ABSTRACT
The study centered on the determinants of impulse buying behaviour among female lecturers in South Eastern, Nigeria. The broad objective of the study was to investigate those factors that influence Impulse buying by female lecturers in the South Eastern part of Nigeria. The specific objectives were to; examine the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, ascertain the effects of socio-economic factors on impulse buying behavior, ascertain product attributes that influence impulse buying among respondents, determine effects of personality attributes on impulse buying, determine the extent to which internet, m-commerce and mobile payment systems influence impulse buying, determine the effects of income level on impulse buying and to determine the effects of shop environmental factors on impulse buying behavior of female lecturers in the South Eastern part of Nigeria. The study was carried out in the South Eastern part of Nigeria covering six higher institutions in three out of the five eastern states. Survey research design was adopted for the study, 380 respondents were randomly selected from six higher institutions. Primary data were collected through the administration of well structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using simple descriptive and inferential statistics, simple regression analysis, multiple regression model and Analysis of variance (ANOVA). The socio-economic background of female lecturers showed that majority of the lecturers hold Masters or Ph.D Degrees and therefore are socio-economically fit to budget and take care of themselves. The regression result showed that socio-economic status has a significant relationship with impulse buying, product attributes exerted a significant influence on impulse buying, the same applied to personality attribute but differ with the products involved. The result of the relationship of internet, M-commerce and mobile payments showed a weak relationship between internet, M-commerce and mobile payment systems. However, the regression analysis with regards to shop environmental factors showed a strong and positive relationship. In the same vein, the multiple regression result of combined factors on impulse buying showed a positive relationship. Generally, the factors have some level of influence on impulse buying but vary in their degrees of influence. The degree, of such, relationships exist because the respondents are educated and are able to keep within their budget. In line with the findings of the study, we conclude that personality attributes have significant influence on female lecturers’ impulse buying behavior of certain products. Income level has little or no influence on impulse buying while internet, M-commerce and mobile payments have weak influence on impulse buying behavior of female lecturers. Efforts should be made by both marketers and manufacturers to work on personality attributes of the current and would-be customers to achieve their different marketing objectives. In the same vein, the marketers should try all within their boundaries to make the shop environment attractive to call for a repeat patronage which could also aid impulse buying. The personality attributes of the consumers must be duly considered to win the attention of the consumers so as to achieve their goals. On the side of internet, M-commerce and mobile payments, the government and other individuals should gear up in educating the populace on the use of the internet and its subsidiaries. Mobile network providers should be courage to enlarge the network provision for effectiveness.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables xiii
List of Figures ix
Abstract x
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 16
1.3 Objectives of the Study 18
1.4 Research Questions 19
1.5 Significance of the Study 19
1.6 Research Hypotheses 20
1.7 Delimitation of the Study 22
1.8 Limitations of the Study 22
1.9 Scope of the Study 22
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Conceptual Framework 24
2.1.1 Concept of impulse purchasing 24
2.1.2 Determinants of impulse purchase 26
2.1.3 The nature of the product 27
2.1.4 External shop environment and impulse buying 35
2.1.5 Culture and demographic factor and impulse buying 39
2.1.6 Personality and impulse purchase 43
2.1.7 Price of the product and impulse buying 47
2.1.8 Income level and impulse purchasing 48
2.1.9 Online marketing, m-commerce and m-payment considerations and
impulse buying 51
2.1.10 Mobile commerce (m-commerce) 53
2.1.11 Mobile payments (m-payments) 54
2.2 Theoretical Framework 56
2.2.1 The theory of passive learning 57
2.2.2 The illusory truth effect theory 58
2.2.3 Black box theory of behaviorism 59
2.2.4 Douglas McGregor’s theory X and Y 59
2.3 Review of Empirical Studies 60
2.4 Summary of and Gap in Literature Review 66
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Design of the Study 69
3.2 Area of the Study 69
3.3 Population of the Study 70
3.4 Sample and Sampling Techniques 70
3.5 Instrument for Data Collection 71
3.6 Validation of Research Instrument 71
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument 72
3.8 Method of Data Collection 72
3.9 Method of Data Analysis 72
3.10 Model Specification 73
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Socio Economic Status of Female Lectures 77
4.2 Data Presentation 80
4.3 Test of the Hypotheses 92
4.4 Summary of Findings 99
CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary of Findings 100
5.2 Conclusion 104
5.3 Recommendations 105
5.4 Suggestions for Further Studies 106
References 107
Appendices 114
LIST OF TABLES
4.1: Questionnaire distribution and return table 76
4.2: Socio-economic status of respondents (age) 77
4.3: Socioeconomic status of respondents: educational qualifications 78
4.4: Distribution of respondents according to their level of income 79
4.5: Summary of multiple regression result on socioeconomic status of
respondents 80
