Title: Factor Analysis of “Crocs“
Authors: Aakansha Yadav (021330024004)
Sriza Biswas(021330024403)
Rishi Nagda(021330024277)
Introduction: Crocs, a globally recognized brand, is best known for its unique and comfortable footwear made from a proprietary foam material called Croslite™. Originally launched in 2002, Crocs quickly became popular for their lightweight, slip-resistant clogs that provide ample comfort and support. Crocs are praised for their durability, ease of maintenance, and versatility, making them a favorite choice for everyday wear. With a focus on comfort, style, and innovation, Crocs has become a staple in casual and professional settings, appealing to all age groups.
The 10 Characterstics of Crocs are :
- Comfort
 - Lightweight
 - Water-resistant
 - Slip-resistant
 - Ventilation
 - Cleanability
 - Durability
 - Stylish
 - Fit
 - Odor-resistant
 
Objective: To reduce the dimension
Data Collection: The survey was conducted using Google Forms to evaluate perceptions of Crocs based on ten essential characteristics: Comfort, Lightweight, Water-resistance, Slip-resistance, Ventilation, Cleanability, Durability, Style, Fit, and Odor-resistance. A total of 50 respondents, consisting of friends and relatives, participated in the survey. Each question targeted one of these specific characteristics, as outlined below:
- Comfort: “How comfortable do you find Crocs for extended wear?”
 - Lightweight: “Do you agree that Crocs are lightweight and easy to walk in?”
 - Water-resistance: “Do you find Crocs effective for use in wet environments?”
 - Slip-resistance: “How well do Crocs provide slip-resistance on wet or slippery surfaces?”
 - Ventilation: “Do you agree that the ventilation in Crocs helps keep your feet cool and dry?”
 - Cleanability: “How easy do you find it to clean and maintain Crocs compared to other shoes?”
 - Durability: “Do Crocs last longer than other footwear you own?”
 - Stylish: “Do you think Crocs are stylish and fashionable?”
 - Fit: “How effective is the heel strap in providing a secure fit when wearing Crocs?”
 - Odor-resistance: “Do you find Crocs to be odor-resistant even after long periods of use?”
 
Participants rated their responses on a Likert scale with the following values:
– Strongly Agree – 5
– Agree – 4
– Neutral – 3
– Disagree – 2
– Strongly Disagree – 1
This approach enabled us to gather detailed feedback on each characteristic, providing comprehensive insights into the overall perception and satisfaction with Crocs among the respondents.
Data Analysis:
1.KMO
| 
 KMO  | 
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| 
 Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy.  | 
 .816  | 
The KMO Measure of Sampling Adequacy is 0.816, indicating that this dataset is highly suitable for factor analysis. With values above 0.8, data is considered “meritorious,” meaning strong relationships exist among variables, making them ideal for extracting meaningful factors. A KMO above the 0.5 threshold confirms that shared variance is present, enhancing interpretability and ensuring reliable factor extraction. This high adequacy suggests the data has coherent structures, making it robust for analyzing preferences.
| 
 Total Variance Explained  | 
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| 
 Component  | 
 Initial Eigenvalues  | 
 Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings  | 
 Rotation Sums of Squared Loadings  | 
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| 
 Total  | 
 % of Variance  | 
 Cumulative %  | 
 Total  | 
 % of Variance  | 
 Cumulative %  | 
 Total  | 
 % of Variance  | 
 Cumulative %  | 
|
| 
 1  | 
 4.563  | 
 45.629  | 
 45.629  | 
 4.563  | 
 45.629  | 
 45.629  | 
 2.717  | 
 27.172  | 
 27.172  | 
| 
 2  | 
 1.471  | 
 14.713  | 
 60.342  | 
 1.471  | 
 14.713  | 
 60.342  | 
 2.638  | 
 26.381  | 
 53.553  | 
| 
 3  | 
 1.008  | 
 10.079  | 
 70.421  | 
 1.008  | 
 10.079  | 
 70.421  | 
 1.687  | 
 16.868  | 
 70.421  | 
| 
 4  | 
 .704  | 
 7.038  | 
 77.458  | 
 
