Eco-labels impact consumers‟ likelihood to buy eco-labelled products and serve as a tool during the decision-making process that helps consumers make informed purchase choices. The textile industry is responsible for a large amount of pollution, but has started to follow a more holistic, eco-friendly approach. Information about their eco-friendliness is communicated to consumers via eco-labels. Consumers can influence the textile industry to include more eco-labelled textile products in their desired range of products, by buying and demanding eco-labelled textile products. However, international studies indicate that consumers do not understand textile eco-labels and the information that is found on these labels. A lack of understanding prevents consumers from including such products in their pre-purchase decision-making process. Yet some consumers, from developed and developing countries, are willing to buy eco-labelled products and pay more for such products. Limited research in this regard, within a South African context, is available hence, more research was required in this study field. Therefore, this study aimed to explore consumers‟ understanding and utilisation of textile eco-labels during pre-purchase decision-making. The research for the study was done using a convenience and purposive sampling method with a quantitative structured online questionnaire for data collection purposes. Findings suggest that respondents were environmentally conscious, but only to some extent. Most respondents objectively understood textile eco-labelled products, but not textile eco-labels or organic label information regarding cotton production processes. Respondents indicated that they do not use textile eco-labels when making a pre-purchase decision, yet they somewhat recognised the need to buy eco-friendly textile products, because they are aware of environmental implications. Regarding the information on eco-labels, respondents searched for information surrounding the quality of eco-labelled textile products, followed by the care instructions and the credibility of the eco-label on the product. Finally, there was a segment of respondents who buy and utilise textile eco-labelled products, and are willing to pay a higher price for these products. The higher price was the main factor that prevented other respondents from buying eco-labelled textile products. Consumers can benefit from education regarding environmental issues and how their purchasing choices can make a difference in protecting the environment. Furthermore, educating consumers about eco-labelled textile products might increase their awareness and utilisation of these products. In turn, this awareness about eco-labels might encourage consumers to include these kinds of products in their pre-purchase decision-making process. Additionally the industry can strive towards keeping eco-labelled products‟ prices relatively equal to regular product‟s prices to make it easier for consumers to choose between the different products, based on their environmental attributes and not price. Finally, the textile industry and manufacturers can focus on making textile eco-labels more attractive and attention-grabbing in order to focus consumers‟ attention on these labels. Furthermore, on these labels, symbols and words should be used together and all elements should correspond to enhance consumers‟ understanding. If all of these elements of an eco-label convey the same message, consumers might be able to understand the intended message by manufacturers and the industry better. / M Consumer Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Eco-labels impact consumers‟ likelihood to buy eco-labelled products and serve as a tool during the decision-making process that helps consumers make informed purchase choices. The textile industry is responsible for a large amount of pollution, but has started to follow a more holistic, eco-friendly approach. Information about their eco-friendliness is communicated to consumers via eco-labels. Consumers can influence the textile industry to include more eco-labelled textile products in their desired range of products, by buying and demanding eco-labelled textile products. However, international studies indicate that consumers do not understand textile eco-labels and the information that is found on these labels. A lack of understanding prevents consumers from including such products in their pre-purchase decision-making process. Yet some consumers, from developed and developing countries, are willing to buy eco-labelled products and pay more for such products. Limited research in this regard, within a South African context, is available hence, more research was required in this study field. Therefore, this study aimed to explore consumers‟ understanding and utilisation of textile eco-labels during pre-purchase decision-making. The research for the study was done using a convenience and purposive sampling method with a quantitative structured online questionnaire for data collection purposes. Findings suggest that respondents were environmentally conscious, but only to some extent. Most respondents objectively understood textile eco-labelled products, but not textile eco-labels or organic label information regarding cotton production processes. Respondents indicated that they do not use textile eco-labels when making a pre-purchase decision, yet they somewhat recognised the need to buy eco-friendly textile products, because they are aware of environmental implications. Regarding the information on eco-labels, respondents searched for information surrounding the quality of eco-labelled textile products, followed by the care instructions and the credibility of the eco-label on the product. Finally, there was a segment of respondents who buy and utilise textile eco-labelled products, and are willing to pay a higher price for these products. The higher price was the main factor that prevented other respondents from buying eco-labelled textile products. Consumers can benefit from education regarding environmental issues and how their purchasing choices can make a difference in protecting the environment. Furthermore, educating consumers about eco-labelled textile products might increase their awareness and utilisation of these products. In turn, this awareness about eco-labels might encourage consumers to include these kinds of products in their pre-purchase decision-making process. Additionally the industry can strive towards keeping eco-labelled products‟ prices relatively equal to regular product‟s prices to make it easier for consumers to choose between the different products, based on their environmental attributes and not price. Finally, the textile industry and manufacturers can focus on making textile eco-labels more attractive and attention-grabbing in order to focus consumers‟ attention on these labels. Furthermore, on these labels, symbols and words should be used together and all elements should correspond to enhance consumers‟ understanding. If all of these elements of an eco-label convey the same message, consumers might be able to understand the intended message by manufacturers and the industry better. / M Consumer Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This thesis analyses behaviour of consumers within the South Bohemian food market. First part theoretically describes basic concepts concerning this topic. Next part consists of research regarding South Bohemian merchant chains, primarily focussed on the number of them. Following section consists of a questionnaire. The aim of the research is to define consumers' behaviour in the food market. All data gathered and recommendations for change are summarized at the end in discussion and summary.

