Factors impacting the purchasing behaviour of distributors and consumers in the edible oil sector in Ghana – A case study

This study aims to investigate the relationship between customer behaviour, distributor behaviour and ABC’s market share. The main objective is to investigate the impact of factors influencing consumer and distributor purchasing behaviours in the edible oil industry in Ghana, to provide actionable knowledge and increase ABC’s sales volume. The research used mixed-method action research (MMAR) to collect and analyse data and implement actions to overcome the observed issues. Quantitative data were collected through a survey questionnaire sent to 340 distributors/retailers/consumers selected randomly from ABC’s distributor list and the marketplace. Qualitative data were obtained from ten distributors and 40 consumers selected through random purposeful sampling. The study used the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), with descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha, and regression analysis to analyse the quantitative data. NVivo and thematic analysis were used to analyse the qualitative data. The findings reveal that changes in product quality, cholesterol, cloudiness, price stability, availability, promotion/advertising, recommendation, affordability, health status, family and perception variables cause changes in product purchasing behaviour. Furthermore, regarding distribution, the study reveals that any change in product quality, price stability, availability, promotion /advertising, consumer demand, market condition, perception, brand name, customer service, trade terms, customer relationship, profitability, competition, or credit limit causes changes into product purchasing behaviour. With collaborative enquiry implemented through the action research, the key individuals implemented actions. The outcomes of these actions indicate an improvement in ABC's market share from 62% to 68% in 2020. The researcher proposed the use of the OPUC (Objective-Procedure-Utilisation and Communication) tool for managers to identify and permanently resolve issues in a timely fashion. This research provides practical insights into the factors influencing consumer and distributor behaviour and proposes plans and tools to overcome the decline of sales volume and improve market share