Track: Operations Management and Operations Research

Abstract

Manufacturing organizations strive to be the industry leaders with regard to the products and services they offer. In order for these organizations to become industry leaders, they should master the requirements of their customers. The purpose of this study was to identify the major factors which affect consumer buying behavior of durable household products in the Kempton Park region, which is located in the East-rand of Johannesburg, South Africa.  The findings of the study will provide the manufacturer of durable household products with an indication of influencing factors when designing and developing their products. The influencing factors that were identified in this study include product quality, products features, cost of the product, brand reputation, advertisement and previous experience. Questionnaires were used as a method for data collection and a non-random sample of 60 respondents were considered. This study was utilized as an opportunity to determine whether gender had an impact on purchasing behavior.  Hypothesis testing was used as a method of analysis, wherein it was found that product quality, product features and cost price are the most common determinants of consumer buying behavior. The findings further indicated that gender has no significant effect on their buying behavior.  Manufacturers could utilize the outcomes of this study and translate them into better, improved products in order to stay competitive.