The Guayabera: Traditional Crafts or a Contemporary Ethnic Garment? Factors that influence when making the purchase decision

Abstract

The guayabera has been seen for years as a traditional craft of Yucatan, however, lately this optic has expanded to identify it as a contemporary ethnic garment that represents Mexico in general before the world. The objective of this paper is to explore the interest of different groups (Yucatecans, non-Yucatecan Mexicans and foreigners) in the purchase of guayaberas, as well as to examine the influence of variables such as origin of manufacture, age of the customer, style of the garment and its intended use on the purchase intention of potential customers. The study uses moderation, mediation, and moderate mediation analysis to better understand the factors that influence potential customers' purchase intent. In this research, a sample of 549 people who went to a store that sells guayaberas in Yucatan was taken, in which different aspects related to purchase motivators were identified.

The findings of the study indicate that the use to which the garment is intended determines the customer's purchase intention and that this relationship is mediated by the style of the garment and moderated by the age of the customer. Finding that the customer who wants a guayabera is predominantly young, he looks for contemporary styles and especially values the place where the garment is made, which gives the ethnic character to this type of clothing and a distinctive value.