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INTRODUCTION:

1.1 Drivers of Retailing in India:

� Rising income: Over the past decade, India’s middle & high income population has

increased at a rapid pace of over 10% p.a. The number of house holds earning above Rs.

150000 p.a is about 80 m by the end of 2007.

� Change in consumer behavior: There has been change in shopping behavior in urban

India over past few years with consumer looking for convenience. They want everything

under one roof & bigger choice of products with an increase in double income house

holds, people do not have much leisure time & seek convenience of one stop shopping in

order to make the best of their time. They also look for speed & efficiency. Increased

awareness has also meant that consumers now seeks more information, variety, product

availability, better quality & hygiene as well as improved consumer service. The concept

of value for money is picking up.

� Explosion of media: Media bombardment has exposed the Indian consumers to the

lifestyles of more affluent countries& raised their aspirations & expectations regarding

their shopping experience. They want better choice, value, service & convenience.

� Entry of corporate sector: Large business houses like Tata’s ITC, RPG Group, the

piramals and the Rahejas have initiated the investment in retailing. Big business houses

today are in position to provide the Indian masses with shopping satisfaction,

entertainment, quality products, polite salesperson, product information & discount.

� New entrepreneur: The growing attractiveness of retail trade has begun to draw new

entrepreneur with ideas & venture capitalists with funds. Subhiksha an innovative discount

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grocery chain in Chennai has expanded to total of 50 stores in less than 3 yrs. & one of

most successful retail startups in recent past.

Venture capitalists like ICICI are increasingly willing to invest in Retail business.

� Foreign retail looking for Entry options: With opening of Economy, more & more

MNCs have entered the Indian business arena via JVs, Franchises of even self owned

stores. The 1st MNC to get in was spencers which entered into tie up with RPL group &

Dairy form. International $ 10 bn Hong Kong & used comp. & port of Jardine Matheson

group. Wal-mart the largest world retail; also plans to foray India 4th largest retail market

in world.

1.2 Influences on a growing brand:

The initial sales of virtually all brands of packaged goods follow a similar pattern in that they

rise to an early peak, and then settle down to a lower, steadier level. The rise is partially

influenced by increasing distribution, but more heavily by increasing sales per shop, an

indication of consumer repeat purchase. Simple models based on test market experience can

be applied to the earliest retail audit data measuring national sales and distribution, & these

can be used to forecast the path of sales during the period (which averages rather more than

two years) before a brand reaches its stable national level. This period is tending to shorten as

markets become more crowded and competitive.

This puts increased emphasis on the importance of early plans for restaging.

Trade & consumer promotions account for more money than advertising, out of the average

manufacturer’s total expenditure above & below the line. There is a significant dissonance

between the short-term demand for promotions to increase sales, & the long term (but

normally less insistent) demand for advertising to increase the numbers and loyalty of

consumers. This dissonance is frequently expressed by budgetary adjustments during the last

quarter of any year, under unplanned & often crisis conditions, to enable tonnage sales targets

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to be met. The pressures to increase promotions are increasing over tie because of growing

strength of retail trade.

Advertising, expressed as a share of advertising voice in a market, can be viewed in parallel

with the market share of an individual brand. For large brands, the market share normally

exceeds the advertising share; for smaller brands, the opposite is true. This general

relationship is strong evidence for the existence of advertising- related scale economies for

large brands.

A study examined the influence of advertising share on market share, allowing for the

possible contamination of the reverse influence of the sales level on the advertising level. In

the cases of about 70 percent of ongoing brands, there is an apparent relationship (from

advertising to sales) which is both linear and casual. The dynamic difference regression

describing this relationship can be used for two purposes: first, to predict the effect on market

share of a change in advertising weight within the regression; & second, to demonstrate the

financial productivity of any campaign change having effects beyond its parameters.

