Drivers of South African female consumers’ attitudes towards ultra-fast fashion

Abstract

The research examines the evolution of fast fashion to ultra-fast fashion within the global and South African contexts. The ultra-fast fashion model utilises technological innovations, ecommerce channels and aggressive social media strategies to optimise every aspect of its business from trend discovery to sales. It provides customers, especially young women, with a steady stream of affordable, trendy fashion online. Shein and Temu are two of the most well known and widely adopted ultra-fast fashion platforms; their success is evidenced by their rapid growth and growing market share. Consequently, this model has also reshaped consumer behaviours, whereby consumers now prioritise affordability and trendy fashion over brand loyalty. sustainability and ethical production. Against this backdrop, with the introduction of ultra-fast fashion, the industry finds itself at a pivotal juncture, as it navigates balancing the consumer benefits of accessibility and affordability with the environmental and ethical tradeoffs. The study aims to understand consumer attitudes, as well as the factors influencing those consumer attitudes and ultimately driving purchase intentions. The research narrowly focuses on South African female consumers over the age of 18, as female consumers engage more regularly with fashion than male consumers. Accordingly, 17 semi-structured interviews were conducted with female participants, including both students and professionals. The results show that, in general, there is an overall positive attitude towards ultra-fast fashion platforms, with Shein being the most prevalent. The study revealed convenience, low prices and the wide variety of styles and sizes as the main drivers. In terms of awareness towards sustainable and ethical production, the majority of the participants lacked appropriate levels of awareness or preferred not to know; however, awareness was not shown to deter them from future engagement. These findings have important implications for several stakeholders, ranging from marketers and retailers aiming to drive successful business models within fast fashion to policymakers as they navigate curbing the economic and environmental impact associated with ultra-fast fashion.