Indian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Life Sciences ISSN: 2231– 6345 (Online) An Open Access, Online International Journal Available at www.cibtech.org/sp.ed/jls/2015/03/jls.htm 2015 Vol. 5 (S3), pp. 1339-1347/Zarei et al. Research Article © Copyright 2014 | Centre for Info Bio Technology (CIBTech 1339 A TEST OF HOWARD- SHEATH’S CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF SHOPPING BEHAVIOR ON SPORT CONSUMERS IN IRAN * Ali Zarei 1 , Farshad Tojari 1 and Farrokhleqa Najafzadeh 2 1 Department of Sport Management, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran 2 Department of Management and Planning in Physical Education, Sports Management Group, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran *Author for Correspondence ABSTRACT The present study aims to test Howard- Sheath’s conceptual model of shopping behavior from the perspective of sports consumers in Iran. Likert’s five grade scale was used as the main tool for data collection. The statistical population includes the consumers of sporting goods in Iran in 1393. The population of consumer goods and sporting goods is the country in 1393. Due to the number of population is infinite, the sample size was determined 385 participants by using Morgan table, and the random sampling method is used. Descriptive, inferential statistics, modeling and structural equations using SPSS software and Amos and LISREL were used to analyze the data. The purpose of this research is applied and the method of collecting information is survey. The results showed that among 18 straight routes in the study, 14 routes have significant impact factors and only 4 routes have no significant impact factors. After removal of routes with the least impact factors and adding 6 other routes to the prototype, ultimately final model was presented. Keywords: Conceptual Model, Huard- Sheath’s Shopping Behavior, Sports Consumers INTRODUCTION In a world full of change today, companies and institutions will be successful if they care about rapidly evolving world, the rapid developments in the market, competitive conditions, distribution systems, mass media, new technologies and marketing and market management. Companies will gain the reputation if they pay attention to customer satisfaction and through better satisfying their needs and as well as minding social welfare and macro interests of society, they can get ahead of their competitors (Meamari, 2007). The prerequisite of costumers’ satisfaction is to fully meet their needs, accurately identify their wants, expectations, intentions, capabilities and limitations in the products which they buy. With access to such information, the factors that influence consumer ’ behavior can be recognized and use it in taking decisions on marketing of companies. Therefore products must comply with the expected benefits of customers. In this regard, recognizing different dimensions of stimulus and their impact on behavior of Sporting goods consumers is essential (Salar, 2007). The general impression is that consumer’s behavior means how to buy goods by individuals, but in fact consumer’s behavior is something more than the purchase of goods and services by individuals (Ghasemi, 2005). Anderson (1965) has offered one of the first models of consumer’s behavior. This model recognizes the importance of information in decision making process of the consumer and stresses the importance of their attitude in terms of repeating purchase behavior. The second model, which is focused on the decision to buy a new product, was proposed by Nicosia (1976). This model emphasizes on companies’ efforts to communicate with the consumer, and help consumers choose a particular product (Abdullatt & Emam, 2012). Shopping behavior model of Howard - Sheath is the most important model of all the models of consumer behavior, because it emphasizes on the importance of consumer’s shopping process and it guides us to better understand winding path of consumer’s behavior. This model which involves the most economic, psychological, social behavior of consumer when he or she takes decision, has composed of 4 parts and it has set based on the form of inputs and outputs. The data includes the collection of information which is composed of numerous variables that can affect the decision-making process. Outputs are the