The marginal extra productivity of a new campaign can also be estimated approximately by

the use of the moving demand curve technique. Another productive device, the use of

advertising and price elasticity, can be used not only for sales maximization, but also for sales

optimization to maximize profit. Although the data needed to compute this elasticity are

difficult to put together, the technique of manipulating them operationally is relatively simple

to understand & apply.

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Influences on

a growing

brand

Trade promotions:

Consumer promotions: Advertising:

Price: Distribution:

1.3 Distribution:

Even for a new brand with growing distribution, shops running out of stock can be a problem

that can cause widespread switching away from one brand to its competitors during the

period just before the end of its sales cycle. With an ongoing brand, although the absolute

level of distribution is generally steady once the distributional base has been built, the

disappearance of retail stocks remain a real & continuous problem.

This can put consumers in dilemma. They will normally buy a substitute brand if the brand

they are looking for is not available. This will happen in 58 percent of cases, according to

Nielsen data. If the size they seek is not on shelf, they will buy a different brand altogether in

further 30 percent of cases. Retailers should realize that in case of missing brand, 42 percent

of consumers will leave the store with no purchase in the product category. In the case of the

missing size, 18 percent will leave. These represent absolute losses of business, in most cases

to other stores.

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This dilemma is by no means uncommon. Nielson data describe the product categories in

which homemakers are more loyal, and those in which they are less loyal to the brand they

are looking for during any particular shopping trip. Among the categories in which

homemakers will not readily accept a substitute are: dentifrice, instant coffee, floor wax, &

detergents. Among the categories in which substitutes are more readily acceptable are: toilet

tissues, crackers, ready to eat cereals & canned beans. During the course of a year,

homemakers will buy a number of different brands but on many individual shopping trips

they will be looking for a particular brand (perhaps for use by a particular member of the

family), & will not buy another if this is not available. Interestingly enough, Nielsen shows a

degree of correlation between the long-term level of advertising investments & the product

fields in which customers are unwilling to substitute. This is but one example of the many

beneficial side effects of advertising.

However, retailers running out of stock remain a stubborn problem, with dangers of marginal

but real losses of business. A normal out- of –stock level is considered to be 3 percent. With a

computerized stock control system linked to the checkout, there is no real reason for

manufacturers and retailers even to accept as much as this. But 6 percent & more is by no

means uncommon. With the resultant level of sales loss (which is as much as 6 percent of

case sales over a year in a specific and typical Nielsen example), manufacturers even more

than retailers will continue to pay a significant penalty for their inability to solve what is in

essence a relatively simple mechanical problem, and one which is in the interests of

manufacturers and retailers alike to solve.

1.4 Five key variable retail factors:

1. Penetration: percentage (normally of households) buying at least one pack of a

brand.

2. Purchase frequency: number of purchase occasions per buyer.

3. Frequency distribution: number of buyers who buy a brand at different frequencies

(once, twice & so forth)

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4. Repeat buying: percentage of buyers who continue to buy the brand.

5. Multiband buying: percentage of buyers who also purchase another brand or brands.

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LITERATURE REVIEW

1. “Branding: - Hub of the Corporate wheel”, A brief history of brand necessity of

branding; Indian journal of marketing; Volume xxxiii, Number: 11 (November, 2003)

Some brands appeal to the rational part of a person, to the elements of logic & good sense

(the thinking dimension) such as fuel economy bikes (like Hero – Honda), toothpaste which

prevents decay (like Colgate) and cholesterol free foods (like saffola oil) others appeal to the

sense of smell, taste, sight and sound such as fashion and cosmetic product.

Some of the researches conducted shows that we have as little as four seconds to get a

shopper's attention. The study explains what you need to do to guarantee that you own that

four seconds from understanding your competitive arena and context to understanding the

nature of today’s shopper. From there they explain how you can optimize the creation of your

products, your retail impact and your communications. Finally, they demonstrate how to

activate the process through retailizing your entire organization from top to bottom and we

how to verify the results.

