CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION
Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is India's largest fast moving consumer goods
company, with leadership in Home & Personal Care Products and Foods & Beverages.
HUL's brands, spread across 20 distinct consumer categories, touch the lives of two out
of three Indians. They endow the company with a scale of combined volumes of about 4
million tonnes and sales of Rs.10,000 crores.
The leading business magazine, Forbes Global, has rated Hindustan Lever as the
best consumer household products company. Far Eastern Economic Review has rated
HUL asIndias most respected company. Asiamoney has rated HUL as one of Indias
best managed companies. Leading national publications, like The Economic Times,
Business World, and Business Today have also rated HUL as one of Indias most
respected companies and the number one. HUL is India's largest marketer of Soaps,
Detergents and Home Care products. It has the countrys largest Personal Products
business, leading in Shampoos, Skin Care Products, Colour Cosmetics and Deodorants.
HUL is also the market leader in Tea, Processed Coffee, branded Wheat Flour, Tomato
Products, and Ice cream, Soups, Jams and Squashes.HUL is also one of the country's
biggest exporters and has been recognized as a Golden Super Star Trading House by the
Government of India; it is a net foreign exchange earner.

HUL is India's largest exporter of branded fast moving consumer goods. The
company's Exports portfolio includes HUL's brands of Soaps and Detergents, Personal
Products, Home Care Products, Tea and Coffee. HUL is also driving exports in chosen
areas where India has a competitive advantage Marine Products, Basmati Rice, Castor
Oil and its Derivatives. It is India's largest exporter of Marine products, and one of the
largest global players in castor.
MARKET LEADING BRANDS
HULs brands have become household names. The companys strategy is to
concentrate its resources on 35 national power brands, and 10 other brands which are
strong in certain regions. The top five brands together account for sales of over Rs.3000
crores. Each of these mega brands has a potential scale of Rs.1000 crores in the
foreseeable future.
Some of the big brands in Soaps and Detergents are Lifebuoy, Lux, Liril, Hamam,
,Pears, Rexona & Dove, (all soaps), Surf Excel, Surf, Rin, & Wheel (all detergents).
HUL also markets the Vim and Domex range of Home Care Products. In the Personal
Products business, HUL's Hair Care franchises are Clinic, Sunsilk and Lux shampoos.In
Oral Care, the portfolio comprises Close-up and Pepsodent toothpastes and
toothbrushes. In Skin Care, HUL markets Fair & Lovely Skin Cream and Lotion, the
largest selling Skin Care Product in India; a brand developed in India, it is now exported
to over 30 countries. It has been extended as an Ayurvedic cream, an under-eye liner,
soap and talc, in line with the strategy to take brands across relevant categories. The
other major Skin Carefranchises are Ponds, Vaseline, Lakme and Pears. In Colour
Cosmetics, HUL markets the Lakme and Elle-18 ranges. In Deodorants, the key brands

are Rexona, Axe, Denim and Pond's, while the Talc brands are Pond's, Liril, Fair &
Lovely, Vaseline and Lifebuoy. Axe and Denim are HULs franchises for Mens
toiletries.
HUL has recently launched Lever Ayush Ayurvedic Health & Personal Care
Products. Health Care is among the new businesses HUL has chosen to enter. The
product range comprises Cough Naashak Syrup, Headache Naashak Roll-on, Dandruff
NaashakShampoo, Hair Rakshak Oil and Body Rakshak Soap. The purity of the
Ayurvedic ingredients in Lever Ayush is endorsed by the renowned Arya Vaidya
Pharmacy (AVP) of Coimbatore. It is for the first time that rigorous testing procedures of
the pharmaceutical industry have been applied to Ayurvedic products. That is why the
brand seal is Truth of Ayurveda; Proof of Science.
HUL has started franchised Lakme Beauty Salons, offering standardised services,
in linewith the strategy to add a service dimension to relevant brands. The company has
set up the Hindustan Lever Network, a direct selling channel, offeringthe Lever Home
range of Laundry and Home Care products and the Aviance Personal Care range. The
company has also begun an e-tailing service, called Sangam, which can home-deliver on
order by phone or through the Net, a diverse range of about 5000 branded and
unbranded products. The service is now available in select areas of Mumbai and Navi
Mumbai, besides Thane. HUL is one of the worlds largest packet Tea marketers. Its Tea
brands Taj Mahal, Red Label, Taaza, - are among the top brands in the country; it also
markets Lipton Ice Tea.
HUL and Pepsi have formed an alliance to distribute a full range of tea and coffee
and soft beverages through vending machines; HUL already has a base of around 5000

