An analysis based on the literature of whether specific consumer groups avoid your brands, and if this

is the case, reasons for why this occurs in the marketplace.

The first group of consumers that we have identified is the students of generation Y. As mentioned in
the literature, young consumers prefer clothes that are low quality and cheap. This is because a large
majority of them are not financially independent and do not have large purchasing power. With the
presence of cheaper alternatives from Esprits competitors such as H&M and Uniqlo, it is highly unlikely
for this group of students to purchase Esprits products.
In the literature, Lee et al (2009) proposed a framework to explain brand avoidance1. We will explore
two components in the framework, namely, experimental avoidance due to bad experiences; and
identity avoidance for the sake of distinguishing oneself. Using the proposed framework, we identify
another two groups of consumers who avoid Esprits products and analyze the reasons for their
avoidance.
Firstly, consumers who distinguish themselves by looking cool are likely to display identity avoidance
because of their attitude towards clothing. We define the word cool with reference to the literature as
being stylish, desirable and up-to-date2. Stylish and desirable are certainly not the right description
for Esprit products, as evident from its declining sales and deteriorating business operations over the
recent years. Comparing to its fast fashion competitors, up-to-date is also not the right word to
describe Esprit, as its designs are not moving fast enough to capture the latest fashion trends. With
Esprits products failing to meet the above three criteria, the chances of consumers avoiding the brand is
highly probable.
Secondly, status-oriented consumers are likely to display both identity and experimental avoidance.
Status-oriented consumers choose to purchase luxury goods that enhance their societal standing and
promote exclusivity. Identity avoidance is likely to be displayed as Esprit is not recognized as a luxury
brand. Furthermore, a study by Accenture plc revealed that 45% of millennials place high emphasis on
experience in the luxury store3. Status-oriented consumers would want to have an assisted shopping
experience and the lack of personal help in Esprit will translate into a negative experience for these
shoppers. Thus, experimental avoidance is likely to be displayed as Esprit is unable to provide the high
quality retail services that these consumers value.

1
2

http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/JFMM-10-2011-0070
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/JFMM-01-2012-0001
http://www.accenture.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/PDF/Accenture-Luxury-Shopping-Survey-Key-Findings.pdf