Brand influence consumer decisions to buy in any way. Research shows that the real driving

force behind market leadership is perceived value-not price or inherent product attribute. As

long as a brand to offer consumers superior perceived value, then good market performance

will follow, which makes consistency a high important feature of brand behavior.

2. “Changing Trends in retailing and FMCG industry in India”, Marketing

Mastermind, the ICFAI University Press, (October 2004)

Bt the turn of 20th century, the face of the Indian retailing industry had changed significantly.

The retailing industry, dominated by the unorganized sector until the early 1990s, witnessed a

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rapid growth in the organized sector with the entry of corporate groups such as Tata, RPG,

ITC and Bennet Coleman & company into the retailing market.

With the liberalization and growth of the Indian economy since the early 1990s, the Indian

consumer witnessed an increasing exposure to new domestic and foreign products through

different media such as television and internet. Social changes such as increase in the number

of nuclear families and the growing number of working couples resulting in increase

spending power, also contributed to an increase in the Indian consumer personal

consumption.

Thee changes had a positive impact, leading to the rapid growth in the retailing industry.

Increased availability of retail space, rapid urbanization, and qualified manpower also

boosted the growth of the organized retailing sector.

3. “Factors that shape a Brand during its Growth and Maturity, Chapter 4”, WHAT’S

IN A BRAND? , John Philip Jones, Tata McGraw Hill, 1998.

Customers normally buy a substitute brand if the brand they are looking for is not available.

This will happen in 58% of cases, according to Nielsen data. If the size they seek is not on

shelf, they will buy another size of same brand in 52% of cases, and buy a different brand

altogether in further 30% of cases. Retailers should realize that in the case of missing brand,

42% of customers will leave the store with no purchase in the product category. In the case of

missing size, 18% will leave. These represent absolute losses of business, in most cases to

other stores.

Among the categories in which homers will not readily accept a substitute are: dentifrice,

instant coffee, floor wax, & detergents. Among the categories in which substitutes are more

readily acceptable are: toilet tissues, crackers, ready-to eat cereals, and canned beans. During

the course of a year, homemakers will buy a number of different brands, but on many

individual shopping trips they will be looking for a particular brand (perhaps for use by a

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particular member of the family), and will not buy another if this is not available.

Interestingly enough, Nielsen shows a degree of correlation between the long-term level of

advertising investments and the product fields in which customers are unwilling to substitute.

This is but one example of the many beneficial side effects of advertising.

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4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research is a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic. In

generalized way one can say “search for knowledge” is research.

4.1 Rationale of the study

Main rational behind the analysis of brand survival in the age if retail power is due to the

increasing brand consciousness among the consumers on one hand and growing realization on

the other. On one hand consumers are understanding brand equity, have learned brand value,

while on other side increasing consumerism has resulted in life more n more busy than ever,

they so value convenience, time and hassle equally.

So the study is conducted to figure out the relative importance of retail factors and brand value

in relation to each other.

4.2 Research Type

It is a descriptive research that includes surveys & fact findings enquiries regarding malls

culture in Indore. As its main characteristics is that I as a researcher has no control over these

variables i.e, demographical factor, buying behavior, promotional strategy. I only reported

what was happened & what is happening. The method of research utilized in descriptive

research is survey method. It’s an analytical research, on the other hand, the researcher has to

use facts or information already available, & analyze these to make a critical evaluation of the

material.

4.3 Motivation in research

� Desire to get degree along with its consequential benefits.

� Desire to face challenges in solving the unsolved problems.

� Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work.

� Desire to get respectability.

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4.4 Sample Size

The information was thus collected from hundred (100) shoppers as per the objective of the

study and the results are described. The sample consists of all toothpaste users comprising

different age, income & profession groups. Sampling procedure is random sampling.

4.5 Sample Unit

� The study has been carried out at Indore.

� Census survey has been conducted for acquiring the information.

� Shoppers were randomly taken into consideration for the acquisition of relevant and

meaningful data.

