Factors Affecting Consumer Furniture Purchasing Decisions

CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS, BUYING PREFERENCES AND FACTORS AFFECTING DECISION MAKING FOR PURCHASING FURNITURE
by Syeda Sara Tazeen Jaffer
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Masters in Business Administration
Department of Economics Institute of Business Management
April 2013
CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS, BUYING PREFERENCESAND FACTORS AFFECTING DECISION MAKINGFOR PURCHASING FURNITURE
2013
CERTIFICATION OF APPROVAL
CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS, BUYING PREFERENCES AND FACTORS AFFECTING DECISION MAKING FOR PURCHASING FURNITURE
by Syeda Sara Tazeen Jaffer
Approved by:
__________________________________ M Ashraf Janjua Professor of Seminar in Economic Policy
__________________ Date
2013
ABSTRACT
The paper examines consumer perceptions, buying preferences and factors affecting decision making for purchasing furniture. The purpose of this research was to determine what appeals to various segments of consumers and based on this, what variety of product and services should be offered to catch their attention. Furthermore, the results derived from the data analysis can be of use to Raj Traders in their business functions. A questionnaire survey was conducted through Google Documents to gather the information online and also through Facebook (Social Networking website), emails, intranet and on campuse. The size of the sample was 186 respondents(non-probability), and the analysis software used was SPSS. The results show that various consumer segments have different consumer perceptions/buying preferences and each section has a set of factors affecting the decision making for purchasing furniture. The factors for each segment were explored that would help Raj Traders to custom-made furniture, centered on the likes and dislikes of customers.
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INTRODUCTION
Some of the important features that help in the identification and selection of wood and provide a foundation for decorative qualities are color, polish, texture, grain, and figure. The figure results from blends of color, polish, texture, and grain and may possibly be defined as the design produced on the surface of the wood by yearly growth coatings, rays, and knots; by unbalanced coloring; and by nonconformities from straight, even grain.
The figure, along with form, is one of the very significant components, which adds to the appealing appearance of wooden furniture and operational elements. For this reason, diverse figures are attained by using exceptional cutting procedures, like rotary cutting, stay-log rotary cutting, unconventionally rotary cutting, circular cut, and tangential cut for finishes produced for coated panel furniture or creating from particular tree sections like root, stump wood, long wood, burl and crotch. Using diverse figures on the same item of furniture produces visual variances and from the aspect of the effect it creates in the eyes of the consumer. The furniture items that have exteriors with nested Us or Vs figures, that are created by tangential cutting (basic sawing or rotary cutting) add a flexibility to the space, while comparatively straight and erect figures and ray-fleck figures, that are produced by circular cutting or partial (quarter) sawing, give a sense of equilibrium (stability) to the space. The similar effect is found on the solid wooden portions of the furniture. The exteriors with figures are more eye-catching and are visually in the lead.
Manufacturing geometrical parts on exteriors, just like tables, tea/coffee table tops or closet doors, and using diverse figured layers on each of these exteriors and setting forth artistically diverse appearances is another tactic of using the figure for distinguishing the product. The application of marquetry likewise has the same aim.
In spite of the fact that in practice the type of external figure to be used on the exteriors of the furniture components is up to the creativity of the product designer to a definite point,
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the choices of the clients must also be taken into account as a requirement of the present marketing concept. Consumer orientation and buyer satisfaction are the central focus of this concept. When the buyer choices are taken into account, then the choices can be focused on one or numerous figures. This focus on preference is very vital for the producers of figured wood, PVC, and laminate finish to show them on which figure type they should focus on. As it is not possible to sell veneers with figures without keeping in mind the preferences of the customers, a rise in the stocks will be witnessed in businesses involved in this field. The rise in the stock will also lead to a rise in the cost of the stock. In such a situation, as all businesses that make up the supply chain in the associated industrial division will be losing time, labor and raw materials, it will also lead to undesirable effects on the overall economy of Pakistan.
A purchaser selects furniture to match a lifestyle; comfort is a significant factor, but so are the time and energy, and the money spent on making such a selection. To cater to the expectations and wants of individuals and families; furniture functionality, durability, relevance, comfort, elasticity, exposure time as well as the price and maintenance cost must be kept in mind. This research was designed and conducted to evaluate which factors determined the furniture choices of buyers and what were the most favored furniture attributes and types. Amongst the factors influencing purchasers choice of furniture, the typical score of the durability factor was seen to be high for both male and female. Similar outcomes were found when the situation was scrutinized by taking into account the education level. Concerning the likings of customers regarding their bedroom, living room and dining room furniture specifications; the typical score of the durability factor was seen to be high for both genders. At all education ranks, the typical scores of durability and economic factors concerning the choices about living room furniture attributes were equal and the highest; however, the average scores of aesthetics for furniture in the dining room and durability for bedroom furniture were known to be the highest amongst all average scores.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
