Study on shopping orientation and consumption of fashion among youth A study with reference to the youth in Bengaluru

Abstract

The retail industry in India is generating considerable interest within the country and abroad. A good percentage of this retail growth is fueled by the youth in the various parts of the country specially cities like Bengaluru. Organized retail, best represented by the mushrooming malls, has come to play a defining role in building and supporting this veritable base of retail consumers. Therefore, it is of utmost interest to the retailers and academia alike to understand the consumer dynamics behind the newly evolved consumption culture. This study seeks to address how the youth behave in the Mall. It has attempted to identify the recreational and utilitarian orientation among youth and examine gender differences in their attitude to the malls located in Bengaluru. It also addresses the mall  patronage patterns and gender related regional differences within  the city in consumer behavior. Prior research in this area stems form the west and the first part of the paper explores the existing literature to formulate the research questions. In all, the study questions the fundamental stereotyping of shopping as a feminine activity. This paper attempts to study the young consumers who patronize the malls in Bengaluru and report their gender related behavior in the malls.