See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/359936660

An integrated model of consumers’ intention to buy second-hand clothing

Article in International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management · September 2022

DOI: 10.1108/IJRDM-10-2021-0470

CITATIONS READS

19 5,851

3 authors:

Koay Kian Yeik Henry chee wei Cheah

Sunway University Shenzhen MSU-BIT Univsersity
58 PUBLICATIONS 1,232 CITATIONS 22 PUBLICATIONS 153 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Lom Hui Shan

11 PUBLICATIONS 47 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Henry chee wei Cheah on 30 May 2022.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/0959-0552.htm

An integrated model of consumers’ Intention to

buy second-
intention to buy hand clothing

second-hand clothing
Kian Yeik Koay
Department of Marketing Strategy and Innovation, Sunway University,
Subang Jaya, Malaysia Received 3 October 2021
Revised 7 October 2021
Chee Wei Cheah 11 October 2021
23 January 2022
Business School, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen, China, and 21 February 2022
7 April 2022
Hui Shan Lom Accepted 11 April 2022
Department of Marketing Strategy and Innovation, Sunway University,
Subang Jaya, Malaysia

Abstract
Purpose – The demand for second-hand clothing has risen rapidly in the past few years. Yet, the
understanding of the motivations of consumers buying second-hand clothing is very limited. The purpose of
this study is to propose and empirically test an integrated model of the theory of planned behaviour and the
theory of consumption values to explain consumers’ intention to buy second-hand clothing.
Design/methodology/approach – Data (n 5 290) are collected from consumers in Malaysia and analysed by
partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).
Findings – Results of this study show that attitudes towards second-hand clothing, injunctive norms,
descriptive norms, moral norms, and perceived behavioural control have a significant positive influence on
consumers’ intention to buy second-hand clothing. Furthermore, emotional value and environmental value are
found to have a significant positive influence on attitudes. However, no support is found for the positive
influence of social value and epistemic value on attitudes.
Originality/value – The study confirms that the integrated model is useful in explaining consumers’
intention to buy second-hand clothing. Furthermore, this study also provides some valuable suggestions to
practitioners.
Keywords Second-hand clothing, Theory of planned behaviour, Theory of consumption values, PLS-SEM,
Malaysia
Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction
The global apparel market is worth about three trillion dollars and is anticipated to expand
further to be one of the largest industries in the world (Fashion United, 2020). Global apparel
brands like H&M, Topshop, UNIQLO, and Forever 21 are examples of fast fashion. Fast
fashion refers to “an inexpensive substitute of latest luxury fashion clothing trends, which
change at a rapid rate, with today’s newest styles quickly turning into yesterday’s” (Joy et al.,
2012, p. 275). The rise of fast fashion has driven consumers to spend more money on buying
unnecessary clothing (Joung, 2014; Zhang et al., 2021). Fast fashion is a boon for fashion
companies, driving them to frequently introduce new collections at cheap prices. Because of
that, existing clothing goes out of fashion quickly, motivating consumers to replace them by
buying new clothing. Subsequently, retailers replenish the sold clothing with new collections

International Journal of Retail &

This research is part of the Sustainable Business Research Cluster Grant (project code: STR-RCGS- Distribution Management
SUSBIZ[S]-003-2021) and the Sunway University Internal Grant Scheme 2022 (project code: GRTIN-IGS- © Emerald Publishing Limited
0959-0552
DMKTG[S]-27-2022). DOI 10.1108/IJRDM-10-2021-0470
IJRDM to drive consumers to buy again, creating an endless buying-selling cycle. Prior to the COVID-
19 pandemic, it is estimated that clothing production has increased by 100% since 2000 and
that approximately 92 million tons of textile waste are created by the fashion industry
annually (Jones and Yu, 2021). In addition, a report shows that 500,000 tons of microfibers are
emitted into the ocean because of washing clothes (McFall-Johnsen, 2019). Moreover, the
production of a single pair of jeans takes a kilogram of cotton, and the production of a
kilogram of cotton requires approximately 10,000 litres of water, which is equivalent to a
person’s ten years of drinking water (Jones and Yu, 2021). Apart from waste pollution, the
fashion industry is also held responsible for approximately 10% of global carbon emissions
(Ro, 2020), and it is expected that emissions will increase by 60% by 2030, causing serious air
pollution. For instance, the most common fabric used in clothing is synthetic polymer
polyester, and the production of polyester fibres in clothing is causing serious air pollution
(Ro, 2020). Furthermore, the decomposition of polyester requires at least hundreds of years,
which is not environmentally friendly. The release of harmful by-products as a result of the
textile manufacturing process into the environment has been a serious global problem. In
Malaysia, textile waste accounts for 4% of the total waste. The amount is equivalent to
producing 1,000 metric tons of textile waste every day, and the figures are expected to grow
further (Wai Yee et al., 2016).
In recent years, consumers have started to realise the negative consequences of fast
fashion and therefore are less into disposable fashion, slowly turning to second-hand
clothing fashion (Ferraro et al., 2016; Gopalakrishnan and Matthews, 2018). Scholars
suggested that buying second-hand clothing is an effective solution to reduce textile waste
and minimise pollution (Khurana and Tadesse, 2019; Machado et al., 2019). The second-
hand clothing market has been growing progressively in the past few years as more young
consumers are more into environmentally friendly fashion and retro clothing (Su et al.,
2019). It is estimated that the fashion resale market will reach a value of $80 billion by 2029
(BMI Lab, 2021). The second-hand clothing industry is growing rapidly due to the increase
in both supply and demand as consumers are motivated by affordable prices of second-
hand clothing, and sellers can earn profits by selling second-hand clothing (Armstrong
and Park, 2020; Gopalakrishnan and Matthews, 2018). In addition, although low-income
consumers are more likely to buy second-hand clothing, high-income consumers are also
attracted to buying second-hand clothing to satisfy their needs for exclusivity (Turunen
and Leip€amaa-Leskinen, 2015). Typically, second-hand clothing can be bought at various
places, including consignment stores, flea markets, online stores, and thrift stores
(Sorensen and Jorgensen, 2019). Apart from physical stores, there are more online second-
hand and consignment stores available for consumers to buy second-hand clothing
(Ferraro et al., 2016; Romero, 2021). Collaborative consumption of clothing items via
sharing economy platforms has also become a trend in recent years (Ek Styven and
Mariani, 2020).
Given the economic significance of the fast fashion industry, an abundance of studies has
examined consumers’ motivations to purchase fashion products (e.g. Su and Chang, 2018;
Stringer et al., 2020; Blazquez et al., 2019; Morra et al., 2018; Su, 2016). However, empirical
studies examining consumers’ motivations to buy second-hand clothing are quite limited.
According to Roux and Guiot (2008), consumers’ general second-hand shopping motives can
be broadly separated into economic and recreational dimensions. Seo and Kim (2019) found
that consumers’ intention to buy second-hand clothing in non-profit thrift stores is influenced
by their attitudes towards second-hand fashion. Also, Xu et al. (2014) found that the
motivations that drive consumers’ intention to shop at thrift stores are different between
Americans and Chinese from China. Furthermore, Yan et al. (2015) identified contamination
risk, price sensitivity, and self-expression are the three main factors affecting college
students’ intention to buy second-hand clothing. Liang and Xu (2018) revealed that the
reasons consumers buy second-hand clothing vary across different generations, such as Post- Intention to
60s, Post-70s, Post-80s, and Post-90s in China. buy second-
Extensively utilised as the theoretical basis to explain a person’s pro-environmental
behaviour (De Leeuw et al., 2015; Chang and Watchravesringkan, 2018; Setiawan et al., 2020;
hand clothing
Yuriev et al., 2020), the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) posits that a person’s intention and
behaviour can be parsimoniously predicted by three factors, namely attitudes, subjective
norms, and perceived behavioural control. Ajzen (1991) asserted that the TPB is open for any
modifications if the added predictors can increase the predictive capability of the model.
Extending the original TPB framework, some studies suggested examining the influence of
three different types of norms, namely descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and moral norms
on intention (Kl€ockner, 2013). Hence, this study postulates that consumers’ intention to buy
second-hand clothing can be predicted by attitudes, descriptive norms, injunctive norms,
moral norms, and perceived behavioural control. Furthermore, based on the TPB, the
formation of attitudes is based on a person’s perceived value attached to a given behaviour.
Hence, it is suggested that consumers are more likely to shape positive attitudes toward
buying second-hand clothing when the action itself will lead to various positive values. As a
result, drawing from the theory of consumption values (TCV), we posit four different values
of buying second-hand clothing to predict consumers’ attitudes. The values include emotional
value, social value, epistemic value, and environmental value. Kim et al. (2021) found that
these four values are important predictors of purchase intention for circular fashion clothing.
To date, our understanding of consumers’ intention to buy second-hand clothing is still at
a nascent stage (Liang and Xu, 2018; Seo and Kim, 2019; Xu et al., 2014). In order to have a
holistic understanding of why consumers buy second-hand clothing, this study proposes and
empirically tests an integrated model of the TPB and the TCV. A model combining both the
TPB and the TCV provides better insights into not only the factors influencing consumers’
attitudes towards second-hand clothing but also the factors affecting consumers’ intention
for second-hand clothing. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have comprehensively
developed a research model to understand and predict consumers’ intention to buy second-
hand clothing. Hence, two specific research questions to be answered in this research are as
follows:
RQ1. What factors (using the TPB) influence consumers’ purchase intention for second-
hand clothing?
RQ2. What factors (using the TCV) influence consumers’ attitudes towards second-hand
clothing?