Syfte och problemformulering: Syftet med studien är att identifiera de främjande aspekter samt barriärer som har en påverkan på konsumentens köpbeslut vid e-handel. Hur ser den digitala köpbeslutsprocessen ut och var i processen uppstår barriärerna? Teori: Studiens teoretiska referensram omfattar en presentation av de aspekter som har en påverkan på konsumentens köpbeslut vid e-handel, vilka är produktkvalitet, varumärkesförtroende, pris, upplevelse, demografiska aspekter, tid och bekvämlighet samt utformning av hemsida. Vidare redogörs det för köpbeslutsprocessen som konsumenten går igenom då ett köpbeslut ska tas, vilket innefattar följande steg; identifiering av behov, informationssökning, bedömning av alternativ, genomförande av köp samt utvärdering av köp. Metod: Studien bygger på en kvalitativ ansats med ett deduktivt tillvägagångssätt. Den empiriska datainsamlingen utgörs från fyra fokusgrupper. Slutsats: Studien har resulterat i en utformning av en digital köpbeslutsprocess som även belyser var i processen konsumentens uppfattade barriärer uppstår. Den digitala köpbeslutsprocessen består av följande steg; identifiering av behov, värdering, beslutsfattning, betalning och leverans samt utvärdering av köp. / Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the promotional aspects as well as barriers that have an impact on consumer purchasing decisions in e-commerce. What does the digital purchase decision-making process look like and where does the barriers occur in the process? Theory: The theoretical reference framework of the study includes a presentation of the aspects that influence the consumer's purchasing decisions in e-commerce, which are product quality, brand confidence, price, experience, demographic aspects, time and convenience as well as website design. Furthermore, it explains the purchase decision-making process that the consumer reviews when a purchase decision is taken, which includes the following steps; need recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase and post purchase evaluation. Methodology: The study is based on a qualitative methodology with a deductive approach. The empirical data collection consists of four focus groups. Conclusion: The study has resulted in a design of a digital purchase decision-making process that also illustrates where in the process the consumer’s perceived barriers arise. The digital purchase decision-making process consists of the following steps; need recognition, valuation, decision making, payment and delivery as well as post purchase evaluation.

