Project Proposal
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Table of Contents
Proposed project title..................................................................................................................3
Background................................................................................................................................3
Research question and objectives...............................................................................................4
Methodology..............................................................................................................................4
Research design......................................................................................................................4
Data collection.......................................................................................................................4
Survey questions....................................................................................................................4
Timescales..............................................................................................................................6
Resources...............................................................................................................................6
References..................................................................................................................................7
Preliminary Ethics Form............................................................................................................8
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Proposed project title
The concept of revenge shopping and its impact post Covid-19 on value apparel brands for
millennials of Singapore.
Background
While value apparel retailers experienced fall in sale during the pandemic, the compensatory
revenge shopping post Covid-19 has made people splurge beyond what they normally did. As
per Lins et al. (2021), the anxiety and depression that people faced during the pandemic took
a serious toll on mental health. Shopping, being associated with the feel-good factor, thus saw
a rise among people when retail stores started to reopen. Consumer habits changed
considerably. Impulse buying and revenge buying became the coping mechanism among
consumers, thus associating them with getting out of negative feelings (Chaudhary, 2020).
From experiencing a downfall in sales, apparel brands, especially value fashion brands have
started to see sudden spike in sales. This project will try to analyse what this means for the
business and the consumers. Since the concept is very new, there is curiosity surrounding it,
making the project interesting.
As per Malhotra (2020), in-store shopping experience is rated better among consumers as
compared to online shopping, which is why people missed shopping and have started to over-
shop now that all retail stores in the country are starting to open. This shows a changing
consumer behaviour approach post pandemic. Nguyen & Chao (2020) are of the opinion that
brands are trying hard to practice the model of product differentiation, improving quality and
increasing price, in order to be a part of the revenge buying trend and benefit from it. Market
structure has also changed the process as competition increased.
In the fashion industry, the situation is impulsive and compulsive buying has been promoted
by social media and its presence during the pandemic by creating a vision of hedonic
happiness related to purchasing more products (Kshatriya & Shah, 2020). DeVaney (2015)
has defined millennial generation as those people born between 1980 and 2000. Nguyen and
Ha (2021) highlight the role of millennials in growth of fashion industry across Asia. They
also state that impulse buying is a significant trend in this age group for purchasing apparels.
This study is important for analysing and understanding the concept of revenge buying so that
apparel brands can make informed decisions on how to approach the changing market
scenario. Understanding the concept would also provide better insight into changing
dynamics of consumer behaviour and brand equity. Apparel brands in Singapore, like most
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marketers across the world, are trying to cope up with the changed market landscape after the
global pandemic. The research will analyse the role that revenge buying played in the
changing market dynamics of the apparel industry.
Research question and objectives
Research question: What role has the concept of revenge buying played in the changing
dynamics of value apparel industry in Singapore post-pandemic?
Objectives:
To understand the concept of revenge shopping in the context of the pandemic
To analyse the impact that revenge buying has had on major value apparel brands in
Singapore.
To evaluate the relationship between revenge buying and changing market scenario of
the retail apparel industry
To predict if revenge buying would last long or if it is short lived.
Methodology
Research design
The industry for the research is Singapore’s value apparel industry. This industry is selected
because the pandemic has affected the demand of fashion apparel more than products like
food and consumer essentials. Both secondary and primary research will be conducted.
Secondary research will be conducted using books and journal articles. Primary research will
be quantitative using survey questionnaire.
Data collection
Data collection will be done by online survey forms. Participants will be sent links to the
Google Form where the questionnaire will be uploaded. 30 participants will be invited to
participate in the survey using convenience sampling method. analysis of the questionnaire
will also be done using quantitative method using Excel spreadsheet and graphical
representation of data. The research will take ethical considerations into account. No sensitive
question be posed, and participation will be completely voluntary. The participants will not
be asked for any personal information.
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Survey questions
Question Type of Purpose Source
question
Age Descriptive To ensure that the Saunders, et. al.,
research is not 2016
biased on a certain
age-group
Gender Descriptive To ensure that the Saunders, et. al.,
research is not 2016
biased to a certain
gender
How often did you shop Descriptive To compare between Lins, et. al., 2021
for apparels prior to the now and before the
pandemic? pandemic numbers
- Less than twice a
year
- Two to four times
a year
- Five to eight
times a year
- More than eight
times a year
How often do you now Descriptive To compare between Lins, et. al., 2021
shop for fashion apparel? now and before the
- Less than twice a pandemic numbers
year
- Two to four times
a year
- Five to eight
times a year
More than eight times a
year
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Which of the following Descriptive To find the Malhotra, 2020
combinations represents preference of
the value of money you consumer
spend on apparel on
online and offline stores?
