Chapter 1 draft

This research paper's principal idea will consist of a proposal to investigate generation X activities of purchasing behavior. The study's main point is to emphasize the retail fashion merchandise sector specifically to understand the number of particular issues that impact the generation X's buying behavior. It will compare how brick and motor stores' shopping activities are commensurable to online shopping. This analysis is to discover different approaches in which fashion retailers in the United States malls can benefit by identifying the variables of online shopping behavior of Generation X consumers to enhance their operation. It will also include applying the findings' estimations to provide an accurate interpretation of how to gain a competitive advantage by reinventing their business model and product to encourage growth. It will involve developing two initial proposition questions to discover generation X shopping performance assessments' specific indications. Subsequently, it will include conducting an overview of several peer review and theory to provide the academic guidance to apply the correct framework to identify gaps that pertain to conduct authentic research, which is the objective. The discoveries from the study's outcomes perhaps can recommend numerous innovations toward improving the retail merchandise sector's prospects' disclosures.  Comment by Microsoft Office User: What is activity of purchasing? You can just say purchasing behavior. Comment by Microsoft Office User: Variables affecting……This is good and concise thesis.

The old economic system is going to a transformation due to an upsurge of technology innovation and globalization's renaissance. In recent years, the fashion industry has felt the economic conversion after NAFTA's ratification, where most quota categories were eliminated, which made it more competitive commerce globally (Ross, 2016). Also, the economy functions with logistic integration have impacted how we purchase goods towards obtaining sustainable growth within the U. S. economy (bls.gov, 2015). It has affected the retail fashion sector's process and profit across the board, which has resulted in many businesses ' profitability to decline. The influence of globalization is perpetuating technology to shift by the surge of integration of e-commerce and social media (Donthu and Gustafsson, 2020). Businesses must make comprehensive reforms to remain viable and productive in this new economic era.

Fashion is a central part of every society as it forms a fragment of the core culture that allows expressing our styles that resonate with each generation's lifestyle experiences. Each group of the population partakes in obtaining a unique identity of self-expression of fashion within our social norm (Oran, 2019). Consumers use style to establish communication of engagement to express their passion and to communicate numerous needs. In addition to the cultural relevance of clothing, it is similarly an essential obligation since garments, in general, are part of the necessities of life, without which is integral for human survival (Sethi, Kaur & Wadera, 2018). Because of this fundamental relevance of clothing, fashion retailers need to identify the generational changes, which is a driving component of our economic growth and part of the vibrant social trends of American's lifestyles (Hurley, 2016). While fashion is a vital part of the American lifestyle experience culture, it reflects current events. The industry players cannot assume that these specific consumers will accept anything that is offered to them. Oran (2019) noted that most people exhibit a variety of seeking consumer behavior when it comes to fashion.

The array of seeking consumer behavior is characterized by people wanting various styles, products, and services to fit their wants and needs to serve different purposes in their lives (Archbald, 2010). This demanding nature of the industry creates a competitive environment for all business owners, resulting in the need to use different marketing strategies to attract consumers and subsequently retain them. Along with the surge of innovation, fashion retailers need to reassess their approach to e-commerce by changing their business models to accommodate these challenges. According to De Villiers, Chinomona, and Chuchu (2018) emphasized that at the heart of any marketing strategy is to recognize the active part of change management is the necessity to know and understand consumer preferences. Also, to identify the needs and ways to use such constancy choices to maximize growth and retain and gain new customers. Based on that premise, the dissertation research questions' topic is to understand what generation leads the e-commerce shift by studying their online purchase.

Problem Statement

The problem to be addressed by this study is the exploration of how fashion retailers in the United States can take advantage of Generation X shoppers' online shopping behavior, which can perhaps determine how to exploit the information to increase their productivity. Over the years, the fashion retail market witnesses several changes in technology, trends, fashion, living style, and income disposable to consumers (Muhammad et al., 2018). The changes are the reason for varied behavior patterns within the customers, especially while shopping. The study of consumer shopping behavior is essential in attracting new consumers and providing the necessary research discoveries for innovation to remain competitive and vital in the fashion industry (Pandey, 2019). Subsequently, to ensure that existing consumers remain loyal, their needs are being fulfilled by future products and services (Patten, Ozuem, Howell, & Lancaster, 2020). Identifying the question's rationality by creating a well-defined problem statement can provide an outline of clarity towards developing a constructive and cohesive dissertation formation. According to Bean's report (2019), the genuine threat of technology concerning innovation causes vast disruption in the fashion industry. In the journal Tripathi (2019) recap, the significant complications are the internet's influence as the standard network to conduct various tasks within our home. Comment by Microsoft Office User: This part is complex without a clear meaning.

