ABSTRACT

This study focused on the effect of price on the patronage of selected consumer goods among university students in Abia State, with reference to students in Michael Okpara University Umudike and Abia State University Uturu. The specific objectives were to: ascertain cost-oriented pricing and its effect on patronage of milk and instant noodles, determine the relationship between prices of milk and instant noodles and perception of their quality, ascertain the relationship between price and consumer brand loyalty of milk and instant noodles, determine the between price information and patronage of milk and instant noodles among university students in Abia State. The researcher adopted survey research design, primary data were used. The population of the study consists of all the students in Michael Okpara University Umudike and Ahia State University Uturu. Logistic Regression and Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis were used to analyses the objectives and test hypotheses posited. The major findings revealed that; income, price, durability and availability are the major factors influencing the patronage of milk and instant noodles, there is a strong and positive correlation between the prices of milk and instant noodles and the perception of their quality, and there is a strong and positive correlation between price and consumer brand loyalty of milk and instant noodles among university students in Abia State. The researcher concluded that; price have a strong effect on the patronage of consumer goods (milk and instant noodles) among university students in Abia State and recommends that; manufacturing organization in the production of milk and instant noodles should always strive to improve the quality, durability and appeal of their products while using effective marketing segmentation to increase the availability and affordability of their products in university communities. The need for organizations in the production of milk and instant noodles to maintain a stable price that depicts the quality of their products was also accentuated.