FACTORS AFFECTING ELDERLY’S BEHAVIOR OF PURCHASING HEALTH PRODUCTS IN CONVENIENCE STORES IN BANGKOK AREA

Abstract

This research was a quantitative research. Its objectives were (1) to study the elderly’s behavior of purchasing health products in convenience stores; (2) to compare the elderly’s behavior of purchasing health products in convenience stores as classified by demographic data; and (3) to study the influence of marketing mix factors on the elderly’s behavior of purchasing health products in convenience stores. A questionnaire was used as a tool to collect data from 400 elderly people who used the services of convenience stores. Research data were analyzed using the frequency distribution, percentage, mean, and standard deviation; while hypotheses were tested using independent-sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis at the significance level of 0.01.

The research results revealed that the respondents were females and males at the equal proportion. They were self-employed and had their own business. Most of them had Grade 4 educational level. Their monthly incomes were between 10,001 to 20,000 baht. Almost all of them lived with their children. Regarding their purchasing behavior of health products in convenience stores, it was found that the majority of products purchased were drinking water mixed with vitamins at 7-Eleven stores. The frequency of purchasing health products was 2-3 times a week. The expenditure of purchasing health products per time was equal to 50-100 baht. The most frequent time period of buying health products was 05:00-10:00 am. Their overall purchasing behavior of health products in convenience stores was rated at the high level with the rating mean of 4.17. The marketing mix factors as a whole were rated at the high level. As for other suggestions from the consumers, it was found that the health products were products of niche market and the prices were high; the taste of the products was not good for all consumers; and almost of them was added with many other food ingredients.

As for results of hypothesis testing, it was found that elderly men and women differed significantly at the .01 level in their purchasing behaviors of health products in convenience stores; the elderly people with different occupations, educational levels, monthly incomes, and types of residence differed significantly at the .01 level in their purchasing behaviors of health products in convenience stores; and the marketing mix factors of price, place, and promotion had significant influences on the elderly’s purchasing behavior of health products in convenience stores at the .01 level of statistical significance.