FACTORS AFFECTING THE CONSUMBRS BUYING BEHAVIOUR FOR BOTTLED WATER IN THE KANDY DISTRICT

Abstract

The purpose of the research report here was to find out the factors affecting to the consumers buying behavior for bottled water in Kandy district. This work was carried out to determine the factors that affect the consumer buying behavior. The study takes both qualitative and quantitative approaches were employed. A sample size of 200 respondents was selected using a non-probability convenient sampling as it is relatively quick, convenient, and less expensive for collecting data. The work was analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The factors, brand image, taste of the bottled water, perceived price, promotional activity and packaging attribute; taken as the factors which influences the consumer buying behavior. In general all the five dimension have a positive impact on consumer buying behavior in Kandy district. However, Perceived price is the least factor to influence on customer choice of bottled water, when comparing with the remaining factors, beside this taste of the water was the strongest factor of the consumer buying behavior. Consumer perceived price as over rating therefore taking price as one of the competitive strategy, regarding handling of packaging, there also have positive influence on consumer buying behavior in Kandy district. The taste of bottled water also the influential factor of perceptual process for most of the respondents. The outcome of the study also registered clearly that promotion activities also influences the consumer buying behavior for bottled water in Kandy district. This evidently applied to those who are riot strictly adapted with a particular brand. A few consumers of bottle water are strong patrons of the brand image, so brand image of a bottled water have positive influence on consumer buying behavior but it is not like other factors. In the bottled water market factors have signif,rcant positive impact on consumer buying behavior related to the taken sample.