Perceived Usefulness and Risks and Behavioral Intentions of Mobile Fashion Apps-Focus Group Interviews with Chinese Students Studying in Korea

This exploratory study investigated Chinese consumers' perceived usefulness and risks of fashion apps and identified reasons for continuance and discontinuance intentions. This study conducted focus group interviews with a convenience sample of 13 Chinese students majoring in fashion in Korea. Based on interviewee responses, this study identified five attributes leading the perceived usefulness of mobile fashion apps (ubiquity and convenience, multi-media information, personalization, interactivity between consumers, and immediateness) and sub elements related to the five attributes. Five types of perceived risk (privacy risk, security risk, product risk, loss of future opportunity, and time risk) were identified in relation to Chinese consumers' use of fashion apps. The important role of live streaming services was uniquely identified by Chinese fashion app users. Usefulness of location-based information provided by mobile fashion apps were differently perceived according to respondents' use purpose, and augmented reality services provided by the apps were related to entertainment rather than usefulness. This study provides meaningful insights into Chinese consumers' perceptions of fashion apps and important app attributes that influence their continuance and discontinuance intentions. The findings from this study lend preliminary implications for future researchers and fashion businesses interested in the Chinese app market.