4.6: Effect of product attributes on impulse buying behaviour 82
4.7: Effects of personality attributes on impulse buying behaviour 84
4.8: Effects of internet, m-commerce, mobile payments on impulse buying
behaviour 86
4.9: Effects of income level on impulse buying behaviour 87
4.10: Beta Coefficient for Shop Environmental Factors (SEF) and impulse
buying behaviour of female lecturer 89
4.11: Summary of multiple regression result on factors influencing impulse
buying behaviour among female lecturers 90
4.12: Regression estimate of socioeconomic effects on impulse buying 92
4.13: Estimate of the effects of linear regression result of product attributes
(PRA) on impulse buying behaviour 93
4.14: Summary of estimate of effects of linear regression result of personality
attributes on impulse buying 94
4.15: Regression estimate of the effects of internet, m-commerce and mobile
payment systems on impulse buying behaviour of female lecturer 95
4.16: Regression estimate of the effects of income level on impulse buying
behaviour of female lecturers 96
4.17: Summary of linear regression estimates of the effects of shop environmental
factors on impulse buying behaviour of female lecturers 97
4.18: Combined factors significantly influence impulse buying behaviours of
female lecturers in South East, Nigeria 99
LIST OF FIGURE
2.1. Conceptual framework adapted from John Vaizey’ facets of national
development
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The financial success of any business unit, government sector, Household or even a single individual depends largely on a well thought out and properly articulated and succinctly implemented financial plan called budget. This financial plan called budget x-rays the unit’s financial expectations within a given period of time.
The concept budget has been variously defined by erudite scholars from different perspectives. A sample of such definitions would be imperative at this point. Web finance (2016) defined a budget as an itemised forecast of an individual’s or company’s income and expenses expected for some period in the future. Again, Cliche (2012) defined a budget as a qualitative expression of a plan for a defined period of time. It may include planned sales volumes and revenues resource quantities, costs and expenses, assets, liabilities and cash flows. It expresses strategic plans of business units, organisations, activities and events in measurable terms. It further sees a budget as an estimate of costs, revenues and resources over a specified period, reflecting a reading of future financial conditions and goals. Thus, with a budget, an individual or organisation is able to look at how much money they are expecting in a given period and equally figure out the best ways to divide it among a variety of categories of expenditures.
Furthermore, Lopez (2016) defined a budget as an itemised summary of likely incomes and expenses for a given period. It typically provides a concrete organized and easily understood breakdown of how much money a government, business unit or an individual has coming in and how much it can afford to spend. Being a breakdown of a government’s, business unit or an individual’s anticipated income and expenditure, it therefore, is an invaluable tool in helping any government, business unit, household or even a private individual prioritise his spending and manage his or her resources effectively. How big the pay packet or how small the pay packet is, notwithstanding, the adoption of a good financial plan called budget, to a very high extent, decreases one’s stress level because there won’t be surprises when a budget is put in place and carefully implemented. In line with this believe, Bocharov (2013) noted that budgeting is the key to survival in today’s high, technical, competitive and changing environment and that failure to plan results in failure of many firm that could have been avoided by planning.
To Cliche (2012), a budget, whether personal, corporate or governmental serves three main purposes. These are
1. Budget aids the planning of actual operations by forcing managers to consider how the conditions might change and what steps should be taken now and by encouraging managers to consider problems before they arise. It also helps coordinate the activities of the organisation by compelling managers to examine relationships between their own operations and those of other departments. Provide a forecast of revenues and expenditures by constructing a model of how a business might perform financially if certain strategies, events and plans are carried out.
2. Enable the actual financial operations of the business to be measured against the forecast,
3. Establish the cost constraints for a project, program or operation
The numerous advantages that follow a well thought out and carefully implemented financial plan notwithstanding, different researches (Gardner & Rook, (1988), iyer, But, Xiao & Grewal (2019) & Santini (2019), as well as observations prove that, at all levels, people still do not plan or go against their shopping lists by making unplanned purchases or acting on impulse. The reason for this informed the decision to carry out the research on the determinants of impulse buying by the researcher.
Impulse buying is a habit often exhibited by every consumer in their day to day buying exercise. Youn & Faber, (2000), Gagnon (2016), maintained that a survey carried out in Quebec, it was discovered that three quarters population made impulse purchases without being able to control themselves. It is a habit associated with or related to anxiety and unhappiness yet impulsive buyers tend to experience more difficulty controlling their emotions. This notwithstanding, consumers hate to be associated with the act of impulse buying attitude but still hardly adhere strictly to their original purchase list or buying plan before visiting the retail store which in the real sense of the word reflects impulse buying.
