Influencing Factors of Consumers’ Purchase Decision of Clothing in Delta State, Nigeria

The study was conceived to ascertain the effect of trust in personal selling, salesperson competencies, perceived product quality, and consumer income on clothing purchase decision (CPD) among consumers in the three most populous cities of Asaba, Sapele and Warri in Delta State, Nigeria. In order to realize the study objectives, data were collected from 377 consumers who had purchased clothing within the past twelve months. A causal research design was applied, and simple random sampling technique was adopted to draw the samples, using a questionnaire. The demographic profile reveals that most respondents were female (57.3%), married (61.8%), and 85% of the clothing patrons are within the economically active age range. Regression results show that the variables explained 82% of the variance in CPD (Adjusted R² = 0.82). Perceived product quality is the dominant predictor (β = 0.493), followed by trust in personal selling (β = 0.249), salesperson competencies (β = 0.235), and income (β = 0.172). The findings are a pointer to the critical role of the variables in shaping consumer purchase decision in the clothing sector. The authors recommend improved sales force training, sustained customer trust-building and consistent product quality to enhance competitiveness and consumer retention in the clothing market.