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 5  | 
 .586  | 
 5.857  | 
 83.316  | 
 
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 6  | 
 .506  | 
 5.060  | 
 88.376  | 
 
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 7  | 
 .418  | 
 4.175  | 
 92.551  | 
 
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 8  | 
 .344  | 
 3.443  | 
 95.994  | 
 
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 9  | 
 .268  | 
 2.681  | 
 98.675  | 
 
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 10  | 
 .133  | 
 1.325  | 
 100.000  | 
 
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| 
 Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.  | 
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2.Total Variance Explained
- Factor Selection: The analysis yields three factors with eigenvalues greater than 1, which typically indicates they contribute meaningfully to explaining variance.
 - Variance Explained:
- Factor 1 has an eigenvalue of 4.563 and explains 45.63% of the total variance, which is substantial and suggests a dominant underlying component.
 - Factor 2 contributes an additional 14.71% of the variance, bringing the cumulative variance explained to 60.34%.
 - Factor 3 accounts for a further 10.08%, reaching a cumulative variance of 70.42%.
 
 - Rotation Impact: After rotation, Factor 1 explains 27.17%, Factor 2 explains 26.38%, and Factor 3 explains 16.87%, redistributing variance more evenly across factors, which can enhance interpretability.
 
Together, these three factors explain 70.42% of the total variance, indicating that they capture most of the meaningful information in the data.
3.Rotated Component Matrix
| 
 Rotated Component Matrixa  | 
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| 
 
  | 
 Component  | 
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| 
 1  | 
 2  | 
 3  | 
|
| 
 Comfort  | 
 .904  | 
 .018  | 
 .048  | 
| 
 Lightweight  | 
 .884  | 
 .292  | 
 .132  | 
| 
 Water-resistant  | 
 .426  | 
 .673  | 
 .010  | 
| 
 Slip-resistant  | 
 -.124  | 
 .786  | 
 .327  | 
| 
 Ventilation  | 
 .231  | 
 .753  | 
 .192  | 
| 
 Cleanability  | 
 .459  | 
 .654  | 
 .029  | 
| 
 Durability  | 
 .640  | 
 .448  | 
 .172  | 
| 
 Stylish  | 
 .438  | 
 .471  | 
 .453  | 
| 
 Fit  | 
 .230  | 
 .031  | 
 .839  | 
| 
 Odor-resistant  | 
 -.047  | 
 .254  | 
 .764  | 
| 
 Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.  | 
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 a. Rotation converged in 6 iterations.  | 
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The Rotated Component Matrix shows three main factors derived from the survey attributes, indicating how each attribute loads onto these factors:
- Factor 1 (Comfort and Lightweight): Attributes “Comfort” (0.904) and “Lightweight” (0.884) load strongly, indicating this factor likely represents comfort-related qualities in product preferences.
 - Factor 2 (Durability and Resistance): Attributes “Water-resistant” (0.673), “Slip-resistant” (0.786), and “Ventilation” (0.753) load significantly on this factor, suggesting it encompasses qualities related to durability and resistance.
 - Factor 3 (Fit and Odor): “Fit” (0.839) and “Odor-resistant” (0.764) load highly on Factor 3, which seems to represent factors related to personal fit and odor control.
 
Conclusion:
The factor analysis revealed three key factors that capture essential customer preferences for Crocs:
- Wearability – This factor encompasses attributes like Comfort and Lightweight, emphasizing ease of wear and overall portability.
 - Resilience – With attributes such as Durability, Water-resistant, Slip-resistant, and Ventilation, this factor reflects qualities related to strength and suitability for varied conditions, making Crocs ideal for long-term, outdoor use.
 - Secure Freshness – Representing Fit and Odor-resistant attributes, this factor highlights the importance of a secure, well-fitted, and odor-free experience, especially for prolonged wear.
 
Together, these three factors explain 70.42% of the total variance, indicating that they capture the core characteristics valued by consumers. These insights provide a foundation for product positioning and potential enhancement areas, aligning well with consumer expectations.