配收入的变化,而且还取决于上一期生活费支出对均衡水平的偏离．系统存在误差修正机制。     

关于消费者信心研究的评述

20世纪90年代以来,学者们对消费者信心的研究已经取得了重要的进展。这里所选取的文献可以概括出国际上对于消费者信心问题理论研究和经验分析的成果,包括消费者信心指数能够预测消费支出的观点,对消费者信心指数的消费预测力持怀疑态度的观点,还有关于消费信心与价格预期对家庭借贷行为的影响研究等有待进一步开展。     

From quantity to quality: understanding slow fashion consumers for sustainability and consumer education

There is a growing interest in slow fashion, a production method which emphasizes quality as a way of achieving sustainability in the fashion industry. In order to develop a sophisticated and targeted marketing strategy, this study aimed to identify potential slow fashion consumer segments and understand their characteristics. The final 221 completed responses from a sample of nationwide U.S. consumers were analyzed by cluster analysis. Based on consumer orientation to slow fashion, four consumer groups were identified: Highly‐involved in slow fashion group, Conventional group, Exclusivity oriented group and Low‐involved in slow fashion group. The characteristics of each group were profiled according to personal values, apparel consumption behaviours and demographics. With distinctive profiles of each group, different marketing strategies were suggested to address the needs of each group effectively. This study extends academic understanding of slow fashion in consumer perspectives, and provides important perspectives for consumer education on apparel consumption.     

Mobile Commerce Website Success: Antecedents of Consumer Satisfaction and Purchase Intention

With the rapid development of apparel mobile commerce in the United States, more companies view mobile commerce as a new source of competitive advantage. Despite the importance of apparel mobile website quality and its effect on consumer satisfaction and future purchase stimulus, extant research has paid little attention to these topics. This study proposes a website quality–consumer satisfaction–purchase intention research model based on the self-regulatory process theory. Six dimensions of apparel mobile website quality—website visual appeal, apparel visual appeal, brand trust, website information quality, website response time, and website security—were investigated. In all, 293 eligible responses were collected via an online survey. Multiple regression analysis was utilized to test the proposed relationships. Results reveal that website information quality, website visual appeal, apparel visual appeal, and website security positively affect consumer satisfaction toward apparel mobile commerce websites, while website response time and brand trust show insignificant impacts on consumer satisfaction. With higher satisfaction on an apparel mobile commerce website, consumers are more likely to purchase apparel through the website.     

The effect of phosphate detergent bans on consumer clothing expenditures

Metropolitan sales data from the 1977 Census of Retail Trade were analysed to test whether phosphate detergent bans increased consumer expenditure on clothing: positive effects were found for men's clothing and domestic fabrics (sheets and towels). In areas with medium water hardness the average annual cost in 1977 equalled $11·08 per household. For 1984, the equivalent cost was $14·17 per household. These results are consistent with laboratory studies that show decreased detergency associated with non-phosphate detergents and increased fabric wear associated with carbonate-built detergents, the principle substitute for phosphate detergents. The bans impose the largest cost on hard water areas. In both ban and non-ban areas in 1977 higher laundering costs were associated with higher water hardness. Analysis of 1972 data indicated that water hardness did not affect clothing expenditures significantly when detergents contained large amounts of phosphates.     

To trust or not to trust? The interplay between labor-related CSR claim type and prior CSR reputation of apparel retailers

Prevalent human rights violations in supply chains have tarnished apparel retailers' reputations, heightening skepticism toward CSR communication. We examine the effect of labor-related CSR claim type (associative vs. substantive) on message credibility, skepticism, and retailer trust. Moreover, to determine whether CSR reputation plays a role in vulnerability to criticism, we investigate how a retailer's prior CSR reputation moderates the effect of CSR claim type on consumer evaluations. Applying the framework of decoupling and cognitive dissonance theory, we propose hypotheses and test them with an online experiment. We reveal that associative CSR claims, which communicate image-oriented rather than concrete information, significantly diminish message credibility and retailer trust, while triggering skepticism. A significant interaction effect further demonstrates that when a retailer's prior CSR reputation is negative, associative claims exacerbate message credibility. Our findings also indicate that positive CSR reputations do not always create a buffering halo effect. We discuss implications to develop optimal CSR communication strategies for apparel retailers.     

Ernest Dichter and motivation research: new perspectives on the making of post-war consumer culture

Advertising as a proportion of national income rose from the late 1940s and peaked in the mid-to-late 1950s. This growth however exhibited inflection points in 1949 and 1951 which coincided with political economy shifts. During this period of growth all sectors producing consumer goods increased expenditure on advertising; expenditure on advertising by the tobacco, and the clothing and footwear sectors rose the most relative to consumer spending on these product categories. From the mid-1950s, advertising of household goods, a category which included electrical durables and furniture, rose at the fastest rate.     

Characteristics of food‐wasting consumers in the Czech Republic

This paper investigates food waste at the consumer stage of the food chain. The authors conducted a questionnaire survey with 259 respondents to identify the key characteristics of food‐wasting consumers and to suggest strategies to improve food‐wasting behaviour. The results of the survey confirmed that the rate at which food is wasted depends on the age, economic status and education of the person managing food in a household, on the household's income per person and on total household income. Younger people, students, economically active people and people from higher‐income households (both per household and per person) waste more, while pensioners waste much less than other groups. However, the sex of the food manager is not associated with food waste. These demographic characteristics should be considered when designing consumer education campaigns focussed on changing consumer motivation and behaviour. This paper also recommends other solutions tailored for specific demographic groups: Younger people and students may be influenced by the actions of opinion leaders within social networks, and technical devices enabling better food management could help them reduce waste. Supporting work‐life balance, broadening the network of food delivery services and implementing corporate initiatives that support food waste prevention could help economically active people reduce their food waste. Additionally, offers of ready‐to‐eat food should be expanded for people with higher incomes.     

