Factors affecting the decision to purchase ocop products of young consumers in the Mekong Delta region

Abstract

In the context of deep economic integration and the ongoing evolution of modern consumption trends, OCOP products have emerged as a potential solution to promote local economic development, while creating distinctive identities for each region across Vietnam. Especially in the Mekong Delta region, the development of OCOP products not only contributes to promoting a sustainable economy, but is also the key to preserving and promoting cultural values and regional identities. However, in order for OCOP products to stand firm in the market and increase their appeal to consumers, it is necessary to have a deep understanding of the consumer behavior of the target customer group. In particular, young consumers - a generation with increasing purchasing power and a tendency to prefer unique, quality products - are gradually becoming the main force determining the success of OCOP products in the future. The research team analyzed the factors affecting the purchasing decisions of OCOP products of young consumers in the Mekong Delta region, in order to propose solutions to help businesses improve the quality of OCOP products. Data was collected from July 2024 to September 2024 through a questionnaire survey of 230 young consumers in the Mekong Delta aged 18 to 34 who have been using OCOP products. At the same time, based on the Theory of Reasoned Action - TRA (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1975), the Theory of Planned Behavior - TPB (Ajzen, 1991) and the Theory of Consumer Behavior (Kotler et al. 2011). Subsequently, the descriptive statistical method, Cronbach's Alpha coefficient test, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and linear regression analysis were performed. The research results showed that 5 factors influence young consumers' decision to buy OCOP products in descending order: Marketing Campaign (MC), Attitude (AT), Social Influence (SI), Product Reliability (PR), Moral Norm (MN).