From Risk to Reliability: The Interplay of COB and COM in Mitigating Risk and Enhancing Trust in Apparel Purchases
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63385/jemm.v2i2.340Keywords:
Country of Brand Origin (COB), Country of Manufacture (COM), Interaction Effect, Perceived Risk, Trust, ApparelAbstract
Country of Origin (COO) serves as a critical extrinsic cue that consumers use to assess product quality, build trust, and mitigate perceived risk, particularly in situations where direct product evaluation is limited. In the context of the increasingly globalized apparel industry, products are often designed, branded, and manufactured across different countries, creating complex COO associations. With this landscape, the distinct and interactive roles of country of manufacture (COM) and country of brand origin (COB) in shaping consumer perceptions remain insufficiently understood. This research gap is particularly relevant in India, a culturally diverse and rapidly expanding apparel market where consumers are exposed to both domestic and international brands. This study investigates how variations in COO cues influence consumers’ trust and perceived risk using a 2 × 2 factorial experimental design. Specifically, it compares consumer responses to apparel products associated with Indian versus international COB and COM combinations. The study evaluates how these COO configurations affect perceptions of financial, social, and performance risks, along with overall trust in the product. By isolating and analyzing the individual and combined effects of COB and COM, the research seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of how consumers interpret and respond to origin-related information. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to existing literature on consumer behavior and COO effects while offering practical implications for both domestic and global apparel brands. Insights derived from the research can assist marketers and brand strategists in refining positioning strategies, strengthening brand credibility, and aligning communication efforts with evolving consumer expectations in emerging markets such as India.
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