Article: Consumer purchase intention towards traditional Chinese medicine Journal: International Journal of Business and Globalisation (IJBG) 2023 Vol.34 No.3 pp.391 - 404 Abstract: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is not scientifically proven and standardised. Hence, the customer depends highly on the credibility of the provider. However, there is a lack of research in respect to consumer's purchase intention towards traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to model the relative effects of trust, knowledge, perceived price and attitude on the intention of consumers to purchase TCM in a market setting outside China. Data were collected over an eight-week period, using a close-ended questionnaire from 329 respondents in Malaysia. The proposed model of this study was tested using structural equation modelling (SEM). Findings showed that trust, attitude and knowledge were significant factors in determining consumer purchase intention towards TCM. This study suggests that marketers should focus more on trust building and on reducing consumer mistrust in order to establish long-term acceptance of and commitment to purchase TCM. Besides, marketers are encouraged to focus more on enhancing consumer knowledge about TCM treatment through education and confidence building experience. Entrepreneurs who want to penetrate into the healthcare industry with TCM treatment need to emphasise the influence of consumer trust and knowledge to foster and expand market share. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Consumer purchase intention towards traditional Chinese medicine

Authors: S.M. Ferdous Azam; Abdullah Sarwar

Addresses: Faculty of Business Management and Professional Studies, Graduate School of Management, Management and Science University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ' Faculty of Management, Multimedia University, Cyberjaya, Malaysia

Abstract: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is not scientifically proven and standardised. Hence, the customer depends highly on the credibility of the provider. However, there is a lack of research in respect to consumer's purchase intention towards traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to model the relative effects of trust, knowledge, perceived price and attitude on the intention of consumers to purchase TCM in a market setting outside China. Data were collected over an eight-week period, using a close-ended questionnaire from 329 respondents in Malaysia. The proposed model of this study was tested using structural equation modelling (SEM). Findings showed that trust, attitude and knowledge were significant factors in determining consumer purchase intention towards TCM. This study suggests that marketers should focus more on trust building and on reducing consumer mistrust in order to establish long-term acceptance of and commitment to purchase TCM. Besides, marketers are encouraged to focus more on enhancing consumer knowledge about TCM treatment through education and confidence building experience. Entrepreneurs who want to penetrate into the healthcare industry with TCM treatment need to emphasise the influence of consumer trust and knowledge to foster and expand market share.

Keywords: consumer preference; traditional Chinese medicine; TCM; trust; perceived price; attitude; purchase intention.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBG.2023.133273

International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 2023 Vol.34 No.3, pp.391 - 404

Received: 17 Jan 2020
Accepted: 31 Mar 2020
Published online: 11 Sep 2023 *

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Title: Consumer purchase intention towards traditional Chinese medicine

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