TABLE OF CONTENT

1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 2
1.1

WHAT ARE HOME TEXTILES?............................................................................................ 2

1.2

HOME TEXTILES IN INDIA.................................................................................................. 2

1.3

MARKET SEGMENTATION ................................................................................................. 3

1.4

BED LINEN ............................................................................................................................ 4

2.

LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................. 8

3.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR ............................................................................................................ 14

3.1

CULTURAL FACTORS ........................................................................................................ 14

3.2

SOCIAL FACTORS .............................................................................................................. 15

3.3

PERSONAL FACTORS ........................................................................................................ 16

3.4

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS ............................................................................................ 17

4.

OBJECTIVES, SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS ............................................................................... 19

4.1

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY-PRIMARY & SECONDARY ............................................. 19

4.2

SCOPE OF THE STUDY....................................................................................................... 19

4.3

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY .......................................................................................... 20

5.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................... 22

5.1

RESEARCH DESIGN ........................................................................................................... 22

5.2

SAMPLING PROCESS ......................................................................................................... 22

5.3

TOOLS OF DATA COLLECTION ........................................................................................ 23

5.4

METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION .................................................................................... 24

5.5

TYPES OF DATA-PRIMARY & SECONDARY .................................................................. 25

6.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS ..................................................................................... 27

6.1

DATA COLLECTION ........................................................................................................... 27

6.2

DATA ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................ 27

7.

SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. 50

8.

CONCLUSION AND FUTURE RESEARCH ............................................................................... 52

8.1

CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................... 52

8.2

FUTURE RESEARCH........................................................................................................... 52

9.
10.

ANNEXURE ................................................................................................................................. 54
REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................... 60

CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1

WHAT ARE HOME TEXTILES?

Home textiles refer to the textiles that are used in a home, including curtains, shower
curtains, bedspreads and pillow covers, upholstery, aprons as well as wall paper. (The
home textile industry in India, 2014). They help us add our own individuality to our
house and turn it into a more personal space called home. They come under the purview
of technical textiles.

1.2

HOME TEXTILES IN INDIA

The Indian home textile product range comprises of furnishing fabrics and made-ups of
Jacquard and Dobby weaves of various types of fibre like cotton, polyester, rayon blends,
chenille, flax, silk, jute, linen and other blends. According to (Biz.yahoo.com), in the
home decor business world, the economy is boss. Regardless of market, the home textiles
industry is cyclical, rising and falling with unemployment, interest rates, and other
economic indicators.
MAIN PRODUCTS MADE IN INDIA:

Bed linen, Table linen, Kitchen linen, Toilet linen

Beddings

Bed covers, Bed spreads

Cushions, Cushion covers, Duvets

Quilts and quilting materials

Curtains

Terry towels

Comforters

Carpets and other floor coverings

Blankets and Rugs

Mattresses

Upholstery

Other made-ups
2

The bed and bath linen category enjoys the most dominant position in the home textile
industry; they enjoy a significant two-third of the market share in value terms. Bed linen
alone had a market share of about Rs 8,965 Cr in the year 2011, according to Technopak
analyses.
The following players from among the existing ones may be reckoned as the leading ones
in India: (Market Research on Home Textile Furnishings Sector in India, 2009)

Bombay Dyeing Ltd.

Alok Industries Ltd.

Abhishek Industries Ltd.

Orient Craft

Welspun Ltd.

Kurlon Ltd.

S Kumars Nationwide Limited

Gujarat Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd

SPC Industries Ltd.

1.3

MARKET SEGMENTATION

Organized & Un-Organized (Branded or Non-Branded)

Indian market is still at a nascent stage where market is largely unstructured. The unorganized sector dominates this market. Less than 10 per cent of the market is organized, and
thus theres huge opportunity for organized players to grow. (KIT : Home Textiles India,
2011)

Medium and High priced

Another basis to segment is the price range of products. The medium range caters to almost
all the sections of the society. Majority of the producers both large and medium cater to the
middle income groups. The Large Indian players and the foreign companies operate in the

premium and super-premium product category. These are exclusive products that sell at very
high prices because of the embellishments, high quality of raw material and design aspects.
1.4

BED LINEN

Market Breakup

Market Share in INR Cr (2011)

upholstery
6%

kitchen linen
6%

rugs
and
carpets
3%

blankets
8%
bed linen
49%

curtain
10%
towels
18%

Figure 1: Market Share of Different Categories

Bed linen enjoyed the majority of market share at 49% of the total market in the year 2011.
It is the thus given the maximum importance when we talk about the home textile industry.
Home textiles are among the most dynamic export segments in Indias textile industry. Bed
linen is one of the most important categories of home textile exports from India. Bed spread
is the single largest exporting item in this category. Post the textile export quota regime i.e.
after 2004, there has been a rapid rise in the exports of bed spreads and table linen. The
growth in exports of this category since 2005-06 till 2007-08 has been close to 30% on year
to year basis.
4

Product Offering In Bed Linen

Kimberly Sayers Bartosch (www.bedroomabout.com)says, there are many different types of
terms used to identify certain pieces of bedding:

Top sheet

Bottom sheet

Coverlet

Bedspread

Blanket

Comforter

Duvet

Duvet cover

Bed skirt

Euro or Continental Pillow

Sleeping Pillow

Decorative Pillow

(Development Commissioner, Ministry of Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises) In a well

furnished home, bed room is very important one, as a part of overall interior of a House. So a
good bed cover matching with color of the room and pillow cover is very important as a part
of interior bed room. This reflects taste and status of the owner, who has spent enormous sum
of money to decorate the house. So the demand of the above textile product such as bed
cover and pillow cover is increasing in the domestic as well export market every day.

Based on the above information , we plan to limit our research to three items of bed linen i.e.,
top sheet, bottom sheet, and pillow(sleeping)covers defined as follow-

Bottom Sheet
A bottom sheet, or fitted sheet, is the sheet with the
elastic-edge that is used to fit over your mattress--hence
the name bottom or fitted sheet.

Top Sheet
A top sheet, also known as a flat sheet is the sheet you
put over the top of your bed to separate you from your
comforter or duvet.

Sleeping Pillow Cover

A sleeping pillow is a medium-sized rectangular pillow
cover that you lay your head on when sleeping. A
sleeping Pillow can come in many sizes--such as
standard, Queen, or King--to fit your bed or sleeping
habits.

