PRICE SENSITIVITY AND TRADITIONAL RETAIL IN THE UZBEK MARKET: CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FOREIGN INVESTORS.

This research paper examines the psychology of the Uzbek consumer market against the backdrop of the country's rapid economic transformation and pending WTO accession. Drawing on a survey of 75 randomly selected adult respondents (aged 18 and over) alongside secondary data from national and international sources, the study analyzes current customer behavior, monthly spending patterns, and purchasing preferences in Uzbekistan. It compares these findings with consumer trends in the Gulf, European, and Chinese markets to contextualize Uzbekistan's stage of retail development, and reviews the country's tax system and investment incentives available to foreign investors. The findings show that Uzbek consumers remain highly price-sensitive and favor traditional, offline points of purchase such as bazaars over online and modern retail channels, distinguishing the market from more digitally mature economies. Because the sample is small and the analysis is descriptive, the results indicate general tendencies rather than precise population estimates. The paper concludes that, as WTO accession and infrastructure development progress, the market is likely to move gradually toward a hybrid online-offline model rather than a rapid shift to digital-first retail.