FACTORS INFLUENCING THE DECISION ON MEAL REPLACEMENT PRODUCT BUYING IN BANGKOK

Abstract

The purposes of this research were to study personal factors related to decision making on meal replacement product buying in Bangkok, to study marketing mix. The methodology of this study was mixed method with both quantitative and qualitative methods. For qualitative, used a questionnaire as the research instrument and the sample included 400 respondents who had experience on consuming meal replacement product in Bangkok and confirmed research result with 6 business owners using qualitative method by In-depth interview. The hypotheses were analyzed with Chi-square, Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient and Multiple Regression Analysis. The research results found that consumers in Bangkok with different gender, age, status, education, occupation and income were related to the decision making on meal replacement product buying with statistical significance at 0.01. Marketing factors influencing the decision making on meal replacement product buying were Price (7Ps), Place (7Ps) with statistical significance at 0.01. However, Product (7Ps) influencing the decision making on meal replacement product buying with statistical significance at 0.05. Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) factors including Sales Promotion, Word of Mouth and Events and experience marketing had the influence on the decision making on meal replacement product buying with statistic significance at 0.01. From interviewing business owner, it was found that they agreed with the result of quantitative method in product branding and product quality, valuable price, access from online and offline, sales promotion that make customers decide to buy easier, word of mouth include both product and seller, and events and experience marketing that use online meeting as a marketing tool.