Clothing labels are considered to be a source of information to consumers in a developing (Potchefstroom, in the North West Province of South Africa) and a developed country (Fayetteville, Arkansas, in the United States of America) context, which serve to promote the standard of consumer decisions by providing information on the intrinsic and extrinsic product properties and care instructions. Once consumers in these two contexts come in contact with clothing labels, the sensory information is registered into buffers that are located in their sensory memory store and the relocation of (clothing label) information to their long-term memories (knowledge) depends on their level of attention and information rehearsal. Although a number of studies have been conducted on clothing labels and the construct of knowledge separately, few studies were found to focus on consumers’ knowledge of clothing labels while none have compared the knowledge of consumers from different settings. The aim of this study was to compare the subjective and objective knowledge of the information on clothing labels of consumers in a developing (Potchefstroom, SA) and a developed (Fayetteville, USA) country context in order to determine the differences between these consumers’ knowledge of clothing labels. Furthermore, the objectives of this study were to determine the demographic profiles of respondents in a developing and a developed country context; the differences in the subjective knowledge of respondents on clothing labels; the differences in the objective knowledge of respondents with regard to the written and pictorial information on clothing labels; the association between respondents’ subjective and objective knowledge of the information on clothing labels and the differences in the subjective and objective knowledge of respondents from different demographic subgroups. The aim and objectives of this study were reached by employing a quantitative, comparative, descriptive approach. Furthermore, purposive sampling was used to recruit respondents in Potchefstroom and Fayetteville who met specific inclusion criteria. Respondents in this study had to be between the ages of 18 and 70 years, participate in clothing shopping, be able to read clothing labels and respondents and their spouses should not have worked in a clothing-related sector. Potential respondents in both cities were approached at predetermined public and private areas, such as universities, municipal offices, retirement facilities, parking areas and shopping centres which existed within both cities at the time. Data were collected simultaneously in Potchefstroom (N=445) and Fayetteville (N=336) by employing an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Male and female respondents and the Black/African and White/Caucasian population group in Potchefstroom were well distributed; however, female respondents were more and the White/Caucasian population group was the largest in Fayetteville. Furthermore, respondents of the different age groups were well distributed in Potchefstroom while there were more respondents in Fayetteville who were between 18 to 24 years of age and less respondents who were 25 to 34 years of age. The largest percentage of respondents in Potchefstroom completed a secondary education while the largest percentage of respondents in Fayetteville completed a tertiary education. In addition, in both Potchefstroom and in Fayetteville, the largest number of respondents did not have any children under the age of 18 years residing with them. Some demographic subgroups of respondents in a developing country context indicated that they did not use clothing labels because it is confusing, difficult to locate information and too detailed. In contrast, some demographic subgroups of respondents in a developed country context experienced problems with the small size of the label content and the trustworthiness of clothing labels. The results indicated that objective knowledge regarding “symbols” of respondents from Potchefstroom and Fayetteville differed practically significantly while only a tendency was evident for the difference in their objective knowledge regarding the written information on clothing labels. No practically significant differences were found for their subjective knowledge and objective knowledge of “do not symbols”. Results further indicated a negative association between respondents’ subjective and objective knowledge of the written information on labels, implying that the higher respondents’ perceived knowledge, the lower their actual knowledge of the written information was. Subjective knowledge among respondents in these two cities and countries were found to differ regarding age and education, while objective knowledge of “symbols” and “do not symbols” were found to differ regarding age, education and amount of time spent shopping for clothing products. Some differences with regard to gender were also evident for “symbols”. The results of this study clearly indicated a lack of clothing label knowledge, predominantly among consumers in a developing country context with regard to “symbols” as well as a lack of objective knowledge concerning “do not symbols” among respondents in Potchefstroom and Fayetteville. It is therefore suggested that the results of this study should be used for the development of educational programmes and/or extension services in Potchefstroom. Such programmes and services should primarily be aimed to promote consumers’ knowledge of clothing labels, more predominantly within SA. Manufacturers, clothing retailers and marketers within both contexts can also contribute to improve the lack of objective knowledge regarding all the information on clothing labels among respondents in Potchefstroom as well as Fayetteville respondents’ knowledge of “do not symbols”. This can be done by employing information provision techniques aimed to provide consumers with more information on how to read and interpret the written information and care symbols on clothing labels