Veisten in the year 2007 provides samples from two Ikea stores in England and Norway. These four samples, known as convenience samples were taken for examining consumer inclination to pay through certification and eco-labelling. This research was done using the Conjoint Analysis (CA) and Contingent Valuation (CV). The English IKEA consumers in the sample size responded to Conjoint Analysis questions stating that they were willing to pay up to 16% for price of the existing unlabelled alternative. The median estimation for the premium price was 7.5% for respondents of the Contingent Valuation. Norwegian IKEA consumers showed results of Conjoint Analysis median of 2% and Contingent Valuation median of 6%. The relation between these two methods estimates that the turnout of consumers may be expected in English cases only.
Lihra, Buehlmann, Graf, 2012, in their research paper have stated that most furniture manufacturers, in an effort to distinguish them from others and manage competitive advantage with a framework for market globalization use customization on a massive scale. By utilizing choice-based Conjoint Analysis they were able to measure that the American consumers value the availability of customization services while purchasing furniture. About 50% of the consumers product choice was price driven, 20% by customization of products, 20% by delivery time taken, and 10% by the time required for a custom made product. It was also notable that while there was a consumer segment which was driven by price, there is a segment consisting of females that values product customization.
Nicholls, Bumgardner in their study in 2007 describe preferences of consumers in particular demographic areas with two key Pacific Northwest markets for six local wood species out of which four were utilized. Chi-square tests were applied to determine preferences in species based on age, gender, and income. To create a stronger effect in terms of income and age and to make the gender less significant in the study, tests were run. Oak was preferred by senior respondents while younger respondents showed preference for the Spruce species. Higher income segment preferred the Cherry species
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while Oak was the preferred choice for lower income groups. Younger male respondents preferred Maple, while the Birch species was preferred by lower income segment male respondents. Red Alder had little preference among female respondents in the higher income groups. Results indicated that the choice of species can play an important role in the creation and development of custom made products by the local furniture industry.
Roos & Hugosson in 2008 in their study described consumer preferences for non-wooden and wooden flooring. The Conjoint Analysis approach was used on two populations: consumers in a do-it-yourself (DIY) outlet and university students; and for the two flooring applications the areas used were the kitchen and the living room. The results indicated that the floor type was the vital factor for choice formation, followed by the factors, environmental certification and warranty. Price and a DVD with instructions for fitting were of very little significance to the customers. Wooden floorings were chosen over laminate options. Higher weight on eco-labeling was put by the university students, while DIY consumers focused largely on which type of flooring it is. The floor type was a more significant aspect for the living room applications than for the kitchen, and on the other hand price was a more significant feature when kitchen flooring was being considered in comparison to the living room flooring.
Burke carried out a research in 2002, in order to recognize the benefits of the current innovations in consumer interface technology and to comprehend the value the buyers place on technology as a part of the shopping course. A national survey was conducted on the internet with a sample size of 2120 online respondents. The consumer survey included questions on how the people want to purchase in both online as well as in-store settings and conclude how interactive and conventional media work simultaneously to move customers through the buying course. From the common features to the most recent innovations, the research inspected 128 different sides of the shopping experience. The outcomes presented that the buyers are usually satisfied with the easy accessibility, quality, range, and the value offered by sellers today. They are less fulfilled with the level of service offered, the availability of the product information, and the speediness of the buying process. New technologies can boost the shopping experience, but applications
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must be modified to the exclusive requests and specifications of customer segments and product classifications.
Yoon Ph.D., Oh Ph.D., Arch in 2010 conducted a study which was an online investigation that uses virtual reality technology in order to comprehend the factors that would be considered for residential furniture shopping and furniture style options. It was found that the financial and symbolic factors were of significance in the home interior design. Home furniture was of importance to the local furniture industry as well as to the woodworking and textile markets.
A survey amongst 301 college attending students was conducted concerning style preferences and perceptions while purchasing furniture for their living room. The respondents evaluated 117 furniture items (living room) representative of three style groups: Classic, Casual, and Modern. The results show substantial differences between genders in terms of their priority and considerations, style perceptions and preferences in furniture, and the many possibilities they try before making the final choice. This practical study is an endeavor to provide overbearing information on consumer individualities and their choices in furniture by interior designers and workers in the furniture industry in a virtual furniture demonstration area.
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RESEARCH METHODOLGY
