This thesis is situated in the research field of electronic commerce, specifically the aspect of fast fashion brands. This has drawn consumer interest because they find struggles when shopping for clothes online due to their inability to try the product before purchasing from sellers, which tends to result in information asymmetry. Therefore, they may be more hesitant to purchase online due to the perceived risk that results in low level of trust while shopping clothes online; therefore, businesses should strive to alleviate their concerns. Previous research has shown that electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) can guide and increase confidence.  The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of how consumers perceive online reviews as ways of reducing information asymmetry and reduce risk in order to ensure that they will be satisfied with their purchase. Furthermore, many factors identified in previous research that could influence the use of online reviews were identified and analyzed in the context of fast fashion for this study. Therefore, the study discovered several factors that influenced the use of online reviews.  This study investigates the role of trust as a mediator between customers' perception of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and their subsequent actions. Specifically, the study focuses on the influence of the perceived usefulness of online reviews on customer trust in fast fashion websites. To gain a comprehensive understanding of consumers' opinions on online reviews, a qualitative research approach employing semi-structured interviews was conducted. The interviews provided participants with the opportunity to elaborate on their responses and provide nuanced insights. The findings indicate that fast fashion brands should prioritize the inclusion of online reviews and enhance their mechanisms based on the factors identified in this study. By recognizing the importance of customer trust and addressing the perceived usefulness of online reviews, fast fashion brands can improve their relationship with customers and foster positive consumer actions. This study contributes to the existing literature on eWOM, trust, and online reviews, offering practical implications for fast fashion brands aiming to optimize their online platforms.

The purpose of this study was to better understand how consumers of fast fashion clothing with different shopping motivations consider sustainability during their purchase. The different shopping motivations are hedonic and utilitarian, which are respectively the emotion of shopping and the function of shopping. The main question for this research was “How do consumers of fast fashion clothing with different motivations (hedonic or utilitarian) consider sustainability during their purchase?” This qualitative research made use of 11 focus groups and a total of 44 participants to obtain in-depth data. The participants were divided into whether their main shopping motivation was hedonic, or utilitarian based on how they answered specific questions. The answers from both groups were compared with each other to find possible differences. When weighing the evidence and conclusions from the research, it appears relatively likely that there are no significant differences between consumers with a hedonic main shopping motivation and consumers with a utilitarian main shopping motivation. This leads to the conclusion of the main question, which is that there is no difference in how consumers of fast fashion clothing with different motivations consider sustainability during their purchase.

Online consumption and e-tail have clearly increased in recent years, largely sinceaccessibility is an advantage that consumers notice as beneficial. The availability of e-tail has also received clear environmental disadvantages, as returns are an inevitable part of online orders. The increased return rate results in large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, something customer groups with environmental awareness has perceived. Which leads to the purpose of this research, to provide information about environmentally conscious consumers, their behaviors, and intentions towards e-tail returns. Theinformation collected, can be of great significance to fast fashion companies, e-tail platforms, and decision-makers, to guide them in developing effective strategies aimed at promoting sustainable consumption behaviors and mitigating the detrimental environmental effects associated with returns.The empirical findings were gathered through qualitative research, where semi-structured interviews were conducted on 15 Swedish e-tail consumers in the ages 24-44. The empirical evidence was analysed with a Thematic Analysis and discussed in context with the secondary data to strengthen the collected empirical evidence.The conclusion of the thesis portray that the participating environmentally conscious consumers have a predominant insight regarding the environmental impact that occurs when returning e-tail purchases. The research shows that environmental awareness is considered when ordering and returning garments, however, to varying extents, which leads to inconsistent actions. The participants have more environmental thinking regarding the product, production, delivery and consumption i.e., the buying process that directly affects the participants. However, conflicts are identified in several aspects such as that environmental communication from e-tail companies is difficult to understand, economic aspects and the conflict of the desire for certain garments. In summary, the results show that the return process is not prioritized to the same extent as the buying process, because of indirect influence or lack of knowledge of the participants. The findings indicate that there is not always a harmony between the perceptions and actions of the participants.

