The Study on the Perception of Gen Z and Gen Y on Rented Versus Purchase Clothing

Abstract

This study explores an extreme paradigm shift in fashion consumption around the world whereby consumers are moving towards non-ownership of products towards the new models of access-based liquid consumption. The main idea is to discuss the so-called attitude-behavior gap, when the environmental concerns do not always lead to the actual rental transactions, in terms of AI-based intervention and the generational gap.
The study considers the moderating effect of AI-personalization, including algorithmic style recommendations and virtual try-ons, on the intentions of Generation Z and Generation Y to adopt the services of the rental business by relying on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and the Psychological Ownership Theory. The data collected in the form of 300 respondents will be analyzed with the help of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to identify the effect of digital stimuli and utility of AI-powered platforms on rental intentions.
This will be supplemented by semi-structured qualitative interviews to investigate how AI-enhanced transparency in sanitization tracking can help reduce deep-seated “hygiene stigmas” the anticipated results are that although both cohorts are motivated by environmental consciousness, both are driven by AI-curated hedonic value and social media aesthetics respectively, with Gen Y running on utilitarian efficiency with the assistance of predictive logistics. In addition, the paper examines how virtual ownership based on AI can be used as a source of psychological connection with people who are restrained by the desire to own. On the managerial side it gives a framework by which brands can use generative AI and data analytics to shift their one-size-fits-all marketing strategies to segmented and hyper-personalized rental experiences.