4.6 Data collection tools

� Primary data has been collected through questionnaires. It included close-ended

objective questions for collecting information.

� Secondary data has been collected through various books, magazines, journals and

internet.

4.7 Data analysis tools

� Primary data was analyzed through percentage analysis & correlation. It includes

statistical methods such as graphs, percentage, pie charts, tables etc.

� Secondary data was analyzed through interpretations and applied logic.

4.8 Conclusions and report

� Valid interpretation of gathered information is done to supply with meaningful

recommendations.

� Summary of findings is provided.

� The report in the form of record is made available.

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Q.1. Age group?

Data Table

Age Group Respondents %

Below 25 yrs. 34

25 - 40 45

40 - 60 17

Above 60 4

Total 100

Interpretation:

Majority of the sample falls between age group of 25-40 (Middle age group) yrs.Next major

group comprised of teenagers & youngsters falling below 25 yrs.

Upper middle age group (40-60 yrs) was comparatively less - 17%.

Least is the respondents above 60 yrs of age – only 4%

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Q.2. Household Annual income group?

Data Table

Income group Respondents %

Below Rs. 50,000 12

50,000 - 1,00,000 19

1,00,000 - 5,00,000 53

Above 5,00,000 16

Total 100

Interpretation:

Majority of sample size belong to Income group of 1- 5 lacs. – 53%

Rest of the Income groups was approximately equal.

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Q.3. Profession?

Data Table

Profession Respondents %

Student 40

Service 42

Business 9

Home maker 9

Total 100

Interpretation:

Majority consist of service & students about 40%.

Business & homemakers are comparatively less 9%.

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Q.4. Purchase pattern?

Data Table

Frequency Kirana Shop Super Bazaar Departmental

Always 36 15 8

Often 38 30 27

Occasionally 15 44 31

Rarely 11 9 30

Never 0 2 4

Interpretation:

The graph clearly shows that even after advent & popularization of modern trade, all the

respondents purchase from mom & pop stores.

� Also most respondents (74%) were either buying always or often from these stores.

� For super bazaars majority (74%) of people were buying often or occasionally.

� Whereas purchase from departmental stores is about equally distributed among buyers

buying often, occasionally & rarely.

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Q .5. Rate these factors responsible for shopping in these stores?

“Convenience of all under one roof ”

Data Table

Importance Respondents %

Not important 5

Less important 5

Neutral 7

Important 61

Very Important 22

Interpretation:

Convenience is sought as a basic factor of shopping in the present time as - about 83% of

candidate rate it as important & very important.

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Q .5. Rate these factors responsible for shopping in these stores?

“Better quality”

Data Table


Not important 0

Less important 0

Neutral 6

Important 40

Very Important 54

Interpretation:

Good quality is must for any retailer to maintain as none of the buyers sampled rated it as not

important or even less important, in fact 0nly 6% were neutral rest 94% said it to be

important and very important.

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Q.5. Rate these factors responsible for shopping in these stores?

“Good variety”

Data Table


Not important 0

Less important 0

Neutral 10

Important 61

Very Important 29

Interpretation:

People now days are increasingly seeking for wide range of variety, none of the buyer rated

this factor as not important in fact 90% of respondents rated it as important or very important.

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“Courteous sales people”

Data Table


Not important 4

Less important 6

Neutral 27

Important 52

Very Important 11

Interpretation:

Courteous sales people has comparatively low priority to other factors as only about 63% of

the respondents consider courteous sales people as important where as rest considers it as

either neutral, less important or even unimportant.

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“Competitive pricing”

Data Table


Not important 2

Less important 5

Neutral 27

Important 34

Very Important 32

Interpretation:

Also people are growing less price-sensitive as about 60% of respondents consider it as either

important or very important, rest 40% rates it as neutral, less or even unimportant.

