Saudi consumers’ attitudes towards European, US and Japanese products and marketing practices

Examines consumer attitudes towards foreign products and the associated marketing practices in Saudi Arabia, one of the biggest consumers of foreign goods with a per capita gross national product surpassing every African and Latin American country and which was exceeded in Asia only by Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong. Assesses the attitudes of Saudi consumers towards the products and marketing practices of the top six exporters to Saudi Arabia, namely, the USA, Japan, Germany, Italy, UK and France. Utilizes a number of general product attributes, marketing activities and buying and using preference indicators to explain the general attitudes of Saudi consumers towards products and marketing practices of these countries. Findings indicate that Saudi consumers have the most positive attitudinal response to the products and marketing practices of the US and Japan. Among the four Western European competitors, German products and marketing practices were pereived more favourably by Saudi consumers. The relative position of these countries varies depending on the specific product or marketing attribute in question. Saudi consumers did not make any substantial distinctions among the products and marketing practices of Italy, UK and France.