Research Methodology

Assignment 2

By:

Nirmal K Manoj

Priyanka R

Yashraj Singh Rathore

Shwethaa S M
Contents
Aim 2
Abstract 2
Objective 2
Literature review 2
Hypothesis development 3
Survey 5
Result 9
Conclusion 11
References 11
Questionnaire 13

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A study on acceptance of virtual trial room in fashion retail store
in Chennai

Aim
To study the acceptance of virtual trial room in fashion retail stores in Chennai.

Abstract
In this paper, we analyse the acceptance of virtual trial room application in fashion retail stores
in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Virtual trial room application uses Augmented Reality which
enables a customer to try on virtual garments. The garments move and adjusts practically and the
lighting force of the material render is adjusted to coordinate surrounding lighting conditions. In
case of purchase of products like apparels which always require a sense of knowledge on how
cloths would look on a person, it is a hectic process to try on so many clothes and stand in a
queue for the trial rooms. Hence, a virtual trial room that shows people how cloths personally
look on them would be a great luxury for the fashion retail stores. However, it is not yet widely
used in fashion retail stores but a report by Globe Newswire predicts that the virtual trial room
market is to grow a 21.8% over the forecast period from 2019-2025 in North America, Europe,
Asia-Pacific. Therefore, in an attempt to know the acceptance level of virtual trial room among
customers in Chennai and the factors affecting it, this study is undertaken.

Objectives
 To know the acceptance level of virtual trial room in fashion retail stores
 To know the factors affecting the acceptance of virtual trial room in fashion retail store

Literature review
In the modern era, shopping has become a highly popular and time-consuming activity. In
particular, for some people, clothes shopping is a leisure activity, whereas, for others, it is
stressful and tedious because of the amount of guess-work involved in determining if clothing
suits and fits the individual well. An in-store customer more often tries on some selected
garments and inspects how well they fit. While an online customer more often than not checks
how well the garments fit the models in the online pictures. Firstly, in a physical store, with a
specific end goal to try on some selected clothes, a typical practice is to line up and alternate the
garments utilizing the trial rooms. Because of the few number of in-store trial rooms, customers
usually have to spend most of their shopping time on lining up and try on the garments
physically and during online shopping the garment may not fit the customer due to size variation

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of different brands and also the lighting effect may mislead the original colour of cloth which
leads to return of the clothing for exchange which increases the transportation losses and also in
many cases these garments are sold in stock sales which decreases the profit. Both in-store and
internet shopping having unavoidable constraints which leads to customers' unsatisfied shopping
encounters and in addition the retailers' misfortune of potential sells.
A virtual dressing room enables customers to try on virtual clothes in a physical store to check
one or more sizes, fits or styles rather than physically doing so, allowing customers to make their
purchases quickly and easily. In a trial room based on augmented reality using a camera, the
customers try virtual clothing on themselves, thus enabling them to check the fit or the style
virtually rather than physically. In addition, such a kind of technology also uses a motion capture
system that allows users to use hand motions to browse the clothing catalogue and determining if
a set of clothes suits them while standing in front of a vertical display. This approach is the most
promising because it is closer to a real shopping experience but also allows customers to make
purchases quickly and easily. Virtual trial rooms are designed to be computationally efficient and
to be used with inexpensive hardware. The way in which this application has been developed can
enhance the way customers shop and help them choose the correct type of clothing. The major
benefits of such an application can be summarized as follows: (i) improved ability to make the
correct purchase, reducing the time required; (ii) many more opportunities for fashion designers
to conduct creative experiments; and (iii) usefulness for other goods such as jewellery, glasses,
handbags, and shoes. This is an important invention for retailers and as well as the customers. By
providing customers with a more personalized experience, as illustrated in a 2015 report by
Walker Sands, 35% of customers would shop offline in retail stores more often if they are able to
try items on virtually rather than having to try so many of them physically.

