A Factor Analysis of Consumer’s Buying Behavior of Sanitary Pads

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate into what factors influence the buying behaviour of consumers of sanitary pads in Takoradi Polytechnic. Consumer behaviour has been changed dramatically in the past decade. In today’s world of growing competition where there are numerous brands selling the same products, consumers is having an abundant number of choices and many other factors influence their buying behaviour. In order to accomplish this objective of the study, a sample of five hundred (500) consumers were sampled from both female (staff and student) of the Polytechnic community. A ten item questionnaire that employs a five-point differential scale ranging from ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ was administered to the respondent. Among other things, the study result reveal that there are four dimensional factors informing the purchasing behaviour of consumers of sanitary pads, which accounted for 65.3% of variance in the original variables. Using factor analysis via principal component factoring with resulting data analysis done in SPSS (16), the dimensions adduced to be influencing buying behaviour of sanitary pads were: Health features (factor 1), Product features (factor 2), and Social influence (factor 3) and Economic factors( factor 4). This study is useful to the marketers as they can create various marketing programme that they believe will be of interest to the consumers. It can also boost their marketing strategy and also help other people who are working in other industries or in any private sector organization.

Keywords: Consumer Buying Behaviour, Sanitary pads, Factor analysis, Principal Component Factoring.