COVID-19’s Effect on Consumer Decision-Making in Millennials :  A Study of Fashion Consumption in Sweden

Abstract: Background: With the COVID-19 pandemic having brought on drastic lifestyle changes in the form of lockdowns, stay at home orders and social distancing directives, there exists an avenue for research for how these circumstances have affected the decision-making process of millennials towards fashion products. This can be done by exploring the changes that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on millennials' consumer decision making process.      Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to explore the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the consumer decision-making process in millennials regarding their fashion consumption. This exploratory study may aid marketing practitioners in assessing the behavioural changes that have occurred in the target demographic, and to apply the findings towards evolving their marketing mix or other related strategies to adapt to what could be the “new normal” post-pandemic.   Method: An exploratory research study conducted qualitatively using the data from interviews of 14 millennials in Sweden and employing abductive reasoning and a thematic analysis approach.   Conclusion: The findings and the analysis from the study suggests that the millennial demographic in Sweden have seen a change in their fashion consumption in the context of the CDP model (Blackwell et al., 2006).  These changes are linked to the three global themes identified by the authors which were Change in Social Settings, Change in Requirements and Behavioural Shifts, as well as their underlying categories. Through the analysis the authors found that the Need Recognition, Search for Information, Pre-Purchase Evaluation of Alternatives, Purchase and the Post Purchase Evaluation stages were affected in the participant’s fashion consumption.