Investigating Consumers’ Perceptions Toward 3 Dimensional-Printed (3DP) Fashion Products

Abstract

Three-dimensional printing or 3D printing has created possibilities for fashion product development by enabling customization, design flexibility, material innovation, and more efficient production processes. Furthermore, 3D printed (3DP) fashion products have received significant attention in design and technology-related discussion; however, less is known about how consumers evaluate these products through multi-dimensional value-based perspectives that influence their attitudes and purchase intentions. We employed Consumption Value Theory to examine how perceived values shape consumers’ attitudes toward 3DP fashion products. We conducted an online survey to collect data from a sample of 233 participants from Prolific. After the data analysis, we found that functional value, emotional value, and conditional value significantly shaped consumers’ attitude; whereas epistemic value and social value had non-significant direct effects on attitude. Furthermore, we analyzed moderating effects of perceived product characteristics, including perceived customization and perceived innovativeness, on the existing value-attitude relationship. According to results, only perceived customization was able to positively moderate the functional value-attitude link. Finally, we examined the consumers attitude toward 3DP fashion products and their purchase intention toward such products, revealing that consumers are willing to buy 3DP fashion products influenced by their attitude toward such products. Additionally, we tested the consumers’ familiarity with 3D printing as a control variable, but the results did not change consumers’ perceptions. The findings contribute to consumer behavior and fashion technology literature by extending Consumption Value Theory to the emerging context of 3DP fashion consumption. Practically, the study suggests that designers, and marketers should emphasize the specific value dimensions that consumers perceive as most meaningful when communicating the benefits of 3DP fashion products.