2. Literature review
2.1 Theory of planned behaviour
Developed by Ajzen in 1985, the TPB has become one of the most widely adapted theoretical
models to understand and predict human social behaviour. According to the theory, an
individual’s behaviour should be able to be predicted fairly accurately by his or her intention
to carry out the behaviour (Ajzen, 1991). Behavioural intentions, defined as an individual’s
willingness to carry a given behaviour, are a function of attitudes towards the behaviour,
subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control. The intention to carry the behaviour of
interest is determined by how the individual evaluates the behaviour, the perceived social
pressure to carry out the behaviour, and how much confidence the individual has to perform
the behaviour. Nonetheless, Ajzen (1991) stated that the TPB should not be limited to the
three variables to explain behaviour and invited future scholars to include other possible
variables to enhance the model’s predictability. The TPB was criticised for its lack of
IJRDM consideration of intrinsic sources to understand human behaviour as the theory assumes
people make rational decisions all the time. For this reason, some studies added moral norms,
which reflect an individual’s selfless motives, to predict pro-environmental behaviour
(Bamberg and M€oser, 2007; Liu et al., 2020; Park and Ha, 2012; Razali et al., 2020). Given the
importance of moral norms, this study added moral norms to predict consumers’ intention to
buy second-hand clothing.
2.1.1 Attitudes. Attitudes are defined as the extent to which an individual’s positive or
negative feelings towards buying second-hand clothing (Ajzen, 1991). Attitudes are formed
based on an overall assessment of the positive and negative outcomes associated with a given
behaviour. People are more likely to develop positive attitudes towards the behaviour of
interest when the behaviour is believed to result in positive outcomes. Previous studies have
found that attitudes play a substantial role in forming an intention. For instance, Nigbur et al.
(2010) found that attitudes strongly determine an individual’s willingness to engage in
recycling behaviour. In addition, Ramayah et al. (2012) demonstrated that attitudes are a
strong predictor of recycling behaviour. Another study by Yadav and Pathak (2017) reported
that attitudes have a strong positive relationship with consumers’ green purchase behaviour.
Additionally, Lee and Huang (2020) reported that attitudes are positively related to
consumers’ intention towards online fashion renting. A study closer to our research context
by Seo and Kim (2019) also revealed that positive attitudes towards second-hand fashion
strongly predict consumers’ intention to buy second-hand fashion in non-profit thrift stores.
Consumers who have negative attitudes towards second-hand products are more likely to
reject second-hand consumption (Guiot and Roux, 2010). Accordingly, a hypothesis is
developed below:
H1. Attitudes have a significant positive influence on consumers’ purchase intention for
second-hand clothing.
2.1.2 Injunctive norms. According to the TPB, an individual is less likely to engage in a
specific behaviour viewed negatively by his or her significant ones, known as injunctive
norms. Injunctive norms are a function of beliefs that a referent thinks he or she should or
should not perform the behaviour. Beliefs that form injunctive norms are called injunctive
normative beliefs. Referents are usually important to the individual (Ajzen and Fishbein,
1977). People are more likely to follow the approval of more salient referents (Mukherjee et al.,
2020). Studies have found that the consumption patterns of young consumers are heavily
affected by friends and family members (Moschis and Churchill, 1978). A number of studies
found that consumers’ green buying behaviour is substantially influenced by injunctive
norms (e.g. Kumar, 2021; Maichum et al., 2016; Yadav and Pathak, 2016). As such, we
postulate that consumers are more likely to buy second-hand clothing when their significant
ones agree with such behaviour. Correspondingly, a hypothesis is formulated below:
H2. Injunctive norms have a significant positive influence on consumers’ purchase
intention for second-hand clothing.
2.1.3 Descriptive norms. Unlike injunctive norms, descriptive norms are shaped based on
what people do (Rivis and Sheeran, 2003). That is, the probability of an individual engaging in
a given behaviour is higher when the behaviour is commonly performed by his or her
significant ones. Descriptive norms are a function of beliefs that an individual’s observation
of a referent’s performance of a given behaviour. Beliefs that form descriptive norms are
called descriptive normative beliefs. Kim et al. (2012) reported that both descriptive and
injunctive norms shape consumers’ purchase intention for eco-friendly products. Another
study by Xu et al. (2014) found that descriptive norms are positively related to young
consumers’ intention to shop for second-hand clothing at thrift stores drawing samples from
the US and China. When consumers’ significant ones, such as family members, friends, and
colleagues, have the habit of buying second-hand clothing, they are more likely to emulate the Intention to
behaviour. This leads to the following hypothesis: buy second-
H3. Descriptive norms have a significant positive influence on consumers’ purchase hand clothing
intention for second-hand clothing.
2.1.4 Moral norms. Moral norms refer to an individual’s perception of the moral correctness or
incorrectness of performing a behaviour (Conner and Armitage, 1998, p. 1,441). It was
originally proposed as part of the original TPB but removed due to the high correlation
between moral norms and intention (Harland et al., 1999). Some scholars asserted that the
decision to carry out a behaviour is not based solely on rational, cost-benefit calculations (Biel
and Thøgersen, 2007; Smith and McSweeney, 2007). In some situations, people are motivated
to perform a particular behaviour based on altruism. People may experience a sense of guilt
due to engaging in behaviours that violate moral norms (Schwartz, 1977). Moral norms are
used interchangeably with personal norms in some studies that applied norm activation
theory (Munerah et al., 2021). When it comes to predicting pro-environmental behaviours,
many studies favour adding moral norms as a predictor. For instance, Botetzagias et al. (2015)
found that moral norms play a more substantial role than subjective norms in affecting
people’s recycling behaviour. Moreover, Ateş (2020) found that people who have high levels of
moral norms tend to have high levels of intention to engage in pro-environmental behaviours.
This is because they feel that they are morally obliged to do so. Similarly, moral norms were
found to have a significant positive influence on Gen Z consumers’ intention to buy recycled
clothing (Chaturvedi et al., 2020). This study proposes that the tendency of consumers to buy
second-hand clothing will be higher for those who have high levels of moral norms. Hence, a
hypothesis is formulated below:
H4. Moral norms have a significant positive influence on consumers’ purchase intention
for second-hand clothing.
2.1.5 Perceived behavioural control. Defined as an individual’s perceived ease of carrying out
the behaviour in a given context (Ajzen, 1991), perceived behavioural control is another
important element in predicting human behaviour. The construct was added into the TPB to
predict people’s intention and behaviour after the older version of the theory, namely the
theory of reasoned action, was deemed flawed without considering whether the individual
has the ability and control to carry the behaviour of interest. For instance, some studies found
that having the necessary resources, time, and opportunities to purchase green products is
critical for consumers to purchase green products (Yadav and Pathak, 2017; Kumar, 2021). If
an individual does not think that he or she can carry out the behaviour of interest
successfully, the likelihood of forming an intention to perform the behaviour will be very low.
A study by Chaturvedi et al. (2020) reported that perceived behavioural control strongly
predicts consumers’ purchase intention for recycled clothing. Hence, we propose that
consumers who have high levels of perceived behavioural control tend to exhibit high levels
of intention to buy second-hand clothing. Accordingly, we formulate a hypothesis below:
H5. Perceived behavioural control has a significant positive influence on consumers’
purchase intention for second-hand clothing.

