Drivers of Brand Choice and Purchase Behavior in Over-the-Counter Vitamin and Mineral Supplements

Makbule Aytekin

doi:10.31181/msa41202752

Authors

Makbule Aytekin Department of Business Administration, Graduate Education Institute, Artvin Çoruh University, 08000, Artvin, Türkiye Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9652-8373

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31181/msa41202752

Keywords:

Marketing, Over-the-Counter, Brand Image Management, Vitamin and Mineral Supplements, Word of Mouth, Consumer Brand Engagement

Abstract

This study, based on data from 210 participants, examined the determinants of over-the-counter (OTC) vitamin/mineral supplement purchasing behavior using multiple linear regression, independent samples t-tests, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Regression analysis results showed that consumer-brand interaction, brand image, and word-of-mouth marketing significantly influenced purchasing behavior. However, brand trust and brand loyalty were found to have no significant impact on purchasing behavior. Participants most frequently used vitamin D and magnesium, and 74% consulted a physician or pharmacist before purchasing OTC mineral/vitamin supplements. ANOVA and t-tests revealed that marital status, gender, income level, and brand preference significantly influenced brand perceptions. From a marketing perspective, relational and social factors (interaction, image, word of mouth) appear more effective than loyalty-based tools in this category of OTC mineral and vitamin products. On the other hand, from a management science perspective, these findings offer a predictive model for resource allocation. To maximize the return on marketing investment, budgets can be reallocated from brand trust and loyalty to word-of-mouth and professional consulting channels.

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