Marketing Mix Factors and Customer Satisfaction Influencing Tennis Equipment Purchase Decisions of Thai Youth Players

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the demographic characteristics, marketing mix factors, and customer satisfaction that influence the purchasing decisions of Thai youth tennis players regarding tennis sports equipment. A quantitative research approach was employed using a survey design. The respondents comprised 400 tennis players aged 15–18 who had competed in tournaments certified by the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand Under His Majesty's Patronage. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The findings revealed that certain demographic factors namely age, family income, occupation of the head of household, and the primary decision maker had statistically significant effects on purchasing decisions, whereas gender and education level did not show significant differences. Regarding the marketing mix, the product, price, marketing promotion, and service personnel dimensions significantly influenced purchasing decisions, with the product dimension having the highest impact (B = 0.249, Sig. = 0.000). In terms of customer satisfaction, five dimensions exhibited significant positive correlations with purchasing decisions at the p < 0.05 level: product satisfaction, price satisfaction, distribution channel satisfaction, marketing promotion satisfaction, and service personnel satisfaction. Among these, satisfaction with distribution channels demonstrated the strongest correlation (r = 0.534). The multiple regression model indicated that all seven dimensions of the marketing mix jointly explained 54.9% of the variance in purchasing decisions (R² = 0.549). Overall, the results highlight the crucial roles of marketing mix strategies and customer satisfaction in influencing the purchasing behavior of youth tennis players. The findings contribute to sports marketing literature by highlighting how marketing mix factors and customer satisfaction influence purchasing decisions among Thai youth tennis players, providing insights for sports equipment marketers and practitioners.