The authors Dhanapal, Vashu, and Subramaniam, (2015), explains the importance of analyzing the behavior of several generations buying pattern of online shopping to identify the various elements of performance that evolve about each generation. The authors' approach and findings highlight many aspects of these behavior patterns by reviewing how they obtain and complete their purchase online. The hypothesis is that consumers' satisfaction from purchasing a product will cause the consumer to repeat the purchase repeatedly, creating brand loyalty (Dhanapal et al., 2015). Comment by Microsoft Office User: No need for “the authors”. You can just start with the authors names.

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore different tactics in which fashion retailers in the United States can take advantage of the online shopping behavior wave of Generation X. Later on; fashion retailers can achieve these goals by detecting the variables and patterns towards exploiting how best to interpret the findings that can help with an economic improvement towards achieving strategic competitiveness with e-commerce. According to Lewkowicz, the appropriate method selection is vital in conducting the investigation technique, supporting the research inquiries to control an accurate and comprehensive study. It can also help identify the various elements causing the interrupting economic shift to occur in the retail fashion industry. After everything else is assessed, it can result in new find resolutions from the discoveries that can perhaps help reflect the study's substance, which can be beneficial (Lewkowicz, 2010). The study's application will help the reader vividly understand how shopping behavior changes have affected the U.S. and the fashion industry's economic status. According to Oran (2019), utilizing the qualitative method's investigation and the research design can anticipate constructive and accurate results that can be beneficial. Comment by Microsoft Office User: Complex, wordy, and meaning is not clear. Comment by Microsoft Office User: Year of the citation need to follow the author’s name.

The research will focus on the target population of Generation X shoppers within the fashion retail sector. Using a case study, the qualitative research model, the researcher will investigate the research topics broadly. The chosen data collection method applicable in this case will be interviews and questionnaires conditional on the category of data suitable for gathering information. During the data collection stage, the respondents can offer valuable information. The findings will be essential for decision-making concerning online shopping behavior on the purchase perceptions about Generation X shoppers' activities online (Oran, 2019). For the shop operators, their inclusion is necessary because they are the ones that will take the practical steps at maximizing sales from online shopping. Interviews will be performed with a small sample size that will require an interview guide as the instrument for data collection. The content analysis method connecting the practice of NVivo software will be used to examine the findings from the interviews. The study will offer discoveries to surge the retail fashion industry's innovations to drive strategic competition to accomplish financial stability. Comment by Microsoft Office User: You can argue why other qualitative designs (e.g., narrative, phenomenological) are not suitable for your research.

1. What are the spending behaviors exhibited by Generation X shoppers’ behavior online in the United States? Comment by Microsoft Office User: Good research questions. You can incorporate some more “why” and “how” questions.

1. What factors do online shopping partake that are desirable to Generation X shoppers that are mandatory to the fashion retail sector?

1. What type of method can be applied to help fashion retailers to take advantage of Generation X shoppers' online shopping behavior discoveries?

1. What are the different indications and factors of Generation X shopping behavior that can surpass profit compared to fashion retailers in U. S. malls?

People of Generation X can broadly be described, perhaps, as somewhat in an average-shift when it comes to computer technology in general and the internet, to be specific. They are in a mid-shift because they were mostly teen-agers in the 1970s when the internet was not invented but grew through the early and current years of internet technology. This mid-shift situation influences the factors that affect Generation X's buying behavior online concerning retail fashion. Firstly, Dhanapal, Vashu, and Subramaniam (2015) noted that the sense of style among Generation X buyers is different as they are more conservative and casual in their selection. Secondly, most of them describe themselves as only being moderate users of the internet. While they engage in online shopping, they only do so as a necessity rather than leisure (Soule & Hanson, 2018).

Soul and Hanson reiterate (2018) Gen's X takes another online social gathering platform that emphasizes personal growth and curiosity. They are mostly seeming to be inspired by self-expression as individual free-minded users that are not driven by buying online as a social activity. They are motivated to connect, share, and communicate on different aspects of social awareness and humanity that are not glorified or driven by capitalism. Correspondingly, because most of the people in this generation are gainfully employed, their purchasing power is high, and so do not resort to online shopping for the primary purpose of gaining cost benefits (Tripathi, 2019). These factors affect the overall idea of using online marketing to attract Generation X buyers to fashion products and services.

