Gender Differences in Customer Behavioural Responses to Sales Promotion

Abstract

Understanding how male and female customers respond to various promotional tools is important to marketing strategists, and researchers. Since such understanding, in the Malaysia context, is still ill due largely to dearth of research in this area, this study attempts to assist in a better comprehension of this phenomenon. Specifically, the paper explores the influences of promo-tools such as, coupon, price discount, free sample, bonus pack, and in-store display on product trial and repeat purchase behaviour, as well as the moderation effect of gender on these relationships. A total of 312 randomly selected Malaysian customers from several supermarkets located in the city of Kota Kinabalu were surveyed. The respondents include 126 male and 186 female customers. Details of the findings and their promotional, physical distribution and logistics implications are discussed.