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“Bulk buying”

Data Table


Not important 9

Less important 14

Neutral 38

Important 32

Very Important 7

Interpretation:

There has been a paradigm shift in bulk buying behavior which was very usual previously but

recently due to other contributing factors people believe less in bulk buying.

Figures too justify it as only 40% minority considers it to be important or very important,

where as majority 60% finds it to be neutral, less important or even unimportant.

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“Status symbol”

Data Table


Not important 12

Less important 20

Neutral 33

Important 22

Very Important 13

Interpretation:

The response for this parameter is almost symmetrical with majority responding it as neutral,

rest equally as important, very important and less or not important.

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Q.7. Are respondents normally predetermined on what to purchase before you

come to the store?

Data Table

Response Respondents %

Yes 73

No 27

Total 100

Interpretation:

This signifies that majority of buyers make their shopping lists before going for purchasing

but there is yet 30% of buyers who are not determined about what they have to purchase

before actually shopping, these are the impulsive buyers which easily fall prey to smart

selling tactics or attractive offers.

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Q.8. At the time of shopping respondents decide?

Data Table

Frequency Only product Brand & product Decide on the floor

Always 8 14 10

Often 39 27 20

Occasionally 19 45 27

Rarely 32 5 37

Never 2 9 6

Interpretation:

Buyers are less consistent about their mind make up for only product, both brand & product

and to be decided at the shopping time itself, as average % of respondents rating at always

and never are overall very less about 10% & 5% respectively.

However,

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Often people decide about their only the product to be bought,

Occasionally both brand and product to be bought are pre-decided.

Again buyers who leave their decision at the actual shopping time are the impulsive buyers,

ratio for which is though less but significant.

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Q.9. Factors affecting respondent’s purchase decision?

Data Table

Intensity Brand Retailer's opinion Promotional schemes Packaging

Affect very much 56 8 43 22

Affect some what 42 42 40 43

Doesn't affect so much 2 50 17 35

Interpretation:

The factor affecting most to the buyers is the Brand; second in order are promotional

schemes.

However major (50%) respondents were found to be unaffected by Retailer’s opinion,

Packaging was rated as averagely affecting.

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Q.10. How many toothpaste brands customers use?

Data Table

No. of Brands used Respondents %

One 20

Two 31

Three 36

Four 8

Five 5

Interpretation:

Statistics shows that near 20% of respondents use single brand of toothpaste which represents

the ratio of hard core loyal.

About 13% of respondents use 4 or 5 brands representing brand switchers.

While majority of respondents (67%) use two or three brands of tooth paste.

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Q.10. Favorite toothpaste brands of consumers?

Data Table

Brands Respondents %

Colgate 32

Pepsodent 27

Close - up 28

Meswaq 2

Babool 2

Cibaca 3

Himalaya 2

Dabur 2

Neem 2

Interpretation:

Colgate was observed to be the most favorite brand used by 32% of respondents while

nearest competitors were Pepsodent (27%) and Close-up (28%).

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Q.11. Reaction of consumer on not finding his favorite toothpaste brand?

Data Table

Reaction Respondents %

Don't mind going to another Retailer 41

Buy other favorite brands without any problem 22

Buy other brands but you feel compromising 16

Ask Retailer to keep asked brand in his store 18

Don't mind trying other brands not mentioned 3

Interpretation:

In this case Brand was seen to be overpowering Retailer as supported by 41% respondents,

loyal enough towards their favorite brand that they didn't mind going to another retailer but

didn’t switched over. While 22% bought other preferred brands without any problem, only

3% are found to be innovators ready to try brands not used before.

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Q.12. Reaction of consumer on not finding required toothpaste pack size?

Data Table


Purchase another brand of same size 13

Purchase different size of same brand 63

Go to another shop for particular size of your desired brand 24

Interpretation:

Only 13% of were observed to be switching brand on not finding desired size, 63% purchased

the desired brand compromising on size and 24% preferred going to another retailer rather

than compromising on either brand or size.

