Consumer Preference towards Choosing EBO vs. MBO with Special Reference to Apparel Retailing

Abstract :

This article has been written with a primary question: ‘With so many choices available in the apparel industry, what drives customers to a particular branded store?’ Although there are various reasons, the store format remains to be an important one, according to extant literature. When brands select their distribution channels, they face the dilemma of choosing a retail format. The study aims to find out which store format (Exclusive brand store or Multi-brand store) is preferable by the consumers and the factors affecting this choice. A survey of 155 people from Bangalore, who have access to branded stores, was conducted and various tests were performed. The results showed that most of the consumers prefer MBO over EBO. The 12 factors identified were reduced into two groups using factor analysis, out of which the attributes relating to the store have more impact on the consumer’s decision than attributes relating to the merchandise.