CHAPTER 2:
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

2. LITERATURE REVIEW
Consumer Behavior
Consumer behavior is considered to be an inseparable part of marketing. (Kotler & Keller, 2011)
State that the Consumer buying behavior is the study of the ways of buying and the ways of ddisposing of goods, services, ideas or experiences by the individuals, groups and organizations in
order to satisfy their needs and wants.
The definition given by (Solomon & others, 1995) describes consumer buying behavior as a
process of choosing, purchasing, using and disposing of products or services by the individuals
and groups in order to satisfy their needs and wants
1. (Burnsed, 2009) Although many factors affect consumer demand for household furniture, the
consumers age is a very important indicator because it marks critical life stages that trigger
home textiles purchases, such as marriage, parenthood, buying own house, career
advancement (increased income) etc.
2. (http://marketpublishers.com, 2012) The demand for home textiles products have increased
due to increasing affluence of the higher middle class, sustained growth of retail C-culture,
highest proportion of youth population in India, housing demand in India, increase in higher
female working population, increasing consumption trend towards branded. Domestic and
global products and increase in the hospitality sector as it has a huge demand for soft textiles.
3. (www.hgh india.com) There was a time in India when home Textiles products only used to
sell off in the festive season. For the last one decade ,thanks to the phenomenal growth in
Indian retailing , increase in purchasing power of Indian people and growing consumerism
,the lifestyle of Indian middle class continues to transform, year on year. Also, organized
retail in India is growing by a phenomenal 30 - 40 % per annum.
4. (Research and Markets, 2013)Indias home textiles industry has witnessed a very slow
growth rate of 2.9% from 2009-2012. However, due to a positive change in the consumer
income levels and changing consumer dynamics, the expected growth in the coming five

years stands at an optimistic 8%.The positive outlook can be tracked to a booming hospitality
and retail sector accompanied with easily available home textiles loans.

5. (Indian consumer market, 2014)The future outlook for the Indian textile industry looks
promising, buoyed by both strong domestic consumption as well as export demand. With
consumerism and disposable income on the rise, the retail sector has experienced a rapid
growth in the past decade with several international players like Marks & Spencer, Guess and
Next having entered Indian market.

6. (Report On Home Textile Furnishing Indutstry in India, 2009) Indian consumers are price
sensitive. They have strong family values, the brands that identify with such family values
are likely to be well accepted by the Indians. The sales for the home textiles increase in the
festival seasons in India. All over India, the time of Diwali is the time to renovate the
homes. The media, magazines and films have a big hand in bringing about a shift in
consumer behavior. Instead of buying the traditional pair of bed sheets and matching pillow
covers, consumers tend to opt for 'coordinated bedding', whereby they have bed sheets ,
pillow covers and duvet covers that follow a coordinated color scheme. Demographic factors
like the disposable incomes, age distribution, and pattern of income distribution, quality of
upbringing, tastes and preferences have a substantial bearing on purchase decisions. Climate
plays an important role in the purchase decisions.

7. (Cotton Incorporated) The market is growing and the customers are becoming increasingly
quality savvy. Customers now prefer quality over brand name and looks as opposed to
consumer behaviors twenty years ago. Price, color, fiber, thread count, softness and
durability to laundering throughout the life of products are the key factors in the purchases of
home textile products.

8. (The Fabric Four Lives)Thread count and price are two things consumers first look for in a
bed sheet purchase.

9. (Lifestylemonitor) The majority (81%) of cotton bed sheets at retail are 100% cotton,
preferred by consumers for its feel and better breathability.

10. (T.Landers, 2005) Bedding is one of the products in which it is important for the majority of
the customers to actually touch and feel the product before buying. Nevertheless, there has
still been a significant increase in online shopping of bedding products.

11. (D. Earley, 2005) Thread count has been a growing trend over the past couple of years due to
lack of innovation in the sheeting area. A manufacturer can put a higher number on the sheet
and the consumer would buy it thinking that it is better quality. It is all about the numbering
game; it is a quantifier that the consumers somehow attach 58themselves to, thinking that the
higher number is obviously going to be better than a lower number but that is not always the
case.

12. (Lippett, 1960) The most important variables affecting home textiles and equipment
expenditures were income, family type, family size, age of household head, and home tenure.

13. (W.S, Peters, 1960)Location variables, including region and city, impact household textile,
floor covering, furniture, and equipment expenditures. Results indicated that expenditures
varied by city, but not by region, when income was controlled.

14. (Kim, 2001)Research has revealed that consumers from different markets, including markets
differentiated by ethnicity, shop in different ways. The differences in how consumers shop
for products must be considered as well as what criteria consumers use to choose which
products they will buy.

15. (G.Katona, 1960) Recently, consumers are better educated and well informed and consumers
own discriminating knowledge in choosing of goods and services. Consequently,
manufacturers and retailers have to explore and understand consumers needs and
preferences.

10

16. (Kanuk, 1997) Social class refers to the separation of society members into a hierarchy. The
members of each class share relatively similar values, interests, and behaviors. Thus, social
class is taken into consideration when companies set their marketing strategies. Home
textiles product preferences are also affected by social class.

17. (Armstrong, 2004) Family members are considered to be able to significantly impact buyer
behavior and decision-making depending on the condition and product. The roles and
influence of the husband, wife, and children on the purchase of different products and
services are greatly interested by manufacturers and retailer.
18. (R.D Blackwell, 2006) Consumers rank brands and form purchase intentions, in evaluation
stage. Generally, the consumers will purchase the most preferred brand, but two factors can
intervene between the purchase intention and the purchase decision. The first factor is the
attitudes of other people such as family, friends, and relatives. The second factor is
unexpected situation factors; such event may change the purchase intention.
19. (D.I Hawkin, 1992) Need recognition is the initial point of any purchase decision. Need
recognition occurs when people sense a difference between actual state and desired state. The
need can be activated by both internal stimuli such as motive, attitudes, and personality and
external stimuli such as culture, social, and family.
20. (Anderson & French, Feb 23, 2004) Opportunities for increased sales and customer
satisfaction include fabric protection treatment and "performance" fabrics. With stainresistant fabrics and ease of maintenance rating very high on the list of important
characteristics, promotions highlighting-fabric protection and performance could provide
good payoffs.
21. (The Influence Online Information has on Chinese Consumer Buying Behaviour, 16 May
2011) Report finds that 34% of consumers state that information gathered online had most
influence on which household goods item they purchased.
22. (Constantinides, Romero., & Boria, 2008)Retailers have realized that today consumer is well
informed and critical than that of past. Web 2.0 (social media) has proved to be something
11