The term, impulse or impulsive buying, has been defined by many erudite scholars from different perspectives. Block and Mortwitz (1999), defined impulsive purchase as an act of a consumer buying an item with little or no deliberation resulting from a sudden powerful urge. In support of the powerful urge exerted by the desire to buy impulsively, Karen & Lee (2002) stated that impulsive behaviours are more arousing and irresistible but less deliberate when compared to planned purchasing behaviour. Again, Beatty & Farrell (1998), defined impulse buying as immediate purchases which are without any pre-shopping objective either to purchase the product category or to fulfil a specific need. Explaining further, they maintained that impulse buying behaviour occurs after experiencing a buying desire by the shopper and without much reflection, he proceeds to make such purchase. Such purchases are often instigated by emotions and feelings, most times, engineered or spurred by promotional messages.
Again, Rook and Gardner (1993) defined impulse buying as an unplanned behaviour involving quick decision making and tendency for immediate acquisition of the product. It is a purchase made without adequate plan or consideration. It can also occur when potential customers spot something related to a product or service that stirs a particular passion in them. Impulse buying is further defined by Bayley & Nancarrow (1998) as a sudden compelling, hedonically complex buying behaviour in which the rapidity of an impulse decision process precludes thoughtful and deliberate consideration of alternative information and choices. Such behaviours, according to them, are often marked with pleasure and run in contrast with utilitarian behaviour that is based on the buyer seeking for both functional and economic benefits/values of the shopping process.
Furthermore, Zimmermann (2016) stated that impulse buying disrupts the normal decision making model in the consumers’ brain. The logical sequence of the consumers’ action is replaced with irrational momentary gratification. Impulse buying is a kind of purchase made without due consideration of the consequences of such buy or purchase.
The definition given by Engel and Blackwell (2002) tends to be more encompassing, comprehensive and up to date. To them, impulse purchase is seen as a buying action undertaken without a problem previously having been consciously recognized or a buying intention formed prior to entering the store. Also Bateman and Holmes (200 n5) defined impulse buying as a sudden strong wish or need to buy something without thinking about it carefully. In line with this postulation, Philips and Bradshaw (2002) affirmed that impulse buying is a sudden strong wish or desire to buy something without planning or thinking about it carefully or comparing such goods with similar or related goods with a view to making a better purchase or buying choice.
The definitions above identified some salient points that make impulse buying detrimental to an individual’s purse or income. First, it sees it as a buying action undertaken without a problem previously having been consciously recognized or a buying intention formed prior to entering the store. This is where planning and budgeting comes in. As a business unit or a single individual, there is always need to recognize and articulate the various needs of the business or household units, prioritise them and take steps towards settling them as time and resources permit. But when and where one jumps into a shop, catches sight of a product or service, and goes on to make a plan- less purchase of the said product or service, such amounts to impulse buying.
It could also be pointed out here that the buyer’s intent and motive, to a large extent helps to ascertain whether the purchase could be regarded as unplanned or not. For a clearer understanding of the buyer’s intent or motive as far as impulse buying is concerned, Kollat and Willett (1967), developed a typology on the degree of intent and planning made before stepping into a store, which has remained a springboard in impulse buying determination. Such intent or planning they stated in the following decision patterns:
i. Product and brand decided
ii. Product category decided
iii. Product class decided
iv. A general need recognized – suggestive buying and
v. General need not recognized – reminder buying
To them, the last category - general needs are not recognized until in the store - may still be rational but the unexpectedness of the environment offering a solution to an unconscious or unarticulated need or want some- how induced the shock of some sort which disturbed the shopper’s emotional state of equilibrium for a while. This disturbance resulted in the unplanned purchase. Again, the fourth category, a general need recognized could mean a shopper has not taken decision on a product category or brand, but relies on the shopping environment to provide the needed stimulation for the purchase of the product in question are often seriously influenced by the pattern of shop display that acts as eye catchers to influence and influenced the shopper’s decision. These two categories of buying (suggestive buying and reminder buying In line with the assertions of Kollat and Willeth’s typology of (1967), Dittmer (2008) affirmed that consumers’ intent to purchase a product is far from being fixed and can continue to be modified right up to the point of purchase. In furtherance to the above argument, Douglas and Isherwood (2008) emphasised that consumers need not have a fixed or permanent buying plan prior to visiting the retail store because store environment always provides a better buying stimulation on the account of the presence of large varieties of products displayed and competing for the attention of the consumers visiting the retail store.
Impulse buying, therefore, in the context of this research is a sudden strong urge, wish or need to buy something without a careful planning and strict adherence to the original budget or buying plan which had earlier been articulated before setting out to the retail store.
Furthermore, a good buying plan presupposes the planning and articulation of the goods or items to be purchased prior to setting out to the retail store. The prevalent case as far as impulse buying is concerned is a buying habit which consumers exhibit or display due to the influence of the in-store stimuli. Philip and Duncan (2008) distinguished four types of impulse buying habits often displayed by consumers as: pure impulse buying, reminder impulse buying, suggestion impulse buying and expected impulse buying.
