Exploring the Influence of Brand Loyalty on College Students’ Purchasing Decisions and Credit Card Usage in New Jersey: An Investigation at Kean University

Jianxia Sun

Co-Presenters: Naicai Sun

College: College of Business and Public Management

Major: Finance

Faculty Research Mentor: Andreas Kakolyris

Abstract:

In today's interconnected society, information interaction has become unprecedentedly developed. Many companies are also capitalizing on this to improve their brand loyalty. Brand loyalty is very significant in shaping consumer purchasing decisions, especially among college students. This study investigates the influence of brand loyalty on the purchasing decisions of college students, with a focused sample drawn from Kean University. Grounded in existing consumer behavior and brand loyalty frameworks, this research aims to evaluate how varying levels of brand allegiance affect price sensitivity and spending behavior. The study explores explicitly whether brand loyalty exerts a more substantial influence on technology and clothing choices compared to everyday groceries and whether high-value products elicit higher degrees of loyalty than low-value items. Data will be collected through a survey targeting both 5rundergraduate and graduate students across diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. By situating Kean University as a representative sample within the broader population of New Jersey college students, the research seeks to capture insights that are both locally relevant and potentially generalizable to similar higher education contexts. Future research can broaden the sample beyond New Jersey but universities out of the state to enhance the generalizability of findings.

Keywords: Brand Loyalty, Consumer Behavior, Purchasing Decisions, Price Sensitivity, College Students