Influence of Product Packaging on Consumers’ Patronage
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the study is to examine the purpose and analyze the relevance of packaging in the marketing of consumers goods in Nigeria. (Case study of PZ Cussons Plc Aba) the other specific objectives of this study are as follows:
- To verify whether packaging plays a significant role on sales volume and profitability.
- To identify if packaging serve the objective or purpose of appeal to consumers.
- To determine the relationship between effective packaging programmes and increased market share in PZ cussons plc Aba.
- To determine how effective packaging programme by PZ cussons plc Aba, Abia improve customers service and increase customer’s patronage.
- Finally to recommend the most appropriate packaging strategies that should be adopted by PZ Cussons plc Aba to them to achieve better customer’s service.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Product Packaging
From the view of Panwar (in Borishade, Ogunnaike, Favour and Prosper, 2015),product packaging is the act of containing, protecting and presenting the contents through the long chain of production, handling and transportation to their destinations as good as they were, at the time of production. In the view of Deliya and Parmar (2012), packaging can be defined as an extrinsic element of the product. They stressed further that it can also be defined as a container product. Silayoi and Speece (2005) see packaging as the overall features that underline the uniqueness and originality of the product. In the view of Ahmed, Parmar and Amin (2014), packaging is described as a whole package that becomes an ultimate selling proposition, which stimulates impulse buying behaviour. Urich, Campana and Malkewitz (in Oladele, et al., 2015), opined that product packaging constituted an essential aspect of projecting a firm’s brand’s image. Kotler and Armstrong (as cited in Mousavi&Jahromi, 2014) viewed packaging as inclusion of design and production of container or wrapper for a product. Packaging is any container closed that a product by it will be offered to the market for sale or by which necessary information about the product is transmitted to the consumer (Venous, Davar, Sefanian and Mitra (in Gilaninla, Ganjinla, &Moradi, 2013). Charles, Joe and Carl (in Zekiri and Hasani, 2015) pointed out four distinct marketing functions being performed by packaging to include, it contains and protects the product; it promotes the product; it helps consumer use the product; and it facilitates recycling and reduces environmental damage. Generally, packaging, in this era of stiffly competitive marketing business environment, has become a tool of impetus; and its roles has drastically and steadily shifted, from the traditional function of protecting the product against dirt, theft, deterioration, damage and mishandling, to the modern function of becoming a tool to arouse, instigate and appealing to customer’s attention. It also conveys useful information about the product itself at the point of sale or while still on the shelf. In this study, packaging is defined as the totality of attributes that distinguished a particular product, among others, and that can effectively communicate its values to the end users for attraction purpose while on shelf or at point of sale.
Customer patronage
According to Oliver (1999), customer patronage is defined as a deeply held commitment to repurchase a firm’s products at the expense of a competitor offering. Adiele, Grend and Chinedu (2015) see customer patronage as the means of a respondent’s rating for his or her firm’s sales volume, profit margin and customer retention level. According to Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary (1995), patronage can be described as the support and encouragement given by a patron. Also, Oxford English Dictionary (as cited in Adiele, Grend, &Chinedu, 2015), described customer patronage as a person or thing that eats or uses something or a person who buys goods and services for personal consumption or use. In this study, again, customer patronage is defined as the supports a firm enjoy from the customers.
EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION Product packaging and Customer Patronage
Ahmed, Parmar and Amin (2014), in the study; impact of product packaging on consumer’s buying behaviour in Karachi, noted that packaging is considered as the most important factor that influenced consumer buying behaviour. In their conclusion, elements like colour, packaging material, design of wrapper and innovation were found to be important factors when consumers were making any buying decision. Methods deployed included; simple random sampling, 5 points Likert scale ranging from (1) strongly disagree to (5) strongly agree structured questionnaire for data collection, descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation for analysis. In the same vein, Hess, Singh, Metcalf and Danes (2014), in a study on the impact of consumer product package quality on consumer satisfaction, brand perceptions, consumer investment and behaviour in California, showed that packaging characteristics were indivisible component of the product and important to evaluation of the overall consumption experiences. Hence, packaging has a critical role to play in building profitable consumer-brand relationships. Qualitative, experimental and structural modelling analysis techniques were used as methods.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitutes of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
This study was carried to examine influence of project packaging on consumers’ patronage. Staffs of PZ plc, Aba form the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain influence of product packaging on consumers’ patronage. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of product packaging on consumers’ patronage
Summary
This study was on influence of product packaging on consumers’ patronage. Five objectives were raised which included: To verify whether packaging plays a significant role on sales volume and profitability, to identify if packaging serve the objective or purpose of appeal to consumers, to determine the relationship between effective packaging programmes and increased market share in PZ cussons plc Aba, to determine how effective packaging programme by PZ cussons plc Aba, Abia improve customers service and increase customer’s patronage and finally to recommend the most appropriate packaging strategies that should be adopted by PZ Cussons plc Aba to them to achieve better customer’s service. The study adopted a survey research design and conveniently enrolled 80 participants in the study. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from PZ cussons plc Aba Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
Conclusion
It is concluded that customer decision to patronise a product can be encouraged through strategic packaging of products. In other words, good package is an effective tool that can enhance consumers’ patronage of PZ cussons plc
Recommendation
Production of various sizes of product should be encouraged to allow customers have the opportunity to make a choice based on their income.
Again, company should carefully choose colour combination that are capable of appealing to customers’ interests and consequently influence their choice of a product by mere sighting of the package.
Container should be of high quality material that will allow the end users to preserve product for some time, and perhaps reuse the container for other purposes even after the content might have been consumed.
Management should adhere and give priority to the quality of product content that can easily dissolve in cold and warm water; and also give it a good colour that can attract rather than repulse on sighting.
More importantly, attention should be given to the shape of the product for the sake of convenience and proper handling within and without the business environment.
References
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- Adiele, K.C., Grend, M.D., &Chinedu, E. A. (2015). Physical Evidence and customer patronage: An empirical study of Nigeria Banking sector. British Journal of Economics, Management & Trade, 7(3), 188-199
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