Zara: An exploratory study of consumers´ sense making in the context of high street fashion (2024)

Abstract

The most valuable apparel brand, Zara, has achieved its success despite a lack of advertising. The high street fashionbrand instead focuses its effort in three main areas; 1) the selection that is inspired by high end brands, 2) the storesthat are located on the most important shopping streets, characterized by an exclusive look and feel, and 3) a tightstock management covering a fast supply chain, timely delivery and few available pieces. Guided by a general curiosityto understand this success from a consumer behavior perspective, the present study seeks to explore the symbolicworld of Zara. Specifically, the study focuses on how positioning as an ‘affordable high-end brand’ affects and influenceshow consumers make sense of the brand.Through a qualitative interview study of five heavy Zara users, the study finds that Zara is perceived as a strong brandwith a unique positioning that differentiates it from both high street competitors and high-end luxury brands. BecauseZara consistently deliver on the experience i.e. frequently offering affordable versions of high-end products madereadily available in the exclusive stores, the brand has created a self-reminding and self-enforcing cycle, that makesconsumers continue to visit, shop and share their purchases. It is found that in order for them to make sense of fashionconsumption, different brands have to be mixed together. Specifically, the study showed that if high end-brands aremixed with high street brands, then it is characterized as superior to the use of any brand individually. The participantscharacterized the ritual as being more stylish and individualized.Additionally, the study tabbed into how Zara consumption was used as a means of identity creation by matching theimage of the brand with the self-image. It was found that there existed a duality between using Zara to show who theyreally are (the actual self), and also to enhance the self-capabilities (the extended self), or gain new (the ideal self).Depending on the context, consumption was used to express characteristics such as approachability, control, andindependence. Furthermore, the study found that other’s recognition is an important as part of consumers’ sensemaking of the brand. Surprisingly, the consumption of Zara was not solely used as a means to create valuable links, butrather to establish a social positioning within the group. As such, it was a way to express belonging to, distance from,and positioning within ‘tribes’.The study showed some indications of the extended and ideal self being more related to distancing or intra-grouppositioning rather than linking, but further research is needed into the specific relationship between the self-conceptsand recognition.