VALUE FORMATION AND PURCHASE DECISIONS : PRODUCT BUNDLING, PRODUCT QUALITY, AND PERSONAL SELLING AT UD WULANDARI

Abstrak

This study examines how product bundling, product quality, and personal selling influence purchase decisions in traditional retail settings, particularly under routine consumption conditions in increasingly competitive environments. Drawing on perceived value theory, the study proposes that marketing effectiveness depends not only on the presence of value, but on how that value is interpreted by consumers. Data were collected from 115 customers of UD Wulandari in Palangka Raya using a structured survey instrument and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal a consistent pattern in which all hypothesized relationships are statistically significant, but differ substantially in their relative strength. Personal selling demonstrates the strongest direct effect on purchase decisions, while product bundling and product quality exhibit comparatively weaker direct influences. In contrast, both variables show stronger indirect effects through personal selling, indicating that their impact operates primarily through an interpretative mechanism facilitated by interpersonal communication. These findings suggest that value-based strategies do not directly translate into consumer behavior unless their meaning is effectively communicated. This study contributes by demonstrating that value becomes effective only when it is translated into cognitively accessible meaning. The results also provide practical insights for traditional retailers in improving the effectiveness of their marketing strategies.