THE INFLUENCE OF BRAND IMAGE AND PRICES TOWARDS TOOTHPASTE PURCHASE DECISIONS ON MEMBERS OF PT. NATURAL NUSANTARA

This study aims to analyze and explain the influence of brand image and price on purchasing decisions of NASA toothpaste at members of PT. Natural Nusantara. The existence of a good brand image certainly has an impact on affordable prices and in accordance with the benefits that affect the purchase decision of a product that consumers will be interested in. This type of research uses quantitative methods, the sampling technique is random sampling, data collection is to spread questionnaires using Google form, collect data from all elements in the population, namely members of PT. Natural Nusantara. The number of samples is 73 respondents. The questionnaire is the main instrument for collecting primary data. Research analysis using SEM-PLS. The findings of this study reveal that brand image has a positive and significant influence on purchasing decisions, while prices have a positive and significant influence on purchasing decisions, and brand image has a positive and significant influence on prices. Based on this research, it can be concluded that this research hypothesis is accepted.


INTRODUCTION
Digital means of communication have made it easier for the public to keep up with the pace of business development. A business's success is founded on its ability to reach into the creativity and ingenuity of many individuals in order to provide goods and services that consumers want (Wan et al., 2019). Whether done manually or via the use of contemporary technology, business involves components of management, finance, marketing, and human resources.
Consumers are looking for high-quality products at a reasonable price (Shirai, 2015). Also, entrepreneurs are looking for their products to be well-received by customers, be profitable, and be easy to produce. A wide range of products, from everyday basics to items that are not absolutely needed but are nonetheless purchased, are available for purchase. Customers must choose the product they want to consume in order for society to meet their requirements. The number of options, the conditions in which they are presented, and the underlying considerations that drive a buyer's selection are all different for each individual. There is more to a consumer's purchase than just the product itself. As a result, maintaining a positive public image necessitates those businesses give their customers with helpful information and excellent customer service (Kotler et al., 2019).
PT. Natural Nusantara, or better known as PT. NASA is a company headquartered in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, precisely on Jalan Siliwangi No.72, Salakan, Trihanggo, Gamping District, Sleman Regency (Stockist Nasa, 2022). This company is engaged in the distribution of organic-based agrocomplex products (agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries), health products, beauty products, technological innovations, and natural herbalbased household products provided by PT. NASA for the needs of society. NASA toothpaste is one of the breakthrough products from PT. NASA in the household field based on natural herbs to produce household products that are always used every day. NASA products carry an all-organic background automatic this one product is also completely organic (natural) and does not contain detergents.
This company has members who join as NASA members, but based on initial observations, it seems that those who have joined NASA have not entirely used NASA toothpaste, but instead have used other products distributed by PT. Natural Nusantara and are unaware of the benefits of purchasing NASA toothpaste. Members who have used NASA toothpaste have felt and taken advantage of price discounts, in addition to getting very affordable pricing, with discounted prices, and bonus points for every purchase of their items. As a result, the study's main goals are to discover brand image and price responses to toothpaste purchasing decisions, so that researchers can learn more about how many NASA members are familiar with and use NASA toothpaste, as well as see brand image responses that consumers are aware that special prices can affect toothpaste purchasing power on a regular basis, with the expectation that it will become a company's benchmark in meeting the needs of NASA partners.

THEORETICAL REVIEW 2.1. Brand Image
The concept of brand image put forward by (Fandy, 2007). Brand image is the observations and beliefs held by consumers, as reflected in associations or in consumers' memories (Assauri, 2013). Brand image is a company product, in general, its value will always be disturbed or damaged by competitors, brand image is an association of all available information about the products, services and companies of the brand in question. A brand has a vital role to show the value of a product brand to the market (Khasanah, 2013).

Price
According to Kotler & Armstrong (2008a) defines "price is the sum of all the values that consumers redeem so as to obtain the benefits of owning or using goods or services". Meanwhile, according to Assauri (2013) states that "Price is the value of an item expressed in terms of money".
Meanwhile, according to Stanton (1987), "price is the amount of money, (possibly plus some goods) required to obtain some combination of a product and the accompanying service".