Hypothesis development
1. Younger age group have a more positive attitude towards accepting virtual trial room
Previous researchers indicated customers from younger age group have positive attitudes
towards technology in general. Prior researchers indicated that attitudes toward technology in
general are positively related to favourable attitudes or willingness to adopt/use a new
technological product. It has also indicated that more favourably an individual feels about
technology in general, the more he or she is likely to have favourable attitudes or greater
willingness to use new technology products. Thus, customers of younger age group are likely to
have more willingness to use virtual trial room. Therefore, we propose:
Hypothesis 1: Customers from younger age group are more likely to accept virtual trial room.
Hnull : There is no relationship between customers’ age and their acceptance to use virtual
trial room.

Halt : There is relationship between customers’ age and their acceptance to use virtual trial
room.

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2. Fashion involvement positively affects customers’ acceptance of virtual trial room
Fashion involvement is defined as “the extent to which consumers view fashion related activities
as a central part of their life”. Fashion involvement has been used primarily to predict
behavioural variables related to apparel products such as product involvement, buying behaviour,
and consumer characteristics. Consumers of higher-level fashion involvement value fashion
clothing more, are frequent customers, are less price sensitive, and are brands brand-conscious. It
is assumed that consumers with higher fashion involvement will be more likely to want to try
clothes using virtual trial room. Therefore, we propose:
Hypothesis 2: The positive attitude towards virtual trial room are stronger for consumers of
higher (vs. lower) fashion involvement.
Hnull : There is no significant effect of customers’ fashion involvement (price sensitivity,
shopping frequency, brand-consciousness) on their acceptance to use virtual trial room

Halt : There is significant effect of customers’ fashion involvement (price sensitivity,

shopping frequency, brand-consciousness) on their acceptance to use virtual trial room
.

3. Perceived usefulness of virtual trial room positively affects acceptance of customers’

acceptance of the same

Perceived usefulness is “the degree to which a person believes that using a particular system
would enhance his or her job performance”. Perceived usefulness has been found to have a
significant impact on attitudes toward using a new technology, Virtual trial room allows
customers to try more clothes in short period of time and reduces the time spent on trying clothes
considerably. Therefore, customers will likely have a positive attitude towards virtual trial room.
Therefore, we propose:

Hypothesis 3: Perceived usefulness of virtual trial room will positively influence customers’
attitude towards the same.

Hnull : There is no relationship between perceived usefulness of virtual trial room and
customers’ acceptance to use the same

Halt : There is relationship between perceived usefulness of virtual trial room and
customers’ acceptance to use the same

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Methodology
Participants
This research was conducted in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. An online self-administered
questionnaire was created using Google forms. A total of 30 valid responses were obtained from
participants aged between 15-60 through convenient sampling method.

Procedure
Participants viewed a 2.30 minutes video of wearIT, a virtual trial room by Coitor IT Tech (link
to the video: https://youtu.be/BD4TCfECxsU), and then provided answers to questions in the
questionnaire, which included demographic characteristics of participants (gender, age and
occupation), measures on perceived usefulness of product, fashion involvement of participant
and willingness to use virtual trial room. The questionnaire took about 5 minutes to complete.
wearIT by Coitor IT Tech was used as the stimulus. It was designed by Coitor IT Tech partnered
with Microsoft. The product was launched in 2013. wearIT is a virtual trial room that works with
augmented reality and motion sensors. wearIT enables customers to virtually try on various
clothes and accessories, giving the chance to preview products without trying them on
physically.

Analysis
For data analysis, SPSS statistics software was used.

Survey
The survey was taken by 30 participants of which 53.4% were women and the rest were men.
43.3% of the participants were in the age group of 18-40, 30% were above 40 and rest were less
than 18. The occupation of the participants was distributed between student, business and
salaried employee of which 43.3% were students, 33.3% of participants chose business and the
rest were salaried employees.
The general distribution of the responses is presented graphically as follows:

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Results
Hypothesis 1: Customers from younger age group are more likely to accept virtual trial room.
Hnull : There is no relationship between customers’ age and their acceptance to use virtual
trial room.

Halt : There is relationship between customers’ age and their acceptance to use virtual trial
room.

Test: Spearman’s correlation test was to analyse the relationship between age group
(independent variable) and willingness to accept virtual trial room (dependant variable) and to
measure of the strength and direction of association that exists between the two variables.

