The research study focuses on the Factors influencing Consumer Purchasing Behavior of Organic Skin Care Products in Sri Lanka. The researched has carried out a quantitative study using a structured questionnaire taking the sample size as the customers who are in the Western Province of Sri Lanka.Customer knowledge and value have an association on purchase intent, according to the study. As a result, it's clear that product knowledge, prior experience, environmental awareness, and health awareness all play a role in customers' decisions to buy organic skincare products in Sri Lanka. The study's findings aid top executives in setting strategic goals while concentrating on new product positioning areas that improve financial performance. As a result of this research, organic products can be tailored to meet the needs of customers, encouraging them to adopt a more organic lifestyle.

液晶電視在市場上已逐漸蔚為主流且具有廣大發展潛力，而目前台灣液晶電視市場呈現家電與資訊品牌共逐商機的局面。然而其擁有的技術背景與資源亦有所不同，如何能投消費者所好，擬定出有效的行銷策略，值得進一步探討。本研究之目的在探討消費者產品知識高低對產品內外在屬性訊號與購買意願的影響，進而分析不同市場區隔的消費者特色，瞭解其對產品屬性之偏好與差異，提供業者制定行銷策略上的建議，協助其進行有效的目標行銷。本研究採用聯合分析法，先利用前測設計消費者產品知識的量表，正式問卷受測體則採用整體輪廓法的短文描述進行測試。共收回有效問卷152份。研究發現： 1. 總體受測者屬性偏好依序為：畫面品質＞保固期限＞價格＞反應時間＞售後服務＞品牌背景。 2. 本研究根據消費者知識高低將消費者做「事前區隔」分群，發現知識低的群體較重視產品外在屬性線索，而知識高的群體較重視產品內在線索。建議液晶電視廠商應善加利用「客製化」的概念，依照不同類型的消費者所重視之價值做為產品的定位或訴求。 3. 以對產品屬性的成分效用值做「事後區隔」分群，發現整體消費者可分為兩群：集群一重視產品實際功能表現、願意付出高價；集群二則重視較長保固期限、追求低價，提供廠商在設計產品屬性組合的參考。 4. 與人口統計變數交叉分析之後，獲得各區隔族群對液晶電視產品屬性偏好之相關數據。例如女性對價格、保固的重視程度較男性為高；理工背景消費者對產品內在屬性要求較文法商背景消費者為高等。

Previous research has suggested that the country of origin cue is important to consumers during their purchase decision making process; the cue is utilised as an indicator of product quality and thus has an effect on purchase decisions. However, country of origin research has been heavily criticised in terms of methodology and has tended to focus on durable, manufactured products such as automobiles, electronics and apparel. This research investigates whether consumers do utilise the country of origin cue during actual wine purchase decisions and whether consumer perceptions of wine will vary based upon the country from which it originates. In addition, this study also seeks to identify all of the product attributes which are utilised by wine purchasers, and the degree to which these attributes are important to them during the purchase decision process. Finally, the research seeks to understand the influence that individual consumer characteristics (i.e. demographic variables, product knowledge and product involvement) and usage situations will have upon attribute utilisation and importance. In order to examine these broad research questions, a structured survey was developed and administered to respondents in four countries immediately following an actual wine purchase. Analysis of the collected survey data revealed that consumers typically utilised only a small number of attributes during their purchase decisions, and that the attributes which were most frequently utilised were not necessarily the most important to wine consumers. The country of origin cue was the eighth most frequently utilised attribute and the fourth in terms of importance. The majority of consumers could accurately identify the country of origin of the wine they had just purchased and their perceptions of wines were found to vary based upon the country of origin. Individual consumer characteristics were found to have varying effects upon attribute utilisation and importance ratings. Three-quarters of all wine purchases were made to resolve just four usage situations, and these situations were found to moderate the origin of the wine that the consumer selected during their purchase decision. From a theoretical standpoint, this study supports the idea that consumers utilise only a small number of attributes during their decision making process, and that this number will increase as product knowledge and product involvement levels increase. The most important attributes for consumers were found to be intrinsic in nature. Country of origin theory has also been advanced by this study; consumers were found to hold stereotyped perceptions of wine based upon its national origin, and both the nationality and education level of the consumer were found to moderate the utilisation of the country of origin cue. Whilst earlier researchers had suggested that any home country bias may be product specific, this study suggests that it may actually be a product dimension specific phenomenon. The high reliability of the product involvement and subjective knowledge scales should also be of value to future consumer behaviour researchers. Similarly, the idea that the usage situation influenced which product was purchased, but not how it was selected, expands current knowledge. Practical implications arising from this study include the identification of the importance of having previously tried a wine; marketers could increase sales through the provision of wine tasting opportunities for consumers. The significant correlation between involvement and the frequency of wine consumption also provides wine producers with an opportunity to increase sales through initiatives which will increase consumer involvement with wine. The results indicate that the wine industry should focus on the production and marketing of wines which are suitable for consumption in the identified four dominant usage situations and should seek to increase consumption in dining situations in the US. Finally, promotional strategies linking New Zealand wines with high quality appear to have been successful, but these messages will need to be repeated in order to reinforce the positive consumer perceptions.

