Abstract
Given the continuing economic development and rising standards of living in Mainland China it is expected that Chinese citizens' disposable income will grow over time. In addition to this competition for sales of dried sea products will undoubtedly increase along with that of demand. Understanding the research problem and how consumers make decisions in purchasing dried sea products in Canton and Hong Kong can help the store retailers to develop effective marketing strategies so as to achieve growth and obtain more revenue. This researcher is an owner manager of one such store. There are a lot of studies on consumer behaviour whereby some include a consumer decision model while others are related to Chinese aspects of decision making (Wai-sum and Chan, 1997; Cormone et al, 1998; Shuk-ching and Fangfang, T, 2006). However, there is a lack of theoretical and empirical research about the Chinese consumer decision process related to dried sea products. To bridge this gap this study aims at investigating the consumer decision process in dried sea products in the location of Canton (with Hong Kong). It focuses on how consumers make decisions and investigates factors that most influence the consumers in decision making. This study initially integrated the findings of in-depth interviews, focus groups and the adaptation of the Engel, Blackwell and Miniard Consumer Decision Process Model (1993) to form a workable Consumer Decision Process Model on dried sea products in order to describe purchasing decisions and shopping behaviours of high and low involvement consumers. Results are based on responses of 200 Hong Kong and Chinese consumers. The methodology was based upon a mixed method approach and a sequential mixed method study is adopted. Involvement scores were used to develop understanding of low and high involvement groups. Involvement score refers to the score obtained by a respondent using a Personal Involvement Inventory (a bipolar adjective scale). The scale is used to measure the concept of product involvement (Zaichosky, 1985). This study reveals that high involvement consumers are normally more likely to seek information on location of store, price comparison availability and detailed information of dried sea products. Concerning shopping orientation factors, high involvement consumers scored higher on comparison shopping behaviours and country of origin consciousness than low involvement consumers. High involvement consumers were more likely influenced by situation; they are 'shopping advantages' and 'convenience'. High involvement consumers were more willing to purchase dried sea products after shopping. Besides these factors, if they had previous experience in a store they had a higher likelihood of future purchase in that store. In conclusion, the results indicated that dried sea products shopping behaviours were affected by different levels of product involvement. The findings of this study provide dried sea retail and product managers with increased understanding of consumers' behaviour so that they can implement improved retail management changes. These changes include product mix, communication and sales strategies. Details of the full range of management benefits of the findings are available in Chapter Six of this study.