Pure impulse buying according to them is a type that lacks any element of cautious and considered approach to a purchase. Pure impulse purchase exposes the would be consumer or shopper to a feeling of overwhelming force from the products or services to be purchased and also to a strong feeling of having to make an immediate purchase thereby ignoring any negative consequences that might arise from such purchase. Reminder impulse on the other hand occurs when a consumer sees an item of sell and then remembers that the stock of such product at home has depleted or is exhausted or the shopper remembers an advertisement or other information about the item which in turn triggers off the sudden desire and decision to buy the item. Again suggestion impulse buying behaviour is displayed when a shopper or consumer sees a product for the first time and visualizes the need for the product even though he has no previous knowledge of the product. Under suggestion impulse buying behaviour considerations for the product quality, functions and other characteristics are evaluated at the point of purchase. Expected impulse purchase occurs when the consumer enters a retail shop having some specific purchases in mind but with the expectation and intention of making other purchases which depends on the price specials or coupons offer in the store. Shoppers at all levels and all times could exhibit any of these impulse buying habits based on the extent to which certain characteristics or features of such products influence their buying.
Earlier Researches have identified certain factors as being responsible for or contributing to impulse buying behaviour by consumers. Bell, Corsten & Knox (2014), mentioned age, income, shopping style and the shop environment as part of the factors that could influence impulse buying. Rizwan, Raheem & Ahmed (2014), enumerated also some other factors, which to them, could also influence impulse buying. These include promotional (level) approaches, store environment, window display, income level, credit card and more recently growth in e-commerce and mobile payment.
One would, at a glance observe that some of the factor mentioned by the two writers are the same, though they may have been given different titles. Also included in the factors are price and the product to be purchased.
A product is seen as one of the elements of the marketing mix. It is, in fact, the thing that any organisation showcases and for which an organisation is known. Although people conceive of a product from many perspectives or angles, it must be pointed out that the term or concept ‘product’ does not just mean a physical or tangible item meant to be sold or marketed.
The concept product has been defined by different scholars at different times. Burch and Houston (1985) for instance in Anyanwu (2000) defined a product as anything capable of satisfying a consumer’s wants or needs. To them a product can take a variety of forms, including a physical object, a service, a place, an organisation, an idea or a personality. Thus, from the above definition, a product could be in any form but must be capable of satisfying the consumer’s needs or wants. This accounts for why Burch and Houston, included personality in their list of things that could constitute a product, as person in the entertainment industry often showcase themselves through their services.
Kotler and Keller (2006), see a product as anything that can be offered to a market to satisfy a want or need. They further explained that a product could include physical goods and services, experiences, events, persons, places, properties, organisations, information and even ideas. One, at a glance would see similarities in the definitions of Burch and Huston and that given by Kotler and Keller pointing to the fact the term product could extend even to organisations, information, personalities and ideas.
Onkvisit and Shaw (2006) argued that defining a product in terms of its physical attributes such as shape, dimension components, form, colour, etc is narrow and often misleading. This is so because both tangible and intangible products must be combined to create a single total product. To them, therefore, the best way to define a product is to describe it as a bundle of utilities or satisfaction.
To Nwokoye (2015), a product is the offer that a marketer makes to the buyer. The product is seen as being of central importance in all marketing efforts. To him, a product is defined as a bundle of physical and psychological satisfactions that a buyer receives from a purchase. He explains further that the satisfaction includes not only the tangible object, but also supportive elements as packaging, convenience of purchase, post-sale services and others that buyers value
Anyanwu (2000) in his explanation of a product maintained that a product is more than just a physical good with its related features. He opined that a product includes accessories, installations, instructions on use, the package, a warranty, a brand name and confidence that service will be available after the purchase if it is needed. This opinion, Anyanwu described as the total product concept comprising of the core, the augmented and the symbolic products.
The Core Product is a company’s primary promotion, service or product that can be purchased by a customer. Core products may be integrated into end products, either by the company producing the core product or by other companies to which the core product is sold. Anyanwu (2000) explained the core product as the tangible (in case of physical product) and the intangible (in the case of services), offered in the marketplace. These could include cars, watches, books, bread etc and they give the main benefits of the product.
Augmented product – to him this consists of values added to a product by packaging, advertising, manufacturer’s reputation, delivery warranty and other benefits offered to the consumer by the seller. He maintained that these features can make a lot of difference between one product and the other even though they may be offering similar benefits.
