Analysis of Factors Influencing Gen Z Consumers’ Preconception of Online Knitwear: An S-O-R Approach

Abstract

The development of multichannel e-commerce is changing the way Generation Z evaluates online fashion products, particularly categories with high sensory dependencies such as knitwear. The limitations of haptic information encourage consumers to form digital stimulus-based preconceptions before physical experiences. This study explores the latent structure of Generation Z's preconception of knitwear within the framework of Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R). A quantitative survey was conducted on 207 Generation Z respondents in Indonesia and analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). The results of the study identified two latent factors that explain 63.2% of the total variance. The first factor represents an integrated cognitive evaluation that contains product display (PD), brand awareness (BA), quality perception, symbolic motivation (social prestige (SP) and need for uniqueness (NFU)), and purchase intention (PI), showing that purchase intention is formed as an initial cognitive readiness. The second factor reflects the social-affective dimension dominated by social environmental awareness (SEA), emphasizing the role of social considerations in the formation of preconception toward knitwear (PK). These findings expand the understanding of S-O-R in the exploratory context of online fashion shopping in Indonesia.