QUALITY EXPECTATIONS IN FURNITURE AND FACTORS AFFECTING PURCHASING: A QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Abstract

Purpose- Every individual develops a notion of quality in all goods, particularly furniture. Although quality perception varies by individual and product, when a large number of people are interviewed, we may get a sense of the overall quality impression. The purpose of this study is to find out what factors individuals consider while deciding on furniture quality and purchasing furniture. Methodology- In the online interview, the participants were asked questions such as why they find the furniture of high quality or poor quality, and what factors they pay attention to when purchasing furniture. A total of 50 participants were interviewed and their data was analyzed in the MAXQDA 2022 program. Findings- As a result of the analyzes made, 12 basic dimensions related to the quality of furniture were determined. These dimensions are according to the frequency of their mention; durability, material quality, comfort, aesthetics, usability and convenience as a sub-dimension, function, additional services, price, size, safety and perceived quality. As for the factors affecting purchasing, 11 basic dimensions have been identified. These are according to the frequency of mention; aesthetics, material quality, price, durability, comfort, usability, perceived quality, function, safety and size. When the word cloud was examined, words such as solid, long, comfortable, durable and useful were the most repetitive words. Istikbal, Bellona, Vivense and Ikea brands were the most mentioned brands, respectively. Since the evaluations of Istikbal and Bellona brands are all positive, it can be said that there is a high quality perception regarding these brands. Conclusion- As a result, when the quality perception of individuals in furniture is examined, it is seen that the most important element is durability, and the element they pay attention to when buying is aesthetics. In order to observe individuals' perceptions of quality in furniture, word frequencies were examined and the words "solid", "long", "comfortable", "useful" and "durable" came up. In terms of the brand, it was determined that Istikbal and Bellona had a positive perception of quality. Finally, it has been observed that the common understanding of quality for the majority of the participants increases in parallel with the lifetime of a product and its external appearance (design). Keywords: Furniture, quality, product quality, buying behavior, perception of quality JEL Codes: M00, M11, M31