Consumer behavior regarding instant noodles consumption and development guidelines for expanding Noodle Station services within 7-Eleven convenience stores in Vientiane, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Abstract

The objectives of this research were: 1) to examine the demographic characteristics, consumer behavior, and opinion levels regarding development guidelines for Noodle Station based on the marketing mix (4P's) concept among consumers of 7-Eleven convenience stores in Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic; 2) to compare and test the relationships between consumers' demographic characteristics and behaviors and their instant noodle consumption behavior; and 3) to investigate the influence of the marketing mix factors (4P's) on instant noodle consumption behavior to provide guidelines for expanding Noodle Station services. The target group consisted of 130 consumers using 7-Eleven convenience stores in Vientiane. The research instrument was a questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.86. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, independent t-test, chi-square test, and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that 1) most respondents were female, aged 21–30 years, employed in private companies, visited convenience stores more than five times per week, consumed instant noodles more than three times per week, and had never used Noodle Station service before. Their overall opinion on the Noodle Station development guidelines based on the 4Ps was at a high level of agreement, ranked from highest to lowest as place, product, promotion, and price; 2) consumers of different genders showed no significant differences in consumption behavior, whereas age, occupation, and frequency of convenience store visits were significantly related to instant noodle consumption behavior at the .05 level; and 3) the marketing mix factors (4Ps) jointly predicted instant noodle consumption behavior by 8.40 percent, which  was statistically significance at the .05 level, with price being the only factor exerting a significant negative influence. Therefore, the expansion of Noodle Station services should focus on pricing strategies appropriate for consumers' purchasing power, together with product development and service channels that respond to working-age consumers.