Research on Musinsa customers presented at Korea Distribution Association conference

Musinsa logo [Provided by Musinsa]
Musinsa logo [Provided by Musinsa]

A study has found that the diversity of brands carried on online fashion platforms positively affects both platform competitiveness and customers' purchase intentions.

According to Musinsa, a research team led by Lee Dong-il, a professor in the business administration department at Sejong University, presented findings on the topic at the Korea Distribution Association's autumn academic conference on Friday. The study examined how brand assortment diversity shapes what the researchers call "retail equity" on online fashion platforms.

"Retail equity" refers to the intangible assets a consumer associates with a particular retailer — including trust and positive perception. The study is notable for extending the retail equity concept, previously discussed mainly in the context of offline channels such as department stores and hypermarkets, to online platforms.

The research team conducted an independent survey of 350 consumers who regularly use Musinsa. The team divided platform retail equity into two components: a supply-side "commerce asset" — the degree to which users feel the platform discovers and nurtures quality brands — and a demand-side "community asset," reflecting the sense that a large, active user base generates diverse reviews and lively interaction. The researchers then analyzed how brand diversity affected each component.

The results showed that consumers perceive diversity differently depending on the type of brand. When a wide variety of major brands were available, consumers simply felt the platform offered a broad product selection. When emerging and growing brands were well represented, consumers also developed a positive sense that the platform itself was vibrant — what the researchers termed "vitality perception."

The commerce asset — the sense that a platform actively nurtures emerging brands — grew more strongly when users felt that vitality than when they merely perceived a wide selection. This influenced consumers' preference for the platform and their intention to return, ultimately translating into greater purchase intent toward emerging and growing brands.

Musinsa said the findings reflect how its strategy of incubating small and emerging brands and pursuing mutual growth has translated into actual consumer purchase intent.

"Broadly introducing and supporting emerging brands breathes vitality into a platform and ultimately leads to sustained customer engagement and purchasing experiences," said Lee, who led the research. "Attracting major brands and nurturing emerging and growing brands are choices a platform can pursue together."

The study was conducted as part of an industry-academia collaboration between the Korea Distribution Association and Musinsa. The consumer survey was carried out independently by the research team, from design through execution, analysis and conclusion.


spa@heraldcorp.com