Role of Life Style in Apparel Store Selection : Experience of Indian Youth

Purpose – To study the role of life style in apparel store selection among Indian youth with special reference to a city of Gujarat state. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses VALS instrument (developed by Strategic Business Insight) to study the life style of youth and store selection scale to identify the store selection criteria. Data were collected from youth aged between 18 and 35 years. Findings – The 35 – variable VALS instrument was factor analyzed in to 7 factors (life style characteristics). These 7 factors helped to identify two clusters (Life style) of young respondents and the differences between these segments were found to be statistically significant. These clusters are characterized as “Excitement seeker learners” and “Unconcerned”. 29 Item store selection instrument was factorized in to 7 factors. Significant difference was found in importance given (by customer of different cluster) to different store dimensions except one. Respondents from “Unconcerned” segment gave less importance to store dimensions than respondents form “Excitement seeker learners”. “Operating policy” of the store received equal importance from members of both the clusters. Research limitations– The study was confined to the Gandhidham – Adipur city only and majority (80%) of the respondents were college students. Originality/value – The study provides the knowledge of the different segments existed among Indian youth living in a less populated city and also throws light on importance given (by Indian youth) to different dimensions of apparel store while selecting a particular store. This understanding will help marketer / retailer in devising right retail-mix in smaller towns of India