With direct relation to the discussion of the first question, there are several ways in which fashion retail stores' profits can be affected by the Generation X population's online buying behavior. First, it is without a doubt that the Generation X population spends more time connected than the other groups and identify online shopping as a useful alternative or option when choosing where to get their products and services. Consequently, they are an essential focus audience for retail stores in American Malls and, therefore, contribute to revenue generation's escalations and future profitability (Tripathi, 2019). Qualitative primary data collection methods involving distinctive interviews are necessary to assess the second research question proposal. Conducting several interviews will help monitor the capacity exploitation to engage mall management personnel to identify how much of their revenues are generated via online shopping.

Furthermore, how much savings on expenditure they can make from using online shopping platforms instead of traditional shops. Generation X consumers will be interviewed with a series of questions designed to correlate with the management personnel response. It will even be attempted to discover how much of their spending is absorbed in their online shopping behavior. Subsequently, it will help develop a research design to measure and depict their impact expenditure level. A relationship between the revenue inflows from online shopping and generation X shopping behavior stipulates a correct interpretation.

While this is generally the case, Tatić and Činjarević (2016) noted that instead, the much younger population engages in compulsive buying, which is a phenomenon that goes to the overall advantage of the fashion retail stores when it comes to profitability. As a result, the stores do not generate direct profits accredited to the Generation X population's online buying behavior. Still, it is of great consequence to note they are a persuasive and powerful influential segment of an active social platform. Meanwhile, because Generation X buyers have the advantage of purchasing power, they also influence all other life and profitability sectors. Particularly for fashion retail stores that specialize in using strategic differentiation options by offering high-value products and services that come at higher prices (Tripathi, 2019).

Based on the topic, four main concepts stand out in the problem and purpose statements. These four concepts are online shopping, generation x, fashion retail, and consumer behavior. Online shopping refers to the practice of buying goods and services over the internet (Benazic, 2018). Computers, laptops, tablets, tech watches, mobile internet, apps, and social media are the central communication apparatus driving force that influences the surge of online shopping. Bucko, Kakalejčík, and Ferencová (2018) underline that online shopping is a complex integrated system that requires different members along the supply chain with secure, robust technology. For the most part, fashion retailers are involved in the offering and purchasing of products and services; however, their primary focus is on using a complete system that makes it possible to advertise products and services (Sethi, Kaur, & Wadera 2018). On the one hand and make purchases on the other hand. Thus, the study's focus will be on this interaction between sellers and buyers without looking at the complications associated with setting up the electronic systems that make online shopping possible.

Generation x refers to a demographic cohort typically assumed to have been born between 1965 and 1980. Generation X shoppers can be identified as old enough to be parents of the millennial and young enough to be children of early boomers. Various studies have investigated the role of generation x in the fashion industry, but those relating to their online shopping role remain minimal. The third concept, fashion retail, refers to an intermediary section of the supply chain that buys from manufacturers and sells them to customers (Hurley, 2016). In the fashion industry, retailers are significant since most manufacturers who are often branded designers do not sell directly to consumers. A consumer needs a retailer to make it to the manufacturer by having their preferred product or service (Fan, 2018). Finally, consumer behavior is a concept referring to the study of how consumers choose, use, and dispose of products and services (Ladhari, Gonthier & Lajante, 2019). Consumer behavior helps sellers to understand what customers need so they can accommodate such needs. However, consumer behavior cannot be generalized unless studied under a specific context within the market (Pereira-Soares, 2018). In this instance, the context is fashion retail.

The pandemic of Covid -19, which resulted in the economy's closing, has accelerated supply and demand for consumption by e-commerce activities. There are existing studies about the various concepts that make up the topic. These current studies present facts that lay the study's social, practical, and theoretical importance and interests. For example, a survey by Benazic (2018) identified online shopping as the future of the retail industry, outlining some of the significant advantages of online shopping over traditional shopping that will make consumers switch to the former. For instance, it was noted about the extent of convenience that online shopping brings to shoppers whose daily schedules are expected to be busy, not to allow for as much walk-in shopping as before (Vasiliu, & Mihai, 2015). Indeed, the case of the covid-19 pandemic has also become a significant indication that virtual means of shopping will be needed more going into the future as it ensures reduced physical contact, which tends to expose people to the virus. On generation x, a study by Fan (2018) identified them as people with a social lifestyle associated with being excessively detailed and computer savvy because they are mostly parents and young career professionals. In the interim, a recent U.S. population census identifies 65.2 million generations Xs in America, most of whom are in the working class with a greater disposable income rate (bls.gov.2015).

