Focus Group
Brand Awareness
How did you come to know about Zara?
A: I chanced upon the store at Marina square.
B: i think from my sister, or chanced upon it
C: Same as A, I saw it at Marina Square many years back.
D: From my friends?
E: When I’m out shopping, and I see Zara.
G: I frankly cant remember.. mayb i chanced upon it..
F: Can’t remember. Just heard about it and saw the stores around.
Do you recall seeing any advertisements (print or live) of Zara?
A: Not really.
B: nope
C: erm not at all...
D: On the store fronts? On catalogues?
E: Is there an advertisement in magazines? I’m not too sure.
F: Nope.
What do you think Zara’s brand mission is?
B: to provide designer clothes and change their seasons quickly?? not too sure what is their brand mission.
C: I have no idea.... maybe to deliver stylish clothes..?
D: To provide fashionable and quality clothes
E: Dress everyone well and keep them fashionable
G: *shrug shoulders* brand mission? :/
F: Not sure. They have one?
When you are using a Zara product, what kind of emotions do you experience?
A: Nothing much. Just feel a little more well dressed
B: i feel good about myself cos there has been several occasions when i’ve worn a piece of zara clothing and a couple of people have asked where i bought it from cos it looks good.. and my daughters would borrow it from me. i feel younger too.
C: I feel smart because i look smart in Zara clothes. I often buy the formal wear from Zara for my presentations in school.
D: I agree with B. When I wear Zara, I can be assured that I’m wearing something fashionable and presentable.
E: I feel more semi-formal when I wear Zara outfits. I think that Zara fashion items are along the lines of smart-casual and it is appropriate when I need to attend more formal events and still feel comfortable with what I am wearing. Thus, I feel more confident about myself in a sense.
F: I don’t really feel much. I guess that’s because I don’t see much of an attachment to the brand, and I don’t really see the value in the brand either.
Do you feel different when you shop in a Zara shop as compared to other brands?
A: kinda colder feeling, maybe because the shop is usually black and white and the store layout is rather simple
B: uhm i guess i seldom get disappointed with zara’s collections and im always anticipating each season’s designs. dont usually get that in other stores
C: Actually i find that people shopping in Zara is usually quiet. The staff are also quite reserved until I ask for their help. It makes me feel like the place isn’t a very lively place like.. H&M.
D: Yes. The shop layout is more spacious, which I really like. The concept is also simple, unlike some other stores that play louder music and have brighter colours.
E: I think Zara is over-rated so most of the time I just go in to browse the basic clothing or their sales item. I prefer something that is more casual like H&M, Topman or Uniqlo.
F: I feel poor when I shop at Zara. haha.
G: Not really. depends on what brands you talk about. If you are talking about brands like G2000 or even cotton on, Zara is probably better to shop in. But if you compare it to the luxury brands, like <C>, i agree that the customer service ain't that fantastic.
A: Melody Gan, 25, F B: Chow Kut Sheong, 53, F C: Stephanie Tan, 20, F D: Clara Loh, 29, F
E: Brandon Lim, 19, M F: Rui Mingzhi, 24, M G: Lin Junlong, 29, M
When you think of Zara, what are the first few words that comes to your mind?
A: sophisticated, exclusivity, quality
B: stylish, elegant, hip, affordable, fashionable
C: style, pricey, wide variety of designs... i can’t think of anymore
D: trendy, fashion-forward, classy, quality, value
E: overpriced, over-rated
F: poor quality, spanish, monotone, overpriced
G: erm... Formal? Quality is fine..
(probing qtns: why these words? )
B: I love Zara because i think the cutting of their clothes look very good on me (doesn't make me look so fat). The design of their clothes are definitely one of the trendier ones which make me look young and hip.
C: their style is unique and unlike the kind i see on online blogshops and local retail shops usually. their cut is good and i like how i look in their clothes. but i only buy Zara when i have got extra cash because it is expensive.
Brand Imagery
Brand Feelings
Brand Performance
How much do you spend on shopping a month? (a lead up to second question)
A: I do not really track my expenditure per month.. i usually buy whenever i need it
B: about 200-300$ a month
C: I buy a lot but usually they are low priced. Maybe about $250 a month.
D: I spend quite a lot. I always buy something new every week. I’d say, around $400?
E. I spend about $100, I’m a poor army boy.
F: I’m not too sure. Around $400. But not so much on clothes. More on accessories for my guitar and on food.
G: Depends. There are months when there is a need to buy more like this CNY, I spend a little more but otherwise, I usually do not spend much on clothes. Rather spend on other stuff like food!
If you had a stable income or consistent cash flow, would you shop more frequently at Zara?
A: well it depends, if i had more cash, the type of clothes I look for would probably also differ and brands I shop at would probably also be different.
B: i agree with A as i window shop a lot, tend to walk into any store that has nice store layouts and are attractive. but zara will always be one of my choices when im shopping. so when i happen to be at anywhere that has zara, i will definitely walk in and take a look.
C: eventually when i start working, i will move away from the low priced clothes i get from bugis street or equal, and I would be looking at more sleek and stylish clothes for work. I would probably shop more at Zara and other brands like Mango ..
D: For sure!
E: Don’t think so. Perhaps only if I need a smart casual blazer.
F: I would probably buy more formal clothes at Zara, like the blazer you showed us, but only when the occasion calls for it. Other than that, no.
G: Not really. I don’t usually shop at Zara. Prefer more brands like Fred Perry, I like their style so if I earned more I’d rather spend my money there.
Would you be more inclined to purchase Zara, if you knew it supports a social cause?