2.2 Theory of consumption values

According to the TCV, the decision of an individual to acquire a product is based on five
different values, namely functional value, social value, emotional value, epistemic value, and
conditional value (Sheth et al., 1991). The theory has three assumptions: (1) “consumer choice
is a function of multiple consumption values”, (2) “the consumption values make differential
contributions in any given choice situation”, and (3) “the consumption values are
IJRDM independent” (Sheth et al., 1991, p. 160). This theory has been widely applied to understand
consumers’ purchase behaviour (Lin and Huang, 2012). Nonetheless, the TCV is often
modified depending on the characteristics of a product under investigation. For instance,
Chun et al. (2018) proposed that the perceived consumption value of upcycling fashion
products is made up of five unique value dimensions such as social value, emotional value,
functional value, economic value, and eco value. Another study by Kim et al. (2021) tested the
influence of emotional value, social value, epistemic value, and environmental value on
consumers’ attitudes towards circular fashion clothing. The study examines the influence of
four value dimensions including emotional value, social value, epistemic value, and
environmental value on consumers’ intention to buy second-hand clothing. Functional value
was not included in this study because second-hand clothing is typically perceived as low
quality and less valuable, which would be more like a risk factor from a consumer’s point of
view (Rulikova, 2020).
2.2.1 Emotional value. Emotional value refers to “the perceived utility acquired from an
alternative’s capacity to arouse feelings or affective states” (Sheth et al., 1991, p. 161). When
consumers have positive feelings towards second-hand clothing, they are more likely to
exhibit high levels of purchase intention for second-hand clothing. The emotional value
attached to second-hand clothing can also compensate for some disadvantages of second-
hand clothing, such as low quality and durability (Rulikova, 2020). Amin and Tarun (2021)
reported that emotional value is one of the most significant factors that drive consumers’
green purchase intention. In addition, Kim et al. (2021) found that emotional value is a
significant predictor of consumers’ attitudes towards circular fashion clothing, second-hand
clothing, upcycled clothing, and recycled clothing. Hence, this research proposes that
emotional value should be positively related to attitudes towards second-hand clothing.
Thus, the following hypothesis is proposed:
H6. Emotional value has a significant positive influence on attitudes towards second-
hand clothing.
2.2.2 Social value. According to Sheth et al. (1991), social value refers to “the perceived utility
acquired from an alternative’s association with one or more specific social groups” (Sheth
et al., 1991, p. 161). In many cases, consumers buy a product not only for its functional value.
Past studies found that social value plays an important role in determining consumers’
decisions to buy a product (Kim and Jan 2021; Lin and Huang, 2012). When consumers
perceive that they will gain social acceptance or a positive social image from society as a
result of buying and using a product, they are more likely to have positive attitudes towards
the product and subsequently buy it (Hur, 2020). In other words, when consumers perceive
that second-hand clothing is environmentally friendly and will generate a positive image
from society, they will acquire high social value from buying second-hand clothing. Kim et al.
(2021) found that the social value of circular fashion clothing is positively related to attitudes
towards circular fashion clothing. Hence, it is postulated that the higher the social value
associated with second-hand clothing, the higher the attitudes towards second-hand clothing.
This leads to the following hypothesis:
H7. Social value has a significant positive influence on attitudes towards second-hand
clothing.
2.2.3 Epistemic value. Epistemic value is defined as “the perceived utility acquired from an
alternative’s capacity to arouse curiosity, provide novelty, and/or satisfy a desire for
knowledge” (Sheth et al., 1991, p. 162). In this research, epistemic value refers to the extent to
which consumers view second-hand clothing as unique, novel, or rare (Kim et al., 2021). Even
if consumers are satisfied with the current product, they will try other new products to satisfy
simulation needs. Second-hand shops tend to sell products that are limited in quantity
because they are no longer in production. As stated by Hur (2020), “clothing is often Intention to
associated with self-expression and creative values, particularly linked with identity” (p. 6). buy second-
Hence, it would be reasonable to surmise that consumers are more likely to buy second-hand
clothing that is unique as a form of self-expression (Liang and Xu, 2018). Furthermore, more
hand clothing
consumers have noticed the negative consequences of mass-produced fast fashion on the
environment and therefore switched to buying second-hand clothing (Khurana and Tadesse,
2019). Hence, we propose that epistemic value should positively influence attitudes towards
second-hand clothing. Therefore, this study proposes the following hypothesis:
H8. Epistemic value has a significant positive influence on attitudes towards second-
hand clothing.
2.2.4 Environmental value. Environmental value refers to the perceived utility acquired from
an alternative’s capacity to produce positive outcomes for the environment (Kim et al., 2021).
Consumers are becoming more eco-conscious and more willing to adopt responsible
consumption by giving products a second life (Silva et al., 2021). People who have high levels
of environmental value are more likely to engage in behaviours that are beneficial to the
environment. Kim et al. (2021) found that environmental value strongly predicts consumers’
attitudes towards second-hand clothing and recycled clothing. Subsequently, attitudes will
drive positive word-of-mouth and purchase intention. Liang and Xu (2018) found that the
influence of environmental value on consumers’ purchase intention for second-hand clothing
varies across different generational cohorts. Hence, we postulate that higher levels of
environmental value will lead to higher levels of attitudes towards second-hand clothing.
Accordingly, the following hypothesis is formulated:
H9. Environmental value has a significant positive influence on attitudes towards
second-hand clothing.
The full research model is presented in Figure 1.

Figure 1.
Research model
IJRDM 3. Methodology
3.1 Research context
In Malaysia, consumers can purchase second-hand clothing in thrift stores, consignment
stores, and flea markets. Examples of second-hand clothing stores in Malaysia include
Bandoru, 2ndStreet Trading, and Jalan Jalan Japan (Melur, 2021). Specifically, Bandoru is one
of the first and biggest pre-loved stores in Malaysia, with most of the pre-loved items being
imported directly from Japan. Given that Malaysia has been one of the top importers and
exporters of second-hand clothing in Asia, our findings will be useful for the second-hand
clothing industry in Malaysia (Mohammad et al., 2021).

3.2 Procedure and sampling

A survey method was used to collect data for the verification of the proposed hypotheses.
Because young consumers have been a primary market for second-hand clothing shopping
(Yan et al., 2015) and more young Malaysian consumers have started to appreciate second-
hand clothing and advocate sustainable consumption (Johnston, 2019), we chose to collect
samples from young consumers, particularly young Malaysian Chinese. Past studies have
examined Mainland Chinese consumers’ intention to buy second-hand clothing (Liang and
Xu, 2018; Xu et al., 2014). However, it is important to highlight that Malaysian Chinese and
Mainland Chinese are culturally different (Bonn and Tam, 2016). Hence, factors affecting
consumers’ decision to buy second-hand clothing may be different between Malaysian
Chinese and Mainland Chinese. This study is expected to offer unique insights into factors
that influence young Malaysian Chinese consumers’ intention to buy second-hand clothing.
Data were collected from 290 college students from a private university in Malaysia.
Students were invited to participate in the research by filling out an online survey. Prior to
that, the survey questionnaire was pre-tested on three Ph.D. students. We asked them to
inform us if they found any sentences they could not understand. Accordingly, we modified
some of the unclear sentences for better clarity. The questionnaire consisted of three
components. The first component required respondents to read the cover letter, which
outlined all the necessary information before participating in this research. Their
participation was voluntary and anonymous. This can avoid respondents giving socially
desirable responses. The second component asked participants to rate all the statements
related to this research topic on a seven-point Likert scale format. The last component was
related to demographic information such as gender and age.
A total sample of 290 participants was collected for the full data analysis. The sample
comprised 82 (28.3%) males and 208 (71.1%) females. The average age of the respondents
was 21.44, and all the respondents were Chinese. In addition, the majority of the respondents
had a monthly income of RM 0 - RM2000 (90%), followed by RM 2001 - RM 5000 (6.6%), above
RM 8000 (2.1%), and RM 5001 - RM 8000 (1.4%).