Consumer attitude toward US versus domestic apparel in Taiwan

This study investigates whether or not consumer attitudes toward domestic‐ vs. US‐made apparel differ among consumers in Taiwan. Variables to be examined include (1) apparel attributes; (2) self‐concept; and (3) demographics. The Fishbein attitude model was used to measure consumer attitudes. The mall‐intercept method was used to collect most data in four major cities of Taiwan. A total of 485 Taiwanese consumers completed and returned useable questionnaires. Results indicated that consumer attitudes toward Taiwan vs. US‐made apparel differed significantly among consumers in Taiwan. Consumers had an overall more positive attitude towards US‐made apparel compared with Taiwan‐made apparel with regards to care instruction label, colour, quality, apparel fibre content, fashionableness, attractiveness, brand name, and comfort apparel attributes. For self‐concept variables only modest/vain and thrifty/indulgent had a significant difference between consumers who preferred US‐ over Taiwan‐made apparel. Demographic factors of age, gender, education, residence area, travelled abroad and country‐of‐origin preference had a significant relationship with consumer attitudes toward apparel. This study is aimed at understanding Taiwanese consumers’ attitudes toward foreign‐made apparel. Overall, Taiwanese consumers preferred US‐made apparel; however, the apparel attribute of size range needed improvement to increase customers’ satisfaction.     

Education and the empowerment of women in household decision‐making in Spain

It was analysed whether investment in the education of both women and men serves to empower wives resulting in more balanced household decisions being taken on matters related to consumption and financial management. They considered that household decision‐making could be made by mainly the wife, mainly the husband or the couple acting jointly. They then applied multinomial probit models to the Spanish Living Conditions Survey of 2010. Results show that, when controlling for demographic, family and labour market characteristics, the level of education of both the husband and wife has a positive effect in terms of a more egalitarian decision‐making process in relation to three areas of expenditure: daily shopping, expensive purchases of consumer durables and significant expenditure on children. However, only women's education has a positive effect on borrowing money and no effect of education is observed with regard to the use of savings. Results are less conclusive for households where decisions are taken primarily by the wife or husband, since men's education increases the role of husbands in the household making‐decision process whereas no effect of wives' education is observed.     

Use of 12 groups of foods in households differing in size,income and receipt of food stamps

Using data from the Nationwide Food Consumption Surrey, 1977–78, this study assessed the influence of household size and composition, household income, and eligibility/participation in the Food Stamp Programme (FSP) on the weekly money value of specified food groups used from the household food supply. Mean money values of foods by food groups were calculated for various sample partitions and proportions of total food value allocated to the 12 specified food groups were analysed using ordinary least squares regression. Results indicated that household size had a statistically significant impact on household food consumption patterns. As per capita household income increased, percentage allocations to high-cost meats and beverages generally increased while percentage allocations for the other 10 food groups decreased. The money value of food used per equivalent food energy need increased with decreasing household size and with increasing per capita household income. These relationships occurred for total food and for most of the specified food groups. Households that participated in the FSP used food with higher money value per-equivalent food energy need than did households who were eligible but did not participate in the FSP.     

Individual Consumption Within the Household: A Study of Expenditures on Clothing

This paper studies expenditures on clothing for children and their parents using the individual consumer as the basic unit of analysis. The effects on clothing expenditure of the age, sex, and race of the household member, the composition, location, and total expenditures of the household, and the education and occupation of the parents are analyzed using multivariate Tobit analysis. Data are taken from the U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey, 1984–1985.     

An empirical analysis of demand variations and markdown policies for fashion retailers

In this paper, using data from a leading specialty apparel retailer, we empirically examine the determinants of a retailer's dynamic pricing policy and investigate consumer response to price changes (markdowns) throughout a fashion product's selling season using a product diffusion setting. In order to do that, we first develop and estimate a markdown pricing model and a consumer demand model that capture the important characteristics of the fashion apparel market. Next, we use the estimates from these two models to design and simulate four alternative markdown pricing policies to investigate the impact of these different policies on consumer demand and retailer revenues. Our results, in line with the previous literature, show that markdowns implemented early in the season but small in magnitude generate the highest retailer revenues. Our paper not only provides a comprehensive empirical framework for fashion apparel retailers that is easy to implement, but also shows that using this framework will lead to timely decision making and will improve sale and revenue outcomes in the fast paced fashion world.     

The influence of consumer decision‐making styles on online apparel consumption by college students

Apparel purchases now constitute one of the fastest‐growing segments of e‐commerce. Thus, there are strong theoretical and managerial reasons to better understand consumer characteristics associated with buying apparel online. This paper investigates motivations for online apparel consumption using the Consumer Styles Inventory. Data from a sample of 357 US college students showed that quality consciousness, brand consciousness, fashion consciousness, hedonistic shopping, impulsiveness and brand loyalty were positively correlated with online apparel shopping. Price sensitivity was negatively correlated with online spending.