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Q.13. Retailers advice affects you in following way?

Data Table


Try the product he suggests. 23

Show interest but don't act as he says. 50

Ignore his suggestions. 21

Argue with Retailer. 6

Total 100

Interpretation:

Retailer's advice was to affect only 23% of respondents positively who tried the product the

retailer suggested while rest acted as per their own will.

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Q.14. Would you like to go to a shop which displays only 2 or 3 of your

favorite brands (But no other brand)?

Data Table

Response Respondents %

Yes 39

No 61

Total 100

Interpretation:

Here, the retailer is benefited over brands; as 61% of respondents preferred a Retailer

displaying multiple brands over one with only 2 or 3 favorite brands. Here, visibility

increases awareness as well as retention, which may at a later stage result into sales of even

new brands.

Hence it is observed that as far as innovators, switchers & impulsive buyers are concerned,

Retailers are found to be more powerful than brand.

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Correlative analysis

Correlations between AGE and Brand

VAR00001 VAR00002

Spearman's

rho

VAR00001 Correlation

Coefficient

1.000 -.007

N 100 100


Coefficient

-.007 1.000

N 100 100

Interpretation:

� The correlation value between Age & Brand consciousness is not very much

significant yet a negative correlation mean Brand consciousness is more found in

consumers of old age as compared to younger ones.

Correlation between Income and Brand

VAR00001 VAR00002

Spearman's

rho


Coefficient 1.000 .007

N 100 100


Coefficient .007 1.000

N 100 100

Interpretation:

� Similarly, correlation value between Income & Brand consciousness is not very much

significant yet a positive correlation exist showing that Brand consciousness is more

in high/upper income group as compared to low income groups.

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Correlation between Profession and brand

VAR00001 VAR00003

Spearman's

rho


Coefficient 1.000 -.100

N 100 100


Coefficient -.100 1.000

N 100 100

Interpretation:

� The correlation is significant here. A small correlation value implies - Students and

service class are not as much brand conscious as business class and home makers.

Correlation between AGE and Retailer’s opinion

VAR00001 VAR00002

Spearman's

rho



N 100 100


Coefficient

.130 1.000

N 100 100

Interpretation:

� Age and Retailer’s opinion are positively correlated. Small correlation signifies that older

people are more responsive towards retailer’s opinion as compared to younger ones

Older the person more effective is the Retailer’s opinion & vice versa.

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Correlation between Income and Retailer’s opinion

VAR00001 VAR00003

Spearman's

rho



N 100 100



N 100 100

Interpretation:

� A positive significant correlation value between income and Retailer’s opinion shows

that Retailer’s opinion is more effective on upper income group than lower income

groups.

Correlation between Profession and Retailer’s opinion

VAR00001 VAR00003

Spearman's

rho


Coefficient

1.000 .047

N 100 100



N 100 100

Interpretation:

� Professions studied under research are positively correlated to Retailer’s opinion which

means Retailer’s opinion has increasing effect on profession in the following order.

Students < Service < Business < Home makers, hence students are least affected

whereas housewives are most affected by Retailer’s opinion.

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6.1 Results:

1. Brand consciousness amongst consumers decreases as the age increases.

2. Similarly, brand consciousness amongst consumers increases with the increasing

income.

3. Students and service class are not as much brand conscious as business class and

home makers.

4. Even after advent & popularization of modern trade, all the respondents purchase

from mom & pop stores quite often.

5. Convenience, Good quality & wide range of variety are sought as basic factors of

shopping. Courteous sales people, price sensitivity & bulk buying has comparatively

low priority to other factors.

6. Majority of buyers make their shopping lists before going for purchasing but there is

yet 30% of buyers who are not determined about what they have to purchase before

actually shopping, these are the impulsive buyers which easily fall prey to smart

selling tactics or attractive offers.