3.3 Measures
All measurement items were measured on a seven-point Likert scale response format ranging
from 1 – strongly disagree and 7 – strongly agree. Intention to buy second-hand clothing was
measured using a two-item scale adapted from Kim et al. (2021). Attitudes were assessed
using five items adapted from Ajzen (1991) and Lang (2018). The scales used to measure
injunctive and descriptive norms were obtained from Fishbein and Ajzen (2009). Both
constructs have three items each. Next, adapted from Tonglet et al. (2004), four items were
used to measure moral norms. Perceived behavioural control was measured by a two-item
scale from Seo and Kim (2019). The scales to measure emotional value (four items), social
value (three items), epistemic value (three items), and environmental value (four items) were
adapted from Kim et al. (2021).
4. Data analysis Intention to
To examine the proposed relationships, partial least squares structural equation modelling buy second-
(PLS-SEM) was employed using the SmartPLS software (v.3.3.3). Hair et al. (2019) pointed out
that PLS-SEM should be the choice of SEM under a few circumstances. First, the research
hand clothing
aims to identify how well the independent variables can predict the dependent variables.
Second, the structural model is complex, with many latent constructs. Third, although many
scholars asserted that small sample sizes and non-normal data should not be the main
reasons to justify the use of PLS-SEM in research, PLS-SEM can nevertheless perform well
under these two conditions.

4.1 Common method bias

Using a self-report survey method for data collection may inadvertently introduce common
method bias (CMB), which can negatively influence the outcome of a study (Reio, 2010).
Hence, we applied three different statistical tests to confirm that CMB did not possess a
serious threat to the validity of the present results (Koay et al., 2022). First, we performed
Harman’s single factor test to identify whether a single factor can explain the majority of the
variance. The factor analysis results showed that the first factor explained 32.883% of the
variance in data, which was below the threshold of 50%. Second, a full-collinearity test
developed by Kock (2015) was performed. The results showed that all the variance inflation
factor (VIF) values were less than 3.3. These two tests successfully confirmed that CMB was
not a major concern. Lastly, we used the measured latent marker variable approach to detect
common method bias by comparing the coefficient of determinations (R2) of two models with
and without a marker variable pointing at the dependent variables (attitudes and intention) in
the structural model (Chin et al., 2013; Koay et al., 2021). The marker variable was represented
by a social desirability scale (Hays et al., 1989). The results showed no significant changes
(less than 5%) in R2 values for attitudes and intention when the marker variable was added
(Table 1). Furthermore, the comparison of the path coefficients between two research models
with and without the marker variable showed no difference in the significance of the paths.

4.2 Measurement model

The measurement model was evaluated based on three criteria: internal consistency of
measures, convergent validity, and discriminant validity (Hair et al., 2019). The full
measurement model results are presented in Table 2. As shown in Table 2, the values of
Cronbach’s alpha (CA) and composite reliability (CR) for all the constructs were greater than
0.7, implying high levels of reliability. Next, the factor loadings and average variance
extracted (AVE) were greater than 0.7 and 0.5, respectively, exhibiting convergent validity.
Lastly, the assessment of discriminant validity was done through the examination of the
heterotrait-monotrait ratio of correlations (HTMT). All the HTMT values were less than the
suggested value of 0.85 (Table 3) (Henseler et al., 2015). Hence, it can be confirmed that this
research did not suffer from discriminant validity issues.

4.3 Structural model

Following the standard reporting procedure for the structural model suggested by Hair et al.
(2019), we reported the significance of coefficients, coefficient of determinations (R2), effect

Without measured latent marker variable With measured latent marker variable Table 1.
The measured latent
R ATT 5 0.532
2
R ATT 5 0.537
2
marker variable
R2 PI 5 0.523 R2 PI 5 0.547 approach
 Table 2.
IJRDM

Measurement model
Construct Item Loadings CA CR AVE

Attitudes (ATT) ATT1: I think that buying second-hand clothing is wise 0.860 0.915 0.936 0.746
ATT2: I think that buying second-hand clothing is positive 0.830
ATT3: I think that buying second-hand clothing is good 0.894
ATT4: I think that buying second-hand clothing is satisfactory 0.857
ATT5: I think that buying second-hand clothing is pleasant 0.877
Descriptive norms (DES) DES1: My friends buy second-hand clothing 0.863 0.820 0.893 0.737
DES2: My family members buy second-hand clothing 0.801
DES3: People around me buy second-hand clothing 0.907
Emotional value (EMV) EMV1: I feel happy when I wear second-hand clothing 0.839 0.895 0.927 0.761
EMV2: Buying second-hand clothing makes me feel good 0.892
EMV3: The stress is relieved by buying second-hand clothing 0.834
EMV4: Second-hand clothing provides joy and pleasure 0.921
Environmental value (ENV) ENV1: Second-hand clothing helps save resources 0.817 0.887 0.922 0.746
ENV2: Second-hand clothing has a positive impact on the environment in that it extends the life 0.890
of discarded materials
ENV3: Second-hand clothing is environmentally friendly 0.867
ENV4: Second-hand clothing has more environmental benefits than other clothing 0.879
Epistemic value (EPV) EPV1: Second-hand clothing offers uniqueness 0.887 0.828 0.897 0.744
EPV2: Second-hand clothing has points of difference from general clothing 0.876
EPV3: Second-hand clothing has many new features 0.822
Injunctive norms (INJ) INJ1: My friends approve me buying second-hand clothing 0.898 0.911 0.944 0.849
INJ2: My family members approve me buying second-hand clothing 0.925
INJ3: People around me approves me buying second-hand clothing 0.940
Moral norms (MOR) MOR1: It would be wrong of me not to buy second-hand clothing 0.836 0.816 0.869 0.625
MOR2: I would feel guilty if I did not buy second-hand clothing 0.862
MOR3: Not buying second-hand clothing goes against my principles 0.755
MOR4: Everybody should share the responsibility to buy second-hand clothing 0.699
Perceived behavioural control PBC1: It fully depends on me whether or not I will buy second-hand clothing 0.954 0.912 0.958 0.919
(PBC) PBC2: I am fully in control the fact that I will buy second-hand clothing 0.963
Purchase Intention (PI) PI1: It is very likely that I will buy second-hand clothing in the future 0.940 0.860 0.935 0.877
PI2: Certainly, I will buy second-hand clothing 0.933
Social value (SOV) SOV1: Buying second-hand clothing can give its owner social approval 0.879 0.837 0.902 0.754
SOV2: Second-hand clothing would make a good impression on other people 0.879
SOV3: Second-hand clothing would improve the way I am perceived by my friends 0.846
Note(s): Loadings: Standardised loadings, CA: Cronbach’s alpha, CR: Composite reliability, AVE: Average variance extracted
 ATT DES EMV ENV EPV INJ MOR PBC PI SOV
Intention to
buy second-
ATT hand clothing
DES 0.532
EMV 0.544 0.378
ENV 0.713 0.270 0.303
EPV 0.416 0.334 0.593 0.330
INJ 0.678 0.709 0.419 0.483 0.370
MOR 0.136 0.332 0.317 0.130 0.353 0.154
PBC 0.214 0.080 0.062 0.254 0.072 0.268 0.343
PI 0.709 0.600 0.587 0.516 0.502 0.707 0.230 0.267
SOV 0.358 0.328 0.698 0.200 0.621 0.284 0.501 0.137 0.325
Note(s): ATT: Attitudes, DES: Descriptive norms, EMV: Emotional value, ENV: Environmental value, EPV: Table 3.
Epistemic value, INJ: Injunctive norms, MOR: Moral norms, PBC: Perceived behavioural control, PI: Purchase Heterotrait-monotrait
intention, SOV: Social value (HTMT) ratio