During the last years, the phenomenon of ultra-fast fashion, specifically the retailer SHEIN, has grown massively and became popular among young female consumers. SHEIN is also known for their polluting productions, bad working conditions, violating (social) sustainable laws and stealing designs from other designers. Still, this does not seem to impact the consumers' attraction towards clothes from SHEIN. The purpose of this research is to investigate the appeal of SHEIN for young female consumers. This research employs qualitative research methods to examine the empirical material in relation to three prominent theories: Hawkin Stern's "impulse buying theory", John Schouten and James McAlexander's "consumption subculture theory", and Russel Belk's "extended self theory". The empirical material for this research was obtained through 10 semi-structured interviews. Given the limited existing research on the phenomenon of ultra-fast fashion, an exploratory research design was chosen to investigate this topic. The empirical findings of this research can be divided into three different themes: The contradicting appreciation, The irrelevance of socioeconomic status and The SHEIN consumption subculture. The central theme lies in SHEIN’s big collection and the respondents’ appreciation for it. Another theme shows that there is not a clear pattern found between the socioeconomic status of the respondents and their SHEIN consumption. Lastly, around the consumption of SHEIN clothes, a consumption subculture is formed. This research is believed to contribute to the under researched area of ultra-fast fashion, as well as further develop and question the selective theories.

The rise of fast fashion in the global fashion industry has changed the consumption patterns of consumers. However, fast fashion consumption patterns are unsustainable and constitute a risk to environmental and social sustainability. As China is a major player in the global textile industry, its young consumer is particularly attracted to fast fashion. Although the Chinese young generation is more educated than the previous generation, their attitudes and intentions do not always lead to actual behavior. This study aims to explore the factors that influence the consumer behavior of young Chinese consumers toward fast fashion products in the context of sustainability. Seven hypotheses based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, with four additional extension factors, were constructed to form the research hypothesis system. A total of 309 valid questionnaires were collected after screening by relevant criteria. Data analysis and hypothesis testing were completed using SPSS 26.0 statistical software. The final results indicate that the consumer behavior of young Chinese consumers toward fast fashion products is negatively influenced by their Attitude, Perceived Behavioral Control, and Perceived Consumer Effectiveness. On the other hand, Face Consciousness has a positive impact on it. This study could serve as a guide to encourage consumers to prioritize sustainability and environmental issues, leading to greater awareness and social responsibility, and inspire fast fashion retailers to develop environmentally friendly and sustainable products, as well as provide a basis for the government to introduce relevant regulations to reduce the resource waste and environmental pollution caused by the fast fashion industry.

Background & Problem: As society becomes more aware of what climate change is provoking in the environment, urgent action toward a more sustainable way of living is being called for. Businesses need to find ways to become more sustainable. One of the fastest-growing industries in the market is the fashion industry, despite it being part of the second-largest polluting industry. It is up to the business but also the consumers to make drastic changes in order to sustain the planet. There are multiple factors that affect consumers purchasing decisions, such as Price and Environmental Knowledge. The problem found when conducting the literature review was that no previous articles could be found in Sweden regarding consumers’ purchasing decisions when buying clothes within the fast fashion sector regarding sustainability.   Purpose: This study aims to understand what substantial factors affect consumers' purchase decisions on clothes. The authors aim to explain existing literature on the chosen topic while providing new insights and data to understand the effect of different variables on consumers’ purchase decisions within Sweden.   Method: A quantitative approach was used, where a questionnaire was sent out to consumers in Sweden. The theoretical framework and the two hypotheses were built on previous literature collected through search engines. The data gathered from the questionnaire was analyzed through the statistical data analysis tool IBM SPSS with a regression model and a descriptive model to answer the research question.   Conclusion: The results of this study show that individuals in Sweden often prioritize Low Prices over the environmental impact of their choices, as well as showing that having Environmental Knowledge affects consumers purchasing decisions. However, not as much as it was expected. The two hypotheses tested were both accepted. Environmental Knowledge and Low Prices affect consumers’ purchasing decisions when buying fast fashion products in Sweden. The results are coherent with previous literature.