that may positively influence consumers in both contexts to use labels to a greater extent, also having a positive influence on their current lack of objective knowledge regarding some label aspects. / M Consumer Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Clothing labels are considered to be a source of information to consumers in a developing (Potchefstroom, in the North West Province of South Africa) and a developed country (Fayetteville, Arkansas, in the United States of America) context, which serve to promote the standard of consumer decisions by providing information on the intrinsic and extrinsic product properties and care instructions. Once consumers in these two contexts come in contact with clothing labels, the sensory information is registered into buffers that are located in their sensory memory store and the relocation of (clothing label) information to their long-term memories (knowledge) depends on their level of attention and information rehearsal. Although a number of studies have been conducted on clothing labels and the construct of knowledge separately, few studies were found to focus on consumers’ knowledge of clothing labels while none have compared the knowledge of consumers from different settings. The aim of this study was to compare the subjective and objective knowledge of the information on clothing labels of consumers in a developing (Potchefstroom, SA) and a developed (Fayetteville, USA) country context in order to determine the differences between these consumers’ knowledge of clothing labels. Furthermore, the objectives of this study were to determine the demographic profiles of respondents in a developing and a developed country context; the differences in the subjective knowledge of respondents on clothing labels; the differences in the objective knowledge of respondents with regard to the written and pictorial information on clothing labels; the association between respondents’ subjective and objective knowledge of the information on clothing labels and the differences in the subjective and objective knowledge of respondents from different demographic subgroups. The aim and objectives of this study were reached by employing a quantitative, comparative, descriptive approach. Furthermore, purposive sampling was used to recruit respondents in Potchefstroom and Fayetteville who met specific inclusion criteria. Respondents in this study had to be between the ages of 18 and 70 years, participate in clothing shopping, be able to read clothing labels and respondents and their spouses should not have worked in a clothing-related sector. Potential respondents in both cities were approached at predetermined public and private areas, such as universities, municipal offices, retirement facilities, parking areas and shopping centres which existed within both cities at the time. Data were collected simultaneously in Potchefstroom (N=445) and Fayetteville (N=336) by employing an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Male and female respondents and the Black/African and White/Caucasian population group in Potchefstroom were well distributed; however, female respondents were more and the White/Caucasian population group was the largest in Fayetteville. Furthermore, respondents of the different age groups were well distributed in Potchefstroom while there were more respondents in Fayetteville who were between 18 to 24 years of age and less respondents who were 25 to 34 years of age. The largest percentage of respondents in Potchefstroom completed a secondary education while the largest percentage of respondents in Fayetteville completed a tertiary education. In addition, in both Potchefstroom and in Fayetteville, the largest number of respondents did not have any children under the age of 18 years residing with them. Some demographic subgroups of respondents in a developing country context indicated that they did not use clothing labels because it is confusing, difficult to locate information and too detailed. In contrast, some demographic subgroups of respondents in a developed country context experienced problems with the small size of the label content and the trustworthiness of clothing labels. The results indicated that objective knowledge regarding “symbols” of respondents from Potchefstroom and Fayetteville differed practically significantly while only a tendency was evident for the difference in their objective knowledge regarding the written information on clothing labels. No practically significant differences were found for their subjective knowledge and objective knowledge of “do not symbols”. Results further indicated a negative association between respondents’ subjective and objective knowledge of the written information on labels, implying that the higher respondents’ perceived knowledge, the lower their actual knowledge of the written information was. Subjective knowledge among respondents in these two cities and countries were found to differ regarding age and education, while objective knowledge of “symbols” and “do not symbols” were found to differ regarding age, education and amount of time spent shopping for clothing products. Some differences with regard to gender were also evident for “symbols”. The results of this study clearly indicated a lack of clothing label knowledge, predominantly among consumers in a developing country context with regard to “symbols” as well as a lack of objective knowledge concerning “do not symbols” among respondents in Potchefstroom and Fayetteville. It is therefore suggested that the results of this study should be used for the development of educational programmes and/or extension services in Potchefstroom. Such programmes and services should primarily be aimed to promote consumers’ knowledge of clothing labels, more predominantly within SA. Manufacturers, clothing retailers and marketers within both contexts can also contribute to improve the lack of objective knowledge regarding all the information on clothing labels among respondents in Potchefstroom