The offer of fashion retail as a concept has also been extensively studied. Most of the studies on fashion retail are linked to consumer behavior, making it possible to review existing literature in these two areas together. In a study by De Villiers, Chinomona, and Chuchu (2018), shoppers' consumer behavior towards fashion retail was described as variety seeking, which means people hardly want to use the same type of fashion product or service over a more extended period. Several reasons have been assigned to the frequent changes in options that consumers attach to fashion products. A study by Sethi, Kaur, and Wadera (2018) identified the need to stay trendy with time as a reason for frequent changes in variety that people seek. Also, people require different kinds of clothing for different occasions is another reason for variety-seeking among consumers. Therefore, business owners have a responsibility to know how they can use retailing as an avenue to meet the frequently changing consumer needs.

The research topic is of interest due to having a lengthy academic and career background in the fashion retail sector that resonates with the research topic proposal. First, there is some level of novelty on the topic. It is part of the first research set to look at the generation X population in the fashion retail sector, focusing on online shopping. Second, it is essential to study how this generation's perception and views of fashion reaction provoke their online purchase behavior. Shopping online is leading a new wave of consumers because the generation x population is traditionally known not to be very much inclined towards digitization; most researchers have not looked at the specific impact they bring to online shopping as a business model in the fashion retail sector (Vasiliu, & Mihai,2015). Therefore, the topic is of interest because it will add to existing literature while serving as one of the foremost researches works in this area. What is more, the fact the topic has been set with some relation to the Covid-19 pandemic adds to its novelty. This is because the extent of impact caused by the epidemic is new, and so it is essential to know how it affects the fashion retail sector in the future.

Also, to what the study adds to existing literature, the topic is relevant since it will solve real-life issues that border shoppers and sellers alike. The fact that consumer behavior for fashion is variety-seeking means consumers attach much importance to what they get as products and services (Vasiliu, & Mihai, 2015). Similarly, they are concerned about how easily and conveniently they can have what they want. Amazon and Zappos online retailers are an example of the urgency for fashion retailers of brick and motor stores to recognize the visibility and the convenience to consumers to benefit their business survival. According to the research analyst Hurley's (2016), discoveries articulate Zappos and Amazon's online sales continuously per annum surpass in all areas of operation, growth, and probability exceed brick-and-motor retail stores.

The method and design approach are to concentrate on adopting a qualitative research technique. Applying the qualitative method will be an explorative design to guide the research questions and data collection process. Silverman (2017) noted that qualitative research is one in which the researcher collects and analyzes non-numerical data to understand concepts, critiquing opinions, and substantiating the experiences. As a result, the qualitative method will be more of an inquiry approach to conduct investigations where the researcher's goal is to exploit a deeper understanding of a research phenomenon. For the dissertation's anticipated study, the qualitative method's research phenomenon will help reveal the various elements that can better understand online shopping behavior.

According to Creswell (2015), the necessity to develop deep-rooted awareness with qualitative methods can underscore the need to apply research designs that allow for thorough and extensive engagement with the investigation's subjects. However, Creswell suggests that it is only through such in-depth and penetration of attention that the research phenomenon can be better identified. The explorative design facilitates the qualitative design because it is alarmed by exploring a research problem or phenomenon with little or no earlier studies to gain insights and familiarity for future development (Duan et al., 2015).

Several factors make the qualitative method and explorative design appropriate for the proposed study. According to Duan et al. (2015), the research phenomenon, an online shopping experience, is a highly subjective and new economic classification. Their assessment reveals that online shopping experiences are based on consumers' individual needs and preferences. Under the circumstance, a research method and design that ensures closer interaction and engagement with respondents to share their personal experiences are considered more desirable (Duan et al., 2015). Therefore, choosing the qualitative method and explorative design in a case study is appropriate because of the research problem's novelty. While the online shopping experience among generation X shoppers is not entirely new, its link to the current economic shift due to the Covid-19 pandemic makes it unique and relevant. The case study is also appropriate because the research will specifically study online shopping behavior amid the Covid-19 situation. As a response to the pandemic, most fashion retailers have begun adopting new approaches to shopping. For this reason, an explorative design is appropriate in developing new knowledge about the online shopping experience of generation X shoppers concerning the pandemic. 

