ABSTRACT
This research entitled “Omani Women Buying Behaviour towards Cosmetics Products” was an exploratory attempt to conduct a marketing research of consumer behaviour and the buying pattern of Omani women towards cosmetic products. Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:
1. What are the Cultural, Social, Personal and Physiological factors affecting an Omani woman when buying cosmetic products?
2. Is there a market for Cosmetics in Oman, and how can this market be exploited further?
The researcher adopted a qualitative method in conducting the study with questionnaire and face-to-face interview as the primary data-gathering instruments. Fifteen Omani women with different lifestyles, age, and background were chosen to be the respondents for the study. The respondents were chosen based on the researcher’s perspective that they were from diverse backgrounds and were knowledgeable about the topic which would give the study a more objective approach.
The study came up with the following findings based on the gathering of literature related to the research subject as well as through the questionnaire and interviews with the fifteen respondents:
There is definitely a market in Oman for the cosmetic industry, this was clear from the women spending behavior of RO 6-10 per month, which indicates that cosmetics are essential products
Price, feature and brand are the most influential factors for Omani women’s cosmetic purchase
Lip Products, Nail Polish, Foundation and Mascara are the top cosmetics products that Omani women buy the most and cannot go without.
Friends and Family i.e. word of mouth are the primary source of advice regarding cosmetic purchases. Product packaging comes second as a decision maker when buying cosmetics.
Women education level has no effect and has show no major trend difference in cosmetic buying behavior.
Age plays a role in cosmetic purchasing in Oman.
Religion plays a big role in cosmetic purchasing.
How the husband sees his wife also plays a role in the buying decision and
The buying behavior in Oman also depends on the woman’s ethnic background.
The researcher formulated the following conclusions and recommendations in consideration of the abovementioned findings: