Impact of Socio-economic Variables on Teenagers’ Influence in Family Buying Decisions

Abstract

In the present study, the researcher tried to trace out the impact of socio-economic variables, for example, area of residence, type of family, parent employment status, caste system and the annual household disposable income of the family on teenagers’ influence in family buying of selected products. The present study is focused on to get an insight into role of teenagers in buying decision-making process of families in Haryana. A total of 234 households were visited, and responses of teenagers were taken from four villages, and two cities, Hisar and Kaithal. The data were collected between March and July 2013. The study is confined to three decision stages during buying decision-making process of television and cell phone. ANOVA and t test have been used to achieve the objectives of the study. Study reveals that 98 per cent of respondents have television set at their home in which 30 per cent families are having TV of LG brand followed by Samsung and Videocon. Every family (100 per cent) is having a cell phone and 36.6 per cent of teenagers have personal cell phone. Nokia is the most possessed brand among families (54 per cent) followed by Samsung, Tata Indicom and Spice. While analyzing the influence of teenagers in family buying decision-making process across decision stages, majority of them participated in it. Caste and income have significant impact on teenagers influence in cell phone-buying decision stages but not in the case of TV. This might be because TV is common and a family product and cell phone is a more personalized product. Rural teenagers of scheduled caste and general caste were significantly more influential in buying decision-making process of cell phone than did those in urban backward caste. It was found that with an increase in annual disposable income of the family, they were significantly more influential than teenagers from lower-income families.