that has given consumers more control and information and this has posed retailers a lot of
challenges. It is a new strategic marketing tool and has a lot of opportunities for both retailers
and consumers.
23. (Ali, 2013) Goodwill, friendly staff, proximity and specific product availability at the store
are important factors for consumers. Goodwill is the most important factor in selecting the
retail store followed by status, availability of fresh stock, trendy stock, promotional scheme
and shopping environment whereas proximity and the availability of a specific product at the
store are less influential factors in selecting a specific store.
24. (www.page release.com, 2011) The home textiles market in India is driven by growth in the
real estate and hospitality sector. Rise in income and willingness to spend on high quality
textiles have increased overall the demand. The home textiles market is poised to grow
gradually.
25. (http://marketpublishers.com, 2012), The demand for home textiles products have increased
due to increasing affluence of the higher middle class, sustained growth of retail Culture,
highest proportion of youth population, housing demand in India, increase in higher female
working population, increasing consumption trend towards branded domestic and global
products and increase in the hospitality sector as it has a huge demand for soft textiles.

Attributes of home textile products that have been considered in the study
The various attributes that have been kept in mind while studying consumer buying behavior of
Home textiles in India are as follows.

Price

Quality

Design

Durability

Color

Variety

12

CHAPTER3:
FACTORS AFFECTING
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR

13

3. CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Consumer behavior refers to the selection, purchase and consumption of goods and services for
the satisfaction of their wants. There are different processes involved in the consumer behavior.
Initially the consumer tries to find what commodities he would like to consume, then he selects
only those commodities that promise greater utility. After selecting the commodities, the
consumer makes an estimate of the available money which he can spend. Lastly, the consumer
analyzes the prevailing prices of commodities and takes the decision about the commodities he
should consume. Meanwhile, there are various other factors influencing the purchases of
consumer such as social, cultural, personal and psychological. The explanation of these factors is
given below.

3.1

CULTURAL FACTORS

Consumer behavior is deeply influenced by cultural factors such as: buyer culture, subculture,
and social class.
Culture
Basically, culture is the part of every society and is the important cause of person wants and
behavior. The influence of culture on buying behavior varies from country to country therefore
marketers have to be very careful in analyzing the culture of different groups, regions or even
countries.
Subculture
Each culture contains different subcultures such as religions, nationalities, geographic regions,
racial groups etc. Marketers can use these groups by segmenting the market into various small
portions. For example marketers can design products according to the needs of a particular
geographic group.

14

 Social Class
Every society possesses some form of social class which is important to the marketers because
the buying behavior of people in a given social class is similar. In this way marketing activities
could be tailored according to different social classes. Here we should note that social class is not
only determined by income but there are various other factors as well such as: wealth, education,
occupation etc.
3.2

SOCIAL FACTORS

Social factors also impact the buying behavior of consumers. The important social factors are:
reference groups, family, role and status.
Reference Groups
Reference groups have potential in forming a person attitude or behavior. The impact of
reference groups varies across products and brands. For example if the product is visible such as
dress, shoes, car etc then the influence of reference groups will be high. Reference groups also
include opinion leader (a person who influences other because of his special skill, knowledge or
other characteristics).
Family
Buyer behavior is strongly influenced by the member of a family. Therefore marketers are trying
to find the roles and influence of the husband, wife and children. If the buying decision of a
particular product is influenced by wife then the marketers will try to target the women in their
advertisement. Here we should note that buying roles change with change in consumer lifestyles.
Roles and Status
Each person possesses different roles and status in the society depending upon the groups, clubs,
family, organization etc. to which he belongs. For example a woman is working in an
organization as finance manager. Now she is playing two roles, one of finance manager and
other of mother. Therefore her buying decisions will be influenced by her role and status.

15

3.3

PERSONAL FACTORS

Personal factors can also affect the consumer behavior. Some of the important personal factors
that influence the buying behavior are: lifestyle, economic situation, occupation, age, personality
and self concept.
Age
Age and life-cycle have potential impact on the consumer buying behavior. It is obvious that the
consumers change the purchase of goods and services with the passage of time. Family life-cycle
consists of different stages such young singles, married couples, unmarried couples etc which
help marketers to develop appropriate products for each stage.
Occupation
The occupation of a person has significant impact on his buying behavior. For example a
marketing manager of an organization will try to purchase business suits, whereas a low level
worker in the same organization will purchase rugged work clothes.
Economic Situation
Consumer economic situation has great influence on his buying behavior. If the income and
savings of a customer is high then he will purchase more expensive products. On the other hand,
a person with low income and savings will purchase inexpensive products.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle of customers is another import factor affecting the consumer buying behavior. Lifestyle
refers to the way a person lives in a society and is expressed by the things in his/her
surroundings. It is determined by customer interests, opinions, activities etc and shapes his whole
pattern of acting and interacting in the world.
Personality
Personality changes from person to person, time to time and place to place. Therefore it can
greatly influence the buying behavior of customers. Actually, Personality is not what one wears;
16

rather it is the totality of behavior of a man in different circumstances. It has different

characteristics such as: dominance, aggressiveness, self-confidence etc which can be useful to
determine the consumer behavior for particular product or service.
3.4

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS

There are four important psychological factors affecting the consumer buying behavior. These
are: perception, motivation, learning, beliefs and attitudes.
Motivation
The level of motivation also affects the buying behavior of customers. Every person has different
needs such as physiological needs, biological needs, social needs etc. The nature of the needs is
that, some of them are most pressing while others are least pressing. Therefore a need becomes a
motive when it is more pressing to direct the person to seek satisfaction.
Perception
Selecting, organizing and interpreting information in a way to produce a meaningful experience
of the world is called perception. There are three different perceptual processes which are
selective attention, selective distortion and selective retention. In case of selective attention,
marketers try to attract the customer attention. Whereas, in case of selective distortion, customers
try to interpret the information in a way that will support what the customers already believe.
Similarly, in case of selective retention, marketers try to retain information that supports their
beliefs.
Beliefs and Attitudes
Customer possesses specific belief and attitude towards various products. Since such beliefs and
attitudes make up brand image and affect consumer buying behavior therefore marketers are
interested in them. Marketers can change the beliefs and attitudes of customers by launching
special campaigns in this regard.