(whether attitudinal attachment to the brand will be stronger if it supports a social cause)
A: Yes. I like body shop more upon knowing that there is a social cause attached to it. It makes me feel like I am a responsible shopper who does her part for the environment or society.
B: im already very inclined to purchase Zara now. but if i find out that they are doing harmful things to produce their clothes then i guess i wont buy from them so often
C: at this moment it does not affect me.. but if i know they are unethical in their business, like the episode which involved child labour in Nike’s case, i would stop supporting.
D: Not really.
E: No.
F: Nope.
G: not really.
We handed out Zara apparels: 2 Zara dresses, 1 Zara blazer, 2 Zara jeans (Both male and female)
Touch and feel the apparels that we have given out and tell us what are your perception about the quality of Zara apparels.
A: I think I can get something of similar quality for a cheaper price
B: I think they are of good quality, and like they always say, you pay for what you get. The dresses look nice!
C: Yes, like I’ve mentioned the quality is not bad, it’s just too expensive to pay for such quality. For the same amount of money I can get 2 items from Forever 21
D: The quality is decent and comparable to other luxury brands. I like it.
E: I can’t tell the difference.
F: I think decent quality for the blazer, good for a smart casual event or a performance. Other than the blazer, I think all the other items here are of poor quality.
G: Good quality I guess, as compared to what I’m wearing now, it’s better.
If you were to consider buying clothes or fashion items for a special event, would Zara be part of you consideration set?
A: Maybe, or I would find something more affordable.
B: Yes
C: If it is for a special event, I might take a look at Zara stuff but more likely purchase from more premium brands.
D: Yes I would take a look at Zara.
E: Maybe for the smart wear for important functions
F: No, maybe Ben Sherman for me.
G: Not really, I will maybe check out other more formal brands
Do you think Zara’s products are value-for-money?
A: not exactly. I prefer function over brand, so I do not go for expensive brands in general
B: yup, i think their designs and quality are very value for money, unlike some expensive brands.
C: Actually no. They are durable and well-designed, but $100-$200 is simply too expensive for students like me. Once i went to Europe and I went on a spree there because the prices are much more reasonable!
D: Yup! Compared to the other luxury brands, like Bebe and Fcuk, Zara is so much more affordable.
E: No way, I can get something better for a cheaper value. Look at H&M, I can get a pair of trousers for 39.90, Zara sells an almost similar design for 69.90.
F: Nope. The quality isn’t that great, and the products are expensive. Design wise, I can find other apparels with equally good designs are lower prices, perhaps like Uniqlo.
G: I guess it is fine, especially when guys clothes are usually more expensive as compared to the ladies.
Normally, do you shop alone or in groups? Why?
A: usually in small groups of 2-3s. It is difficult to shop in big groups as everyone is looking at different things. But a smaller group will allow us sufficient time to see what we want yet still get a second opinion. However, my friends typically may not know what type of dressing style I prefer, so if my partner thinks it’s nice but they think otherwise, i will still buy it.
B: alone. i can think better and wont get distracted by others (i.e. making them wait etc)
C: It depends. I like to shop alone when i am in a rush to get some clothes for events or presentation. When i am shopping leisurely I would ask my friends out. Why?... When I am in a rush, it is more efficient to shop alone and my taste is quite good i think, so i can make decisions on my own. when i shop with friends, i usually don’t have an aim to buy anything so if it happens that i see something nice, they can tell me whether i should get it in case i make impulsive decisions.
D: I like to shop with my girl friends. It makes the shopping process more fun as I have company. However, when it comes to opinions on clothing, I will usually still go with my own fashion preferences.
E: I shop with my girlfriend, she is my fashion consultant.
G: I usually shop with my girlfriend and she will give me opinions on whether the item is suitable for me.
Do you prefer if someone affirmed your purchasing choices?
A: Yupp. It will be good to know that someone thinks that my purchase is value.
B: i kind of trust myself more, the only other person i’d listen to would probably be my husband and daughters
C: Usually i just buy without seeking second opinion. if i receive negative feedback about some apparel i will wear it less...
D: Well, that would be good. It’s always good to have someone agree that your taste is good!
E: If it is my girlfriend, yes. If it is a stranger telling me, I would think twice.
F: It’s not necessary, but it’s definitely good to receive compliments every now and then.
G: ya sure if it is from someone I know like my gf, but from the sales stuff, not really.
If so, who are the ones you look to for affirmation? Whose opinions matter the most to you?
A: I usually seek my partner’s opinions as they are the ones I want to look good to.
B: <refer to previous question>
C: usually i don’t really care. sometimes i would ask my boyfriend because he seem to have a better taste in female’s clothes than me. and he comments a lot on my dressing so in order to shush him, I would ask him to suggest what to buy instead.
E: My girlfriend, I trust her taste and opinions.
G: <refer to previous>
Brand Judgment
Brand Resonance
Miscellaneous
Questions
Influences
Shopping Style
Describe the steps you take before deciding on purchasing a fashion apparel.
A: Sometimes I look out for environmental-friendliness, like organic cotton etc.
B: analyze design and quality followed by checking price to see if it’s worth the money
C: I like to compare before buying my clothes.. i look at the style and price and I will only buy if i am certain i won’t get that anywhere else at that price. Online shopping is easier for me to compare but it is usually hard for me to gauge the quality.
D: Always the design and what’s in-season first!
E: I just look for what is affordable and if it is affordable, whether the quality is good and can last a long time.
F: I look at the design, quality, and price. These three factors come hand in hand for a value for money purchase.
