ASSESSMENT OF INFLUENCE OF CONSUMER INFORMATION AWARENESS ON HOMEMAKERS’ DECISION MAKING IN SELECTING FAMILY GOODS AND SERVICES IN SOUTH-EAST, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The study investigated the influence of awareness of consumer information on homemakers‟ utilization in decision making for selecting family goods and services in South-East of Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: determine the available sources of consumer information for homemakers selection of goods and services; ascertain levels of awareness of consumer information of homemakers in selecting family goods and services; determine levels of awareness sources of consumer information for selecting goods and services; determine extent of utilization of consumer information for purchasing goods and services, determine socio-economic factors affecting homemakers‟ decision on selection of goods and services; determine factors that influence homemakers‟ decision making on selection of goods and services. There were six research questions and six hypotheses formulated in line with the objectives. The population of the study was 1031 which was also the sample size for the study. The study used descriptive survey design. A questionnaire titled consumer information awareness was designed and used by the researcher for data collection in this study. The data was analyzed using frequency and percentages for Bio data. Mean and standard deviation were used for educational qualification and level of income of the respondents and the six research questions. Simple linear regression was used for the six hypotheses at p<0.05 significance level. The results revealed an overall mean of 2,81 signifying that available sources of consumer information influenced homemakers‟ selection of goods and services (R²=.436,AdjustedR²=.423,p=.000). Result on levels of awareness of consumer information revealed an overall mean of 3.26 signifying significant influence(R²=.092,Adjusted R²=.074,p<0.05). Result on levels of awareness of sources of consumer information revealed an overall mean of 2.54 signifying influence on homemakers‟

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selection of goods and services. Result extent of utilization of consumer information has influence on homemakers‟ purchasing of goods and services (R²=.166, Adjusted R²=.153, p<0.05). Result on socio-economics factors that influence homemaker‟ decision revealed an overall mean of 3.14 signifying influence on homemakers‟ selection of goods and services (R²=.108,Adjusted R²=.096,p<0.05). Result on factors that influence homemakers decision making revealed an overall mean of 3.00 signifying that the factors influenced homemakers‟ in selecting goods and services (R²=.034,AdjustedR²=.029, p<0.05). Based on the findings of this study, it was concluded that availability of sources of information, levels of awareness information, extent of utilization of information, socio-economic factors affecting decision and factors influencing homemakers decision making had significant influence on homemakers‟ selection of family goods and services. It was therefore recommended among others, that consumer education training and retraining should be carried out through seminars and workshops by home economics teachers to enlighten homemakers, curriculum planners should include consumer education in all levels of education in Nigeria, monitoring team set up by the State Government should check the activities of consumer agencies to ensure that they do their jobs, and National Agency for food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) should publish information about new products promptly to enable consumers be informed.

ASSESSMENT OF INFLUENCE OF CONSUMER INFORMATION AWARENESS ON HOMEMAKERS’ DECISION MAKING IN SELECTING FAMILY GOODS AND SERVICES IN SOUTH-EAST, NIGERIA