CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Product is a combination of tangible and intangible goods and services offers to a customer for sale. It is any idea, method, information, service or object created as a result of a process and serves a need or satisfies a want (Mazhar, Daud, Bhutto & Mubin, 2015) Consumers are very fond of new products and services which will satisfy their needs and fulfill their demands according to this attitude of consumer’s they attract towards any product or services. We can easily identify the consumer’s buying behavior towards any product or services by seeing: How the consumer attracts towards any product. If the given product or service satisfy the consumer’s demand and how will the consumers react towards any product/services? What is the perception of the consumers about the product or services offers by a company? How much the product or services is recognizable among the consumers? How much they give preference to the product or services offered by any company?
There are many things, which will increase the product sales. Product is made up from the mixture of different elements: Quality, Protect ability, fulfilling the needs of consumers and also the packaging which will enhance the product’s existence and built a strong image in the consumer’s mind (Mazhar, Daud, Bhutto & Mubin, 2015).Packaging plays a vital role in attracting consumers towards any product. Packaging is also used as the promotional tool for the companies and it includes Colour, material, designs & other characteristics. Packaging is the overall package offer by the company to its consumers and stimulates the impulse buying behaviour .Packaging attracts consumers and increases its sale. It also reduces the marketing and advertisement cost of the product.
A good packaging helps to identify product to the consumers. Packaging is used for
easier delivery and for protection and enclosure of the product. Many companies try to make packaging original and in the way that it will satisfy consumers. They also use for the promotional purposes, to make the product differentiate from other brands. Packaging is used for marketing communication purposes and it plays an important element, which influences the purchase behavior of the consumers. Through verbal and pictorial symbols packaging can inform the potential buyers about the content of product, property, usage, advantages and risks (Poturak, 2014).
Brand image has been studied extensively since the 20th century due to its importance in building brand equity. In the increasingly competitive world marketplace, companies need to have a deeper insight into consumer behaviour and educate consumers about the brand in order to develop effective marketing strategies. Brand image is the key driver of brand equity, which refers to consumer’s general perception and feeling about a brand and has an influence on consumer behavior according to Zhang (2015). For marketers, whatever their companies’ marketing strategies are, the main purpose of their marketing activities is to influence consumers’ perception and attitude toward a brand, establish the brand image in consumers’ mind, and stimulate consumers’ actual purchasing behavior of the brand, therefore increasing sales, maximizing the market share and developing brand equity.
The buying behaviour of a consumer is the decision processes as well as the actions the consumer takes in buying and using products. Whether or not the consumer realizes it, there is far more that goes into the buying process than simply driving to the store and picking something off the shelf. There are mental and social processes that consumers go through that precede the actual act of purchasing. The topic of consumer behavior has been massively studied and with the many changes in the market, continues to be studied by marketers and researchers. The areas of particular interest include the reasons behind the decision to purchase, the factors that influence purchasing patterns, and the ways in which cultural shifts are causing buying behavior to change.
Kotler and Keller (2011) point out that understanding how the consumer chooses products and consumers can provide manufacturers with a competitive advantage over competitors. Companies can use this information strategically in order to offer the right products and services at the right time to the right consumers.