17

CHAPTER 4:
OBJECTIVES, SCOPE AND
LIMITATIONS

18

4. OBJECTIVES, SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

4.1 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY-PRIMARY & SECONDARY

I.

Primary Objective
To study the consumer buying behavior of home textiles in India.

II.

Secondary Objectives
To study the factors affecting the purchase of home textiles by the
consumers.
To identify major segments of consumers that the home textile brands can
target.
To study if the consumers are satisfied with the existing product offerings in
home textiles.

4.2 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Indian home textile industry includes a broad range of home textile products such as
kitchen linen, wall coverings, bedding and bath. The focus was narrowed to top sheet,
bottom sheet and pillow covers to get a more in-depth look at the consumers
demographic factor, cultural influences and social class etc.
Although the scope of this project will remain limited to a small sample of the consumers
of home textile products, the results of the study can still be used as the foundation for
developing more extensive quantitative studies in the area of consumer preferences for
home textiles.
This study will be helpful for the home textile companies as they will be able to know
more about the customers. Also, the research will assist them in changing the non-user
into user of their brand & retain their existing customers by providing them the products
which they want from the company.

19

4.3 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This research focuses on top sheet, bottom sheet and pillow covers which are only a small
part of the total product offerings in the overall home textiles industry.

The data collection deals with consumer behavior, which may keep on changing from
time to time.

The sample size remains limited to a few respondents only in comparison to the whole
population of home textiles product users.

Some customers were reluctant in answering the questions.

There was a time constraint in completing the survey.

There was a shortage of required personnel to reach out to the respondents for collecting
primary data.

The target customer i.e. the housewives could not be reached in most of the cases, thus
the majority of the respondents were single and young.

20

CHAPTER 5:
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

21

5. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
5.1 RESEARCH DESIGN

(Business Dictionary) Exploratory research is an inquiry into a problem or situation

which provides insights to the researcher. The research is meant to provide details where
a small amount of information exists. It may use a variety of methods such as trial
studies, interviews, group discussions, experiments, or other tactics for the purpose of
gaining information.
(Beri) An exploratory research focuses on the discovery of ideas and is generally based
on secondary data. It is a preliminary investigation which does not have a rigid design.
This is because a researcher engaged in an exploratory study may have to change his
focus as a result of new ideas and relationship among the variables
Our research is of exploratory character. Our primary intention was to collect secondary
data and analyze it. By doing so factors like price, occasion, climatic conditions and other
consumer demographics were identified.
Also, we have limited our research to three items of bed linen i.e. top sheets, bottom
sheets and pillow (sleeping) covers.
5.2 SAMPLING PROCESS

(Business Dictionary)The object of sampling is to choose a sample, which will faithfully

reproduce the characteristics of the population of universe. Sample is a part of the
population which is usually deliberately selected to investigate the properties of the
population.
The population for this research is any customer who buys home textiles in India,
particularly bed linen.
Sample Unit: Customers of bed linen above 18 years of age.
Extent: India
22

Time: 15October- 15November 2014

Sample size: 108 respondents
Sampling method: disproportionate, random stratified sampling has been used to select
the sample.
(www.investopedia.com)A method of sampling that involves the division of a population
into smaller groups known as strata. In stratified random sampling, the strata are formed
based on members' shared attributes or characteristics.
A sample, where each stratum has a uniform sampling fraction, is called a proportionate
stratified sample. If, on the contrary, the strata have variable sampling fractions, the
sample is called a disproportionate stratified sample.
5.3 TOOLS OF DATA COLLECTION

(Business Dictionary) A questionnaire is a list of a research or survey questions asked to

respondents, and designed to extract specific information. It serves four basic purposes:
to (1) collect the appropriate data, (2) make data comparable and amenable to analysis,
(3) minimize bias in formulating and asking question, and (4) to make questions engaging
and varied.
In the case of multiple-choice questions:

The respondent is offered two or more choices.

The marketing researcher exhausts all the possible choices and the respondent
has to indicate which one is applicable in his case.

The main tool for collecting information in our research is questionnaire. The
questionnaire is close ended, with multiple choices, as we want to judge the importance
of the already established factors of price, occasion, color, income, etc. in the minds of
the existing users.
The questionnaire aims to gather information with respect to four factors:
(www.segmentationstudyguide.com)
23

Demographic: This segmentation approach involves an understanding of a consumers

lifestyle, interests, and opinions.
Psychographic: This segmentation approach involves an understanding of a consumers
lifestyle, interests, and opinions.
Behavioral: Segmenting the market based on their relationship with the product or the firm.
Examples include: heavy or light users, brand loyal or brand switchers, and so on
Geographic: Segmenting by country, region, city or other geographic basis.
(Business Dictionary)Likert scale: A method of ascribing quantitative value to qualitative
data, to make it amenable to statistical analysis. A numerical value is assigned to each
potential choice and a mean figure for all the responses is computed at the end of the
evaluation or survey.
The questionnaire has four questions wherein the response was sought in a likert scale .
5.4 METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION

(Stat Trek)A sample survey is a study that obtains data from a subset of a population, in
order to estimate population attributes.
The data has been collected with the help of a sample survey, owing to time and other
constraints. The data derived from the survey has been analyzed. The main purpose of the
survey was to collect primary data about the consumer buying behavior of home textiles
among the consumers in India and the significance of the established factors like price,
occasion, climatic conditions and consumer demographics.
(Porter) An email survey is one that sends the survey instrument (e.g. questionnaire) to a
respondent via email and most often samples respondents via email.
(Sincero)A personal interview survey, also called as a face-to-face survey, is a survey
method that is utilized when a specific target population is involved.

24

Since our research requires the coverage of maximum number of respondents in a short time
period, electronic mail is the chosen media for data collection. However, out of the 108
respondents 20 respondents have been personally interviewed.
5.5 TYPES OF DATA-PRIMARY & SECONDARY

When collecting data to approach the purpose of a research there are two ways in which the
data can be collected. In order to acquire a general knowledge about the topic, secondary
data is primarily used and this is one of the ways by which data can be collected. The second
way to collect data is the primary data collection.
Usually when a study is conducted, secondary data is not sufficient enough and needs to be
complemented by primary data which is collected by the research. In our research study,
secondary data has been collected from the existing research papers on the similar area to
find out the key factors that influence Indian consumers.
Primary data has been collected through a questionnaire survey so as to gather response
from the Indian consumers.