Table 1: Spearman’s correlation test (Age group * Willingness to accept virtual trial room)

 Spearman's correlation coefficient, rs = -0.725 and P < 0.05 (from table 1)

 Since P < 0.05 (from table 1), we reject the null hypothesis and conclude that there is
significant relationship between customers’ age and their acceptance to use virtual trial room.
 Since the Spearman's correlation coefficient, rs is negative, it indicates negative correlation
between the two variables. So, we conclude that younger age group are more likely to accept
virtual trial room.
 Thus, hypothesis 1 is supported.

Hypothesis 2: The positive attitude towards virtual trial room are stronger for consumers of
higher (vs. lower) fashion involvement.
Hnull : There is no significant effect of customers’ fashion involvement (price sensitivity,
shopping frequency, brand-consciousness) on their acceptance to use virtual trial room

Halt : There is significant effect of customers’ fashion involvement (price sensitivity,

shopping frequency, brand-consciousness) on their acceptance to use virtual trial room

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 .
Test: Binomial logistic regression test was done to find the probability of willingness to accept
virtual trial room (a yes/no dichotomous dependent variable) based on customer’s fashion
involvement using three independent variables (customers’ frequency of shopping, price
sensitivity and brand-consciousness)

Table 2: Binomial logistic regression test (frequency of shopping + price sensitivity + brand-consciousness * willingness to
accept virtual trial room)

 The model with independent variables (customers’ frequency of shopping, price sensitivity
and brand-consciousness) has significant effect on customer’s willingness to accept virtual
trial room as P < 0.05 (from table 2).
 Earlier studies show that customers with more fashion involvement are more willing to
accept new technology. Same may be true, in this case too.
 Thus, hypothesis 2 is supported.

Hypothesis 3: Perceived usefulness of virtual trial room will positively influence customers’
attitude towards the same.

Hnull : There is no relationship between perceived usefulness of virtual trial room and
customers’ acceptance to use the same

Halt : There is relationship between perceived usefulness of virtual trial room and
customers’ acceptance to use the same

Test: Somer’s d test was done to measure of the strength and direction of association that exists
between a dependent variable (willingness to accept virtual trial room) and an independent
variable (willingness to try more clothes in less time).

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 Table 3: Somer’s d test (willingness to accept virtual trial room * willingness to try more clothes in less time)

 As P < 0.05, we reject the null hypothesis and conclude that there is significant relationship
between the two variables (willingness to accept virtual trial room and willingness to try
more clothes in less time).
 Value = 1.000 (from table 3) indicates the positive correlation between the two variables
(willingness to accept virtual trial room and willingness to try more clothes in less time). So,
customers who would like try more clothes in less time (perceived usefulness of virtual trial
room) are more likely to accept virtual trial room.
 Thus, hypothesis 3 is supported.

Conclusion
 We discovered that 66.7% customers show positive attitude towards acceptance of virtual
trial room.
 Customers’ fashion involvement, age and virtual trial room’s perceived usefulness were
important factors affecting the acceptance of virtual trial room.
 Customers who are less price sensitive, frequent customers and brand-conscious, i.e.,
with high fashion involvement are more likely to accept virtual trial room
 Customers from younger age group show positive attitude towards accepting virtual trial
room.
 Perceived usefulness of virtual trial room has a positive impact on acceptance of it.

References
Virtual Fitting Room Market: Global Industry Analysis, Trends, Market Size, and Forecasts up
to 2025 by Global Newswire
Yuli Liang1, Seung-Hee Lee1, and Jane E. Workma (2020). Implementation of Artificial
Intelligence in Fashion: Are Consumers Ready?
Belleau, B., Summers, T., Xu, Y., & Pinel, R. (2007). Theory of reasoned action: Purchase
intention of young consumers.

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Dodds, W., Monroe, K., & Grewal, D. (1991). Effects of price, brand, and store information on
buyers’ product evaluations
Fairhurst, A. E., Good, L. K., & Gentry, J. W. (1989). Fashion involvement: An instrument
validation procedure.
Brill, T. M. (2018). Siri, Alexa, and other digital assistants: A study of customer satisfaction
with Artificial Intelligence applications
wearIT by Coitor IT Tech. Retrieved from: http://coitor.com/wearit-virtual-dressing-room/

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Questionnaire

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