The Symbolic Products are those products that provide some sort of prestige, price or self-identity: they are valuable because they enhance the sense of self-regards. In addition, a product’s symbolic value communicates meaning beyond its material aspects, representing, for example, status, trendy design, environmentally friendly features and so on. This Anyanwu (2000), explained as the psychological feeling about a product that influences a consumer to purchase it. This is often achieved through advertising and consistent offer of quality goods and services which accords its users the self-actualizing and self-worth utility. From the definitions above, it becomes important to understand a product in all of its dimensions. This is because, generally, a product is conceived to mean a physical object such as cars, appliances, or a piece of clothing or furniture. But, from the marketing management perspective, a product is seen to mean much more than that. It has a bundle of attachments ranging from its attributes to the prestige and reputation of the manufacturers, credits available to facilitate its purchase, as well as the information and instruction given for the proper use of that product. Most of these outlined features of any product are often times considered as its attributes.
Product attribute is seen by Cliche (2012) as those characteristics of either a raw material or finished goods which make it distinct from those of other products. Attributes could include size, weight, colour, functionality, components of a product and features that affect the products’ appeal or acceptance in the market.
Product attributes are also referred to as dynamic features that customers face while trying to make a choice of a product or service. These could include configurable characteristics of a product or its components. For instance, when products are configured in different colours, as well as, in different sizes, having different weights, which form part of the customers’ choice in purchasing the product, they are often influenced in their purchase decisions. Attributes describe product characteristics that are of interest to customers
Furthermore, Lopez (2016) sees product attribute as comprising of features, functions, benefits and uses. Attributes are further seen as properties of a given product, brand, service advertisement or any object of interest. Such attributes include cost, value or money, prestige, taste, usability, liking (affect), image and personality.
The nature of the product often induces impulse purchases. The size and colour of certain products make for shoppers indulge in impulse buying than others. For instance small size goods described as products that are not big or large in size, number, amount or degree often induce impulse buying. This is so because such products are easily picked and purchased without meticulous considerations or planning brought about by the fact that most of these small sized products are equally low priced. Colours attribute of a product equally help draw attention of the consumer or shopper to a product. Retailers are often of the habit of displaying brightly coloured products conspicuously as an eye catcher to shopper. These, on many occasions, induce impulses buying. Duane and Sarah (2004) distinguished the colours of products as yellow, green, blue, violet, red, orange etc. Going further they pointed out that certain colours of goods induce or stimulate impulse buying among consumers because different colours represent different attractions, feelings, emotions, affections and purchase considerations among different consumers for different products.
Price is one of the elements of the marketing mix. Price as a concept is very crucial to both the marketer and the buyer or consumer. In any monetised market, where goods and services are traded, price is very crucial as a prime mover of exchange and pricing becomes an indispensable activity that must be performed right if organisations (and individuals) must prosper (Agbonifoh, Ogwo Nnolim & Nkamnebe, 2007).
Price has been defined by Agbonifoh, Ogwo, Nnolim & Nkamnebe (2007) as the monetary value for which the seller is willing to exchange the item. Put differently, they said that it is what the buyer gives in return for a product. Price is further defined as a value that will purchase a finite quantity, weight or other measure of a good or service. Price is also seen as a consideration given in exchange for transfer of ownership, price forms the essential basis of commercial transactions, Web finance (2016). Again, Lichtenstein, Ridgway & Netemeyer (1993) in Verma & Gupta (2014) explains price as one of the most important marketplace cues. To them, the all persuasive influence of price is due, in part, to the fact that the price cue is present in all purchase situations and at a minimum represents to all consumers, the amount of economic outlay that must be sacrificed in order to engage in a given purchase transaction.
Price plays different roles in the purchase decision process. In the traditional economic theory, since higher prices are believed to have negative impact on the consumer’s budget, price has a negative influence on his buying decisions. This is strongly supported by the law of demand which entails an inverse relationship existing between price and quantity demanded of a product.
Again to Kotler and Armstrong (2010), price in its narrow sense is the amount of money charged for a product or service. More broadly put by them, it is the sum of all the values that customers give up in order to gain the benefit of having or using a product or service. Much as in the recent past, non-pricing factors have been gaining importance, historically price has been the major factor affecting buyer’s choice. These notwithstanding, price still remains one of the most important elements in determining a firm’s market share and profitability. (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). Furthermore, price is one of the most flexible marketing mix elements and the only element in the marketing mix that represents revenue, others represent costs.
From all the above one stands to understand that price plays an important role in the purchase decision of consumers. Kotler and Armstrong (2010), emphasising on the roles of pricing pointed out that some managers’ view pricing as a big headache preferring instead to concentrate on the other marketing mix elements. They further opined that smart manager treat pricing as a key strategic tool for creating and capturing customer value. Noting that prices have a direct impact on a firm’s bottom lin, a small percentage improvement in prices resulting in a large percentage in profitability.