25

CHAPTER 6:
DATA COLLECTION AND
ANALYSIS

26

6. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

6.1 DATA COLLECTION

This section provides an overview of the methods used in this dissertation and its structure.
Different methodologies have been used to attain the final result. The initial section of the study
is based on secondary data, where the internet journals, research reports etc were the primary
means of collecting data for this research since this method provides the best opportunity for
obtaining information in a short span of time. In the second part, the research was conducted
through questionnaires which facilitated the collection of large amount of data even from far
away locations. Information gathered through secondary research was utilized for the
development of questionnaire in quantitative research, here the research questionnaire is
designed to collect a diverse set of responses about the consumer buying behavior of home
textiles.

6.2 DATA ANALYSIS

The data collected using the interviews and questionnaires was segmented on the basis of the
type of information that the question provided- demographic, behavioral, geographic and
psychographic.
Data was analyzed to draw inferences which take us closer to a conclusion, thus fulfilling our
Primary objective which was To Study the consumer buying behavior of home textiles in
India. The questions asked along with the interpretation of the responses are mentioned below.

27

Demographics:
Questions which gave information about the demographic profiles of the respondents were as
follows:

1. Name and Age :

All the respondents age lies from 18 to 60 only.

2. Gender profile of the respondents :

24%

Gender

Percentage

Male

24%

Female

76%

Other

0%

76%
Male

Female

76% of the respondents were females and 24% of the respondents were males.

3. Education Qualification:

Professionally Qualified

8%

Post Graduate

25%

Graduate

43%

Undergraduate

Education

Percentage

Undergraduate

24%

Graduate

43%

Post Graduate

25%

Professionally

24%

Qualified
0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Almost 24% of the respondents were undergraduate students and 43% were graduates.

28

8%

4. Occupation:

Retired

1%

Business

6%

Homemaker

17%

Service

29%

Self-Employed

Occupation

Percentage

Student

41%

Self-Employed

6%

Service

29%

Homemaker

17%

Business

6%

Retired

1%

6%

Student

41%
0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

From the above graph, it can be inferred that most of the respondents (41%) are students.

5. Income Group:

8 Lakh and above

9%

5 Lakh 8 Lakh

16%

3 Lakh 5 Lakh

61%

Less than 3 Lakh

14%
0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Income Group

Percentage

Less than 3 Lakh

14%

3 Lakh 5 Lakh

61%

5 Lakh 8 Lakh

16%

8 Lakh and above

9%

70%

From the above graph, it can be inferred that most of the respondents (61%) Income Group lies
between 3 Lakh - 5 Lakh.
29

6. Stage of Family Life Cycle:

Older single

0%

Older married; no children/child under 18

1%

Single parent

1%

Married, with child/ children

20%

Married, without children

8%

Single

70%
0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Stage of Family Life Cycle

Percentage

Single

70%

Married, without children

8%

Married, with child/ children

20%

Single parent

1%

Older married; no children/child under 18

1%

Older single

0%

As per the graph, 70% of the respondents were Single.

30

80%

Geographic
1. Region:

West

12%

East

37%

South

8%

North

Region

Percentage

North

43%

South

8%

East

37%

West

12%

43%
0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

From the above graph, it can be seen that 43% of the respondents were from Northern region.

2. Location:
Location
Tier-3 (20,000 to 49,999)

Tier-1 (1, 00,000 and

5%

above)
Tier-2 (50,000 to 99,999)

12%

Tier-2 (50,000 to
99,999)

Tier-1 (1, 00,000 and above)

83%
0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Most of the respondents (83%) are located in Tier 1.

31

100%

Tier-3 (20,000 to
49,999)

Percentage
83%

12%

5%

Behavioral:
1. Buying pattern of bed linen

Other

7%

Once in a year

32%

Once in every six months

22%

Once in every three months

26%

Once in a month

13%
0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Buying pattern of bed linen

Percentage

Once in a month

13%

Once in every three months

26%

Once in every six months

22%

Once in a year

32%

Other

7%

Most of the respondents (32%) buy bed linen products once in a year.

32

30%

35%

2. Frequency of changing bed linen:

Frequency of
None of the above

5%

changing bed

Only on a special occasion

4%

linen

Once in a month

5%

Within 7 days

63%

Within 15 days

23%

Once in a month

5%

Within 15 days

23%

Within 7 days

Percentage

63%

Only on a special
0%

50%

100%

occasion
None of the above

4%
5%

Around 63% of the respondents change bed linen within 7 days.

3. Expenditure of bed linen:

Expenditure of
2500 and above

Bed linen

5%

1500 2500

19%

500 1500

70%

Below 500

Below 500

6%

500 1500

70%

1500 2500

19%

2500 and above

5%

6%
0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

As per the graph, 70% of the respondents spend between 500-1500 in rupees.

33

Percentage

Psychographic:
Questions which gave an idea about the psychographics of the respondents, which
were asked using a likert scale, are as follows.
1. I am attracted to premium products; I read business news, and self-help
publications:

50%

44%

40%
30%
20%

23%
14%

14%

10%

5%

Opinion

Percentage

Strongly Agree

14%

Agree

44%

Neither Agree nor

Disagree

0%
Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neither
Agree nor
Disagree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

23%

Disagree

14%

Strongly Disagree

5%

44% of the people agree to the fact that they are attracted to premium products and read business
news, and self-help publications.