as well as Fayetteville respondents’ knowledge of “do not symbols”. This can be done by employing information provision techniques aimed to provide consumers with more information on how to read and interpret the written information and care symbols on clothing labels that may positively influence consumers in both contexts to use labels to a greater extent, also having a positive influence on their current lack of objective knowledge regarding some label aspects. / M Consumer Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Low-literate consumers display distinctive behaviour in the marketplace, and in the first phase of a mixed method study, the aim was to explore the challenges and coping strategies of low-literate clothing consumers. Due to fairly high levels of low-literacy in South Africa and limited research, this research was undertaken to better understand the behaviour of low-literate clothing consumers in the marketplace. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data, and through inductive, interpretative data analysis three broad themes were identified, namely personal (cognitive, social, financial and affective), product (types and format of product information, evaluative criteria) and store-related (store assistants’ behaviour, store selection and in-store information) challenges and associated coping strategies. The results of this study can be used to advise marketers regarding the needs of these consumers, and were also used to develop a quantitative measuring instrument to investigate low-literate consumers’ use of clothing labels in the retail setting. In the second quantitative phase of the study, the use of clothing label information amidst low-literate respondents’ personal- (reading and numeracy skills, concrete and pictographic thinking) and product-related challenges (the format of labels, care-label knowledge and evaluating clothing products’ quality) were investigated. The study sample consisted of 450 black female consumers with literacy levels between Grades 5 and 8, residing in the Emfuleni Local Municipality area, in the southern part of Gauteng, South Africa. Interviewer administered questionnaires were filled out, and it was examined for validity and reliability. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and correlations were drawn between reliable factors, and practical significant correlations were reported. ANOVA’s indicated statistically significant differences with mostly medium effect sizes between the occupation of respondents and selected factors. Respondents indicated that they do read and understand clothing labels, but results revealed that they did experience problems when using information on labels. Their numeracy skills were average, and abstract thinking related to numeracy, were fair. Pictographic thinking was evident in their preference for symbolic and graphic presentation of size format, but not when they were presented altered store logos. Care label knowledge was poor, and clothing products were evaluated concretely. Some of the respondents, especially the older respondents were inclined to follow the peripheral route of elaboration when reading clothing label information. / Thesis (PhD (Consumer Sciences))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Low-literate consumers display distinctive behaviour in the marketplace, and in the first phase of a mixed method study, the aim was to explore the challenges and coping strategies of low-literate clothing consumers. Due to fairly high levels of low-literacy in South Africa and limited research, this research was undertaken to better understand the behaviour of low-literate clothing consumers in the marketplace. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data, and through inductive, interpretative data analysis three broad themes were identified, namely personal (cognitive, social, financial and affective), product (types and format of product information, evaluative criteria) and store-related (store assistants’ behaviour, store selection and in-store information) challenges and associated coping strategies. The results of this study can be used to advise marketers regarding the needs of these consumers, and were also used to develop a quantitative measuring instrument to investigate low-literate consumers’ use of clothing labels in the retail setting. In the second quantitative phase of the study, the use of clothing label information amidst low-literate respondents’ personal- (reading and numeracy skills, concrete and pictographic thinking) and product-related challenges (the format of labels, care-label knowledge and evaluating clothing products’ quality) were investigated. The study sample consisted of 450 black female consumers with literacy levels between Grades 5 and 8, residing in the Emfuleni Local Municipality area, in the southern part of Gauteng, South Africa. Interviewer administered questionnaires were filled out, and it was examined for validity and reliability. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and correlations were drawn between reliable factors, and practical significant correlations were reported. ANOVA’s indicated statistically significant differences with mostly medium effect sizes between the occupation of respondents and selected factors. Respondents indicated that they do read and understand clothing labels, but results revealed that they did experience problems when using information on labels. Their numeracy skills were average, and abstract thinking related to numeracy, were fair. Pictographic thinking was evident in their preference for symbolic and graphic presentation of size format, but not when they were presented altered store logos. Care label knowledge was poor, and clothing products were evaluated concretely. Some of the respondents, especially the older respondents were inclined to follow the peripheral route of elaboration when reading clothing label information. / Thesis (PhD (Consumer Sciences))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.