The Influence of Product Arrangement on Sales Performance among Street Vendors in Mwanza, Tanzania

Abstract

This paper aimed to examine the influence of product arrangement on sales performance among street vendors in Mwanza, Tanzania. The study employed Push and Pull Theory which was postulated by Gilad and Levine in 1986. This study adopted a positivist research philosophy and employed a descriptive design targeting a population of 450 street vendors in the Nyamagana District. A sample size of 212 was selected using simple random sampling. Data collection was through structured questionnaires, while data analysis used descriptive and inferential statistics, including multiple regression to test the relationship between product arrangement and sales performance. The findings indicate that 48% of respondents believe product arrangement significantly influences sales, with 62.26% affirming that categorizing products aids customers in making quicker purchase decisions. A substantial portion of respondents, 59.44%, agreed that attractive and creative displays encourage impulse buying, while a majority (57.53%) disagreed that a clear arrangement leads to extended browsing time. Furthermore, 55.66% of respondents pointed out that daily sales are enough to cover the expenses, which means a good arrangement of products will be the key factor in boosting total sales. The study concluded that clear visibility of product displays increases the level of customer interaction and purchase, therefore visual merchandising is important in improving sales performance and customer loyalty. The study recommended that business should focus on ways to enhance their product arrangement strategies through creative displays and actively seek customer feedback in order to align merchandising efforts with consumer preferences.