34

2. I am image-conscious. I have limited discretionary income, but carry

credit balances. I like to spend on clothing and personal-care products. I
Prefer TV to reading

35%

31%

25%
20%
15%

Opinion

Percentage

Strongly Agree

15%

Agree

31%

27%

30%

19%
15%
8%

10%
5%
0%
Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neither
Agree nor
Disagree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Neither Agree nor

Disagree

27%

Disagree

19%

Strongly Disagree

8%

31% of the people agree to the fact that they are image conscious and have limited discretionary
income, but carry credit balances and also like to spend on clothing and personal-care products. They
also prefer TV to reading

3. I follow fashion and fads. Spend much of disposable income on

socializing. Buy on impulse, attend to advertising

35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

30%

28%
22%

15%
5%

Opinion

Percentage

Strongly Agree

15%

Agree

30%

Neither Agree nor

Disagree

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neither
Agree nor
Disagree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

28%

Disagree

22%

Strongly Disagree

5%

30% of the people agree to the fact that they follow fashion and fads, spend much of disposable
income on socializing and buy on impulse, attend to advertising.
35

4. I have a lot of energy, which I pour into physical exercise and social activities. I am
an avid consumer, spending heavily on clothing, fast-foods, music, and other
youthful favorites, with particular emphasis on new products and services I

40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

Opinion

34%

Percentage

Strongly

27%

Agree

21%
15%

Agree
3%

Neither Agree
nor Disagree

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neither
Agree nor
Disagree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree
Strongly
Disagree

15%
27%
34%
21%
3%

27% of the people agree to the fact that they have a lot of energy, which they pour into physical
exercise and social activities.

5. I am very practical and I value self-sufficiency. I focus on my family, work, and

physical recreation-and have little interest in the broader world. I appreciate
practical and functional products.

50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

Opinion

46%

Strongly

38%

Agree
Agree

Agree nor

4%
Agree

Neither Agree
nor Disagree

38%
46%

Neither

12%

Strongly
Agree

Percentage

Disagree

0%

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree
Strongly

46% of the people agree to the fact that they are practical and value
self-sufficiency.

36

Disagree

12%

4%
0%

6. I shop bed linen during Festivals:

50%
40%

45%

Demand

Percentage

Very High

36%

High

45%

Medium

16%

0%

Low

3%

Very Low

Very Low

0%

36%

30%
20%

16%

10%

3%

0%
Very High

High

Medium

Low

45% respondents agree that their demand for bed linen is high during Festivals.

7. I shop bed linen to Gift:

45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

42%
35%

11%

9%
3%

Very High

High

Medium

Low

Demand

Percentage

Very High

11%

High

35%

Medium

42%

Low

9%

Very Low

3%

Very Low

42% respondents agree that their demand for bed linen is medium for gifts.

37

8. I shop bed linen during Wedding:

50%

44%

40%
30%

26%

24%

20%
6%

10%

Demand

Percentage

Very High

26%

High

44%

Medium

24%

Low

6%

Very Low

0%

0%

0%
Very High

High

Medium

Low

Very Low

44% respondents agree that their demand for bed linen is high during weddings.

9. I shop bed linen at the time of discount:

45%

40%

40%

34%

35%
30%
25%
20%

16%

15%
10%

6%

4%

5%

Demand

Percentage

Very High

16%

High

40%

Medium

34%

Low

6%

Very Low

4%

0%
Very High

High

Medium

Low

Very Low

40% respondents agree that their demand for bed linen is high during discount.

38

10. I shop bed linen if I have moved to a new home or had my home
remodeled:

40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

35%

36%

22%

5%

Very High

High

Medium

2%

Low

Demand

Percentage

Very High

35%

High

36%

Medium

22%

Low

5%

Very Low

2%

Very Low

36% respondents agree that their demand for bed linen is high if they moved to a new home or had
my home remodeled

11. I shop bed linen for decorating the house:

50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

44%

30%
19%

6%

Demand

Percentage

Very High

30%

High

44%

Medium

19%

Low

6%

Very Low

1%

1%
Very High

High

Medium

Low

Very Low

44% respondents agree that their demand for bed linen is high for decorating the house.

39

12. I shop bed linen when one of the family members started college:

40%

37%

35%
30%

27%

25%

21%

20%
15%
10%
5%

10%
5%

0%
Very High

High

Medium

Low

Very Low

Demand

Percentage

Very High

5%

High

21%

Medium

37%

Low

27%

Very Low

10%

37% respondents agree that their demand for bed linen is medium if any family member started
college.

13. I shop bed linen when someone had a child:

40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

34%

23%

22%
11%

Very High

10%

High

Medium

Low

Demand

Percentage

Very High

11%

High

22%

Medium

34%

Low

23%

Very Low

10%

Very Low

34% respondents agree that their demand for bed linen is medium if someone had a child.

40

14. Bed linen is my unplanned purchase item:

60%

50%

50%
40%
30%

23%

20%
10%

13%

9%

Demand

Percentage

Very High

5%

High

13%

Medium

50%

Low

23%

Very Low

9%

5%

0%
Very High

High

Medium

Low

Very Low

50% respondents agree that their demand for bed linen is medium for unplanned purchase.

15. Price is the most important factor for me when I shop for bed linen
products.

43%

45%
40%

35%

29%

30%
25%
20%

Percentage

Strongly Agree

17%

Agree

43%

Neither Agree nor

17%

15%

Disagree

11%

10%
5%

0%

0%
Strongly
Agree

Opinion

Agree

29%

Disagree

11%

Strongly Disagree

0%

Neither Disagree Strongly

Agree nor
Disagree
Disagree

43% respondents agree that price is the most important factor while shopping bed linen products.
41

16. The quality of the product is of utmost importance hence I am willing to

pay a high price for better quality products

50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

47%
42%

Opinion

Percentage

Strongly Agree

42%

Agree

47%

Neither Agree nor

8%
2%
Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neither Disagree
Agree nor
Disagree

Disagree

1%
Strongly
Disagree

8%

Disagree

2%

Strongly Disagree

1%

47% respondents agree that quality is the most important factor shopping bed linen products.

17. The design is the first thing to catch my attention

50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

45%

25%

21%

Opinion

Percentage

Strongly Agree

25%

Agree

45%

Neither Agree nor

Disagree
8%
1%

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neither Disagree
Agree nor
Disagree

21%

Disagree

8%

Strongly Disagree

1%

Strongly
Disagree

45% respondents agree that design is the most important factor shopping bed linen products.

42

18. A good ambience is of topmost priority to me while shopping

35%

30%

30%

33%

26%

Opinion

Percentage

Strongly Agree

26%

Agree

30%

25%
20%
15%

Neither Agree

9%

10%

2%

5%

33%

nor Disagree
Disagree

0%
Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neither
Agree nor
Disagree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

9%

Strongly

2%

Disagree

33% respondents are neutral that good ambience is the most important factor shopping bed linen
products.