To what extent price affects the overall purchases of a product depends again upon the personality and perceptions of the consumers in question and the type of product to be purchased. The price charged for a particular product should fall between two options that are either too high to produce demand or two low to produce profit. An astute marketer must play around the customers’ psychic in his price setting policies. This is so because, if customers perceive that the price is greater than the product’s value they will not buy that product. This, therefore, presupposes that a good pricing mechanism would involve understanding how much value customers place on a product and the benefits accruing there from and setting prices that would capture and captivate their interest and value system.
Products are often classified according to their prices. Some products are highly priced, moderately priced while others are low priced. Not all products are so priced to induce impulse buying. Most often, the prices of some goods are deliberately reduced by retailers to induce impulse buying. Narasimhan, Neslin and Sen (2006) noted other aspects of goods to include those goods whose qualities have deliberately been reduced by retailers and other middlemen in the channel of distribution as an instrument of reduction in their prices. It must be noted however that the ultimate reason or aim of such price reduction is to stimulate or induce impulse buying of such goods, using low price as a strategy.
Another factor identified as influencing impulse buying in the developed countries of the world is the demographic factor (Rizwan, Rahem & Ahmed 2013). Included under this factor are age and life style, gender and income level of the consumer. The goods and services people buy often change within their lifetime. Tastes in food, clothes, furniture and recreation are often age related. Buying is also shaped by the stage of the family life cycle which explains the stages through which families might pass as they mature over time, (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). They went further to explain the traditional family life style stages as young singles and married couples with children. Today, however, it must be pointed out that marketers are catering for increasingly growing numbers of non-traditional life cycle stages. Gender is more of an ordinal representation of either a male or a female stock.
Collins (2012) defined income as the amount of money or its equivalent received during a period of time in exchange for labour or service from the sales of goods or property or as a profit from financial investment. It could also be defined as the amount of monetary or other returns either earned or unearned, accruing over a given period of time. The importance of income at any time is felt that Samuelson (2009) pointed out that, if you can know but one fact about a man, knowledge of his income will probably reveal most about him. This is so because such knowledge will reveal his political opinion, tastes, education and even life expectancy. Income makes a man. Income is so important in any economy that Samuelson went further to point out that unless a family has a steady stream of money coming in every week, month and year, even though it has saintly endurance, that family is ill. Again the level of income each family unit has determines their purchasing power and spending habit or pattern. It is believed that individuals and family units with higher income have higher spending power and could as a result be expected to exhibit more impulse buying behaviours than those with lower incomes.
The store, with its environment, constitutes another factor that influences customers to embark upon impulse buying behaviour. In line with this is the window display act, the lighting pattern, background music and the visual merchandising pattern adopted by marketers to influence and induce impulse buying behaviour of customers. Supporting this assertion, Alireza & Hasti (2011) pointed out window display associating with consumer’s purchasing attitude has physical charisma and charm of a store influences customer choice of store.
Again, one of the emerging factors that tend to influence impulse buying is e-commerce and the mobile payment system. In support of this assertion, Pandey (2012) pointed out that the growth of m-commerce and mobile payments is also acting as a strong driver for impulse buying. Arguing further he maintained that people are able to browse the internet shopping sites like Amazon and E-bay on their mobile phones while commuting and the buying behaviour on mobile tend to be more than buying on PC/laptops.
The task of bearing and raising children is a God given task to the females. In pursuant of this task, females engage in the purchases and cooking of foods for the family. In support of this assertion, Leo (2005) pointed out that the role of women (females) in the purchase of consumer and household goods is critical because over seventy five percent of these categories of goods are purchased by women and they also do the cooking and managing other related household affairs. Furthermore, Peek and Childers (2006) maintained that the burden of proper management of purchases within the family household unit which involves the ability to reconcile rational and impulse buying behaviours which are fundamentally more pronounced in women. But the trend these days shows that most women are more dedicated to their duties and are more educated than yesteryears. This educational improvement coupled with the higher socioeconomic levels they find themselves have empowered them to understanding the essential points in home management with its overall goal of having a higher standard of living for their respective families.
To achieve this goal of a higher standard of living for the family, female lecturers are of the habit of patronizing different outlet that offer their family needs. These outlets, departmental stores, super and mini markets, retail and wholesale stores together with the open (traditional) market systems we have here, offer lots of merchandise that catch the attention of these lecturer shoppers and which elicit various kinds of impulse buying habits.
A lecturer has been defined as a person with relevant academic qualifications in specific areas of specialization up to a Doctor of Philosophy and who holds academic position in a university or similar Institution and who teaches and engages in research activities as well as leads or oversees research groups.
