Influence of Marketing Mix Elements on Consumer Purchase Behaviour of Smart Home Appliances in Kenyan Retail Outlets

Abstract

Customers are always rational in choosing items for consumption. Organizations are on the other hand careful to understand the consumers behavior in order for them to achieve a competitive advantage in the market. This study was premised on the four marketing mix elements: price, product, place, and promotion and the influence they have on the consumer behavior. The overall goal was to investigate how marketing mix elements affects the consumer purchasing Behaviour for smart appliances among retail outlets in Kenya. The research was guided by reasoned action theory, planned behavior theory, and asymmetric information theory. The research was descriptive. The study's population consisted of general public consumers of smart home appliances in sixteen leading Kenyan retail outlets of smart home appliances. The study used convenience sampling, with 80 respondents providing data for the study through face-to-face administration at Smart Home appliances outlets across the country. As a precaution against COVID-19, online surveys were also used. Data which was collected was analyzed through inferential as well as descriptive statistics. The study results revealed that smart home appliance purchase decisions are influenced by price, product features, and distribution channels/location. However, the study found that promotion strategies had a minor impact on smart appliance selection. The study found that the marketing mix elements (price, product, promotion strategies, and location) influenced smart home appliances' choice behaviors in Kenya's leading outlets in a significant and positive way. To increase consumer choice of their products, the study recommended that smart home appliances outlets offer discounts and offer smart home appliances at reasonable prices. Consequently, to increase smart home appliances consumption, the study recommended that smart home appliances outlets offer high-quality smart home appliances as well as sell brands that are well-known and appealing to consumers. The study also suggested that businesses promote their products through channels where customers can easily learn about their availability in stores and become familiar with how they are used, resulting in increased product consumption. Because so many people nowadays own a smartphone, the use of social media is one way that has recently gained a lot of attention where the appliance features can be published as well as the different places to find the smart appliances. Finally, the results recommend that smart home appliances’ handlers distribute their products through channels that ensure that smart home appliances are always available in stores and bring them closer to consume