19. I prefer buying bed linen from the nearest possible destination as
convenience in shopping is of utmost importance to me

33%

35%
30%

25%

25%
20%

20%
16%

15%

Opinion

Percentage

Strongly Agree

16%

Agree

25%

Neither Agree

10%

6%

5%

nor Disagree
Disagree

0%

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neither
Agree nor
Disagree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

33% respondents neither agree nor disagree that convenience is the most important factor
shopping bed linen products

43

33%
20%
6%

20. I look for variety in the products and hence irrespective of the location
of the shopping outlet.

50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

45%

Opinion

Percentage

Strongly

31%

31%

Agree
Agree

16%

45%

Neither Agree
6%

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neither
Agree nor
Disagree

2%

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

16%

nor Disagree
Disagree

6%

Strongly

2%

Disagree

45% respondents agree that they look for variety while shopping bed linen products

21. The colors catch my attention the most and play a very important role
in the purchase decision
Opinion

Percentage

40%

Strongly Agree

41%

30%

Agree

43%

50%

41%

43%

20%

Neither Agree nor

13%

10%

3%

0%
Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neither
Agree nor
Disagree

Disagree

13%

0%

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

3%

Strongly Disagree

0%

43% respondents agree that color is the most important factor shopping bed linen products

44

22. After the first few washes, the product tends to lose its softness and
becomes harsh or coarse in feel

50%

42%

40%

34%

30%
20%

12%

10%

Neither
Agree nor
Disagree

Strongly Agree

10%

Agree

42%

2%

nor Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

0%
Agree

Percentage

Neither Agree

10%
Strongly
Agree

Opinion

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

34%
12%
2%

42% respondents agree that after the first few washes, the product looses its softness and
becomes harsh or coarse in feel

23. In a very short time, with the exposure to sunlight, the product looses its
original color and shine

45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

Opinion

43%

Percentage

Strongly
Agree

27%

Agree

19%

Agree nor
1%
Agree

Neither Agree
nor Disagree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Disagree
43% respondents agree that with the exposure to sunlight, the product looses its original color

45

27%

Disagree

Strongly

and shine.

43%

Neither

10%

Strongly Agree

19%

10%
1%

24. At times I notice some small ball like formations on the surface of the
bed linen products
Opinion
50%

44%

40%

Strongly

6%

Agree

32%

30%

Agree
16%

20%

10%

Percentage

44%

Neither

6%
2%

Agree nor

32%

Disagree

0%
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neither Agree
nor Disagree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

16%

Strongly
44% respondents agree that they notice some small ball like

2%

Disagree

formations on the surface of the bed linen products.

25. Bed linen products tend to form wrinkles very quickly which remain
even after proper ironing
Opinion

40%

34%

35%

33%

Strongly

30%

Agree

25%

Agree

20%

20%
15%

Neither Agree
11%

nor Disagree

10%
5%

2%

0%
Strongly Agree

Agree

Neither Agree
nor Disagree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree
Strongly
Disagree

Percentage
11%
34%
33%
20%
2%

34% respondents agree that Bed linen products tend to form wrinkles very quickly which remain
even after proper ironing.
46

26. The bed linen products tend to shrink in length right after the first wash

35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

30%

32%
24%

Percentage

Strongly Agree

9%

Agree

30%

Neither Agree

9%
5%

Strongly
Agree

Opinion

Agree

Neither
Agree nor
Disagree

Disagree

32%

nor Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

24%

Strongly Disagree

5%

32% respondents neither agree nor disagree that Bed linen products tend to shrink in length right
after first wash.

27. The bed linen products have printing errors which we usually notice
after using the product

40%

36%

35%
30%

27%

26%

25%

Percentage

Strongly Agree

10%

Agree

26%

Neither Agree

20%
15%

Opinion

nor Disagree

10%

10%

Disagree

5%

1%

0%
Strongly
Agree

Agree

Neither Agree
nor Disagree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

36% respondents neither agree nor disagree that Bed linen products have printing errors.

47

36%
27%
1%

28. The standard sizes available in the market fail to cover/suit the
dimensions of our bed.

35%

31%

30%

27%

28%

25%
20%

15%

Percentage

Strongly Agree

10%

Agree

31%

Neither Agree nor

10%

10%

4%

5%
0%
Strongly
Agree

Opinion

Agree

Neither
Agree nor
Disagree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree
Disagree

28%

Strongly Disagree

4%

31% respondents agree that the standard sizes available in the market fail to cover/suit the
dimensions of their bed.

48

27%

CHAPTER 7:
SUMMARY

49

7. SUMMARY

All the respondents age lies from 18 to 60 only.

76% of the respondents were females and 24% of the respondents were males.

24% of the respondents were undergraduate students and 43% were graduates.

It can be inferred that most of the respondents (41%) are students.

It can be inferred that most of the respondents (61%) Income Group lies between
3 Lakh - 5 Lakh.

70% of the respondents were Single.

Majority i.e. 32% of the respondents buy bed linen products once in a year.
63% of the respondents change their bed linen within 7 days.
70% of the respondents spend between INR 500-1500 for a single item of bed
linen.

84% of the respondents believe that they are very practical and value self
sufficiency. They focus on their family, work and physical recreation and have
little interest in the broader world. They appreciate practical and functional
products.

81% of the respondents have a very high to high demand on festivals.

Out of all the product attributes mentioned in the questionnaire, the quality of the
fabric was of utmost importance amongst the majority i.e. 89% of the people.

62 % of the respondents have agreed that in a very short time , with the exposure
to sunlight the product loses its original color and shine.

50

CHAPTER 8:
CONCLUSION AND FUTURE
SCOPE

51

8. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE RESEARCH

8.1 CONCLUSION

The Indian textile industry comprises of a wide range of products ranging from bed and bath linen,
upholstery to carpets and other coverings. Bed and bath linen enjoys the most overriding position and had
a market share of INR 8965 Cr in 2011.

