Measuring quality from the consumer's perspective: A methodology and its application

This paper provides a methodology for measuring 1. (1) consumers' relative preference toward the different dimensions of a product's quality and 2. 2) a product's quality relative to other competing brands. Both are measured from the consumers' perspective via their preference scores on various dimensions of quality, based on Garvin's framework (1988), and by regressing the preference scores on the price consumers are willing to pay for the product. The methodology is applied to a sample product from the apparel industry, using real customers. The following research questions are addressed in the study: 1. (1) How can product quality be measured from the consumer's perspective? 2. (2) What is the value of improving product quality? 3. (3) Are all dimensions of quality for a given product of equal importance, or are some dimensions more important than others? The results of the study show that quality has a significant impact on consumers' perceived value and that some quality dimensions are of greater significance to consumers.