Research Phase 4: Data Collection Methods

Using a survey, large numbers of people can be questioned on their thoughts, feelings and behaviour in a relatively short space of time if the questions are kept straightforward and uncomplicated. Patterns of activity can then be identified within groups or categories of people and links can then be made to specific social groups. Methods for administering surveys can vary from postal, telephone, group, face-to-face, observational, archival or internet based forms (Denscombe, 2010b). According to Denscombe (2010), recent evidence indicates that the quality of data obtained through internet survey research is not significantly different from that obtained using more traditional methods, while also having the bonus of reducing time spent collecting responses, entering data and transcribing.

In order to meet the Aim 3, to identify consumer purchase and divestment attitudes and behaviours and establish what preconceptions may exist regarding sustainable fashion products it was necessary to conduct a consumer survey. This was carried out online and the sample population reached through online social networks. Areas of concern for collectors, upcyclers, brands, designers and experts expressed during prior interviews were used to inform and develop questions on the consumer survey.

3.10.2.1 Online Questionnaire

In this study an online questionnaire format was developed for the consumer survey, used to gather data on consumer attitudes and behaviours relevant to a sustainable fashion system.

Questionnaires are a data gathering instrument used in survey research to collect information which can be used for subsequent analysis (Denscombe, 2010b; Bryman, 2012). An identical set of written question was presented to each respondent, which asked them directly about the points concerned with the research, without trying to lead respondents, change attitudes or provide new information (Denscombe, 2010b). Self-completions questionnaires require respondents to answer questions by completing the questionnaire themselves, unlike a structured interview, which could be considered a form of questionnaire that is administered on a face-to-face basis. As the questionnaire was not administered by an interviewer, questions were necessarily straight forward and easy to follow. The length of the questionnaire was designer to be as short as possible to avoid respondents tiring of answering questions and abandoning the task, while still asking enough questions to gather the required data. Due to this format, questionnaires were suitable for gathering standardised and quantitative data, with set answers and fewer open questions. (Denscombe, 2010b; Bryman, 2012).

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Questionnaires provide a relatively cost effective way of obtaining information from a large sample (Thomas, 1997). Additional advantages also include a shorter timeframe for administration, avoiding bias from the interviewers presence, identical questions asked each time and convenience for the respondents. Some disadvantages may arise if respondents have difficulty answering the questions, without the researcher present to assist. (Bryman, 2012). Care was taken when designing the questionnaire to provide clear presentation and clear instructions on how to respond (Bryman, 2012). Questions and answers were kept together, and only questions which were vital to the research were asked (Denscombe, 2010b;

Bryman, 2012). It was made clear what the purpose of the questionnaire was to respondents and the institutional affiliation of the researcher. Indications about the length of time it will take to complete were also made available to respondents. (Denscombe, 2010b). Internal testing and a pilot study ensured questions were understandable and answerable and the format and design suitable (Thomas, 1997).

3.10.2.2 Development of Questions

After speaking to 17 separate upcycling designers, sustainable fashion retailers and experts, textile collectors and charities, the emerging themes for consumer enquiry were shopping habits, wardrobe habits; including disposal, general attitudes on shopping and discarding and divestment, as well further enquiry into demographics and lifestyle habits and whether consumers really care about the provenance of their purchases and the stories attached to how their clothes were made, where they had come from and who they had been made by.

Regarding shopping habits, the interviews revealed that those within the sustainable fashion and textile recycling industries are most interested in finding out whether consumers have any genuine interest in the ethics of their garment purchases at all. There is also great interest in learning what consumers are buying, their criteria when choosing it and their reasons for making the purchases. Also high on the agenda for inquiry are how much consumers care about price compared to style and design, as well as ethics. Inquiries into how much is bought, how regularly and whether factors such as fabric and fibre type and garment quality concern consumers were also flagged as useful.

Areas for enquiry from the interviews regarding wardrobe habits were split between how long consumers keep and wear their clothes and what they do with them once they have finished with them, such as discarding, donating, selling or passing on to friends and family. Questions were also raised over why consumers chose to donate some items and not others, and the reasons why some items were only deemed suitable for disposal in household waste bins.

