Die verbruikersvoorkeure en bestedingspatrone van die Blanke en Swart huishoudings in Lichtenburg en omgewing

Abstract

The consumer fulfills a key-role in any enterprise. It is necessary to have information concerning the consumer in order to ensure the efficiency of an enterprise and to execute marketing activities effectively. In this study, information about the white and black consumers in Lichtenburg and the surrounding area, was gathered, processed, and presented. The main aim is to determine what the consumer preferences and spending patterns of the white and black households in Lichtenburg and the surrounding area are. Respectively, the objectives to determine which particularly unsatisfactory wants exist amongst the households; to calculate the market potential of certain product categories in Lichtenburg; and to determine the potential buying power of the households, play an important role in this study. The information, which was needed to realize the above aim and respective objectives, was collected by means of a structured questionare. The households were divided into three groups, namely the white households in the municipal area, the white households in the Lichtenburg area and the black households in Lichtenburg. In the case of the white households in the municipal area a likelihood experimental procedure was used to choose an experimental group of 302 out of a population of 1 315 households. Field workers were used to conduct personal interviews with the involved households. A non-likelihood experimental procedure was used in order to obtain the required information from the white households in the Lichtenburg area. The Lichtenburg High School was used for this purpose. Questionares were distributed amongst hostel pupils, whose parents live within a radius of approximately 80 kilometres outside the municipal area. 75 usable questionares were received back out of the 150 questionares which were distributed. A non-likelihood experimental procedure was also used for the collection of information from black households. A field worker, who was placed at a central point in the business-centre of Lichtenburg, asked passing blacks to complete a limited questionare. In this manner 67 correct filled-in questionares were received back. The data can only be seen as an indication

of the geniune data due to the uncertainty surrounding the reliability of the data of the last two groups of households. An analysis of certain demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the white and black households was done with the help of the collected data. The relation between certain demographic and socio-economic characteristics, as well as the relation between mutual sicioeconomic characteristics was also scrutinized. A further analysis of the consumer preferences was conducted. Factors which directly influence consumer preferences were examined. These factors include the people involved with the purchase function, the influence of reference groups on consumer preferences, and the preferences of consumers regarding the time in which purchases are done. Futhermore, the consumers evaluation of certain sales variables of Checkers, the OK, the Indian centre, the buying centre in the Burgersdorp living area, the trading branch of the North-West Cooperation and the buying centres in the centre of the town, were considered. The various buying centres were placed in an order of preference with the help of the consumers evaluation. Recommendations concerning the improvement of certain sales variables at the different buying centres were also made. Respectively, certain unsatisfied consumer wants were identified. Lastly, the spending patterns of the consumers were analysed. It was done according to the monthly spending patterns, spendable incomes, the spending patterns per income category, and the spending patterns on certain luxuries and other products per year. The market potential of certain product categories was also calculated.