Factors affecting sportswear buying behavior: A comparative analysis of luxury sportswear

The purpose of this study is to examine the antecedent factors of consumers' purchase intention and willingness to pay for sportswear brands. Also, the study examines the moderating role of not only the luxury status of sportswear brands (i.e., luxury vs. regular brands) but also the types of luxury brands in particular (i.e., brand extension vs. co-branding). The findings indicate greater impacts of symbolic benefits on purchase intention and the willingness to pay for the luxury brands than for the regular brands; the opposite pattern was observed for the hedonic and utilitarian benefits. As to the comparison within the luxury sportswear brands, the impacts of symbolic benefits on the two dependent variables were greater for the luxury sportswear based on brand extension, as compared to the luxury brand based on co-branding; the opposite pattern of relationships was observed for the hedonic and utilitarian benefits. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, along with future research directions.