Trendsetting and gender matter: Brand loyalty, perceived quality, and word-of-mouth

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in time-of-adoption groups (trendsetters, early adopters, late adopters, reluctant adopters) and gender regarding brand loyalty, perceived quality, and word-of-mouth (WOM). Participants were 138 men and 131 women at a US university. A questionnaire consisted of demographic items, and measures of trendsetting, brand loyalty, perceived quality, and WOM. M/ANOVA was used to analyze the data. Fashion trendsetters were more loyal to their favorite brand than early, late, and reluctant adopters. Men were more loyal to their favorite brand than women. Fashion trendsetters rated their favorite brand higher on perceived quality than early, late, and reluctant adopters. Men gave higher ratings to perceived quality of their favorite brand than women. Trendsetters and early adopters were more likely to tell others about their favorite brands than late and reluctant adopters. Men and women were equally likely to tell others about their favorite brands.