sizes (f2), and predictive relevance (Q2 and Q2predict). The full structural model results are
presented in Table 4. Attitudes (β 5 0.369, p < 0.001, f2 5 0.172), injunctive norms (β 5 0.272,
p < 0.001, f2 5 0.072), descriptive norms (β 5 0.119, p < 0.05, f2 5 0.017), moral norms
(β 5 0.130, p < 0.01, f2 5 0.029), and perceived behavioural control (β 5 0.130, p < 0.01,
f2 5 0.030) have a significant positive influence on purchase intention, supporting H1, H2, H3,
H4, and H5. Next, support was found for the positive influence of emotional value (β 5 0.327,
p < 0.001, f2 5 0.128), environmental value (β 5 0.547, p < 0.001, f2 5 0.572) on attitudes,
supporting H6 and H9. However, social value (β 5 0.003, p > 0.05, f2 5 0.000) and epistemic
value (β 5 0.041, p > 0.05, f2 5 0.002) were found to have no significant influence on attitudes.
Thus, H7 and H8 were not supported.
To examine the research model’s in-sample and out-of-sample predictive power, we
reported the R2 values (in-sample prediction), Q2 values (in-sample and out-of-sample
predictions), and Q2 predict values (out-of-sample prediction). The R2 values for attitudes and
purchase intention were 0.532 and 0.523, respectively. Next, the Q2 values for attitudes and
purchase intention were 0.368 and 0.428, respectively. Both values were greater than 0,
indicating that the model has predictive relevance. Lastly, we conducted PLS-predict that
performs k-fold cross-validation to generate the prediction error statistics and the Root Mean
Square Error (RMSE) for all measurement indicators of the main dependent variable
(purchase intention) (Shmueli et al., 2019). The Q2 predict statistic for purchase intention was
0.460. Table 5 shows that the RMSE values of all indicators of purchase intention in the linear
regression model were larger than the PLS model, implying that the predictive power of
purchase intention was high.

5. Discussion
5.1 Theoretical implications
The findings indicated that attitudes towards second-hand clothing are an important
predictor of intention, suggesting that when consumers have positive feelings towards
second-hand clothing, they are more likely to buy it, consistent with the TPB. People usually
have positive attitudes towards second-hand clothing because it is cheaper and perceived as
beneficial to the environment. Seo and Kim (2019) found that positive attitudes towards
second-hand clothing are positively related to consumers’ intention to buy second-hand
clothing in non-profit thrift stores. Furthermore, this study found that injunctive and
descriptive norms play an important role in influencing consumers’ intention to buy second-
hand clothing. To know whether buying second-hand clothing is socially acceptable,
 results
Table 4.
IJRDM

Structural model
Confidence intervals bias
Hypothesis Relationship Std. Beta Std. error t-value p-value corrected Decision f2

H1 Attitudes → Purchase Intention 0.369 0.058 6.314 0.000 0.272 0.464 Supported 0.172
H2 Injunctive norms → Purchase Intention 0.272 0.067 4.063 0.000 0.167 0.383 Supported 0.072
H3 Descriptive norms → Purchase Intention 0.119 0.056 2.141 0.016 0.027 0.209 Supported 0.017
H4 Moral norms → Purchase Intention 0.130 0.042 3.075 0.001 0.050 0.190 Supported 0.029
H5 Perceived behavioural control → Purchase Intention 0.130 0.045 2.880 0.002 0.051 0.198 Supported 0.030
H6 Emotional value → Attitudes 0.327 0.056 5.821 0.000 0.237 0.421 Supported 0.128
H7 Social value → Attitudes 0.003 0.058 0.049 0.481 0.095 0.096 Not supported 0.000
H8 Epistemic value → Attitudes 0.041 0.050 0.818 0.207 0.042 0.124 Not supported 0.002
H9 Environmental value → Attitudes 0.547 0.038 14.262 0.000 0.483 0.608 Supported 0.572
consumers evaluate how their significant ones think about the behaviour and observe Intention to
whether their significant ones engage in that behaviour. Several studies reported that people buy second-
avoid buying second-hand clothing because of social embarrassment (Sandes and Leandro,
2016; Silva et al., 2021; Laitala and Klepp, 2018) as second-hand clothing is typically
hand clothing
associated with low-income groups. Surprisingly, our finding does not corroborate the
finding of Seo and Kim (2019) that injunctive norms do not affect consumers’ intention to buy
second-hand clothing in non-profit thrift stores. The contextual difference can potentially
explain the conflicting findings as our study focuses on consumers’ intention to buy second-
hand clothing in general but is not limited to buying second-hand clothing in non-profit thrift
stores only.
Support was found that moral norms positively relate to consumers’ intention to buy
second-hand clothing. Consistent with Borusiak et al. (2020), moral norms were an important
factor that influences consumers’ purchase intention for general second-hand products.
Consumers are more likely to have high levels of moral norms when they have a high
awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility for the environment.
Furthermore, consumers who have high moral norms tend to experience a sense of guilt
for not buying second-hand clothing. Another important factor that positively relates to
consumers’ intention to buy second-hand clothing is perceived behavioural control. The
formation of the intention to buy second-hand clothing hinges on consumers’ capability,
availability, and resources to perform the behaviour (Ajzen, 1991). Past studies showed mixed
results on the effects of perceived behavioural control on consumers’ intention to buy second-
hand products (e.g. Borusiak et al., 2020; Seo and Kim, 2019). Overall, the TPB constructs can
explain consumers’ intention to buy second-hand clothing well.
Next, it was found that only two value dimensions, including environmental value and
emotional value, are significant to attitudes. The findings suggested that the formation of
positive attitudes towards second-hand clothing rests on environmental value and emotional
value. Consumers who believe that buying and wearing second-hand clothing can help the
environment show a higher tendency to form positive attitudes towards second-hand
clothing. Furthermore, they might “experience emotional attachment and positive feeling for
contributing to the society and environment at large” (Amin and Tarun, 2021, p. 12). Lin and
Huang (2012) also found that emotional value is strongly related to green consumption.
Next, the findings showed that epistemic value and social value have no significant
influence on attitudes towards second-hand clothing. It could be because consumers
usually buy second-hand clothing mainly due to affordable prices and environmental
benefits (Cervellon et al., 2012). In addition, it is surmised that the epistemic value of
second-hand clothing may not be sufficient to cause consumers to develop positive
attitudes towards second-hand clothing because of concerns over cleanliness (Hur, 2020)
and contamination (Yan et al., 2015). Consistently, Kim et al. (2021) reported that sanitary

Construct prediction summary

Construct Q2

Purchase intention 0.460

Indicator prediction summary

Item PLS LM PLS-LM
RMSE Q2 predict RMSE Q2 predict RMSE Q2 predict
Table 5.
PI1 1.135 0.443 1.162 0.416 0.027 0.026 PLS-predict
PI2 1.238 0.425 1.247 0.416 0.01 0.009 assessment
IJRDM risk, defined as “the perceived anxiety that circular fashion products are not clean and are
likely to have stains or dirt which could defile the body when wearing the products” (p. 7),
is a significant predictor of consumers’ attitudes towards second-hand clothing. Lastly, a
possible explanation for the insignificant influence of social value on attitudes towards
second-hand clothing is that consumers like second-hand clothing not because they want
to intentionally gain social approval nor to make a good impression on other people.
Instead, they are driven by altruistic motivations. This justification is in line with Reimers
et al.’s (2017) findings that altruism positively affects consumers’ attitudes towards
environmentally responsible clothing.