7. Buyers are less consistent about their mind make up for only product, both brand &

product and to be decided at the shopping time itself, as average % of respondents

rating at always and never are overall very less.

8. Often people decide about their only the product to be bought, occasionally both

brand and product to be bought are pre-decided. Again buyers who leave their

decision at the actual shopping time are the impulsive buyers, ratio for which is

though less but significant.

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9. The factor affecting most to the buyers is the Brand; second in order are promotional

schemes. Half of the respondents were found to be unaffected by Retailer’s opinion,

Packaging was rated as averagely affecting.

10. Near 20% of respondents use single brand of toothpaste which represents the ratio of

hard core loyals. About 13% of respondents use 4 or 5 brands representing brand

switchers. While majority 67% use two or three brands of tooth paste.

11. Colgate was observed to be the most favorite brand used by 32% of respondents while

nearest competitors were Pepsodent (27%) and Close-up (28%).

12. 61% of respondents preferred a Retailer displaying multiple brands over one with

only 2 or 3 favorite brands.

13. Only 13% of were observed to be switching brand on not finding desired size, 63%

purchased the desired brand compromising on size and 24% preferred going to

another retailer rather than compromising on either brand or size.

14. Retailer's advice was to affect only 23% of respondents positively who tried the

product the retailer suggested while rest acted as per their own will.

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6.2 Recommendations:

� It was observed that 61 percent of respondents preferred a Retailer displaying multiple

brands over one with only 2 or 3 favorite brands. This implies that visibility increases

awareness as well as retention, which may at a later stage result into sales of even new

brands.

� Research shows that as far as innovators, switchers & impulsive buyers are

concerned, Retailers are found to be more powerful than brand and focusing on POPs

and other purchase point activities large benefits can be derived and hence its strongly

recommended.

� Only 13 percent of respondents were observed to be switching brand on not finding

desired size, 63 percent purchased the desired brand compromising on size and 24

percent preferred going to another retailer rather than compromising on either brand

or size.

Therefore it is recommended that Retailers should always stock the various Brands

and their respective variants accordingly.

� It is recommended that instead of considering each other as competitor, Brand

(manufacturer) and Retailer should work on mutual cooperation so as to ensure

smoother operations and effective marketing.

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IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY

� The project titled “Brand Survival in the age of Retail Marketing with special

reference to Toothpaste market in Indore” is useful for any marketer involving

channel interaction between Brand and Retailer.

� It deals with the study of the buying behavior and preference of customers from any

retailer based on several attributes. Also, it will prove to be very helpful for designing

effective marketing strategies for retailer as well as manufacturer selling via retailer.

� Various factors affecting buyer’s purchase behavior have been studied with their

relative importance to each other. Hence these findings can be used to focus more

important areas effectively.

� During the course of this project it was seen that demographics plays a vital role in

deciding the importance of both Brand and Retailer’s opinion. This can be used for

effective segmentation and targeting market.

The work would have been more useful if more data would have been available for research

purpose.

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CONCLUSION:

Brand was seen to be overpowering Retailer as supported by 41 percent of total

respondents, loyal enough towards their favorite brand to such an extent that they didn't mind

going to another retailer but were not willing to switch over. 22 percent of total respondents

bought other preferred brands without any problem, only 3 percent were found to be

innovators ready to try brands not used before.

Hence it is observed that as far as innovators, switchers & impulsive buyers are concerned,

Retailers are found to be more powerful than brand.

In other cases Brand was observed to be having an edge over the Retailers.

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LIMITATIONS:

In any project that is carried out, there are certain limitations & constraints that refrain student

from collecting more data & making the project more accurate. The following limitations were

faced during completion of this project:

1. Time Constraints:

� Since the project was only of two months duration, the sample size had to be

restricted to 100 respondents, which may not represent the entire universe.

� Also due to lack of time study was limited to Indore market which otherwise could

have been expanded to larger geographical area.