The emergence of online stores specializing in fast fashion apparel has presented a significant challenge to brick-and-mortar stores and has had detrimental consequences for the environment. Consequently, it is essential for physical stores to stay informed about emerging trends in physical store design. Currently, the fashion industry is acknowledged as a highly detrimental sector in terms of its environmental impact, attributable to its extensive utilization of harmful chemicals, substantial consumption of energy and water resources, and contribution to waste generation and pollution. Therefore, it is imperative to adopt more sustainable practices when it comes to purchasing apparel, particularly in light of sustainability concerns. Moreover, physical second-hand stores play a crucial role in promoting sustainability by offering pre-owned items. To attract customers, these stores need to cultivate a more appealing ambiance and atmosphere. To achieve this, the implementation of a sensory marketing strategy within physical second-hand stores can be employed to enhance the customer experience. By engaging the senses of smell, touch, vision, and hearing in a cohesive manner, a sensory marketing strategy can potentially contribute to a more enjoyable shopping experience and attract customers to physical second-hand stores. This study adopts a qualitative approach, collecting empirical data through semi-structured interviews with female participants aged between 18 and 60 years old in Sweden. The interviewees consisted of individuals who frequently made purchases in physical second-hand stores, as well as those who did so less frequently. The empirical findings were subsequently analyzed in conjunction with the existing literature. The research findings conclude that the implementation of sensory marketing techniques in physical second-hand stores has the potential to enhance the store's image, market position, and overall attractiveness. Creating congruence among the senses can result in a positive customer experience and a pleasant atmosphere, thereby increasing the likelihood of customers choosing to purchase apparel from second-hand stores. Additionally, the study reveals a growing interest among customers in sustainable shopping choices, leading to an increased inclination to opt for second-hand items.

The climate crisis that the world is facing has resulted in a generally greater awareness about how climate friendly the products that we consume are. This has led companies all over the world to develop their sustainability marketing communication in order to attract consumers. As a fast fashion company, it could be quite a battle to communicate sustainability as it is stated that the textile industry has the greatest negative environmental impact on the climate today. H&M and Lindex are two Swedish-founded fast fashion companies which, among many others, have adapted their communication on their media channels to highlight the environmental friendliness for their consumers.  The purpose of this study was to investigate how H&M and Lindex communicate their sustainable marketing communication on their official websites. The theoretical framework used in the study is Framing theory and Public Relations. By applying a Critical Discourse Analysis based on Fairclough's three-dimensional analysis model the result of the study shows how the two fast fashion companies' sustainable communication is framed. The result of the study shows that both H&M and Lindex use sustainability in their marketing communication as a way to position themselves in the fashion market as active actors by highlighting their own sustainability achievements. By also urging consumers and other actors to contribute with sustainable and environmentally friendly measures, both brands create a role where they take social responsibility in engaging and encouraging a more sustainable world. Future goals and measures pursued in the companies’ sustainability work are also explained in both companies' web communication. Both brands also position themselves as a source of information for consumers, since  they inform them about how climate change can affect society. The differences that were found in the two companies' sustainable marketing communication were above all that Lindex, unlike H&M, places a greater focus on the empowerment of women in its sustainability communication.

In this era of environmental upheaval, this study sought clarity on the matter of green purchasing behavior. How the fashion industry’s specific impact on the environment has affected consumers' attitude towards companies and their collections. It was identified that customers have been requesting sustainable products from their retailers more and more and yet, a conscious willingness to help on the part of the consumer did not necessarily equate to purchasing more sustainable products.  The empirical part of the study was based on a quantitative research approach. The findings and data collection were obtained through an online questionnaire, generating responses from 40 individuals. Deductive reasoning was selected in this thesis as a scientific approach. The research has been done from the consumer's perspective. Furthermore, the collected data that created the hypothesis was analyzed and gathered from existing theories.  The conclusion of this research demonstrated that consumers did possess a willingness to be more conscious of their own climate change footprint by adapting green purchasing intentions such as buying less new clothes at present than 5 years ago. The findings indicated that consumer awareness did not necessarily result in a change in their green buying behavior. Finally, it was found that an unchanged position in consumers' green buying behavior would have been due to a lack of sustainable fashion alternatives readily available. The authors believe that further research is needed to shed light on the divide between consumers' attitude and actual purchasing behavior.

The purpose of this study is to examine and investigate if there has been a growth within the second hand industry during the pandemic and if so, investigate what factors there are that have contributed to the growth. The target group of this study is within generation Z and their view on second hand. The study is based on the number of gaps that had been identified with help on earlier research on the subject. Numerous people in the literature and articles are eager to present that the second hand market has increased, but why it has increased and what has caused generation Z to shop more second hand is more challenging to answer. Furthermore, an analysis has been conducted in order to cover the gaps that have been identified. The study is based on a quantitative study with generation Z as respondents. The results from this study shows that the generation has begun to shop more second hand over the last years than they have been doing before. This is due to the fact that the generation is very active on social media where second hand has become a trend. New websites have emerged and it has become increasingly accessible to find good second hand bargains. It has also become increasingly common to seek inspiration on social media to find a foundation where they can express themselves with clothes and products. The results also show that there is a growing interest in products that are sustainable and environmentally conscious. It can be said that there are a number of factors that have played a major role in the growth of the second hand industry.