5.2 Managerial implications

Based on the PLS-SEM results, we offer some important suggestions on how to attract
consumers to buy second-hand clothing. Consumers’ decisions to buy second-hand
clothing very much depend on their significant ones’ perceptions of buying second-hand
clothing and whether their significant ones buy second-hand clothing themselves.
However, realistically, sellers and marketers have very little control over how people
perceive buying second-hand clothing. Perhaps sellers and marketers should actively
promote the negative consequences of fast fashion and the positive consequences of
second-hand fashion to the public through various marketing channels such as social
media, billboards, newspapers, and magazines, thereby slowly changing the negative
public perceptions of second-hand fashion (Hur, 2020). Nonetheless, it takes time to
change people’s perceptions of buying second-hand clothing in a given society.
Furthermore, sellers and marketers can sell second-hand clothing in charity events to
build a positive image for second-hand fashion. Lastly, it is important to make sure that
second-hand clothing is sold at low prices so that low-income consumers can afford to
buy it (Mukherjee et al., 2020). Furthermore, sellers should ensure that their second-hand
clothing can be purchased not only in conventional physical stores (e.g. resale,
consignment, and thrift shops) but also on social media (e.g. Facebook, Instagram).
Generally, second-hand clothing is still being negatively viewed by many as unhygienic
and low class, resulting in negative attitudes towards second-hand clothing. Second-hand
clothing sellers and marketers have to stress the message that second-hand clothing is as
clean as new clothing after washing and possess no risks to health through advertising (Silva
et al., 2021). Furthermore, there is a need to have more quality advertising on television, radio,
and social media to emphasise the positive ramifications of wearing second-hand clothing to
the environment (Kim et al., 2021). This is because the environmental value is the most
significant predictor of attitudes towards second-hand clothing. To cultivate consumers’
positive attitudes towards second-hand clothing, sellers and marketers must highlight the
environmental and emotional values of second-hand clothing but not the epistemic and social
values in any marketing campaigns. Although the findings of this study may not be
generalisable to the general population, we believe that the findings can still be used as a
reference for second-hand clothing business owners and retailers in other countries to
develop their marketing strategies. Lastly, second-hand clothing business owners and
retailers can work with policymakers to promote sustainable consumption and production,
taking a step closer to achieving one of the 17 sustainable development goals (Goal 12: ensure
sustainable consumption and production patterns).

6. Conclusion, limitations, and future recommendations

This study has successfully confirmed that the integrated model of the TPB and the TCV
is useful in explaining consumers’ intention to buy second-hand clothing as the majority of
the hypotheses are empirically supported. With regard to the limitations of this study, we Intention to
highlight a few key issues that future studies could further enhance. First, the data were buy second-
mainly collected from Chinese students from a private university in Malaysia, and
therefore the findings may not be generalisable to the general population. Future scholars
hand clothing
may consider testing the research model on different samples from developed and
developing countries for more insights. Second, the data were collected during the COVID-
19 pandemic when many people struggled financially, which may indirectly increase their
attitudes towards second-hand clothing to save costs. Future scholars are recommended to
re-examine the model after the pandemic ends. Third, this study only examined
consumers’ intention to purchase second-hand clothing in general. It would be more
insightful to investigate consumers’ purchase intention for specific types of second-hand
clothing such as jackets, coats, t-shirts, dresses, and trousers.