Female lecturers the world over possess relevant academic qualifications ranging from the first leaving certificate to the Doctorate degree. UNESCO (2004), listed academic qualifications to include First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) at the primary school level, Junior Secondary School Certificate at the Junior Secondary School level, Senior Secondary school Certificate (WASC/NECO)at the Junior and Senior Secondary Schools respectively, National Diploma Certificate (ND), National Certificate in Education (NCE), Higher National Diploma HND, First Degree obtained in the Universities, the Master’s and Doctorate degrees. These qualifications enable lecturers and particularly the female lecturers to teach in tertiary Institutions at different levels ranging from graduate assistant to Professor. It also gives them enhanced pay packet which places them above some others in the society and often times elicit impulse buying behaviours among them. This study is, therefore, set out to find those factors or attributes that influence impulse buying by female lecturers in tertiary institutions in the south eastern Nigeria.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The numerous adverse effects and cognitive dissonance experienced by people who engage in impulse buying notwithstanding, people still engage in impulse purchasing. This behaviour has become so perverse that people see it as a common practice. Impulsive buying, being a common practice makes people to find it difficult to resist the urge and temptation associated with it. Bernard (2003) stated that consumers most often succumb to the attractions of large varieties of low prices, small size, colourful low weight, portable and branded goods attractively displayed in large retail stores and conventional open markets. The above scenario oftentimes leads consumers to spending their limited financial resources on goods that may not be of any use or that have not been budgeted for.
In support of this assertion, Zimmerman (2012) stated that impulse buying is a common behaviour. He further explained that our consumption culture makes us to succumb to such temptations and purchase things without considering the consequences of the buy. Furthermore, such unguided expenses through impulse buying have negatively affected the budget as well as the savings of individual household and has also led to the collapse of businesses because of inability to plan for savings and financial capital to invest or sustain business.
Explaining further, Zimmerman, (2016), maintained that impulse buying means making an unplanned purchase and that, impulse buyers see something, want it and get it. They do not take time to stop and think about whether they should or should not spend the money. He explained further that impulse buying tendency is a personality trait whereby impulse buyers tend to possess certain common attributes. Zimmerman posited that impulse buyers are generally strongly concerned about image and status, are usually concerned about social acceptance, tend to be anxious and emotionally high strung, are often unhappy and down in their mood, many times they don’t consider consequences, are often afraid of missing out (loss aversion) desire to acquire more things, they desire to save time and money, have need for immediate gratification and have a focus or needs for the future self as drivers for impulse buying.
Furthermore, Cliche (2014), pointed out that impulse buying could be linked or related to anxiety and unhappiness. People often engage in impulse buying to ease bottled anxiety and unhappiness which after embarking upon such purchases end up not resolving the anxiety and unhappiness. In line with this thought, Zimmerman (2012) maintained that impulse buying is related to anxiety and unhappiness and controlling it could help improve one’s psychological wellbeing if properly managed.
To still add to the consumer’s dilemma is the improvement in our technological advancement. The current situation of m-commerce and mobile payment as the case may be further fuels the attitude of impulse buying. A situation where one can in transit browse the internet knowing the product different shops offer for sell, price such products and make payments from the same spot tend to encourage to, a very high degree, impulse buying.
Again, Rook (1987), in his study maintained that impulse purchasing can also be associated with negative effects such as regrets and guilt - (cognitive dissonance). But it looks surprising that although such ill-effects trail such purchases, people still engage in it. These bad effects notwithstanding, other scholars are of the opinion that impulsive purchasing is embarked upon because of the momentary excitement experienced by the purchasers Gardner & Rook (1987), Pandya & Pandya (2020). Other studies have actually supported this, but have added that the adverse effect or cognitive dissonance that follows thereafter tends to erode the initial excitement.
But with these mixed feelings and subsequent regrets that follow such purchases, it seems unbelievable why people should still be engaging in such purchase behaviour. This makes the researcher want to ascertain the determinants that actually propel people into deviating from their pre-planned purchases to buying thing outside their purchase lists.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The major purpose of this study was to examine those factors (product attributes) that influence impulse buying by female lecturers in South Eastern Nigerian Tertiary Institutions. But, specifically the study sought to:
i. examine the socio-economic profile of the respondents
ii. ascertain the effects of these socioeconomic characteristics on impulse buying among the respondents
iii. ascertain product attributes that influence impulse buying among respondents
iv. determine the effects of personality attribute on impulse purchasing by female lecturers in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions.
v. determine the extent to which access to internet, m-commerce and mobile payment influences impulse buying of female lecturers n Tertiary Institutions in south east, Nigeria
vi. determine the effect of level of income on impulse buying by female lecturers in tertiary institutions in south east, Nigeria
vii. determine the effects of shop environmental factor on impulse buying behaviours of female lecturers in tertiary institutions south east, Nigeria
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions were formulated in line with the specific objectives to guide the study:
i. what are the socio-economic statuses of the respondents?
ii. what socio-economic factors influence impulse buying among the respondents?
iii. what product attributes influence impulse buying habit among respondents?
iv. to what extent does personality attribute influence impulse buying behaviour among respondents?
v. to what extent can access to Internet, m-commerce and mobile payments influence respondents to buying on impulse?
vi. what effects does income level have on female lecturer’s impulse buying behaviour?
vii. what shop environmental factors affect impulse buying behaviour of female lecturers?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The following null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance
Ho1: Female Lecturers socio-economic characteristics do not significantly influence impulse buying behaviour in south east Nigeria
Ho2: Product attributes do not significantly influence impulse buying behaviour of female lecturers in south eastern, Nigeria.
