The anatomy of non-Muslim consumers’ halal fashion buying behaviour: a quantitative approach

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this study is two-fold: classifying non-Muslim halal fashion buyers by applying quantitative techniques and identifying the persuading determinants of the non-Muslim women’ halal fashion buying behaviour (HFBB). Design/methodology/approach – By adapting items from prior studies, a structured questionnaire was developed and distributed face-to-face to various Muslim fashion stores in Malaysia. After a one-month effort, 221 responses were obtained from non-Muslim consumers by using convenience sampling. Next, a clustering analysis was used to classify them from a contrasting perspective. Finally, regression and Andrew F. Hayes’s process procedures were applied to examine the three independent variables’ effect and the moderating variables. Findings – The results revealed the characteristic behaviour of the non-Muslim women explicitly, which is related to their halal fashion purchasing decision. Based on the ANOVA results, there were different motives for buying halal fashion by non-Muslim women. Additionally, it was found that the most crucial determinants for non-Muslim’s HFBB are “cultural adaptation”, albeit, there is no substantial proof of a significant moderating effect of age and income on the consumers. Research limitations/implications – These discoveries are advantageous for halal fashion retailers and provide an appealing domain for further investigations in the context of the global halal study. Practical implications – This study provided an idea for an untapped segment on the halal fashion sellers’ segmentation and positioning strategy. The study’s results suggested specific managerial and practical recommendation that the sellers can use to attract non-Muslim consumers. Originality/value – This study was amongst the uncommon investigations within the halal fashion context that will enlighten the managers’ selling strategy on the most neglected market segment. The results of this study provided an empirical understanding of how to sell halal fashion to non-Muslim consumers.