Price, Product Quality, and Packaging in Yumsbite Purchase DecisionsHarga, Kualitas Produk, dan Kemasan dalam Keputusan Pembelian YumsbiteHamidSiti Nur Cholisasitinur@gmail.comMuisLidya Sherylidyasherymuis@umsida.ac.idIndonesiaIndonesia25102024
<bold id="bold-37af0648123d502d0e4c57e4a0ff8912">INTRODUCTION</bold>
The food and beverage industry in Indonesia shows stable growth, in line with the increasingly dynamic consumer lifestyle. Snack products such as donuts are among the most favored commodities due to their accessibility, variety of flavors, and attractive appearance. Yumsbite Donuts, as a micro-business in the snack sector, has emerged amid consumption trends emphasizing quality and purchase experience. In modern marketing contexts, consumer purchase decisions are not only influenced by taste quality but also by factors such as price and the visual appeal of product packaging. The dynamics of local market competition push business actors to understand consumer behavior more deeply. Effective marketing strategies require understanding the factors that drive purchasing decisions. According to Martianto et al. (2023), it is a key component of consumer behavior involving decisions to buy goods or services, influenced and motivated by various factors.
Price, as an element of the marketing mix, plays a strategic role as it directly relates to consumer value perception and purchasing power. According to price significantly affects sales because consumers are satisfied with prices deemed affordable, positively impacting product sales. According to (Satria 2017), price is the value agreement required for a purchase transaction. It is the amount of money buyers must pay to acquire a product and is the only element of the marketing mix that generates revenue for organizations. Simply put, price refers to the monetary or non-monetary amount with utility or specific value for obtaining a product (Tjiptono et al., 2012:231). Meanwhile, product quality reflects producers' ability to meet customer expectations through taste, aroma, texture, and freshness. Kotler and Armstrong (in Martono & Iriani, 2014) define product quality as its ability to perform functions, including durability, reliability, accuracy, ease of operation and repair, and other attributes. ( Putro 2014) states that product quality combines characteristics and features that fulfill consumer needs, encompassing reliability, precision, ease, maintenance, and other product attributes. Satisfied consumers will develop loyalty and make repeat purchases in the future. On the other hand, packaging functions not only as physical protection but also as a visual communication medium influencing consumer perceptions and decisions at the point of sale. Previous studies show that price, packaging, and product quality significantly influence consumer buying interest, especially among students, who tend to be sensitive to perceived value and product image (Rafikasari & Fauzy, 2020). According to (Hasanah et al. 2022), packaging is the process of designing and assembling containersPackaging also serves as a marketing tool to enhance visual appeal, convey brand identity, and provide essential consumer information.
This study focuses on three main variables: price, product quality, and packaging, which are assumed to influence consumer decisions to buy Yumsbite donuts. Many empirical studies have examined the effect of these variables on purchasing decisions in snack MSMEs. However, most research has focused on quantitative analysis using regression or descriptive methods, while comprehensive literature mapping and collaboration patterns remain scarce. Bibliometric studies provide broader insights into topic development, research clusters, author collaboration, and future research directions. According to (Utami & Karlina 2022), bibliometric analysis explores and analyzes scientific data to assess the development of knowledge areas .Using VOSviewer, this study aims to map research related to the influence of price, product quality, and packaging on purchase decisions in snack MSMEs. According to (Budianto & Dewi 2023), VOSviewer allows users to analyze scientific publication structures based on keywords, authors, affiliations, or subjects, producing network-based visualizations to reveal trends and patterns in specific fields. This analysis is expected to identify key research trends, influential authors and articles, and opportunities for future research to support MSME marketing strategies in the snack sector. Despite the numerous quantitative studies examining the influence of price, product quality, and packaging on purchase decisions in snack MSMEs, most prior research has focused only on testing hypotheses using regression analysis without providing a comprehensive mapping of the literature structure, author collaborations, and thematic development. This bibliometric study thus fills the gap by systematically mapping the existing literature over the past decade to identify dominant themes, research clusters, and emerging trends. By doing so, this research not only contributes to the theoretical development of marketing studies in MSMEs but also offers strategic insights for practitioners in formulating effective marketing strategies. Therefore, this study aims to analyse and visualise the research landscape on the influence of price, product quality, and packaging on purchase decisions in snack MSMEs using a bibliometric approach.