Purchasing Decision
According to Stephen and Coulter in (Fahmi, 2016: the decision-making process is a stage consisting of an alternative, and evaluating the decisions. As stated by (Kotler & Armstrong, 2008b) that purchasing decisions as a process where consumers recognize the problem, seek information about a particular product or brand and evaluate how well each alternative can solve the problem which then leads to a purchase decision. Therefore, the

CURRENT ADVANCED RESEARCH ON SHARIA FINANCE AND ECONOMIC WORLDWIDE (CASHFLOW) Volume 1 ISSUE 2 (2022)
CURRENT ADVANCED RESEARCH ON SHARIA FINANCE AND ECONOMIC WORLDWIDE | CASHFLOW https://ojs.transpublika.com/index.php/CASHFLOW/ 3 decision-making process is a basic psychological process that plays an important role in understanding how consumers actually make their purchasing decisions.

RESEARCH METHOD
This research is a type of quantitative research. The data analysis method used Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS) analysis of Smart PLS software version 3. The population in this study were all members of PT. Natural Nusantara. The population of members reached 7.302, so that the sampling technique used was Random Sampling with the method of distributing questionnaires via google form, with a total sample of 73 respondents. The testing stages are validity test, reliability test, inner model includes convergent validity, discriminant validity, composite validity, Cronbach's alpha, as well as outer model includes path coefficient test and hypothesis testing.

Research Result 4.1.1. Validity Test
Based on the research that has been done, the results of the Validity Test are obtained in following

Discussion 4.2.1. The Influence of Brand Image on Purchase Decision
The first hypothesis tests whether Brand Image has a positive effect on Purchase Decisions. The test results show that the beta coefficient of Brand Image on Purchase Decisions is 0,377 and the t-statistic is 2,310. From these results, it is stated that the t-statistic is significant. Because >1,96 with p-value <0,05, according to Jogiyanto & Abdillah (2015) so that the first hypothesis is accepted. This proves that Brand Image is proven to have a positive influence on Purchase Decisions. This result is in line with Vierdwiyani & Syafarudin (2020) and (Solihin, 2021) which shows that brand image has a significant positive effect on purchasing decisions.

The Influence of Price on Purchase Decision
The second hypothesis tests whether the price has a positive effect on purchasing decisions. The test results show the price beta coefficient on purchasing decisions is 0,493 and the t-statistic is 2,841. From these results, it is stated that the t-statistic is significant. Because > 1.96 with p-value < 0,05 according to Jogiyanto & Abdillah (2015) so that the second hypothesis is accepted. This proves that the price is proven to have a positive influence on purchasing decisions. This result is in line with Safitri (2018) and Herawati et al. (2019) which shows that price has a positive effect on purchasing decisions

The Influence of Brand Image on Price
The third hypothesis tests whether Brand Image has a positive effect on price. The test results show the beta coefficient value of Brand Image to Price is 0,778 and the t-statistic is 14,758. From these results, it is stated that the t-statistic is significant. Because > 1.96 with p-value <0,05 according to Jogiyanto & Abdillah (2015) so that the third hypothesis is accepted. This proves that brand image has a positive influence on purchasing decisions. This result is in line with Herawati et al. (2019) and Safitri (2018) which shows that brand Image has a positive effect on price and thus influencing purchasing decisions.

CONCLUSION
Based on the results of the SEM (Structural Equation Modeling) analysis and the discussions that have been carried out in this study, there are several conclusions: 1. According to the findings of the data study, brand image has a positive and significant influence on purchasing decisions. The findings of this study show that brand image is crucially important as a basis for members to make purchases; the better the brand image management, the higher the purchasing decisions; on the other hand, the worse the brand image management, the lower the purchasing decisions. 2. The results of data analysis show that the price has a positive and significant influence on purchasing decisions. The results of this study can be interpreted that the price with a high purchase decision will have an effect on increasing purchasing decisions, on the contrary, if the price is unknown, it will have an impact on decreasing purchasing decisions. 3. According to the findings of the data study, brand image has a positive and significant influence on prices. The results of this study can be concluded that brand image is very important as a basis for members to know the price, the more benefits and quality of a product, namely toothpaste, the purchasing decision increases, and vice versa when the brand image does not match the price, the affordable and cheap price will not be known by the consumer.

Suggestion
Based on the results of the research obtained and the analysis of the data obtained, the suggestions submitted are as follows: 1. For Companies The brand image and prices that have been determined by the company can no longer be doubted because members who have joined the business of PT. Natural Nusantara is a consumer who is able to accept the products that have been issued by PT. Natural Nusantara and decided to continue to use it and the company could better develop its own NASA Toothpaste innovation to improve the company's image, product image and user image.
2. For Academics For other students who want to research, hopefully they will add insight into other variables and other NASA products so that researchers are able to study a problem and a solution to a problem more in depth.