The Indian market is still at a budding stage. The unorganized sector dominates this market and
there are huge opportunities for organized players to grow.
According to our analysis, the Indian textile industry can grab a good share of the market by
targeting the young and the single population of India, that currently remains ignored. We found
out that , this segment looks out for good quality products at affordable prices. Their demand
mainly concentrates on gifting/ personal consumption during festivals and weddings. They are
practical and value self -sufficiency. They appreciate practical and functional products.
Also, we found out that the majority of the customers are not satisfied with the products color
fastness. This can provide the existing players scope for improvement.
8.2 FUTURE RESEARCH
This research study raises various arguments on consumer behavior for home textiles affected by
demographic, behavioral, geographic and psychographic factors. The purchases made by the
consumers are always planned and there is very less unplanned purchase in the home linen
market. The triadic factors related to expenditure, hedonic pleasure and lifestyle can also be the
future research directions. There are not many empirical studies that have addressed these
questions either in isolation or considering the interrelationship of the above factors. The
determinants of shopping behavior analyzed in this study can be further explored in marketing
home textile amongst the young. Bed linen has a long life cycle. Hence, exploring the demand
cycle might attract researchers to this area. In addition, research on E-retailing of home textiles
also appears to be a promising subject. E-retailing not only presents a fresh channel to market for
existing players, but also enables a cost-effective route to marketing for home textiles.

52

CHAPTER 9:
ANNEXURE

53

9. ANNEXURE
Questionnaire on Market Survey on the Consumer Buying Behavior of Bed Linen in
India
We, the Fashion Management students of National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kolkata
under the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, seek your valuable opinion for the
successful completion of our research on Consumer Buying Behavior in Bed Linen. For the
purpose of our survey, Bed Linen comprises of Bed Sheets, Bed Covers and Pillow Covers only.
We request you to take some time out of your busy schedule and fill in the questionnaire.
1.

Name:

2.

Gender:
a) Male

3.

b) 21-30 c) 31-40

b) Graduate c) Post Graduate d) Professionally Qualified

b) Self-Employed

c) Service

d) Homemaker

e) Business f) Retired

Income Group (in Rupees per annum):

a) 3 Lakh 5 Lakh

7.

e) 51-60 f) Above 60

Occupation:
a) Student

6.

d) 41-50

Education:
a) Undergraduate

5.

c) Other

Age ( in years):
a) 18-20

4.

b) Female

b) 5 Lakh 8 Lakh c) 8 Lakh and above

What stage of the family life cycle do you currently belong to?
a) Young and Single
under the age of 6

b) Married, without children c) Married, with child/ children

d) Single parent

e) Older married with children/ child between

the age group of 6-18 f) Older married with children above the age of 18 g) Older
married with children living outside home h) Older single
8.

Which region of the country you currently belong to:

a) North b) South c) East

9.

d) West

Where are you located? (Based on the population of your city as per the 2001 census)
a) Tier -1(1, 00,000 and above) b) Tier 2 (50,000 to 99,999) c) Tier 3 (20,000 to 49,999)

54

10. Please choose the appropriate number based on your opinion about the following
statements.
Opinion

Strongly

Statement

Neutral

Disagree

Agree

I am attracted to premium products; I read business

news, and self-help publications.

Strongly

Agree

Disagree

I am image-conscious. I have limited discretionary

income, but carry credit balances. I like to spend on
clothing and personal-care products. I Prefer TV to
reading.
I follow fashion and fads. Spend much of disposable
income on socializing. Buy on impulse, attend to
advertising.
I have a lot of energy, which I pour into physical
exercise and social activities. I am an avid
consumer, spending heavily on clothing, fast-foods,
music, and other youthful favorites, with particular
emphasis on new products and services.
I am very practical and I value self-sufficiency. I
focus on my family, work, and physical recreationand have little interest in the broader world. I
appreciate practical and functional products.

11. How often do you buy Bed Linen products for own consumption?
a) Once in a month
months

b) Once in every three months

d) Once in a year

c) Once in every six

e) Other ( please specify)

12. How many times in a month do you change your bed linen?
a) Within 7 days

b) Within 15 days

c) Once in a month

occasion

e) None of the above

55

d) Only on a special

13. Rate your demand for bed linen the following occasions on a scale of 1 to 5. ( 5 being the
lowest)
Frequency

Very High

High

Medium

Low

Very Low

Festivals

Gifts

Weddings

Discounts

Moved to a new home/Home remodeled

For decorating the house

One of the family members started college.

Had a child

Unplanned purchases

Occasion

14. How much (in Rupees) do you spend on a single item of bed line in a single visit?
a) Below 500

b) 500 1500

c) 1500 2500

d) Above 2500

15. Please choose the appropriate number based on your opinion about the below
mentioned statements.
Opinion
Statement

Strongly

Strongly

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Agree

Disagree

Price is the most important factor for me

when I shop for bed linen products. If the
product is not economical I will not buy it.
The quality of the fabric is of utmost
importance hence I am willing to pay a high
price for better quality products
The design is the first thing to catch my
attention; all the other factors like price and
quality come later.
56

Opinion
Statement

Strongly

Strongly

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Agree

Disagree

The colors catch my attention the most and

play a very important role in the purchase
decision
I prefer buying bed linen from the nearest
possible destination as convenience in
shopping is of utmost importance to me.
I look for variety in the products and hence
irrespective of the location of the shopping
outlet, I buy from the shops that offer variety
in designs, quality , price etc.

57

16. Please rate the following based on your opinion.

Opinion
Statement

Strongly

Strongly

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Agree

Disagree

After the first few washes, the product tends

to lose its softness and becomes harsh or
coarse in feel.
In a very short time, with the exposure to
sunlight, the product loses its original color
and shine.
At times you notice some small ball like
formations (known as pilling) on the surface
of the bed linen products.
Bed linen products tend to form wrinkles very
quickly which remain even after proper
ironing.
The bed linen products tend to shrink in
length right after the first wash.
The bed linen products have printing errors
which we usually notice after using the
product.
The standard sizes available in the market fail
to cover/suit the dimensions of my bed.

58

CHAPTER 10:
REFERENCES

59

10. REFERENCES

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(2009). Market Research on Home Textile Textiles Sector in India. New Delhi: Ace Global
Pvt Ltd.

KIT : Home Textiles India. (2011, january 3). Retrieved from www.Business Standard.com:
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The home textile industry in India. (2014). Retrieved from fiber2fashion.com:

http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/6/523/the-home-textile-industry-in-india3.asp

(n.d.). In G. .. Beri, Marketing Research (third ed., p. 44).

Biz.yahoo.com. (n.d.). Home Textiles &.

Business

Dictionary.

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from

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from

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Porter, S. R. (n.d.). Sage Research Methods. Retrieved from srmo.sagepub.com:

http://srmo.sagepub.com/view/encyclopedia-of-survey-research-methods/n159.xml

Sincero,

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60

http://stattrek.com: