بررسی رابطه بین تنوع محصولات و میزان جذب مشتری (مورد مطالعه صنایع تولید کیک و بیسکویت در شهرک صنعتی ولایت هرات)

الملخص

An Investigation of the Relationship between Product Diversity and Customer Attraction: Evidence from Cake and Biscuit Manufacturing Industries in Herat Province

Abstract

In contemporary competitive markets, product variety has become a pillar of marketing strategy and a critical mechanism for enhancing customer attraction and market differentiation. However, the management of product diversity within medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing economies remains constrained by structural and managerial challenges, including the paradox of choice and escalating operational costs associated with diversification. This study investigates the impact of product variety and its dimensions—namely product type, packaging, quality, and price—on customer attraction within cake and biscuit manufacturing firms located in Herat Industrial Park. The research adopts an applied, quantitative design. The statistical population consists of 245 employees from firms, from which a sample of 151 respondents was drawn using Cochran’s sampling formula to ensure statistical representativeness. Data were collected through a structured field questionnaire, and instrument reliability was confirmed via Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (α = 0.937), indicating a high level of internal consistency. Statistical analysis was conducted using Pearson correlation in SPSS. The results reveal a statistically positive relationship between product variety and customer attraction (r = 0.663, p < 0.001). Disaggregated analysis further shows that all dimensions of product variety exhibit significant positive correlations with customer attraction: product quality (r = 0.702), packaging (r = 0.635), price (r = 0.541), and product type (r = 0.590). The coefficient of determination (R²) indicates that diversity in product quality accounts for the largest proportion of variance in customer attraction (49.3%), whereas diversity in product type accounts for the smallest (29.3%). The findings underscore that product variety in terms of quality and price differentiation constitutes a decisive factor in enhancing customer attraction. It is recommended that firms adopt calibrated diversification approaches grounded in a nuanced understanding of local consumer preferences and purchasing behavior. Such alignment is essential for achieving competitive advantage in resource-constrained and dynamically evolving market environments.

Keywords: Product variety, customer attraction, quality, price, packaging.