Country of Origin and its Impact on the Buying Behavior of the End Consumer (A Field Study of Some Chinese Electrical Products at Al-Namaa Group - El Khoms Branch)

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the extent to which the Country of Origin (COO) influences the buying behavior of the end consumer, focusing on a case study of Al-Namaa Group (El Khoms Branch). The research analyzed the relationship between the study variables-Country of Origin as the independent variable and purchasing behavior as the dependent variable-using field data analysis.

The findings revealed that information regarding products, whether related to the country of origin, brand image, or general product attributes, does not play a dominant role in guiding consumer purchasing decisions. Instead, price and tangible quality emerged as the two most influential factors driving the decision-making process. Furthermore, the study indicated a significant divergence in participants' perspectives; while some consumers believe that factors such as COO and promotional offers impact their choices, others consider these elements to be of minor importance. The study concludes that for the analyzed market segment, functional value-represented by cost-effectiveness and performance-outweighs psychological or geographic brand associations.