Den tekniska utvecklingen har bidragit till ett ökat antal kanaler mellan företag och konsumenter. Detta möjliggör för konsumenter att fritt röra sig mellan dessa kanaler för att skapa och forma dess köpupplevelse efter önskat behov. Utvecklingen har bidragit till att konsumenter kan använda både digitala och fysiska kanaler i sin köpbeslutsprocess. Detta har utvecklat omnikanaler, där showrooming är en framväxande konsumtionstrend. Showrooming syftar till situationen då en konsument söker information via en fysisk kanal och sedan genomför köpet genom en digital kanal.  Syftet med denna studie är att förklara hur kundvärdet påverkar kanalvalen i den förlängda köpbeslutsprocessen till att konsumenten utövar showrooming eller aktivt väljer bort showrooming. Kundvärdet definieras i denna studie som en avvägning mellan behovsuppfyllnad och uppstådda kostnader. Showrooming undersöks mestadels utifrån företagens perspektiv, och således bidrar denna studie till ökad kunskap utifrån konsumentens perspektiv. Att förstå detaljhandelsfenomenet utifrån detta perspektiv är av betydelse för företag, eftersom de då ges möjligheten att utforma värdeerbjudanden som medför att konsumenten fortsätter välja deras kanaler.  Studien är genomförd utifrån en kvalitativ design där intervjuer har använts för att få en nyanserad förklaring från konsumenternas perspektiv. Därav gjordes valet att inkludera respondenter med olika erfarenheter, för att erhålla flera perspektiv. Totalt genomfördes 14 intervjuer med respondenter som besatt olika erfarenheter av fenomenet, där tio av dessa vid något tillfälle valt att utöva showrooming. Det var av betydelse att respondenterna skilde sig åt och hade blandade erfarenheter för att belysa det presenterade syftet. Studien identifierade att personliga preferenser är avgörande för de kanalval som tas i köpbeslutsprocessen. Det var tydligt att kundvärde är drivande för respondenternas beslut, där detta avgörs av personliga preferenser. Stegen där konsumenterna väljer kanal är avgörande för eventuellt utövande av showrooming. / The development of technology has led to an increased amount of channels between companies and customers. This enables consumers to move freely across these channels to create and design their purchase experience after desired need. This development has contributed to customers using both digital and physical channels during their purchase decision-making process. This has developed omnichannels, where showrooming is a growing consumption trend. Showrooming refers to the situation where a consumer seeks information through a physical channel, and then completes the purchase through a digital channel. The purpose of this study is to explain how customer value affects the channel choice in the extended purchase decision-making process if the customer decides to practice showrooming or actively deselect it. Customer value is defined as a value trade-off between need fulfillment and emerged costs in this study. Showrooming is mostly investigated from a business perspective, and thus this study contributes with increased knowledge from a consumer perspective. To understand this retail phenomenon from this perspective is of importance for businesses, since they are given the opportunity to create value propositions which entails that the consumer stays within their channels. The study is accomplished through a qualitative design, where interviews have been used to get a nuanced explanation from the consumer perspective. Thereby, the choice was made to include diverse respondents to obtain different perspectives. A total number of 14 interviews were conducted with respondents with different experience of the phenomenon, where ten of these had chosen to perform showrooming at some point. It was of importance that the respondents differed and possessed different experience to receive a nuanced understanding from the presented purpose. The study identified that personal preferences are crucial for the channel choices through the purchase decision-making process. It was clear that customer value was of importance for the respondent’s decisions, where this was determined by personal preferences. The stages where consumers choose a channel is crucial for if showrooming will be practiced or not.

Children nowadays are exposed to a huge amount of advertisements wherever they go. It appears that children are a very attractive target group because of their ability to influence their parents to buy them preferred products and brands. This Thesis focuses on analysis of children's influence on their parents' purchase decisions. The Thesis consists of 5 chapters. First three parts are theoretical. The introductory chapter deals with the consumer's purchase decision-making process and factors that affect this process. The second part describes family as a special consumer unit which forms individual consumer behaviour. Final theoretical chapter focuses on the child as a specific consumer and customer. In the practical part the reserach is conducted to reveal into what extent children influence their parents about purchase. At the end the recommendations for successful children advertisement are set up.

The master's thesis deals with the purchase decision-making process of consumers in the market of the portable computers. The aim of this thesis is to analyze the different stages of the purchase decision-making process, specify the consumers in this market and describe their buying behaviour. In the theoretical part of the thesis there are described internal and external factors affecting the buying behaviour of consumers and also the purchase decision-making process. Furthermore, the thesis describes the market of portable computers, the current situation on this market and purchase decision-making process in this market. The thesis contains primary and secondary research. Primary research involves the analysis of data obtained from a questionnaire survey conducted in the form of online surveying. Primary research is devoted to the description of the various stages of the purchase decision-making process of the defined age categories. Secondary research specifies the consumers in the market of portable computers on the basis of data from the database MML-TGI.

This thesis deals with finding competitive advantages of the company X and the key factors for improvement. The aim of this work is to find through the research the competitive advantages of the chain company X, which provides fast food on the Czech market, it's deficiencies and key factors, that can help the Company to improve in the future time. The theoretical part consists of five chapters, beginning with a chapter on marketing services, the following chapters deal with the purchase decision-making process in the service market and market category and competitive advantage. Methodology chapter closes then all the theoretical part. The practical part includes chapters examining the importance of a fast food restaurant in the world and the current market trend in the Czech Republic. Other parts deal with the characteristic of market and market category, analysis of competition, characteristic of the company X. The most important chapters in this section are the practical results of the survey, suggestions and recommendations to the company.