The research began by obtaining secondary data from different websites, blogs, Facebook, e-newspapers and catalogs, on how particular furniture segments in the wood industry are on the rise in Pakistan, the wood business on the whole, the increasing trend in interior designing in Karachi, consumer preferences in retail furniture, physical work environment most wanted by the people of Karachi, imported and local furniture, and on diverse showrooms of different wood companies in Karachi and the products and services they provide. Such detailed information aided in understanding what choices of furniture are actually available for the people of Karachi, and how they are categorized and rated by the general public.
After gathering important information from the secondary sources, a survey questionnaire was designed and developed. The basic method for this research was the survey method to gather primary data. The survey included questions that were specially added for the potential customers of Raj Traders. The respondents would answer and state their preferences on furniture, in terms of a range of factors relevant to their buying decision and give valuable information as to which portions would they think spending money on the most for redecoration.
The online survey was conducted on Google documents, mainly through social networking on Facebook, e-mails, via the intranet at workplaces and also through telephonic questionnaires. The questionnaire was developed to allow respondents to feel at ease and answer the questions as objectively and neutrally as possible.
The questionnaire had questions with reference to the general buyer preferences in shopping for furniture like taste, important factors to consider while buying, type of wood, color, etc., questions on interior decor and the portions where most money is spent on decoration, questions on shopping furniture online, questions about what inspires the customers for redecoration and lastly, questions relating to consumer demographics.
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The method of sampling used in this study is a non-probability sample. The number of respondents totaled 186. The measurement technique used for analyzing the data collected from this survey was SPSS: to measure the frequencies of the responses, cross tabulations by applying the Chisquare technique (Descriptive statistics) and the Pareto analysis.
RESULTS
The questionnaire survey had been conducted for 186 individuals across different demographic and socio economic stratum, comprising of 74% males and 26% females. Additionally, 95% respondents belonged to the age groups of 21-35 years of age.
Respondents included individuals from areas such as Defence/Clifton and KDA and are 25% of the sample size. Areas such as Nazimabad, Gulshan and PECHS span over 42% and other areas span over 31%. Other areas consist of many areas of Karachi and in some cases, respondents participated from cities such as Quetta and Lahore.
45% of the survey respondents indicated that they prefer a mix of Modern and Classic while 21% and 13% specified that their tended to like Modern and Classic respectively. Less than 20% chose Minimal or Conventional taste in furniture.
Consumers hold certain ideas in mind when they begin the decision making process for purchasing furniture. Through this survey, we have inferred that over 55% consumers are more likely to consider Style and Comfort as the most important factors when purchasing furniture. Furthermore, Quality and Price of the furniture constitute up to 19% and 15% of the total respondents that participated in this survey.
The next important factor to be considered in this survey was the preference of consumers for bulky and wooden furniture that is difficult to move as opposed to light/easily moved furniture. The prospect of creating furniture that is a combination of
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wood, however easily moved is liked by 40% of the surveyed individuals. Additionally, the option of Light/easily moved furniture is preferred by 52% out of the total surveyed individuals.
Of the complete stratum that was surveyed, 74% have redone the furniture in their homes over the period of the last 6 months and have altered settings in various parts of their homes. We can derive from the Pareto analysis that out of such individuals who have redone their homes in the last 6 months, 70% were focused on areas such as Living rooms and Bedrooms. This is a clear indication towards the fact that the demand for living room couches and settees and bedroom sets is a lot higher to other parts of their home in comparison.
According to this questionnaire survey less than 4% of the respondents have ever made online furniture purchases, and the most common reason for not purchasing furniture online is due to the absence of being able to touch and feel the materials used in the furniture and the severe dislike of buying household utility items online. These two reasons add up to more than 70% of the respondents who do not make online furniture purchases. Other reasons also include customization, lack of variety, and extended delays in goods being delivered.
The factor that respondents prefer to purchase furniture and other items for decorating their living rooms and bedrooms is further reinforced as 80% respondents have chosen these options. Therefore, emphasis should be on providing consumers with high quality, reasonably priced Living room and bedroom furniture. Moreover, the fact that, consumers prefer to design and decorate their home interior On My Own is a plus point for sales of customized furniture that caters to particular and specific needs of clients.
Additionally, we have been able to infer that the consumer preference with respect to type of wood is inclined towards the Oak and such prototypes or sample furniture can be made and displayed online and offline to attract more consumers. Furthermore, an important factor is that consumers' own imagination is key in attracting them towards
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such products hence this survey can help a lot in terms of what type of furniture needs to be made. 44% of the respondents depend on their own imagination while choosing furniture and then employ their creativity doing their interior accordingly. The second most common inspiration for consumers is the Internet, Magazines and Television while designing the interior of their homes and this includes over 40% respondents.
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DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