- Online 100% –
Offline 0%
- Online 80% –
Offline 20%
- Online 60% –
Offline 40%
- Online 40% –
Offline 60%
- Online 20% –
Offline 80%
- Online 0% –
Offline 100%
Please select the top Descriptive To find what Chaudhary, 2020
three parameters you motivates the
look for while selecting consumer to shop at
apparels: the store
- Price
- Style
- Brand
- Material
- Latest collection
- Discount
- Fit
Buying clothes makes Descriptive To explore the Bairagi and Munot,
me happier motivation behind 2019
- Strongly agree their buying
- Agree decision.
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- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly disagree
I buy apparel to bust my
stress:
- Strongly agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly disagree
I intend to buy more Descriptive To measure their Bairagi and Munot,
clothes after pandemic purchase intention 2019
than before it with regards to
- Strongly agree apparel purchase
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly disagree
My apparel purchase Descriptive To understand the Bairagi and Munot,
decisions are mainly association between 2019
driven by my upcoming their social life and
social commitments their apparel
- Strongly agree purchase decision
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly disagree
Timescales
August September October
H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2
Proposal approval
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Literature review
Data collection
Data Analysis
Report preparation
Report submission
Resources
The research will not incur any substantial cost as survey will be done online. Access to
internet and a laptop will be needed. For books and journal articles, access to the university
online library will be needed. News articles related to the topic will be researched online.
Since survey is less time-consuming as compared to other face-to-face data collection
methods, the final report is expected to be completed by December.
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References
Bairagi, V. and Munot, M.V. (eds.) (2019) Research Methodology: A Practical and Scientific
Approach. Boca Raton: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group
Chaudhary, H. (2020) ‘Analyzing the Paradigm Shift of Consumer Behavior Towards E-
Commerce During Pandemic Lockdown’. SSRN Electronic Journal [online]
available from <https://www.ssrn.com/abstract=3664668> [14 August 2021]
DeVaney, S. (2015) ‘Understanding the Millennial Generation’. Journal of Financial
Services 69 (6), 11
Kshatriya, K. and Shah, P. (2021) ‘A Study of the Prevalence of Impulsive and Compulsive
Buying among Consumers in the Apparel and Accessories Market’. Vilakshan -
XIMB Journal of Management
Lins, S., Aquino, S., Costa, A.R., and Koch, R. (2021) ‘From Panic to Revenge:
Compensatory Buying Behaviors during the Pandemic’. International Journal of
Social Psychiatry 00207640211002557
Malhotra, S. (2020) ‘Empirical Scale for Revenge Buying Behaviour: A Curious
Consequence of Pandemic’. BIMTECH Business Perspective 1–14
Nguyen, S.T. and Ha, T.M. (2021) ‘Predictors of Fast-Fashion-Oriented Impulse Buying: The
Case of Vietnamese Millennials’. Management Science Letters 2021–2032
Nguyen, X. and Chao, C.-C. (2021) ‘Revenge Consumption, Product Quality, and Welfare’.
International Review of Economics & Finance 76, 495–501
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., and Thornhill, A. (2016) Research Methods for Business Students.
7th edition. Always learning. Harlow Munich: Pearson
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Preliminary Ethics Form
Student Name: ___________________ Supervisor Name: ______________________ Research
Objectives:
To understand the concept of revenge shopping in the context of the pandemic
To analyse the impact that revenge buying has had on one of the Singapore
fashion brands, aimed at millennials
To evaluate the relationship between revenge buying and changing market
scenario of the retail fashion industry
To predict if revenge buying would last long or if it is short lived .
Method of data collection: Survey questionnaire via Google Forms
Respondents/Participants: 30 participants, belonging to the millennial generation, and
who shop for apparels
Method of approach: Online via Google forms on social media
Whereabouts will the primary research take place. If outside of Coventry University, how
will you obtain permission from the relevant party? The research will be conducted online
and no permission will be required
Are you going to be asking any questions that could be deemed sensitive or
controversial? If so, give details. No sensitive or controversial questions will be asked
Are you planning to record or video the respondents? No
Project Supervisor Comments
1. Are there any aspects of this students planned research that you have ethical
concerns about? If so, please explain.
2. From your knowledge of this student’s project are there any ethical risks that they
have failed to disclose on this form?
3. Do you have any further information to support this student’s ethical application?
Signed: __________________________________ Date _______________________
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