Search results

The purpose of this paper is to explore swap-shops, which emerged as part of the collaborative consumption phenomenon, by investigating what the implications are of consumers acting as suppliers and how this affects supply chain management within the context of the fashion industry.

This study explores the collaborative consumption phenomenon through swap-shops in three countries: the UK, Finland and Germany. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with swappers, non-swappers and organisers. To further enhance the data set six observations of swap-shop events were conducted. Data were transcribed and analysed using multiple coding cycles and using a grounded research approach.

Findings indicate that consumers were most concerned with availability/sizing and quality of garments, whilst organisers felt uncertainty was the biggest issue. Data allowed creating a framework that blueprints the swapping supply chain, in which consumers emerge as suppliers. It highlights possible activities in different cycles, whilst furthermore indicates that consumption cycles can move from monetary (e.g. selling) to non-monetary transactions (e.g. swapping) and vice versa.

Swapping as a relatively new fashion supply mode implies a fluidity of market roles. Disruptive business models can blur boundaries between the supply- and demand-side. This indicates that consumers can change “roles” multiple times as they go through the consumption cycle.

The authors extended the knowledge on swapping by describing how this phenomenon can activate consumers, and extend and intensify the use of garments and therefore swapping can slow the material throughput in the system. It is the first paper to focus solely on swapping within a three country context.

Although many companies have initiated corporate social responsibility activities, only a small fraction of consumers have reacted in the same spirit. In order to increase economic and social benefits, corporate and consumer interests need to be aligned through specialized marketing activities. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to complement traditional consumer research through a multi-stakeholder approach. It specifically analyzes institutional drivers to enhance consumer responsibility (ConRes) in the fashion industry.

An explorative study containing in-depth interviews (n=30) with three groups of experts (retailers, not-for-profit organizations (NPOs), marketing specialists) is conducted to investigate the influences of institutional agents to foster responsible consumption. Data analysis is based on qualitative content analysis.

Various institutional drivers of ConRes range from influences in the social environment to spill-over effects and triggering of emotions. Thus, agents use marketing tools such as inter-industry cooperations or social media to encourage ConRes in the fashion industry.

Future research should compare ConRes and its potential influences within different industries and further validate the results in quantitative studies.

Companies and NPOs can foster ConRes by cooperating with like-minded organizations, displaying more transparency within their communications and providing relevant content to media partners.

If institutional agents succeed in fostering ConRes, they can induce corresponding behavior leading to improved workforce welfare in the fashion industry and environmental protection.

The study is the first to empirically investigate three collaborating groups of institutional agents regarding their opportunities to enhance ConRes.