Age * Taste/Factors/Preference while purchasing furniture
Cross-tabulation has been utilized to analyze the linkages between different age groups with consumer taste, important factors while purchasing online and their preference in furniture weight. It is evident that all age groups have uniformly shown the leaning towards a mix of Modern and Classic furniture. Although, we can see that senior participants are inclined towards Classic furniture as opposed to Modern furniture but their age factor is reflective as such respondents prefer and indicate comfort as one of the most important factor, leaving behind Style in comparison.
Age * Consumer Taste Cross tabulation
Consumer Taste
Age
36-45 26-35 21-25
10
20
30
40
50
60
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Age * Important Factor Considered While Purchasing Cross Tabulation

Important Factor Considered While Purchasing
Age
36-45 26-35 21-25
10
20
30
40
Age * Preference in Furniture Weight Cross Tabulation

Preference in Furniture Weight
Age
36-45 26-35 21-25
10
20
30
40
50
60
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Age * Consumer Taste Cross tabulation Count Consumer Taste Total 109 68 9 186 Other 1 2 1 4 Undecided 5 9 2 16 Conventional 5 3 1 9 Minimal 5 3 0 8 Mix of Classic/ Modern 54 29 1 84 Classic 11 12 2 25 Modern 28 10 2 40
21-25 26-35 36-45 Total
Age
Age * Important Factor Considered While Purchasing Cross Tabulation Count Important Factor Considered While Purchasing Total 109 68 9 186 Other 2 2 0 4 Termite proof 4 2 0 6 Quality 17 19 1 37 Style 29 17 2 48 Utility 3 2 2 7 Comfort 36 18 3 57 Price 18 8 1 27 21-25 26-35 36-45 Total Age
Age * Preference in Furniture Weight Cross Tabulation Count Preference in Furniture Weight Total 109 68 9 186 Combination of both 42 29 5 76 Light/easily movable 58 36 3 97 Bulky wooden difficult to move 9 3 1 13
21-25 26-35 36-45 Total
Age
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Gender * Taste/Factors/Preferences while purchasing furniture
Cross-tabulation of gender and consumer taste, important factors while purchasing online and preferences in furniture weight of respondents has given us the indication that our female respondents lean more towards Modern furniture, while male respondents are more inclined towards Classic furniture. Additionally, we see a uniform preference towards Style, Comfort and Quality. Few females would pick heavy wooden furniture tht is difficult to move or a combination of heavy yet easily moved furniture.
Gender * Consumer Taste Cross Tabulation
Consumer Taste
Gender
Female Male
10
20
30
40
50
60
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Gender * Important Factor Considered While Purchasing Cross Tabulation

