Applying an eMASS Customization Program as a Research Tool to Evaluate Consumer Benefits

Summary

Presented here is a protocol to examine consumer responses toward mass customization in the context of online retailing. The protocol details the online survey procedure and how to analyze data using structural equation modeling and group differences using latent mean analyses.

Abstract

As many scholars and practitioners study personalization and relationship marketing, it is important to provide personalization such as mass customization through marketing technology. The purpose of this study is to examine how to conduct consumer research using an online survey and analysis of data. This study examines consumers' perceived benefits while customizing a product as well as emotional product attachment, attitudes toward a customization program, and loyalty intentions in the context of online retailing. In addition, this study investigates how consumer responses are different based on individual characteristics such as fashion innovativeness. An online survey company in South Korea recruited 290 female apparel shoppers who purchased apparel online. To enhance external validity, this study used an existing retail website with a well-established mass customization program. After completing the customization program, participants complete the online questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and latent mean analyses (LMAs) are then performed for analyses. This study stresses the importance of testing measurement invariance for mean comparisons. Before the SEM and LMA, this study follows the hierarchy of invariance tests (configural invariance test, metric invariance test, and scalar invariance test), which are not considered by traditional approaches such as ANOVA. These statistical analyses provide applicability of the invariance test procedures and LMA to consumer behaviors. The conclusions of mean differences have integrity and validity because they are guided by a sophisticated statistical procedure to ensure measurement invariance.

Introduction

Mass customization refers to the ability of an e-retailer to tailor products, services, and the transactional environment to individual customers¹. Today’s consumers are not satisfied with standard products, and many retailers have recognized this. Offering a mass customization option is one method to obtain customer loyalty and competitive advantages². Mass customization as a marketing tactic allows consumers to create their own products based on particular needs and thus provides individualized products or services³. For example, consumers can not only purchase a pair of shoes that are mas....

Protocol

This research was exempted from the IRB Review at Ewha Womans University and was assigned protocol number #143-18.

1. Recruitment of Participants

1. Prepare to conduct an online survey.
   NOTE: An online survey was conducted using a survey company in South Korea. The research company has the largest consumer panel with high response rates in Korea. Age and gender distributions in the panel reflect the state of the Korean population. The consumer panel has a high .......

Discussion

Implications of findings
The findings of this study reveal that consumers’ extrinsic and intrinsic benefits derived from creating a mass customized product help the growth of emotional attachment to the product, creation of positive attitudes toward the customization program, and increased loyalty intentions. The findings on the moderating effects of fashion innovativeness reveal that when compared to consumers in a low fashion innovativeness group, those in a high fashion innovativeness grou.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
SPSS AMOS 22	IBM Corporation, Data Solution Inc.		used for confirmatory factor analyses, structural equation modeling analyses, and latent means analyses