A survey of loyalty status of consumers to various cigarettes brands in Nairobi

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the loyalty status of consumers to cigarettes brands and factors that influence the loyalty status groups. In order to achieve these objectives, random sampling was conducted in 10 selected estates, 2 estates from the low-income groups and 8 estates from middle and upper income groups. In each of the 10 selected estates, one bar was used as a source of locating respondents. In each bar, 10 respondents were studied giving a total of 100 respondents. Judgmental sampling technique was used to identify respondents that qualified for the study. The respondents were screened to ensure that only smokers were interviewed. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the primary data. The questionnaire was divided into three parts. Part A was used to determine classification information of the cigarettes consumers. Part B was used to capture the information of loyalty status of ,cigarettes consumers and Part C was used to generate the information on determinants of the loyalty status of cigarettes consumers. A response rate of 100% was achieved. After collecting data, the questionnaires were sorted out and grouped into loyalty status groups for analysis. The percentages and frequency tables were used to summarize and reflect the relative weight of the specific characteristics of customers. Factor analysis was used to categorize the factors and reduce them into manageable levels of ranking. The cross tabulation tables were used to compare and match the loyalty status of consumers with the associated demographic variables. They also used to determine whether the factors influencing one loyalty status group are the same or different for other loyalty status groups. The Likert scale was used to determine factors that affect the loyalty status groups in order of importance. To the hardcore loyal "availability" was ranked the most important factor and the softcore loyal, "strength of the kick", while switchers, "information about cigarettes" and to the switchers' availability was ranked as the most important. It can therefore be concluded that each loyalty status group is influenced by different factors in making choices of cigarettes to smoke. However, "Availability of cigarettes" is a common factor across the all the loyalty status groups although it's ranked differently. "Satisfaction derived from smoking" is a common factor to hardcore loyal, shifters loyal and switchers. "Information about the cigarettes" is seen as common factor between hardcore loyal and shifter loyal while "reasonable price" is common to both shifters loyal and switchers. The "level of Nicotine" is a common factor to both hardcore loyal and switcher, "Burning rate" is common to switchers 'and softcore while "experience with cigarettes" is a common factor to both softcore loyal and shifters loyal. This study was conducted in Nairobi Region and therefore cannot be used to generalize the smokers' behavior in other regions in Kenya. The study was broad in that it dealt with many different factors that influence smokers in making decision of the brands of cigarettes to smoke. Future studies should be carried out concentrating on each of the loyalty status groups and the factors considered in making a choice of the cigarettes to smoke .