Gender
Female Male
10
20
30
40
50
Gender * Preference In Furniture Weight Cross Tabulation

Preference In Furniture Weight
Gender
Female Male
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
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Gender * Consumer Taste Cross Tabulation Count Consumer Taste Total 138 48 186 Other 4 0 4 Undecided 13 3 16 Conventional 7 2 9 Minimal 5 3 8 Mix of Classic/ Modern 58 26 84 Classic 22 3 25 Modern 29 11 40
Male Female Total
Gender
Gender * Important Factor Considered While Purchasing Cross Tabulation Count Important Factor Considered While Purchasing Total 138 48 186 Other 4 0 4 Termite proof 5 1 6 Quality 30 7 37 Style 31 17 48 Utility 5 2 7 Comfort 41 16 57 Price 22 5 27 Male Female Total Gender
Gender * Preference In Furniture Weight Cross Tabulation Count Preference In Furniture Weight Total 138 48 186 Combination of both 61 15 76 Light/easily movable 69 28 97 Bulky wooden difficult to move 8 5 13
Male Female Total
Gender
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Location * Taste/Factors/Preferences while purchasing furniture
Cross-tabulation of location verses consumer taste, important factors while purchasing online and preferences in furniture weight of respondents indicates that areas such as Defence/Clifton are more likely to choose Style whereas areas such as Gulshan and Nazimabad would lean more towards Comfort. Heavy, bulky and difficult to move furniture is not liked across any areas and in comparison we see a uniform response to Light/Easily moved or combination furniture.
Location * Consumer Taste Cross Tabulation
Location
Other Consumer Taste PECHS Nazimabad Gulshan KDA Defence/Clifton
10
15
20
25
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Location * Important Factor Considered While Purchasing Cross Tabulation

Location
Other PECHS Nazimabad Gulshan KDA Defence/Clifton
10
15
20
Location * Preference In Furniture Weight Cross Tabulation

