Information Seeking, Requirements, Marketing Mix Factors, and Purchasing Decision Making on Used Cars of Consumers in the X and Y Generations

Abstract

The aim of this research is to examine news searching, requirements, marketing mix factors, and decision-making in used car purchasing among customers of Generations X and Y. This research employed quantitative methods, utilizing data in the form of survey research. The study focused on aged 26–58 who had previously purchased or considered buying used cars. The sample consisted of 400 participants in the Facebook group, which was selected through purposive sampling, quota sampling, and accidental sampling methods. The statistics used to analyze the data included Chi-square, F-test/one-way ANOVA, and regression analysis.

         The finding indicated that most were female, aged between 26 and 43 years, working as employees in private companies with a monthly income of 20,001 and 30,000 baht per month. The majority expressed interest in used care under the Honda brand. Most participants were looking for news about used cars through social media and websites 3–4 times a month, for less than 1 hour per session, mainly between 16.0–10.00 hrs. (in the evening and early evening). Most of them used offline media and visited sale booths to search for news about used cars. 1-2 times a month, 1-2 hours per visit, generally between 4:01 and 8:00 p.m. (in the evening and early evening). Their preference was purchasing used car care from the tent with a Sedan Model, white color, an engine of 2,001 cc to 2,500 cc, diesel fuel priced between 300,001 and 600,000 baht, with 2-3 years of use for daily commuting. The preferred installment period was 4-5 years. The marketing mix factors of used cars in terms of products were given the highest level of importance. The decisions to buy a used car as a spare vehicle were identified as being at the highest level.

          The results of the hypothesis testing were as follows: 1) consumers with different demographic characteristics had different patterns in seeking information about second-hand cars; 2) consumers with diverse demographic characteristics had different preferences for purchasing second-hand cars; 3) consumers with distinct demographic features attributed different levels of importance to marketing mix factors related to second-hand cars. These differences in level were statistically significant at 0.05; and 4) marketing mix factors significantly influenced the decision-making process of purchasing second-hand cars, with a statistically significant positive impact at 0.05.