Further enquiry into consumer understanding of textile recycling information and their ways of finding the information were also thought to be key areas. Looking into consumer attitudes

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and outlooks raised questions again on how consumers made decisions when buying, discarding and using their clothes. How consumers received their information, what pre-conceptions they might have about sustainable fashion and textile recycling, and what current consumer knowledge and understanding of these issues are were all thought to be of interest and use.

Literature regarding consumer behaviour indicated that essential areas in which to collect data were demographics categories, psychographic characteristics, behaviour motivators and sustainable fashion consumption attitudes and divestment behaviour, in order to answer the research aims. These areas aligned well with the areas identified by the interviews of shopping habits, wardrobe habits, divestment, provenance concerns and demographics. Survey questions were also developed taking into account feedback from a fashion marketing and consumer research expert within Hollings Faculty at Manchester Metropolitan University, and feedback from ten pilot study respondents. Changes made on the advice of the consumer research expert included the format and grouping of questions by theme, changes to the structure and wording of questions, and simplifying the way they were answered. A full transcript of the survey questions is included in Appendix E, Section 10.5.1, pages 392 to 414.

3.10.2.3 Pilot Study

A pilot study was carried out in order to fine tune the consumer survey for clarity and ease of use, and to spot any mistakes and weaknesses of the survey design prior to the main data collection. Bryman (2012) advises that piloting not only ensures that survey questions function well, but ensures that the research instrument as whole operates well. The pilot study was useful in refining the questions and identifying any superfluous areas or any areas which needed more attention. For this self-completion questionnaire, it was determined that piloting was particularly important as a researcher could not be present to facilitate when respondents were answering (Bryman, 2012). Participants for the pilot were selected through convenience sampling, in which the nearest and most available participants who met the initial criteria of being female and having shopped for clothes was met. It was decided that at least one hundred respondents were needed for the final survey in order to measure statistical significance accurately. With this in mind ten staff and research students from Manchester Metropolitan University participated as the pilot sample, to be representative of at least 10%

of the final sample population. The survey was taken in its intended online format, which allowed for it to be piloted in as close a way as possible to its final outcome while still allowing for changes to be made before the final data collection distribution. Pilot survey respondents were asked to take the survey online at their own computer terminals while also recording how

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long it took and giving feedback on how they felt the questions flowed and were phrased, and the general order and structure of the survey.

3.10.2.4 Pilot study results Figure 16. Pilot study completion times

Respondent Complete or Incomplete Time taken (minutes)

1 COMPLETE 38

2 COMPLETE 22

3 INCOMPLETE 13

4 INCOMPLETE 163

5 INCOMPLETE 7

6 COMPLETE 56

7 COMPLETE 38

8 COMPLETE 24

9 COMPLETE 35

10 COMPLETE 14

Figure 17. Feedback from pilot study respondents

“It would be useful if you stated how long it would take to complete the survey at the beginning.”

“Fully explain the purpose of the survey. Just saying attitudes and habits might not be clear.”

“Overall good questions, but too many I think?”

“Put demographic questions at the end to save time. Longer questions on attitudes etc. should be at the beginning where people have more time to read them.”

As can be seen in Figure 16, three respondents abandoned the completion of the survey. For the seven respondents who did complete the survey in full, the average time taken was 32 minutes. Respondents also commented on which questions were easy to answer and which were more complicated. Comments on the overall experience are presented in Figure 17. As a result of these comments and feedback numerous changes were made to the online survey,

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including length, structure, order, editing of questions and correction of mistakes. Most notable was the decision to reduce the completion time of the survey from over thirty minutes to under twenty minutes, in order to prevent abandonment mid survey. This was done by omitting some questions, streamlining others with simpler answers and creating better ‘tick box’ options.

Another notable suggestion was to move the demographic questions to the end of the survey.

Although vital to the analysis of the results, demographic answers are considered much easier for respondents to answer towards the end of the survey, when they may be tiring, than questions which require decisions or memory.