Location
Preference In Furniture Weight Other PECHS Nazimabad Gulshan KDA Defence/Clifton
10
15
20
25
30
35
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Location * Consumer Taste Cross Tabulation Count Consumer Taste Total 42 5 42 15 24 58 186 Other 0 0 0 0 1 3 4 Undecided 2 0 4 2 0 8 16 Conventional 2 0 1 1 1 4 9 Minimal 3 0 2 0 2 1 8 Mix of Classic/ Modern 15 2 23 7 12 25 84 Classic 5 1 6 4 3 6 25 Modern 15 2 6 1 5 11 40
Defence/Clifton KDA Gulshan Nazimabad PECHS Other Total
Location
Location * Important Factor Considered While Purchasing Cross Tabulation Count Important Factor Considered While Purchasing Total 42 5 42 15 24 58 186 Other 0 0 2 0 0 2 4 Termite proof 0 0 2 1 3 0 6 Quality 5 2 7 3 7 13 37 Style 17 3 8 2 6 12 48 Utility 3 0 1 1 2 0 7 Comfort 10 0 16 8 3 20 57 Price 7 0 6 0 3 11 27 Defence/Clifton KDA Gulshan Nazimabad PECHS Other Total Location
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Location * Preference In Furniture Weight Cross Tabulation Count Preference In Furniture Weight Total 42 5 42 15 24 58 186 Combination of both 16 1 22 6 10 21 76 Light/easily movable 21 2 18 9 13 34 97 Bulky wooden difficult to move 5 2 2 0 1 3 13
Defence/Clifton KDA Gulshan Nazimabad PECHS Other Total
Location
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CHI-SQUARE ANALYSIS
Chi-Square analysis has been utilized for analyzing the most important factors that affect consumers while purchasing furniture. The hypothesis for this research is as follows:
H0 = The most important factor for consumers while purchasing Furniture is Price H1 = The most important factor for consumers while purchasing Furniture is not Price
From our testing using Chi-square, our null hypothesis has been rejected. The critical value from the chi-square distribution table for degrees of freedom being 6 and = 0.01 is 16.812. Since 105.742>16.812 for the test, the decision is to reject the null hypothesis. CHI Square
Test Statistics Important Factor Considered While Purchasing 105.742 6 .000 .000(b) .000 .024
Chi-Square(a) Df Asymp. Sig. Sig. Lower Bound Upper Bound Monte 99% Confidence Sig. Interval Carlo
a 0 cells (.0%) have expected frequencies less than 5. The minimum expected cell frequency is 26.6. b Based on 186 sampled tables with starting seed 299883525.
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CONCLUSION
Our research of consumers' perceptions, buying preferences and factors affecting decision making while purchasing furniture, has been based on questionnaire surveys conducted from individual online. The data is distributed over different age groups and between genders. It is found from the data that individual customers are ready to miss out on some characteristics and preferences associated with furniture in their effort of obtaining others. Clients usually tend to pay attention more on the 'touch and feel' aspect of buying furniture as opposed to the features concerning its looks. Also, we can derive from the data that most respondents have selected the characteristics of 'comfort and style' rather than generally considering the most important price factor. Customers have pointed out that they would desire to decorate the house themselves instead of hiring an interior designer. The chi-square analysis has further confirmed that price is not the most significant aspect for customers. This seems to be in contrast to the general feel of the market and its practices. The practice of negotiation and bargaining over price is an fundamental value for Pakistani customers.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
The study of consumer perceptions, buying behavior and the factors affecting the decision making while purchasing furniture, has made us comprehend that customers in todays time are more likely to hunt for comfort and style rather than competitive pricing. Price, which we all believe to be the most vital factor, seems to be totally sidelined as an outcome of this study. Nonetheless, we consider price to be a key factor and a major element in determining the buying choice.
The focal point of selling furniture must be towards furniture for Bedroom and Living room rather than any other portion of the home. Bedroom sets can be developed in innovative designs, keeping in mind that clients prefer light, easily movable type of furniture. It should also be kept in mind that modern furniture styles would also be the upcoming trend in the near future. Traditional furniture has been observed to be moving into the background during the recent past and instead modern furniture has been capturing the market by storm. Since contemporary furniture is easily movable and typically lighter in weight, it is becoming the priority in customers choice of furniture.
The customers tend to depend on their self imagination as an inspiration when designing their interior decors, rather than on TV, catalogs and the internet. This point can be used to move into making custom-made furniture that would be as per the requirements of the individual customers who would want their homes to have interiors just as they imagine it to be. The clients would feel greatly satisfied if their imagination would be transformed into real leather and fashioned wood. The produced results are much more valued by the customers if their imagination is fairly transformed into a touchable and unique piece of art.
IT and virtual reality software could be used to offer clients with a chance to create a 3D version of their rooms before they actually order and purchase the real furniture. This new technique will help them to decide the positions for keeping the furniture, etc for better results later.
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Additional research may be done in different sections of the society to recognize the consumers' frame of mind as a uniform charting across the entire market; and make available even better products as per their likes and dislikes.
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APPENDICES
FREQUENCIES
Consumer Taste Frequency Valid Modern Classic Mix of Modern Minimal Conventional Undecided Other Total Classic/ 84 8 9 16 4 186 45.20% 4.30% 4.80% 8.60% 2.20% 100 45.2 4.3 4.8 8.6 2.2 100 80.1 84.4 89.2 97.8 100 40 25 Percent 21.50% 13.40% Valid Percent 21.5 13.4 Cumulative Percent 21.5 34.9
Consumer Taste
8.60% 2.20% 4.80% 4.30% 21.50%
Modern Classic
13.40%
Mix of Classic/ Modern Minimal
45.20%
Conventional Undecided Other
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Important Factor Considered While Purchasing Frequency Valid Price Comfort Utility Style Quality Termite proof Other Total 27 57 7 48 37 6 4 186 Percent 14.50% 30.60% 3.80% 25.80% 19.90% 3.20% 2.20% 100 Valid Percent 14.5 30.6 3.8 25.8 19.9 3.2 2.2 100 Cumulative Percent 14.5 45.2 48.9 74.7 94.6 97.8 100
3.20%
19.90%
14.50%
Price Comfort
30.60% 25.80%
Utility Style
3.80%
Quality Termite proof
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Preference In Furniture Weight Frequency Valid Bulky wooden difficult to move Light/easily movable Combination of both Total 13 97 76 186 Percent 7% 52.20% 40.90% 100 Valid Percent 7 52.2 40.9 100 Cumulative Percent 7 59.1 100
Preference In Furniture Weight

