Clothing store

Among the factors that influence clothing purchasing is the store environment. The fashion stores were mentioned as important forms of brand communication: “the stores and the shop-windows are a certain form of advertising. . . people pass and see the image the store or the brand wants to give” (Ana, PT). Many brands that do not use traditional advertising use the stores and shopwindows to communicate the brand, for instance: “Zara does not use advertising on mass media, however has a strong identity and everybody knows the brand and the stores” (Marta, PT).

Some of the Greek interviewees prefer small stores: “because you can have better relation with the shopkeepers. I like to have contact with the storekeepers; I want them to tell me if the clothes suit me” (Thetis, GR). Another interviewees are expecting for just a “technical support from the staff” (Leon, GR), “you don’t want to have a person always beside you asking if you want help” (Joana, PT). In general the interviewees like to chose the clothes without any help: “I want to have the comfort to look whatever I  want by myself and I try on many things” (Ioanna, GR), “It is dif- ficult to try on clothes and have someone near you all the time” (Leon, GR). On the other hand, interviewees consider big stores “impersonal”.