本研究主要在探討當消費者無法正確評量產品績效時，來源國形象對顧客滿意度的影響是否會因消費者的產品知識程度不同而有所不同，另外，試圖去瞭解具有不同產品知識程度的消費者，其顧客滿意度的決定因素究竟為何。 本研究採用實驗方法，且以棉布料為實驗標的（因為純棉布料和混棉布料很難被正確分辨）。實驗設計採 2 （台灣製產品概念／義大利製產品概念）×2 （產品表現佳／產品表現差）×2 （產品知識高／產品知識低），將受測者分為 8 組。研究結果發現，若受測者無法正確評量產品績效，則當受測者對棉布料的產品知識程度低，來源國形象（台灣 v.s. 義大利）對購買前的期望有顯著的影響，且期望是決定顧客滿意度的主要因素，此時來源國形象會顯著影響顧客滿意度；反之，當受測者對棉布料的產品知識程度高時，來源國形象對期望不會有顯著之影響，而此時期望亦是決定顧客滿意度的主要因素，所以來源國形象不會顯著影響顧客滿意度。另外，實驗結果也證實，顧客滿意度會顯著影響受測者的購買意願。 由研究的結果可知，當產品本身的績效難以被消費者所衡量（如健康性藥品、美容保養品...等）時，廠商應該在提高產品本身之績效後，同時把一些資源和心力投注在創造消費者心中更高的期望，並藉此更有效地達到提昇顧客滿意度的目的。另外，廠商也應針對不同消費特性的消費者，推出不同的廣告訴求和行銷方案，如此才能更有效地配置公司的資源，並順利地提昇全球顧客的滿意程度。 / The research investigated the differential impact of country of origin on product expectation and satisfaction when consumers have different levels of product knowledge. An experiment with a factorial design was conducted for the empirical test. The product used in the experiment was cotten material. Product expectation, perceived product performance, disconfirmation, consumer satisfaction, objective product knowledge of the cotten material were measured. The results showed that when consumers had low level of product knowledge in both concept evaluation and product evaluation stages, country of origin would effect product expectation. Product expectation is the key determinant of consumer satisfaction. On the other hand, when consumers had a high level of product knowledge in evaluating the product concept, but have no ability in distinguish product performance, country of origin would not effect product expectation. However product expectation is still the key determinant of consumer satisfaction. Finally, consumer satisfaction also has a significant effect on consumers' purchase intention.