7% 40.90%
Bulky wooden difficult to move

52.20%
Light/easily movable Combination of both
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Redecorated In Last 6 Months Frequency Valid Yes No Total 138 48 186 Percent 74.20% 25.80% 100 Valid Percent 74.2 25.8 100 Cumulative Percent 74.2 100
Redecorated In Last 6 Months

25.80%
Yes
74.20%
No
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2013
Online Furniture Shopping Frequency Valid Yes No Total 7 179 186 Percent 3.80% 96.20% 100 Valid Percent 3.8 96.2 100 Cumulative Percent 3.8 100
Online Furniture Shopping

3.80%
Yes No
96.20%
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Most Expenditure on Redecoration of Which Area Frequency Valid Bedroom Bathroom Kitchen Living Room Hall way/Landing Balcony/Terrace Garden Other Total 71 7 10 83 6 2 2 5 186 Percent 38.20% 3.80% 5.40% 44.60% 3.20% 1.10% 1.10% 2.70% 100 Valid Percent 38.2 3.8 5.4 44.6 3.2 1.1 1.1 2.7 100 Cumulative Percent 38.2 41.9 47.3 91.9 95.2 96.2 97.3 100
Most Expenditure on Redecoration of Which Area

Bedroom Bathroom Kitchen Living Room Hall way/Landing Balcony/Terrace Garden
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Need for Interior Decorator Frequency Valid Hire Interior Decorator On my own Total 22 164 186 Percent 11.80% 88.20% 100 Valid Percent 11.8 88.2 100 Cumulative Percent 11.8 100
Need for Interior Decorator

11.80%
Hire Interior Decorator On my own

88.20%
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Preference Wood
for
type
of Valid Percent 9.7 20.4 14.5 55.4 100 Cumulative Percent 9.7 30.1 44.6 100
Frequency Valid Maple Teak Mahogany Oak Total 18 38 27 103 186
Percent 9.70% 20.40% 14.50% 55.40% 100
Preference for type of Wood