According to Mather, Hamilton, Robalino, and Rousseau (2018), a qualitative research method is a flexible option that consists of various constructive ways that can reinforce with distinctive academic structures. Lastly, the technique and design are appropriate as they ensure an in-depth and detailed evaluation of the research problem driven by words rather than merely describing them. As a result of the in-depth and complicated nature of expected outcomes, it will be easier for future researchers to use diverse methods in gaining a more in-depth knowledge of emerging concepts from the study (Silverman, 2017). The choice to apply qualitative research to the questions (Mather et al., 2018)

The proposed study's goal will attempt to explore two central research questions. The first question will congregate on the aspects that influence generation X buying behavior online in the retail fashion sector. The second question aims to recognize the potential factors causing fashion retail stores in the United States' malls to decrease concerning how it affects generation X's online buying behavior. Careful consideration of how the questions are structured will display how qualitative methods are explorative rather than descriptive. For example, Creswell and Creswell (2017) underscored that qualitative research questions are frame as 'what' and 'how' questions. Therefore, the anticipation is to select a qualitative and exploratory method and design that will be ideal in optimizing the study's purpose as the goal is directly linked to the research questions. Subsequently, to identify the various factors affecting generation X shoppers' online behavior, it is essential to apply a qualitative method. Also, and explorative design will serve as gateways in identifying significant elements from the viewpoint of individuals directly involved in the practice of online shopping.

The quantitative method is not appropriate in this context because it only describes variables rather than explore concepts, which is the situation with the proposed study (Silverman, 2017). In terms of profits from retail shops, the anticipation is that the method and design will allow for personalized experiences from shop owners that directly relate their financial gains to online shopping. This will be an optimized achievement of study goals rather than delving into the shops' financial performance's statistical and numerical aspects. Because the study will not be delving into the companies' financial performance, the quantitative method is not appropriate for the proposed research.

Some studies have already been conducted that use the qualitative method and explorative design. Such previous studies serve as essential foundations in developing the proposed research. One study foundational research is Izogo and Jayawardhena (2018), who surveyed online shopping experience in an emerging e-retailing market. It would be noted that their study had the same phenomenon of interest as the proposed research, which is an online shopping experience. While the United States is not an emerging e-retailing market, the proposed research's delimitation to focus mainly on the covid-19 pandemic makes the study by Izogo and Jayawardhena (2018) have some similarities with this current one. That is, most retail fashion shops in the American Malls will now be exploring e-retailing, making them emerging competitors. With all these similarities, Izogo and Jayawardhena (2018) used the qualitative method and explorative design. They saw it as ideal for generating narrative data based on personalized experiences from the population to serve as fundamental research knowledge. It is such a similar approach that the proposed research will adopt using the qualitative method and explorative design.

To fulfill the qualitative method and explorative design, interviews will be utilized as the main method for gathering data. This means a primary data collection procedure will be conducted where the researcher will collect firsthand data from an identified group of people. One significant benefit of primary data collection is the authenticity, genuineness, and originality of data (Creswell, 2015). The sample size to be used for the study will be among generation X shoppers and retail fashion shops in U.S. Malls. A total of eighteen (18) will form the sample size, comprising twelve as shoppers and six as operators. The sample size is relatively small because of the qualitative and explorative nature of the study. Pope (2017) acknowledged that using a reasonably small sample size in qualitative research ensures that the researcher can have closer and thorough engagement with respondents, leading to an in-depth exploration of concepts arising from the study. Comment by Microsoft Office User: What exactly is the sample size? Please check Best Practice Guide for Qualitative Design. Here is the link:    Best Practice Guide for Qualitative Research Design and Methods in Dissertations

A standard limitation with qualitative research is the researcher's possibility to be biased during the data collection procedure (Hummel-Rossi, McIlwain & Mattis, 2006). A random sampling technique will select all the people in the sample size to avoid this. This will ensure the people selected will offer personalized views and opinions not manipulated by the researcher or represent the researcher's interest in any way. The interview will be in the form of a one-on-one session with respondents except for those who specifically ask for a telephone interview. During the interview, the participants' responses will be transcribed, after which the content analysis method involving the NVivo software will be used to analyze the data.

Companies or shop owners' ability to maintain their customers' loyalty depends on how well they can recognize their customer base's generational tendencies. It is critical to implement a course of action to conduct several investigations into determining their shopping behavior, including what they care most about and how they prefer buying the products. The retail fashion sector's failure to recognize Generation X's shopping behavior online can have irreversible damage to their business viability and prospects. Consumers are demanding more choices by selecting to control their lives and using their economic power and social media as a rugged microphone to express several social and cultural, and community transformation issues. Instigating a cohesive examination to realize these changes by performing an analysis to determine their products' best-selling method to these generations can be valuable. If ignored, it can demolish the fashion industries' market influence, profitability, and economic grip, deplete sales, lost profits, and cause enormous depression of unsatisfied and disloyal consumers to go somewhere else.

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