本研究採消費者認知的角度，在「母品牌與延伸產品契合度」及「消費者產品知識」的調節作用下，比較「品牌延伸」、「品牌傘」及「新創品牌」等三種品牌策略，對新產品在「消費者信任度」與「市場接受度」的效果，同時探討品牌延伸策略及品牌傘策略對母品牌知覺品質的反饋效果。 本研究經由前測，選擇Nokia及Nike作為母品牌，根據契合度的高、中、低，Nokia的延伸產品依序為PDA、隨身聽、臉部保養品；Nike的延伸產品依序為牛仔褲、防曬乳液、牙膏。並以模擬的18張彩色平面廣告施測於1035位大學生，進行3 (品牌策略：品牌延伸、品牌傘、新創品牌) x 3 (契合度：高、中、低) x 2 (產品知識：高、低) 的實驗。 研究結果顯示：一、對品牌策略主效果而言，品牌傘策略在消費者信任度上優於新創品牌策略，品牌傘策略在市場接受度上優於品牌延伸策略。二、在契合度的調節作用下，若延伸到高契合的產品，採用品牌延伸策略的效果最佳；若延伸到中契合度的產品，則採品牌傘策略的效果最佳；若延伸到低契合度的產品，採新創品牌策略的效果最佳。三、在產品知識的調節作用下，當消費者為高產品知識者，採用品牌傘策略的效果優於品牌延伸策略及新創品牌策略；消費者為低產品知識者，採品牌延伸策略的消費者信任度優於新創品牌策略。四、在母品牌反饋效果方面，若母品牌的延伸產品契合度較低，採品牌延伸策略比品牌傘策略對母品牌知覺品質傷害較大；若延伸到中契合度的產品，採品牌延伸策略會降低母品牌知覺品質，但採品牌傘策略不會降低母品牌知覺品質；若延伸到高契合度的產品，則品牌延伸與品牌傘策略的母品牌知覺品質與原知覺品質無顯著差異。 整體而言，企業推出新產品時，採用品牌傘策略的效果較佳，是一個兼具品牌延伸及新創品牌兩策略優點的品牌策略，但在契合度與產品知識的調節作用之下，品牌傘策略的適用範圍有所限制，在延伸產品與母品牌為高契合度、低契合度時，以及當消費者為低產品知識者時，品牌傘策略並非最佳策略。行銷人員可視不同情境採用不同的品牌策略。 / The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of three kinds of branding strategies: brand extension strategy, umbrella branding strategy, and new brand strategy. Basing on the moderate effect of fitness and consumer’s product knowledge, the influence of these three strategies on the consumer reliability and the consumer acceptability will be evaluated. The feedback of the original brand’s perceived qualities brought by brand extension strategy and umbrella branding strategy are also taken into consideration. Nokia and Nike were selected as original brands. When dividing fitness into high, medium, and low level, PDAs, walkmans, and skincare products were selected as Nokia’s extended products by this order. Jeans, sun blocks, and toothpastes were also chosen as Nike’s extended products. A 3 (branding strategies: brand extension strategy, umbrella branding strategy, new brand strategy) x 3 (fitness: high, medium, low) x 2 (product knowledge: high, low) experimental design collected data from 1035 college students through 18 color printed advertisements. The main effect of brand strategy suggested that the umbrella branding strategy is prior to the new brand strategy in consumer reliability, and it is also prior to the brand extension strategy in consumer acceptability. Under the moderate effect of fitness, it is suggested to apply brand extension strategy while extending brands to the products with high fitness, to adopt the umbrella branding strategy as extending brands to those having medium fitness, and to utilize new brand strategy when the fitness is at low level. When moderate effect of product knowledge is discussed, it is suggested to apply umbrella branding strategy instead of brand extension strategy or new brand strategy whenever consumers’ product knowledge is at high level. Furthermore, if consumers’ product knowledge is low, utilizing brand extension strategy, instead of new brand strategy, will lead to high consumer reliability. As for the feedbacks to perceived quality of the original brands, when extending brands to the products with low fitness, adopting the extending brand strategy tends to damage more to the original brands than adopting the umbrella branding strategy. If extending brands to the products with medium fitness, utilizing the extending brand strategy would decrease the perceived quality of original brands, but applying the umbrella branding strategy would not affect it. When extending brand to the products with high fitness, both the brand extension strategy and the umbrella branding strategy do not have a significant difference. To sum up, adopting the umbrella branding strategy will lead to better results because of its integrating advantages both in the brand extension strategy and the new brand strategy. Under the moderate effect of fitness and product knowledge, the range of implementation for the umbrella branding strategy will be limited. It is not the best branding strategy when extended products are at high or low fitness, and when consumers have poor product knowledge. Consequently, marketers have to apply different brand strategies depending on different scenarios.

