The project traced the effect of packaging on the consume buying decision in the packaging of their products, such as Avon medicated soap, mild soap, etc; a case study of Avon cosmetics Nigeria limited, Aba. Thus, of what importance is package towards the purchase of cosmetics products. Personal interview and questionnaire were used to collect the data from respondents; while percentage was used to analyses the data and chi-square technique was adopted in the testing of hypothesis. Then, the following findings were made: using good colour combination, materials and adequate shape and design to attract buyers attention. Also that the use of suitable distinguished abstract design with simple readable message about the product to attract the attention of consumers, and thereby motivate their decision to buy. That packaging plays an important role of protection. On the other hand, it was found that Avon cosmetics do all the promotion, their believe is that packaging is a silent “salesman,” etc. based on the findings above, it was recommended that for the company to achieve its goals effective and efficiently, the management should give packaging an intelligent leadership and support since packaging is a dynamic complex and controversial business area. This involves improving their packaging policies and ensure that the policies are properly implemented.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKROUND OF THE STUDY

Packaging is a general group of activities in product planning that involves designing and producing the container or wrapper for a product. Because a brands packaging is highly visible, part of the product packaging assumes a major role in marketing the product. In some consumer goods, companies place much importance on the products container and wrapper that they have vice president in charge of packaging. A study of packaging influence on consumer decision making, shades additional light on the significance of packaging.

Busch (1985 p. 370). Approximately 38% of respondents making an initial purchases said that the package had great influence on purchase of cosmetics or toiletry products.

Packaging is very important element in the marketing of products especially in cosmetics industry. It is often referred to as the nearest company’s salesman. A product package apart from protecting the production content, provides important information about the product such as product brand name, price discrimination, ingredients, method of usage, expiring date and warning to the consumers.

A product package containing all these is portrayed as an idea and effective product packaging design. In some cases however, consumers may tend to look for the content or quantitative value of the product thereby over looking the packaging element as an important marketing tools for advertising and other necessary information consumers needs about the product, which in actual sense serves as an influencing factor towards buy decisions.

But as a matter of fact, consumers of cosmetics in most cases evaluated the quality of a particular brand by the alternative of its package in relation to the brand. Getting products into the market in the desired state and at affordable price is a night mare for the manufacturers and consumers as well. They causes high cost of packaging materials yet, the package appears to be indispensable. A package keeps a product intent and available to the final consumers. Packaging is very important, even more for perishable goods such as cosmetics. The conventional purpose of packaging is meant to perform two basic functions. Protecting the product against damages and against degradation, these functions aim at controlling the possibilities of spoilage be it physically or chemical.

Therefore, the marketer of a product has to confront the issues of package in the case of any physical product that is offered to the market initially of all the controllable variables that enters into the marketing decision, only packaging plays a major role in all the strategic marketing areas which made a lot of marketing executive refers to packages as the fifth “ps” of marketing. Price, product, place and promotion. While the “four Ps” are related, only packaging is completely with each of them.

The other reasons for packaging of goods include:

- To identify a product and in this regard it would help to prevent substitute goods.

- The only significant way a company can differentiate its product.

Hence the package should help persuade consumers to try the products and convince the consumer of the quality and suitability of the product in case of a new product, and it is in this case that the bulk of this work will be concentrated.