The Influence of Word of Mouth, Price Perception, and Perception of Authenticity of Product Varieties on Plant Seed Purchase Decisions in Juwet Village

Abstract

Research aim: The purpose of this investigation is to examine how customers in Juwet Village, Ngronggot District, Nganjuk Regency make choices to buy plant seedlings based on their perceptions of the variety, price, and word of mouth.

Design/Method/Approach: Within the positive paradigm, this investigation used a quantitative technique. A Likert-scale questionnaire was used to obtain data from 100 respondents who were chosen using purposive sampling approaches. The data was analyzed using SPSS software and multiple linear regression. To confirm the data was valid, classical assumption tests were also performed.

Research Finding: The findings suggest that three factors significantly impact the choice to buy plant seedlings: word of mouth (β = 0.234; p < 0.05), perception of pricing (β = 0.189; p < 0.05), and perception of product diversity (β = 0.417; p < 0.01). Among these factors, the sense of authenticity of product diversity is the most influential. With an R² value of 0.642, these three factors account for 64.2% of the variance in purchasing choices.

Theoretical contribution/Originality: This investigation adds to the growing body of marketing research that aims to better understand consumer behavior in the agricultural sector by shedding light on a crucial but understudied factor: the importance of consumers' perceptions of the authenticity of product varieties.

Practitioner/Policy implication: The findings can be utilized by agricultural business owners and seedling sellers to strengthen marketing strategies by enhancing product information transparency and setting appropriate pricing, thereby increasing consumer trust and purchase decisions.

Research limitation: This investigation is limited to Juwet Village and applies a cross-sectional approach; thus, the outcomes cannot be generalized widely and do not capture long-term changes in consumer behavior. Future investigation is recommended to expand the study area, including additional variables, and adopt a longitudinal approach.