Although consumers’ need for a healthy and sustainable lifestyle drives natural cosmetics consumption, various claims of natural cosmetics make consumers confused and distrustful. This study aimed to explore factors that affect consumers' purchasing behavior of natural cosmetics under the theoretical framework of planned behavior (TPB). The study adopted the qualitative method of purposive sampling. Semi-structured interview technique and thematic analysis were used to collect and analyze data from 21 consumers of natural or traditional cosmetics living in Uppsala. The results showed: consumers had uncertain attitudes towards buying natural cosmetics, which had no obvious impact on the purchasing behavior; the perceived social pressures from family, relatives, groups, etc. had a clear positive impact on the purchasing behavior; online purchasing, recommendation from others, and sustainable lifestyle facilitated the purchasing behavior; high price, inconvenient purchasing location, lack of knowledge, non-harmonized certifications, etc. led to the inconsistency between consumers' purchasing intention and actual purchasing behavior. Product knowledge was explored as an important resource that consumers need. The above findings can be used to improve marketing strategies like harmonized certifications. This study also paves the way for future quantitative verification of these factors.

本研究的目的主要在於探討消費者在初進入陌生環境，不具備決策所需的相關資訊時，口耳相傳資訊的搜尋行為在消費者決策的過程中所扮演的角色，以及口耳相傳資訊在最終決策時發揮有效性的影響因素。 本研究以選課決策、參加社團選擇決策、學校附近飲料購買地點選擇決策等消費者會展現出不同涉入程度的三類決策為實驗標的，並以較不具備環境知識的大學新鮮人為受測對象，以實驗方法來探討涉入程度不同的決策類型與口耳相傳資訊搜尋行為、社會關係強度之關聯。 由實證結果可知，消費者在進行涉入程度較高的決策類型時，對於口耳相傳資訊的搜尋將愈趨積極，並愈傾向於向與本身具有較強社會關係的口耳相傳資訊提供者探詢意見。此外，當消費者對於口耳相傳資訊的搜尋愈趨主動時，也會愈傾向於向與本身具有較強社會關係的口耳相傳資訊提供者探詢意見，且由口耳相傳資訊搜尋活動中所獲致的助益也愈高。 在消費者個人的特質方面，本研究引入消費者國籍此一變數，受限於樣本的數目，本研究對於國籍議題所作成的初步結論為：來自不同國家的消費者，當其面對涉入程度不同的決策類型時，其對口耳相傳資訊的搜尋數量是有所差異的。

本研究的主要目的是探討提供不同複雜度之產品資訊給組織採購中，不同產品知識程度的消費者，對其產品品牌選擇及品牌態度的影響。由於過去有關消費者產品知識對其購買決策影響的研究，多集中於一般消費品，對真正需要產品知識的組織採購型產品則付之闕如，因此本研究以企業採購工作群組級雷射印表機為例，探討產品資訊與產品知識的影響效果。 在組織的採購過程中，採購流程相關人員所扮演角色不同—使用者、把關者、影響者、決定者、同意者、購買者，其所具備的產品知識與考慮因素亦有差異。本研究共調查了71家公司中，394位有關採購流程的各種角色人員。研究採用在現實生活中進行之擬實驗法，以增加本研究之外部效度。實驗流程是由訪員先對每一企業中的六種角色人員進行問卷調查，以得知其產品知識、品牌態度及選購品牌意願，填寫問卷後並給予複雜的產品資訊文章或僅有簡單資訊的產品廣告，數日之後，再進行第二次問卷調查，以得知在閱讀產品資訊後，其產品知識、品牌態度及選購品牌意願的改變。 研究結果顯示，把關者、影響者及決定者的產品知識較高；非專家型的消費者雖然在閱讀資訊後產品知識顯著增加，但仍然無法與專家型的消費者相比。無論專家型或非專家型受訪者在選購雷射印表機的因素均以列印品質、售後服務和故障率低為優先，並不因其產品知識的多寡而有重視本質線索或周邊線索的不同。整體而言，複雜的產品資訊比簡單的產品資訊更能造成消費者的產品知識增加。 本研究亦發現給予非專家型消費者簡單的產品資訊，比給予複雜的產品資訊更能造成其態度改變及品牌選擇意圖的改變，此結果應是基於非專家型消費者並不具備消化吸收複雜資訊的能力，而較難受複雜資訊影響；但是給予專家型消費者不同複雜度的產品資訊則並無不同的效果。 本論文並根據前述研究結果，實際於一家代理國外品牌雷射印表機之中小企業進行實徵研究，以一款在國外評鑑優異，過去之銷售卻未盡理想的工作群組級雷射印表機為實徵產品，改變其廣告訴求，並主動提供其潛在客戶大量且態度中立的產品資訊，經過為期二個月的操作結果，該公司之此款雷射印表機銷售量得到顯著成長。 研究結果可以提供給市場上行銷資源有限之優質弱勢品牌做為參考，建議以產品資訊報導的公關方式或是透過長期提供客戶正確的產品資訊，提昇客戶的產品知識，進而產生對優質弱勢品牌的偏好。 第一章 緒論 1 第一節 研究動機 1 第二節 研究目的 3 第三節 研究對象範圍 4 第四節 產業背景 5 第二章 文獻探討 10 第一節 組織採購行為 10 一、 採購的定義 10 二、 消費者及組織購買行為之比較 18 三、 組織採購的資訊搜尋行為 20 四、 購買模式及溝通效果層級 26 第二節 產品知識 28 一、 產品知識的定義 28 二、 有關雷射印表機之產品知識定義 30 三、 本質線索及外部線索的運用 31 第三節 產品知識與資訊搜尋行為 34 一、 資訊搜尋 34 二、 產品知識與資訊搜尋行為的關係 36 三、 資訊來源認知對資訊來源的影響 38 四、 資訊搜尋的主題與供應商選擇因素的關係 39 五、 資訊來源與資訊主題的關係 41 第四節 產品知識與資訊瞭解力 43 第三章 研究方法 46 第一節 研究架構 46 第二節 研究對象與產品選擇 47 第三節 預試 48 第四節 研究設計 50 第五節 問卷設計 52 一、 第一階段問卷(參附件五)： 52 二、 第二階段問卷(參附件六)： 52 第六節 變數 53 一、 自變數： 53 二、 依變數： 53 三、 共變數： 53 第七節 分析方法 54 第四章 研究結果與分析 55 第一節 受訪者雷射印表機使用狀況 56 第二節 產品知識 59 第三節 選擇雷射印表機之考慮因素 63 第四節 受訪者目前選擇的雷射印表機品牌及品牌態度 67 第五節 受訪者閱讀提供資訊前後之態度改變 69 第六節 受訪者閱讀提供資訊前後之品牌改變 71 第七節 資訊來源 73 第八節 研究結論 75 第五章 實務應用結果 77 第一節 實徵對象與公司背景: 77 第二節 實證產品 78 第三節 進行方式 79 第四節 實證結果 81 第六章 研究結論與建議 83 第一節 結論 84 第二節 研究限制 86 第三節 建議與貢獻 87 附件 95 一.