This research uses a bibliometric approach to analyze literature development related to price, product quality, and packaging influencing purchasing decisions in snack MSMEs. Data were collected from international journal databases such as Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar for the last ten years to capture current research trends. Using keywords like "purchase decision," "price," "product quality," "packaging," "small and medium enterprises," and "food industry," an initial search yielded 200 relevant articles. After screening for duplication, title and abstract reading, and full-text selection, 30 articles were included in the final analysis. Bibliographic data were exported in CSV format and processed using VOSviewer to identify keyword co-occurrence, author co-authorship, and citation networks. Visualization was presented as network maps, clusters, and density maps for easier interpretation, aiming to illustrate the knowledge structure in the field and identify research gaps. The selection of articles in this study was conducted by prioritising publications in reputable journals indexed by Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar with good citation records, ensuring their academic quality and relevance to the research objectives. Additionally, the keywords were chosen based on their frequent use in previous studies discussing purchase decisions, price, product quality, packaging, and MSMEs within the snack food industry context. This ensured that the search captured comprehensive and relevant literature reflecting the current state of research in this field. These steps aimed to strengthen the validity and credibility of the bibliometric analysis conducted.
<bold id="bold-b9ba60e6d907db5419eb33ba87e479cd">RESULTS AND DISCUSSION</bold>
This study employed a bibliometric approach to examine scientific literature trends discussing the influence of price, product quality, and packaging on purchase decisions, particularly in the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector within the snack food industry. Data were obtained using the Publish or Perish software with Google Scholar as the source, utilizing the keywords: "purchase decision" AND "product quality" AND "packaging" AND "price" AND "small and medium enterprises." The search identified 110 scientific articles relevant to the research topic. Preliminary bibliometric analysis showed that the total number of citations for these articles reached 1,050, with an average of 55.26 citations per year. The h-index of 12 and g-index of 31 indicate that the literature on this topic is quite active and has made significant contributions to the development of knowledge in MSME marketing.
Subsequently, visual mapping was conducted using the VOSviewer software to analyze the keyword co-occurrence network from the 30 selected articles. The visualization results revealed 11 main keywords forming three major clusters based on their co-occurrence and thematic interconnections. This visualization is presented in Figure 1 below:
Keyword Co-Occurrence Network Visualization using VOSviewer
The three clusters formed are as follows:
1. Red Cluster: Contains keywords such as purchase decision, product quality, service quality, and brand image. This cluster highlights that purchase decisions are often studied alongside consumer perceptions of product and service quality, as well as brand image.
2. Green Cluster: Includes keywords such as packaging, product, SMEs, and medium enterprise. This indicates that the visual and functional attributes of products (including packaging) are important factors in MSME marketing strategies.
3. Blue Cluster: Contains the keywords small, micro, and medium enterprises, which describe the organizational context in which the research was conducted.
The keywords product quality and purchase decision occupy central positions in the visualization, as indicated by their larger node sizes and higher number of connections. This suggests that these topics frequently appear together in the literature and form the core of academic discussions in this field. In contrast, the keyword price does not appear in the main visual map, indicating that the price variable is relatively less intensively discussed compared to product quality and packaging. This aligns with findings from previous empirical studies showing that in the context of snack products, especially among young and loyal consumers, price is no longer the primary consideration, with quality and overall product experience taking precedence instead.
