ABSTRACT

Families as consumers experience a lot of difficulties in their acquisition and utilization of products as a result of lack of knowledge and skills on how to select and maintain cheap durable products from the densely populated and highly segmented markets hence the need for this study on consumer behaviour strategies for enhancing family stability in the South-East of Nigeria. The study specifically was guided by eight research questions and eight null hypotheses. The literature related to the study was reviewed under the conceptual framework, theoretical framework, empirical studies and summary of review of related literature. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study was 1,360 married men and women lecturers of all the seven public colleges of education in the South-East, Nigeria. The sample size of 309 married men and women lecturers was statistically derived using Taro Yamane formula. Proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used in the selection and allocation of sample figures. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled ‘Consumer Behaviour Strategies Questionnaire (CBSQ).’ The questionnaire was validated by three experts, two from the Department of Agricultural and Home Science Education, and one from Measurement and Evaluation Unit of the Department of Science Education, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. The reliability of the instrument was established through test re-test method.  Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient formula was used to compute the coefficient stability of the instrument which yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.83, which implies that the instrument was reliable. Data collected for the study were analyzed using mean and standard deviation for the research questions while t-test of independent variables was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Results showed, among others, that consumers should compare products’ prices and qualities, evaluate alternatives of products, access information concerning availability of products, choose products based on disposable incomes, avoid impulse buying and eschew deceptive advertisement. There is no significant difference between the mean responses of married men and women on all the items of consumer behaviour strategies for enhancing family stability. It was recommended, among others, that appropriate consumer agencies should ensure that fake and adulterated products are prohibited from markets, while government should promulgate favourable policies that will mitigate consumers from the inhibiting problems through formal education, workshops, seminars and conferences.