The Covid-19 pandemic, as a health and economic crisis, has significantly affected consumers, businesses and industries in all parts of the world. In this study, the aim was to investigate how situational factors, the covid-19 pandemic, affected consumer behavior regarding food purchases via e-commerce instead of physical stores. This has been done through a qualitative method in the form of 15 semi-structured interviews that have taken place via the Zoom program. The study sample consisted of a combination of both a goal-directed and convenience sample, where the authors chose the interviewees based on their circle of acquaintances and based on three different criterias, (1) the interviewees live in either the Salem or Södertälje municipality, (2) the interviewees need to be at least 18 years old to participate in the study and (3) the interviewees must have purchased food via e-commerce after the emergence of the covid-19 pandemic. The study's question is: How has the covid-19 pandemic affected consumers over the age of 18 in Södertälje and Salem municipalities when buying food, from shopping in physical stores to shopping via e-commerce? The authors analyzed the empirical data with regard to the study's theoretical frame of reference. The results of the study showed that the situational factor, the covid-19 pandemic, has been a contributing force in a change in consumer behavior when purchasing food starting from physical stores to e-commerce. This has been demonstrated by the fact that the interviewees' subjective norm, attitude and evaluation of alternatives have been influenced by the situational factor. Some trends have also been found in the empirical study, where one of the trends concerns the perceived behavioral control, which has been shown to have the opposite effect. Post-purchase evaluation in The Consumer Purchase Decision-Making Process has been shown to be for the most part positive in the interviewees answers and finally, WOM-communication has had an impact on consumer behavior inconnection with the impact of the covid-19 pandemic. / Covid-19-pandemin, som både en hälso- och ekonomisk kris, har väsentligt påverkat konsumenter, företag och industrier i alla delar av världen. I denna studie var syftet att undersöka hur situationella faktorer, covid-19-pandemin, påverkat konsumentbeteendet gällande inköp av livsmedel via e-handeln istället för fysiska butiker. Detta har genomförts via en kvalitativ metod i form av 15 semistrukturerade intervjuer som skett via Zoom-programmet. Studiens urval bestod av en kombination av ett målstyrt och bekvämlighetsurval, där författarna valde intervjupersonerna utifrån deras bekantskapskrets och utifrån tre olika kriterier, att (1) intervjupersonerna bor i antingen Salem eller Södertälje kommun, (2) intervjupersonerna behöver vara minst 18 år gamla för att delta i studien och (3) intervjupersonerna måste ha handlat livsmedel via e-handeln efter covid-19-pandemins uppkomst. Studiens frågeställning lyder: Hur har covid-19-pandemin påverkat konsumenterna över 18 år i Södertälje och Salem kommun vid inköp av livsmedel, från att handla i fysiska butiker till att handla via e-handel? Författarna analyserade empirin med hänsyn till studiens teoretiska referensram. Studiens resultat visade att den situationella faktorn, covid-19-pandemin har varit en medverkande kraft i ett ändrat konsumentbeteende vid inköp av livsmedel från fysiska butiker till e-handeln. Detta har påvisats genom att intervjupersonernas subjektiva norm, attityd och utvärdering av alternativ har påverkats av den situationella faktorn. Även en del trender har upptäckts i empirin, där en av trenderna berör den upplevda beteendekontrollen, vilket har visats ha en omvänd effekt. Utvärdering efter köpet i  The Consumer Purchase Decision-Making Process har visats vara för den övervägande delen positiv och slutligen har WOM-kommunikationen haft en påverkan på konsumentbeteendet i samband med covid-19-pandemins inverkan.

The aim of this thesis is to analyse the consumer's purchase decision-making process at the market of the summer vacations and capture current trends of buying summer vacation in the Czech market. The first two chapters are devoted to basic definitions and approaches, serving to understanding consumer behaviour, description of the marketing mix of tourism and the factors affecting the buying decision of the individual. Next part of the thesis examines different phases of the purchase decision-making process by using secondary data. The fourth chapter briefly describes the tourism market in the Czech Republic, its entities and services overview of tourism. The final part is devoted to the analysis of a questionnaire survey carried out by me and the acquired results. My own research is supported by data from Market -- Media -- Lifestyle (MML). The end of the work is composed of the result summary and conclusion of the investigation and it shows clear process of buying summer vacation on the basis of available data.