This visualization also provides information that academic research focuses more on value creation and consumer perception through packaging strategies and product quality improvement, rather than on pricing aspects. This implies that MSME practitioners need to place greater emphasis on these two factors when formulating effective marketing strategies. Thus, this analysis reinforces the understanding that product quality and packaging are the two main pillars driving consumer purchase decisions in the snack MSME sector. This bibliometric approach not only provides thematic mapping but also reveals opportunities for further research, such as exploring the relationship between visual branding and customer loyalty in greater depth. To enhance understanding, density visualization was also used to identify the most frequently appearing and most concentrated keywords within the network. The results are presented in Figure 2 below.
Density Visualization of Keyword Co-occurrence in Literature Related to Purchase Decisions
The bright yellow color in Figure 2 indicates the highest density level, where product quality and purchase decision reappear as the two most dominant and frequently discussed terms in the literature. Meanwhile, terms such as packaging, product, and medium enterprise show medium density, and words like brand image and service quality have lower density. These findings reinforce that in the context of snack MSMEs, product quality and packaging are the two factors most extensively studied in relation to purchase decisions. Although price is important in business practice, it tends to receive less attention in scientific literature, especially in research based on consumer perception. These findings align with the Theory of Reasoned Action, which suggests that consumer decisions are driven by attitudes formed through product evaluations, such as quality and packaging appeal, rather than solely by price considerations. Moreover, based on Customer Value Theory, the perceived benefits of product quality and attractive packaging outweigh monetary costs, leading to stronger purchase intentions. This theoretical integration highlights that MSME managers should focus on creating superior value through quality improvements and visual branding to influence consumer behavioural intentions effectively.
Overall, this bibliometric approach not only provides a general overview of the development of research topics but also helps identify research gaps and directions for future studies. These results make an important contribution for MSME practitioners by emphasizing the importance of product quality and visual aspects as key strategies to attract consumer purchase decisions. The findings of this study provide practical implications for MSME managers in the snack food sector, particularly for businesses like Yumsbite Donuts. First, the dominance of product quality and packaging as key variables suggests that managers should prioritise investments in improving recipe consistency, taste, texture, and visual appeal to meet and exceed consumer expectations. Second, enhancing packaging design not only serves protective functions but also builds brand identity and attracts attention at the point of sale. Although pricing is an important consideration, this study shows it is not the primary determinant in purchase decisions for snack products. Therefore, managers can adopt a value-based pricing strategy that reflects superior product quality and attractive packaging, thus strengthening perceived value among consumers. Integrating these insights into marketing strategy development will assist MSMEs in improving competitiveness and consumer loyalty in the increasingly dynamic snack food market.
This study revealed that product quality and packaging are the most dominant factors influencing consumer purchase decisions, particularly in snack MSMEs such as Yumsbite Donuts. The bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer showed that these two variables have occupied a central position in the literature over the past decade, while the price variable has a relatively smaller impact. Through this approach, it can be concluded that marketing strategies focusing on improving product quality and enhancing visual appeal through packaging are more relevant and aligned with current consumer preferences. Furthermore, these findings highlight the importance of bibliometric data-based literature analysis in providing strategic insights and guiding future research development in the field of MSME marketing. Based on these findings, MSME managers in the snack food sector are recommended to prioritise improving product quality and enhancing packaging design to strengthen their market competitiveness and attract consumer purchase decisions. Future studies may explore the integration of digital marketing strategies with product quality and packaging innovations to examine their combined effects on purchase decisions. Additionally, further research can adopt experimental or mixed-method approaches to investigate causal relationships and consumer psychological responses towards pricing, product quality, and packaging in different cultural contexts.
Expression Of Gratitude
I express my praise and gratitude to the presence of God Almighty, for His grace and blessing, I am able to complete the writing of this article well. I would like to extend my deepest thanks to my lecturer in the course of advanced marketing management, who has patiently provided guidance, direction, input, and motivation throughout the process of writing this article. I would also like to thank my friends who have always provided support, encouragement, and assistance in finding references as well as discussing the material we wrote. Your togetherness and cooperation mean a lot to me. I hope this article is beneficial and serves as a positive contribution to the development of knowledge. Any shortcomings in the writing of this article are my personal responsibility, and I am open to constructive suggestions and criticisms. Thank you.