Abstract:

The paper empirically investigates the impact of country of origin on sales of shoe products in Nigeria. Specifically, it examines the aspect of product characteristics that Nigerians use in assessing foreign and locally made shoes in Nigerian market. It also finds out if the choice of shoe by Nigerians is a function of social class, occupation and income of buyers. To achieve the objectives of the study, the research instrument (questionnaire) was administered on a total of two hundred (200) randomly selected shoe customers in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State, Nigeria. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as the frequency counts, mean and T-test. All the tests were carried out at 5% level of significance. The findings of the study reveal that Nigerian consumers prefer foreign shoes to locally made shoes. It also shows that consumers’ preference for foreign shoes is not a function of occupation and income level. The paper is optimistic that with better value embedded in locally manufactured goods, the country will not only develop a substitute for foreign goods but in addition will mitigate youth unemployment and equally promote sustainability of Nigeria development.