Abstract:
The purposes of this study were to investigate the consumers buying behavior and
factors affecting their decision to buy instant soup. The informants of this study were 400
people with the age of 15 years upward, living in Bangkok. Questionnaires were used to
collect the data. Frequency, percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, Chi-square,
t-test, ANOVA, and Scheffe analysis were used to analyze the data via SPSS software.
It was found that most informants were female with the age range from 20-30
years, holding bachelors degree, and earning 10,000-20,000 bath/month.
Regarding buying behavior, the investigation revealed that most consumers have
known this kind of soup for more than two years. They bought both kinds of soup: namely,
cream and clear soup. However, cream soup was more preferable. Mushroom soup was
very popular among consumers who bought for self-consumption. One-two bags of soup
were bought in convenient stores and consumed as food supplement once a month.
The media most affecting the decision to buy was television. The most popular brand was
knorr cup soup.
With respect to the analysis of relationship between the consumers personal status
with their buying behavior, six behaviors were found related to sex which were kinds of
soup ever bought, type of soup most bought, soup materials, number of items bought at a
time, media affecting buying decision, soup materials, and brand. Four behaviors including
buying objective, soup materials, brand, and buying place were found related to age.
Five behaviors were found related to educational background. They were buying objective,
number of items bought at a time, buying and consuming frequency, and brand.
Five buying behaviors were found related to average monthly income to monthly income.
They were kinds of soup ever bought, buying objective, number of items bought at a time,
buying and consuming frequency.
Regarding the significance level of factors affecting decision to buy instant soup, it
was rated, as a whole, by aspects and by items at a high level. However, the detailed
investigation revealed that the items related to having standards signs, manufacturing and
expiry dates were rated at the highest level.
The comparison of the significance level of factors affecting consumers decision to
buy instant soup with regard to their personal status of sex revealed differences as a whole,
in two aspects which were products and distribution place, and in two items including
nutrition information and goods placing. Female consumers recognized the significance of
such matters more than male. No differences were found among consumers with difference
age and educational background. However, consumers with different educational background
differently viewed two items related to goods brands and placing. Those having higher
degrees recognized the importance of such factors more than those having lower educational
background. As for the consumers with different monthly income, no differences were found
in their rating. The statistic significance level of this study was set at .05.