受訪公司名稱一覽表 95 二.預試問卷 97 三.廣告DM 99 四.雷射印表機規格導讀文章 100 五.第一階段問卷 104 六.第二階段問卷 110 七.國內工業採購相關行為模式研究彙整表 114 八.實際驗証中媒體刊登計劃 117 九.以往刊登了一年的廣告稿 118 十.實際驗証中廣告稿 119 / The purpose of this research is to investigate the influences of providing simple or complex information to buying center members with different levels of product effecting brand attitude or purchase decision. In previous research, most product knowledge related studies focused on consumer products. However, product knowledge is even more important for business purchase decisions. This research uses working group laser printers to explore the influences of providing product information on six decision roles of a buying center —users, gatekeepers, influencers, designers, approvers, and buyers. The research employed a field experiment to keep its external validity. The interview process involved two-waves of surveys. The first wave of questionnaires was to evaluate respondents’ original product knowledge, brand attitude, and purchase intention. After the survey, the interviewer randomly gave the respondents a document to read, either a simple DM about a laser printer or a complicated article with all important laser printer information. After several days, the second questionnaire was administrated at the appointed time to measure the changes in respondents’ product knowledge, brand attitude and purchase intention after reading the information. There were 394 respondents from 71 companies in total. The findings of this study illustrated that gatekeepers, deciders, and influencers perceived more product knowledge than the other roles did. Although novice consumers were able to gain more product knowledge than experts did after information provided, their product knowledge level still could not compare with experts. Both novices and experts selected printing quality, after-service, and reliability as the most important factors when making a purchase decision of a laser printer. Novices and experts did not utilize intrinsic or extrinsic cues differently. Overall, respondents obtain more product information from the complicated product information than the DM. It was also found that novices changed their brand preferences and purchase intention more when simple information was provided than complex information. This was explained by the idea that novice consumer might not be able absorb the complicated information as easy as the simple one. On the other hand, simple and complex information had similar effects on experts. The results of this study were applied upon a small enterprise, which is a local agency of IBM laser printers. Info20 is a workgroup laser printer model which has won the “Editors’ Choice” by PC Magazine but its sales in Taiwan could not match its quality. After changing its advertising appeals and providing prospective customers with neutral