References
Ajzen, I. (1991), “The theory of planned behavior”, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision
Processes, Vol. 50 No. 2, pp. 179-211.
Ajzen, I. and Fishbein, M. (1977), “Attitude-behaviour relations: a theoretical analysis and review of
empirical research”, Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 84 No. 5, pp. 888-918.
Amin, S. and Tarun, M.T. (2021), “Effect of consumption values on customers’ green purchase
intention: a mediating role of green trust”, Social Responsibility Journal, Vol. 17 No. 8, pp.
1320-1336.
Armstrong, C.M.J. and Park, H. (2020), “Online clothing resale: a practice theory approach to evaluate
sustainable consumption gains”, Journal of Sustainability Research, Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 1-24.
Ateş, H. (2020), “Merging theory of planned behavior and value identity personal norm model to
explain pro-environmental behaviors”, Sustainable Production and Consumption, Vol. 24,
pp. 169-180.
Bamberg, S. and M€oser, G. (2007), “Twenty years after Hines, Hungerford, and Tomera: a new meta-
analysis of psycho-social determinants of pro-environmental behaviour”, Journal of
Environmental Psychology, Vol. 27 No. 1, pp. 14-25.
Biel, A. and Thøgersen, J. (2007), “Activation of social norms in social dilemmas: a review of the
evidence and reflections on the implications for environmental behaviour”, Journal of Economic
Psychology, Vol. 28 No. 1, pp. 93-112.
Blazquez, M., Zhang, T., Boardman, R. and Henninger, C.E. (2019), “Exploring the effects of social
commerce on consumers’ browsing motivations and purchase intentions in the UK fashion
industry”, in Boardman, R., Blazquez, M., Henninger, C. and Ryding, D. (Eds), Social Commerce,
Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, pp. 99-115.
BMI Lab (2021), “The rise of second-hand: exploring the opportunities of re-commerce”, available at:
https://bmilab.com/blog/2021/2/2/the-rise-of-second-hand-fashion-exploring-the-opportunities-
of-re-commerce.
Bonn, G. and Tam, C.L. (2016), “Imagining a good life in Malaysia and China: cultural beliefs among
Mainland Chinese, Malaysian Chinese, and Malay University students”, Asian Journal of Social
Psychology, Vol. 19 No. 2, pp. 145-153.
_
Borusiak, B., Szymkowiak, A., Horska, E., Raszka, N. and Zelichowska, E. (2020), “Towards building
sustainable consumption: a study of second-hand buying intentions”, Sustainability, Vol. 12
No. 3, p. 875.
Botetzagias, I., Dima, A.-F. and Malesios, C. (2015), “Extending the theory of planned behavior in the
context of recycling: the role of moral norms and of demographic predictors”, Resources,
Conservation and Recycling, Vol. 95, pp. 58-67.
IJRDM Cervellon, M.C., Carey, L. and Harms, T. (2012), “Something old, something used: determinants of
women’s purchase of vintage fashion vs second-hand fashion”, International Journal of Retail
and Distribution Management, Vol. 40 No. 12, pp. 956-974.
Chang, H.J. and Watchravesringkan, K.T. (2018), “Who are sustainably minded apparel shoppers? An
investigation to the influencing factors of sustainable apparel consumption”, International
Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Vol. 46 No. 2, pp. 148-162.
Chaturvedi, P., Kulshreshtha, K. and Tripathi, V. (2020), “Investigating the determinants of behavioral
intentions of generation Z for recycled clothing: an evidence from a developing economy”,
Young Consumers, Vol. 21 No. 4, pp. 403-417.
Chin, W.W., Thatcher, J.B., Wright, R.T. and Steel, D. (2013), “Controlling for common method
variance in PLS analysis: the measured latent marker variable approach”, New Perspectives in
Partial Least Squares and Related Methods, pp. 231-239.
Chun, E., Jiang, W., Yu, J. and Ko, E. (2018), “Perceived consumption value, pro-environmental belief,
attitude, eWOM, and purchase intention toward upcycling fashion products”, Fashion and
Textile Research Journal, Vol. 20, pp. 177-190.
Conner, M. and Armitage, C.J. (1998), “Extending the theory of planned behavior: a review and
avenues for further research”, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Vol. 28 No. 15,
pp. 1429-1464.
De Leeuw, A., Valois, P., Ajzen, I. and Schmidt, P. (2015), “Using the theory of planned behavior to
identify key beliefs underlying pro-environmental behavior in high-school students:
implications for educational interventions”, Journal of Environmental Psychology, Vol. 42,
pp. 128-138.
Ek Styven, M. and Mariani, M.M. (2020), “Understanding the intention to buy secondhand clothing
on sharing economy platforms: the influence of sustainability, distance from the
consumption system, and economic motivations”, Psychology and Marketing, Vol. 37 No. 5,
pp. 724-739.
Fashion United (2020), “Global fashion industry statistics - international apparel”, available at: https://
fashionunited.com/global-fashion-industry-statistics/ (accessed 9 September 2020).
Ferraro, C., Sands, S. and Brace-Govan, J. (2016), “The role of fashionability in second-hand shopping
motivations”, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Vol. 32, pp. 262-268.
Fishbein, M. and Ajzen, I. (2009), Predicting and Changing Behavior: The Reasoned Action Approach,
Psychology Press, New York.
Gopalakrishnan, S. and Matthews, D. (2018), “Collaborative consumption: a business model analysis of
second-hand fashion”, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 22 No. 3,
pp. 354-368.
Guiot, D. and Roux, D. (2010), “A second-hand shoppers’ motivation scale: antecedents, consequences,
and implications for retailers”, Journal of Retailing, Vol. 86 No. 4, pp. 355-371.
Hair, J.F., Risher, J.J., Sarstedt, M. and Ringle, C.M. (2019), “When to use and how to report the results
of PLS-SEM”, European Business Review, Vol. 31 No. 1, pp. 2-24.
Harland, P., Staats, H. and Wilke, H.A.M. (1999), “Explaining proenvironmental intention and behavior
by personal norms and the theory of planned behavior”, Journal of Applied Social Psychology,
Vol. 29 No. 12, pp. 2505-2528.
Hays, R.D., Hayashi, T. and Stewart, A.L. (1989), “A five-item measure of socially desirable response
set”, Educational and Psychological Measurement, Vol. 49 No. 3, pp. 629-636.
Henseler, J., Ringle, C.M. and Sarstedt, M. (2015), “A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity
in variance-based structural equation modelling”, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,
Vol. 43 No. 1, pp. 115-135.
Hur, E. (2020), “Rebirth Fashion: second-hand clothing consumption values and perceived risks”,
Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 271, 122951.
Johnston, E.C. (2019), “Vintage fashion and Instagram: how in Malaysia the app has changed the way Intention to
millennials and Gen Z look at second-hand clothes and thrifting”, available at: https://www.
scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3040160/vintage-fashion-and-instagram-how- buy second-
malaysia-app-has-changed. hand clothing
Jones, G. and Yu, S. (2021), “Can fabric waste become fashion’s resource?”, available at: https://www.
forbes.com/sites/hbsworkingknowledge/2021/06/21/can-fabric-waste-become-fashions-
resource/?sh5743c6aa42a3e.
Joung, H.M. (2014), “Fast-fashion consumers’ post-purchase behaviours”, International Journal of
Retail and Distribution Management, Vol. 42 No. 8, pp. 688-697.
Joy, A., Sherry, J., Venkatesh, A., Wang, J. and Chan, R. (2012), “Fast fashion, sustainability, and the
ethical appeal of luxury brands”, Fashion Theory, Vol. 16 No. 3, pp. 273-295.
Khurana, K. and Tadesse, R. (2019), “A study on relevance of second hand clothing retailing in
Ethiopia”, Research Journal of Textile and Apparel, Vol. 23 No. 4, pp. 323-339.
Kim, H.J. and Jan, I.U. (2021), “Consumption value factors as determinants of use intention and
behavior of car-sharing services in the Republic of Korea”, Innovation: The European Journal of
Social Science Research, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print.
Kim, H., Lee, E.J. and Hur, W.M. (2012), “The mediating role of norms in the relationship between
green identity and purchase intention of eco-friendly products”, Human Ecology Review, Vol. 19
No. 2, pp. 125-135.
Kim, I., Jung, H.J. and Lee, Y. (2021), “Consumers’ value and risk perceptions of circular fashion:
comparison between second-hand, upcycled, and recycled clothing”, Sustainability, Vol. 13
No. 3, p. 1208.
Kl€ockner, C.A. (2013), “A comprehensive model of the psychology of environmental behaviour- A
meta-analysis”, Global Environmental Change, Vol. 23 No. 5, pp. 1028-1038.
Koay, K.Y., Ong, D.L.T., Khoo, K.L. and Yeoh, H.J. (2021), “Perceived social media marketing activities
and consumer-based brand equity: testing a moderated mediation model”, Asia Pacific Journal
of Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 33 No. 1, pp. 53-72.
Koay, K.Y., Lim, V.K.G., Soh, P.C.H., Ong, D.L.T., Ho, S.Y. and Lim, P.K. (2022), “Abusive supervision
and cyberloafing: a moderated moderation model of moral disengagement and negative
reciprocity beliefs”, Information and Management, Vol. 59 No. 2, 103600.
Kock, N. (2015), “Common method bias in PLS-SEM: a full collinearity assessment approach”,
International Journal of e-Collaboration, Vol. 11 No. 4, pp. 1-10.
Kumar, G.A. (2021), “Framing a model for green buying behavior of Indian consumers: from the lenses
of the theory of planned behavior”, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 295, 126487.
Laitala, K. and Klepp, I.G. (2018), “Motivations for and against second-hand clothing acquisition”,
Clothing Cultures, Vol. 5 No. 2, pp. 247-262.
Lang, C. (2018), “Perceived risks and enjoyment of access-based consumption: identifying barriers and
motivations to fashion renting”, Fashion and Textiles, Vol. 5, p. 23.
Lee, S.H. and Huang, R. (2020), “Consumer responses to online fashion renting: exploring the role of
cultural differences”, International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, Vol. 49 No. 2,
pp. 187-203.
Liang, J. and Xu, Y. (2018), “Second-hand clothing consumption: a generational cohort analysis of the
Chinese market”, International Journal of Consumer Studies, Vol. 42 No. 1, pp. 120-130.
