ABSTRACT

The unfavourable economic environment of Nigeria has brought about devastating effect on consumers of manufactured products with heavy consequences on producers of consumers products. Producers ai'e trapped with reducing purchasing power of consumers and high cost of production. The study explored the "effect of sales promotion on purchasing behaviour of consumers of Coca-Cola products in Umuahia metropolis ". This research work was carried to investigate whether people do actually buy during sales promotion campaign or not. To this end, research questions were formulated and two (2) hypotheses tested, with a view to find whether the strategies meet the expectation of consumers and sellers of their products. Four hundred (400) questionnaires were distributed to two (2) markets in Umuahia metropolis (Ahia Ukwu Olokoro Market and Umuahia modern market, Ubani-Ibeku). The response rate was four hundred (400). The data analysis was done using descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages to analyze objective one ('i), two ('ii), and three (Yii,). Correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze hypothesis one and two. It was discovered after testing the hypotheses formulated, that awareness of sales promotion has effect on the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents. Findings from this study revealed that 51% of the respondents were single, more than half of them (50.8%) earn between N6,000-NJO,000 daily, 89.5% were aware of sales promotion and 37.5% and 27% sourced their information from television and radio, respectively. Majority of the respondents (95.3%,) were aware of open and win promo, majority (70%) reported that price of Coca-Cola products remained the same during sales promotion, majority (65.8%) have not won during sales promotion, and advertisement was the best method of sales promotion according to 34.5% of the respondents. Findings also revealed that .sales promotion is not the most effective tool that could be used to stimulate consumer 's purchase of Coca-Cola products. It is therefore recommended that during sales promotion, price of Coca-Cola products be reduced as to encourage consumers to buy more.