Ho3: Personality attributes do not significantly influence impulse buying behaviour of female lecturers in south east, Nigeria.
Ho4: Internet, m-commerce and mobile payments do not significantly influence impulse buying behaviour of female lecturer in south east, Nigeria.
Ho5: Income level does not significantly influence impulse buying behaviour of female lecturers in south east Nigeria.
Ho6: Shop environmental factors do not significantly influence impulse buying behaviour of female lecturers in south east, Nigeria.
Ho7: There is no significant difference on combined influence of (socio-economic characteristics; product attributes; personality attributes; internet, m-commerce, mobile payment; income level and shop environmental factors) on impulse buying behaviour of female lecturers in south east, Nigeria.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The findings gotten from a study of this nature would really be expository because it would be of immense benefit to different people within the society. Such people include manufacturers, shop owners and operators, intending shop owners, and marketing managers. The findings will also be of benefit to students, lecturers and workers with the Board of internal Revenue of states in charge of taxation.
The result would be of great benefit to the shop owners and intending shop
Owners, as it would explain to them what attributes or features of a product that would readily catch the attention of the purchasers leading to higher turnover. It would also make them understand such consumer behaviours as it would enable them formulate appropriate marketing strategies, allocate resources and make marketing budgets below-the-line and design effective marketing tactics that would draw purchasers to their shops. The result would make marketers to play along the line of purchasers to win their patronage thus increasing their market share.
The manufacturers of consumer goods would benefit because it will equip them with the knowledge of new and current features or characteristics of consumer goods in vogue which could attract the attention of the customers into impulse buying behaviour. This is made possible through modern technologies and attendant changes in consumers preferences. Manufacturers are able to cash in on the product qualities and their packaging which make consumers to engage in impulsive purchases.
The findings from this study would be of benefit to the students in two dimensions. First, it would serve as reference document to aid them in studies that bother on impulse and unplanned purchases. Secondly, the finding from the study could open up avenues for further research in the area
The findings would also be of benefit to the marketing lecturers as it could ease their trouble of formulating lecture notes. The finding, in essence, could be good reference for students in this area of knowledge. Furthermore, the finding would be expository. It would make lecturer be aware of what product attributes that actually influence impulse purchases of different product contrary to earlier beliefs.
Again, it is equally believed that the findings from this study would benefit tax operators within the state and federal Boards of Internal Revenue as it would expose to them the attributes of a product that actually support or influence impulse buying. Such knowledge would to a large extent guide them in their tax laws, taxing of products and/or services easily patronized on impulse bases.
1.7 DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The study is delimited to the determinants of impulse buying behaviour of female Lecturer in South East, Nigeria. The Female Lecturer’s socio-economic characteristics were surveyed. The influence of product attributes, level of Income of lecturers, effect of shop environment as well as mobile commerce, internet and mobile payment systems on impulse buying were all considered. Geographically, the study covered tertiary Institutions within the south eastern part of Nigeria. Three out of the five eastern states were used for the study namely Imo, Abia and Ebonyi States. Three Universities (Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Federal University of Technology, Owerri and Abia State University, Uturu), two Polytechnics (Federal Polytechnics, Unwana, Afikpo & Abia State Polytechnics) and Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, Imo State, were used for the study.
1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The researcher in the course of this study, which centred on the Determinants of Impulse Buying Behaviour of Female Lecturers in the South Eastern, Nigeria, encountered some challenges which affected the efficiency and effectiveness in the realization of the data for the achievement of the research objectives. These challenges can eventually affect the generalization of the results obtained from the findings. Some of such challenges are poor and indifferent attitude of some of the respondents in giving out information, the scope of the study and the statistical models used in carrying out the data analysis.
1.9 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This research study focused on the determinants of impulse buying behaviour among female lecturers in the South Eastern State of Nigeria. The scope of the study is limited to female lecturers within the South Eastern part of Nigeria. Samples will be drawn from the population to provide data for the study. Survey research design was adopted using a structured questionnaire and the data collected was analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and the simple and multiple regression analysis. No effort was made to go into areas not covered by this study.
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