9.70% 20.40%
Maple
55.40%
Teak
14.50%
Mahogany
Oak
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Inspiration Frequency Valid Social Media Catalogue Televisioin Own imagination Outlets Other Total 29 24 32 81 11 9 186 Percent 15.60% 12.90% 17.20% 43.50% 5.90% 4.80% 100 Valid Percent 15.6 12.9 17.2 43.5 5.9 4.8 100 Cumulative Percent 15.6 28.5 45.7 89.2 95.2 100
Inspiration
5.90% 4.80% 15.60%
Social Media
12.90%
Catalogue Televisioin
43.50% 17.20%
Own imagination Outlets Other
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Gender Frequency Valid Male Female Total 138 48 186 Percent 74.20% 25.80% 100 Valid Percent 74.2 25.8 100 Cumulative Percent 74.2 100
Gender
25.80%
Male
74.20%
Female
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Age Frequency Valid 21-25 26-35 36-45 Total 109 68 9 186 Percent 58.60% 36.60% 4.80% 100 Valid Percent 58.6 36.6 4.8 100 Cumulative Percent 58.6 95.2 100
Age
4.80%
36.60%
58.60%
21-25
26-35
36-45
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Location Frequency Valid Defence/Clifton KDA Gulshan Nazimabad PECHS Other Total 42 5 42 15 24 58 186 Percent 22.60% 2.70% 22.60% 8.10% 12.90% 31.20% 100 Valid Percent 22.6 2.7 22.6 8.1 12.9 31.2 100 Cumulative Percent 22.6 25.3 47.8 55.9 68.8 100
Location
31.20% 22.60%
Defence/Clifton
2.70%
KDA Gulshan
12.90%
8.10%
22.60%
Nazimabad PECHS Other
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LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The limitations of this research paper are those that are usually found in a survey research. Firstly, the sample size was not big enough and no research has been conducted in the past on such a wood business which is family-owned, like Raj Traders, in Karachi. The sampling technique used in this type of exploratory research is a non-probability sample, the outcome of which is a biased response as more than half of the respondents are within the same age bracket. Secondly, the survey (questionnaire) was mostly carried out online, through e-mail and social networking, mainly on Facebook. Thus, the respondents were amongst that particular population who can easily have access to the internet. Thirdly, it is impossible to eradicate the response bias, mainly due to their reluctance to share accurate information. Fourthly, the procedures studied may not be widespread, thus restricting the findings of this study. Lastly, there could be other variables that might be incorporated to the academic structure in order to improve its descriptive power.
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REFERENCES
Knut Veisten (2007), Willingness to pay for eco-labelled wood furniture: Choice-based conjoint analysis versus open-ended contingent valuation, Journal of Forest Economics, Volume 13, issue 1, p. 29-48. DOI: 10.1016/j.jfe.2006.10.002.
Torsten Lihra; Urs Buehlmann; Raoul Graf (2012), Customer preferences for customized household furniture, Journal of Forest Economics, Volume 18, issue 2, p. 94-112. David Nicholls, Matthew Bumgardner 2007, Evaluating selected demographic factors related to consumer preferences for furniture from commercial and from underutilized species, FOREST PRODUCTS JOURNAL VOL. 57, NO. 12, p. 79-82
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Factors Affecting Consumer Furniture Purchasing Decisions

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Factors Affecting Consumer Furniture Purchasing Decisions

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CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS, BUYING PREFERENCES AND FACTORS AFFECTING DECISION MAKING FOR PURCHASING FURNITURE

by Syeda Sara Tazeen Jaffer

Department of Economics Institute of Business Management

by Syeda Sara Tazeen Jaffer

__________________________________ M Ashraf Janjua Professor of Seminar in Economic Policy

DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

Age * Consumer Taste Cross tabulation

Age * Important Factor Considered While Purchasing Cross Tabulation

Age * Preference in Furniture Weight Cross Tabulation

21-25 26-35 36-45 Total

21-25 26-35 36-45 Total

Gender * Taste/Factors/Preferences while purchasing furniture

Gender * Consumer Taste Cross Tabulation

Gender * Important Factor Considered While Purchasing Cross Tabulation

Gender * Preference In Furniture Weight Cross Tabulation

Male Female Total

Male Female Total

Location * Taste/Factors/Preferences while purchasing furniture

Location * Consumer Taste Cross Tabulation

Location * Important Factor Considered While Purchasing Cross Tabulation

Location * Preference In Furniture Weight Cross Tabulation

Defence/Clifton KDA Gulshan Nazimabad PECHS Other Total

Defence/Clifton KDA Gulshan Nazimabad PECHS Other Total

Mix of Classic/ Modern Minimal

Conventional Undecided Other

Important Factor Considered While Purchasing

Quality Termite proof

Preference In Furniture Weight

Bulky wooden difficult to move

Light/easily movable Combination of both

Redecorated In Last 6 Months

Online Furniture Shopping

Most Expenditure on Redecoration of Which Area

Need for Interior Decorator

Hire Interior Decorator On my own

Frequency Valid Maple Teak Mahogany Oak Total 18 38 27 103 186

Percent 9.70% 20.40% 14.50% 55.40% 100

Preference for type of Wood

Own imagination Outlets Other

Nazimabad PECHS Other

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

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