Lin, P.C. and Huang, Y.H. (2012), “The influence factors on choice behavior regarding green products
based on the theory of consumption values”, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 22 No. 1,
pp. 11-18.
Liu, M.T., Liu, Y. and Mo, Z. (2020), “Moral norm is the key: an extension of the theory of planned
behaviour (TPB) on Chinese consumers’ green purchase intention”, Asia Pacific Journal of
Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 32 No. 8, pp. 1823-1841.
IJRDM Machado, M.A.D., de Almeida, S.O., Bollick, L.C. and Bragagnolo, G. (2019), “Second-hand fashion
market: consumer role in circular economy”, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management,
Vol. 23 No. 3, pp. 382-395.
Maichum, K., Parichatnon, S. and Peng, K.-C. (2016), “Application of the extended theory of planned
behavior model to investigate purchase intention of green products among Thai consumers”,
Sustainability, Vol. 8 No. 10, p. 1077.
McFall-Johnsen, M. (2019), “The fashion industry emits more carbon than international flights and
maritime shipping combined. Here are the biggest ways it impacts the planet”, available at:
https://www.businessinsider.com/fast-fashion-environmental-impact-pollution-emissions-waste-
water-2019-10.
Melur, H. (2021), “8 best thrift stores in Malaysia for a good bargain”, available at: https://www.
iproperty.com.my/lifestyle/best-thrift-shops-in-malaysia/.
Mohammad, J., Quoquab, F. and Mohamed Sadom, N.Z. (2021), “Mindful consumption of second-hand
clothing: the role of eWOM, attitude and consumer engagement”, Journal of Fashion Marketing
and Management, Vol. 25 No. 3, pp. 482-510.
Morra, M.C., Gelosa, V., Ceruti, F. and Mazzucchelli, A. (2018), “Original or counterfeit luxury fashion
brands? The effect of social media on purchase intention”, Journal of Global Fashion Marketing,
Vol. 9 No. 1, pp. 24-39.
Moschis, G.P. and Churchill, G.A. (1978), “Consumer socialization: a theoretical and empirical
analysis”, Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 15 No. 4, pp. 599-609.
Mukherjee, S., Datta, B. and Paul, J. (2020), “The phenomenon of purchasing second-hand products by
the BOP consumers”, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Vol. 57, 102189.
Munerah, S., Koay, K.Y. and Thambiah, S. (2021), “Factors influencing non-green consumers’ purchase
intention: a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach”, Journal of
Cleaner Production, Vol. 280, 124192.
Nigbur, D., Lyons, E. and Uzzell, D. (2010), “Attitudes, norms, identity and environmental behaviour:
using an expanded theory of planned behaviour to predict participation in a kerbside recycling
programme”, British Journal of Social Psychology, Vol. 49 No. 2, pp. 259-284.
Park, J. and Ha, S. (2012), “Understanding pro-environmental behavior: a comparison of sustainable
consumers and apathetic consumers”, International Journal of Retail and Distribution
Management, Vol. 40 No. 5, pp. 388-403.
Ramayah, T., Lee, J.W.C. and Lim, S. (2012), “Sustaining the environment through recycling: an
empirical study”, Journal of Environmental Management, Vol. 102, pp. 141-147.
Razali, F., Daud, D., Wai, C.W. and Anthony Jiram, W.R. (2020), “Waste separation at source
behaviour among Malaysian households: the theory of planned behaviour with moral norm”,
Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 271, 122025.
Reimers, V., Magnuson, B. and Chao, F. (2017), “Happiness, altruism and the Prius effect: how do
they influence consumer attitudes towards environmentally responsible clothing?”, Journal
of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, Vol. 21 No. 1,
pp. 115-132.
Reio, T.G. (2010), “The threat of common method variance bias to theory building”, Human Resource
Development Review, Vol. 9 No. 4, pp. 405-411.
Rivis, A. and Sheeran, P. (2003), “Descriptive norms as an additional predictor in the theory of planned
behaviour: a meta-analysis”, Current Psychology, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 218-233.
Ro, C. (2020), “Can fashion ever be sustainable?”, available at: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/
20200310-sustainable-fashion-how-to-buy-clothes-good-for-the-climate.
Romero, D. (2021), “Explosion’ in second-hand clothes helps fill gap created by supply chain, holiday
demand”, available at: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/explosion-in-secondhand-clothes-helps-
to-fill-gap-created-by-supply-chain-crisis-140011756.html.
Roux, D. and Guiot, D. (2008), “Measuring second-hand shopping motives, antecedents and Intention to
consequences”, Recherche et Applications En Marketing (English Edition), Vol. 23 No. 4, pp. 63-91.
buy second-
Rulikova, M. (2020), “‘I would never wear those old clodhoppers!”: age differences and used
clothing consumption in the Czech Republic”, Journal of Consumer Culture, Vol. 20 No. 2,
hand clothing
pp. 175-193.
Sandes, F.S. and Leandro, J. (2016), “Exploring the motivations and barriers for second-hand product
consumption”, Paper Presented at 9th Latin American Retail Conference (CLAV 2016), Sao
Paolo, October 20 - October 21, available at: http://bibliotecadigital.fgv.br/ocs/index.php/clav/
clav2016/paper/view/5854/1665.
Schwartz, S.H. (1977), “Normative influences on altruism”, Advances in Experimental Social
Psychology, Vol. 10, pp. 221-279.
Seo, M.J. and Kim, M. (2019), “Understanding the purchasing behaviour of second-hand fashion
shoppers in a non-profit thrift store context”, International Journal of Fashion Design,
Technology and Education, Vol. 12 No. 3, pp. 301-312.
Setiawan, B., Afiff, A.Z. and Heruwasto, I. (2020), “Integrating the theory of planned behavior with norm
activation in a pro-environmental context”, Social Marketing Quarterly, Vol. 26 No. 3, pp. 244-258.
Sheth, J.N., Newman, B.I. and Gross, B.L. (1991), “Why we buy what we buy: a theory of consumption
values”, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 22 No. 2, pp. 159-170.
Shmueli, G., Sarstedt, M., Hair, J.F., Cheah, J.H., Ting, H., Vaithilingam, S. and Ringle, C.M. (2019),
“Predictive model assessment in PLS-SEM: guidelines for using PLSpredict”, European Journal
of Marketing, Vol. 53 No. 11, pp. 2322-2347.
Silva, S.C., Santos, A., Duarte, P. and Vlacic, B. (2021), “The role of social embarrassment, sustainability,
familiarity and perception of hygiene in second-hand clothing purchase experience”,
International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, Vol. 49 No. 6, pp. 717-734.
Smith, J.R. and McSweeney, A. (2007), “Charitable giving: the effectiveness of a revised theory of
planned behaviour model in predicting donating intentions and behaviour”, Journal of
Community and Applied Social Psychology, Vol. 17 No. 5, pp. 363-386.
Sorensen, K. and Jorgensen, J.J. (2019), “Millennial perceptions of fast fashion and second-hand
clothing: an exploration of clothing preferences using Q methodology”, Social Sciences, Vol. 8
No. 9, p. 244.
Stringer, T., Mortimer, G. and Payne, A.R. (2020), “Do ethical concerns and personal values influence
the purchase intention of fast-fashion clothing?”, Journal of Fashion Marketing and
Management, Vol. 24 No. 1, pp. 99-120.
Su, J. (2016), “Examining the relationships among the brand equity dimensions: empirical
evidence from fast fashion”, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Vol. 28 No. 3,
pp. 464-480.
Su, J. and Chang, A. (2018), “Factors affecting college students’ brand loyalty toward fast fashion: a
consumer-based brand equity approach”, International Journal of Retail and Distribution
Management, Vol. 46 No. 1, pp. 90-107.
Su, J., Watchravesringkan, K.(T.)., Zhou, J. and Gil, M. (2019), “Sustainable clothing: perspectives from
US and Chinese young Millennials”, International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management,
Vol. 47 No. 11, pp. 1141-1162.
Tonglet, M., Phillips, P.S. and Read, A.D. (2004), “Using the theory of planned behaviour to investigate
the determinants of recycling behaviour: a case study from Brixworth, UK”, Resources,
Conservation and Recycling, Vol. 41 No. 3, pp. 191-214.
Turunen, L.L.M. and Leip€amaa-Leskinen, H. (2015), “Pre-loved luxury: identifying the meaning of second
hand luxury possessions”, Journal of Product and Brand Management, Vol. 24 No. 1, pp. 57-64.
Wai Yee, L., Hassan, S.H. and Ramayah, T. (2016), “Sustainability and philanthropic awareness in
clothing disposal behavior among young Malaysian consumers”, Sage Open, Vol. 6
No. 1, pp. 1-10.
IJRDM Xu, Y., Chen, Y., Burman, R. and Zhao, H. (2014), “Second-hand clothing consumption: a cross-cultural
comparison between American and Chinese young consumers”, International Journal of
Consumer Studies, Vol. 38 No. 6, pp. 670-677.
Yadav, R. and Pathak, G.S. (2016), “Young consumers’ intention towards buying green products in a
developing nation: extending the theory of planned behavior”, Journal of Cleaner Production,
Vol. 135, pp. 732-739.
Yadav, R. and Pathak, G.S. (2017), “Determinants of consumers’ green purchase behavior in a
developing nation: applying and extending the theory of planned behavior”, Ecological
Economics, Vol. 134, pp. 114-122.
Yan, R.-N., Bae, S.Y. and Xu, H. (2015), “Second-hand clothing shopping among college students: the
role of psychographic characteristics”, Young Consumers, Vol. 16 No. 1, pp. 85-98.
Yuriev, A., Dahmen, M., Paille, P., Boiral, O. and Guillaumie, L. (2020), “Pro-environmental behaviors
through the lens of the theory of planned behavior: a scoping review”, Resources, Conservation
and Recycling, Vol. 155, p. 104660.
Zhang, B., Zhang, Y. and Zhou, P. (2021), “Consumer attitude towards sustainability of fast fashion
products in the UK”, Sustainability, Vol. 13 No. 4, p. 1646.

Corresponding author
Chee Wei Cheah can be contacted at: cheahcw@hotmail.com

For instructions on how to order reprints of this article, please visit our website:
www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/licensing/reprints.htm
Or contact us for further details: permissions@emeraldinsight.com

View publication stats