Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management

Purpose – To study college students' attitudes toward and behavioral intention of shopping online for apparel products by using the theory of reasoned action.

Design/methodology/approach – Focus group interviews and a literature review identified specific items of interest related to the desirability of shopping online for apparel products. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to two groups of respondents: college students who lived in rural and urban areas.

Findings – The students, in general, had positive attitudes toward shopping online for apparel products. ANOVA results showed that the students who intended to shop online for apparel products had more positive attitudes than those who did not have the intention. The GLM results showed that internet usage, employment status, and car access had significant influence on students' attitudes toward online shopping for apparel products.

Research limitations/implications – The samples for this study were randomly chosen from two universities in the United States. This limited sampling frame may affect the generalization of findings.

Practical implications – Both local retailers in rural college towns and online retailers can benefit from the findings of this study.

Originality/value – This research contributes to the literature by studying college students attitudes toward online shopping for apparel products.