2. Busy Schedule of respondents:

Another limitation faced during the project was that the respondents were reluctant to

give time due to their busy schedule.

3. Error in response:

Because of some non-responses, errors still might have cropped up.

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QUESTIONNAIRE

Section: A

Q.1. Annual income group:

o Below Rs. 50,000. o 50,000 – 1, 00,000. o 1, 00,000 – 5, 00,000. o Above 5, 00,000.

Q.2. your age group:

o Below 25 years. o 25 – 40. o 40 – 60. o Above 60.

Q.3. your profession:

o Student. o Service. o Business. o Home maker.

Section: B

Q.4. Tick your purchase pattern?

Always Often Occasionally Rarely Never

Nearest kirana shop

Super Bazaars

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Departmental Stores

Q .5.Rate these factors responsible for shopping in these stores.

Not imp. Less imp. neutral imp Very imp.

Convenience of all under one roof

Better quality.

Good variety.

Courteous sales people.

Competitive pricing.

Abundant quantity.

Status symbol.

Q.7. Are you normally predetermined on what to purchase before you come to the store?

o Yes. o No.

Q.8. Before shopping you decide:

Statements Always Often Occasionally Rarely Never

Only about a product you have to buy.

Both Product & the brand which you will buy.

You leave the decision to betaken at the time

you reach shopping floor.

Q.9. Factors affecting your purchase decision:

Affect very much Affect some what Doesn’t affect so much

Brand

Retailer’s opinion

Promotional Schemes

Attractive packaging.

Q.10. which brands you use for the following:

45

Commonly used Brand names

Tooth

Q.11. Do you have any specific favorite brand amongst those mentioned in Q.10? If yes, please specify.

Favorite brand

Tooth

Section: C

Q.12. On not finding your favorite toothpaste brand:

o You don’t mind going to another retailer. o You buy other brand mentioned in Q.10 without any problem. o You buy other brand but you feel compromising. o You ask retailer to keep that brand in his store. o You don’t mind trying other brands not mentioned above by you.

Q.13. Retailers advice affects you in following way – (In your toothpaste buying behavior) o You try the product he suggests. o You listen to his suggestions but you don’t act to it. o You ignore his suggestions. o You argue with retailer.

Q.14. Would you like to go to a shop which displays only 2 or 3 of your favorite brands? (But no other brand of toothpaste)? o Yes. o No.

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REFERENCES

I. Bibliography

1. Balaji MS, Supriya MB, Corporate Branding: “Understanding corporate brands &

corporate branding”, Marketing mastermind, vol. VI, Issue 12, December 2006.pp

(25-32).

2. Kapoor Priya, The Advertising, Marketing & Media Review: “Brand Journey

POND’S”, Pitch, Vol. IV, Issue 4, January 15 – February 15, 2007. pp (64-66).

3. Saraf Vikas,”Branding:- Hub of the Corporate wheel, ”Indian Journal of Marketing ,

Vol. XXXIII, Issue 11, November 2003

4. Sudhir Vinita, The Advertising, Marketing & Media Review, “Pitch on Retail”, Pitch,

Vol. IV, Issue 4, January15 – February 15, 2007. pp (22-31).

5. Gupta Vivek, Neelam A, Market Research, “Changing Trends in Retailing and FMCG

Industry in India”, marketing Mastermind, vol. IV, Issue 10, October 2004. pp(65-83).

6. Dr.Nandgopal R., Chinnaiyan P., “Brand Preference of soft drinks in Rural

Tamilnadu”, Indian journal of Marketing, vol. XXXIII, Issue 1, January 2003. Pp

(14-17).

7. Prof. Saxena Pritee, Spokes characters in Advertising, “Retailization:Brand survival

in the age of Retailer Power”, advertising Express.

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II. Webliography

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retail

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand

3. http://www.sciencedirect.com

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Text

Education

retail business

foreign retail

largest world retail

largest retail market

consumer behavior

shopping experience

national sales

successful retail startups