product information for 2 months, its sales had significantly increased. This research demonstrates a good example for some companies with a superior product but with a weak brand image. It is suggested that these companies may publish product evaluation reports in professional magazines or provide clients with correct product information periodically to educate prospective customers. In the long run, consumers with more product knowledge are more likely to select a product by its quality rather than by its brand name.

In the globalized economy of today, countries compete among each other for tourists, investors or shares in export markets. In order to achieve their goals, they must carefully build and maintain their reputations internationally, much like commercial brands do. This study evaluates the country image of Taiwan in the Czech Republic, and its effect on perception of Made-in-Taiwan products by Czech consumers. For comparative purposes, images and product perceptions of Japan and China are also included in the study. Extra focus is also placed on the impact of consumers’ knowledge of the country on their perception of country image and country products. The data was gathered through an online survey (252 respondents) and the research reveals several important findings. First, the country and product perceptions of Taiwan in the Czech Republic are on average slightly positive to positive, dismissing the negative assessment of the Made-in-Taiwan product label. Second, the knowledge of the Czech people about Taiwan is extremely limited. Third, perception of Taiwan’s country image shows a strong positive correlation with consumers’ subjective and objective knowledge of Taiwan. Fourth, the stereotypical positive image of Japanese products and negative image of Chinese products is confirmed here.

本研究旨在了解不同類型的資訊搜尋對購買後的心理狀態的影響。首先，我們探討消費者的產品知識如何影響他們的搜尋量，包括線下購買前搜尋、線上購買前搜尋和持續性搜尋，再來探討這些搜尋行為如何影響消費者的購買後認知失調。本研究共收集了542份有效問卷，我們使用PLS結構方程模型來驗證研究模型。研究結果顯示，消費者產品知識對線下購買前搜尋、線上購買前搜尋和持續性搜尋有正向影響，對購買後認知失調有負向影響。在三種類型的搜尋中，只有線上購買前搜尋對購買後認知失調有負向影響。購買後搜尋對購買後失認知調亦有負向影響。對消費者搜尋行為以及消費者搜尋後心理狀態感興趣的研究者們，期望本研究的發現能為他們未來的研究帶來啟發與幫助。 / This study aimed to understand how different types of information search influences consumers’ post-purchase mental state. First we investigated how consumers’ product knowledge influence their amount of information search, including offline pre-purchase search, online pre-purchase search, and ongoing search. Then we investigate how these searching behaviours influence consumers’ post-purchase dissonance. Total of 542 valid online questionnaires were collected and PLS structural equation model was used to verify our research model. The result showed that consumer product knowledge had positive influence on offline pre-purchase search, online pre-purchase search, ongoing search, and had negative influence toward post-purchase dissonance. Among three types of information search, only online pre-purchase search had negative influence on post-purchase dissonance. Post-purchase search also had negative influence on post-purchase dissonance. For those who are interesting in consumers’ searching behaviours and post-search state of mind, these findings could be referenced in their future research.