Product-based marketing strategies: pork consumption in Taiwan and Japan

PurposeThe present study surveyed consumers in Taiwan and Japan to analyse the influence of marketing mix on purchase intention and the willingness to pay for Taiwanese pork and to establish a marketing-oriented model of consumer behaviour.Design/methodology/approachA total of 1,134 valid Internet surveys were collected, which included 526 Taiwanese respondents and 608 Japanese respondents.FindingsAn analysis of the results indicated that product quality constitutes the foundation of marketing strategies and significantly affects purchase intention and willingness to pay through physical evidence, promotional activities, place and price. Both physical evidence and product strongly affect the purchase intention of Taiwanese consumers, followed by price, whereas price and physical evidence significantly affect willingness to pay. For Japanese consumers, price, product and promotion strongly affect purchase intention, but place and physical evidence exert negative effects; by contrast, price and promotion significantly affect willingness to pay.Originality/valueThe results determined that a modified marketing mix should be applied for agricultural products. In the domestic market, marketing should promote the modernisation and scale of pork farms and possibly the brand value or market rarity. In international markets, particularly those of neighbouring countries, marketing should focus on the promotion of Taiwanese pork as a high-quality, reasonably-priced product with transparent product information and convenient purchase channels. This study contributes to the application of marketing theory to the market for staple foods by incorporating considerations for domestic and international markets.