such machines. The coffee business comprises Bru Instant Coffee and Deluxe Green
Label Roast & Ground Coffee. The Kissan and Knorr Foods range comprises Spreads &
Jams, Biscuit Sticks, Soups, Squashes, Tomato Ketchup, Sauces, Puree, and Cooking
Aids. Popular Foods, like Wheat Flour and Iodized Edible Salt, under the Knorr
Annapurna brand name, have met with remarkable success. The range has been
expanded with ready-to-eat 10-second chapatis.
The innovative offerings are changing consumer habits into using processed,
hygienic,healthy and convenient products.The Kwality-Wall's Ice Cream range
comprises exotic Sundaes, Viennetta Desserts,opular Impulse segment products like
Max, Cornetto and Feast, and Cornetto Ripple Softies. Max was extended in 2001 as
sugar confectioneries, because children are a key consumer segment in confectioneries
too. This is among the new businesses HUL has chosen to enter.
HUL has acquired Modern Food Industries (India) Limited, entering the bread
market. Modern Foods was the first Public Sector Undertaking to be disinvested.
Besides upgrading the existing Modern products, HUL has launched new products,
among them biscuits.HUL is liberating its brands from their existing category mindset.
Historically, brands originated and stayed within a category format. HUL sees its Power
Brands as being able to occupy a unique position in the consumer's mind and therefore
being able to stretch into other product formats and categories. All such initiatives have
had a promising start, and there are more to come.
In todays world of rapidly changing technology, consumer tastes are also
characterized by fast changes. To survive in the market, a firm has to be constantly
innovating and understand the latest consumer trends and tastes. Consumer behaviour
4

provides invaluable clues and guidelines to marketers on new technological frontiers,

which they should explore. Consumer behaviour is a process, and purchase forms one
part of this process.

There are various endogenous psychological and exogenous

environmental factors which influence this process. All these factors and the type of
influence which they exert on an individuals consumption behaviour can be understood
and analyzed. Moreover, some of these factors can be further influenced by specific
elements of the marketing strategy, so that the consumer behaviour process results in a
definite purchase decision.

To the extent that the marketer can understand and

manipulate the influencing factors, they can predict the behaviour of consumers.
Though prediction can never be absolutely accurate, it certainly reduces the risk
associated with different marketing strategies.

Thus, the importance of consumer

behaviour lies in the fact that behaviour can be understood and influenced to ensure a
positive purchase decision. The marketing managers interest lies exactly here i.e. to
ensure that his marketing strategy results in purchase of the product.
NEED FOR THE STUDY:
Consumer is the central point and all the marketing activities revolve around him.
Manufacturer produces what the customer wants. As the customers behaviour differs
from person to person the producer must understand it. Customer purchases an article,
as consequences of certain motives and the articles offered for purchase should satisfy
economic forces creating desires or wants which he understands. Thus producer should
identify the motives which prompt them to purchase so that he can offer a complete
article satisfying their needs. Thus, it is buying motive that prompts the purchaser to
purchase. Such buying motives may be fear, desire ride, fashion, possession, sex or

romance, affection or comfort. Consumer behaves in a particular manner as directed by

his inner motive. The marketer is to study and analyze the consumers behaviour in
order to sell and improve the product.
In the competitive business world, many brands of consumer goods are produced
and marketed by the manufactures. The decision whether to buy or not depends upon
consumers motives. Modern market is a consumer oriented and now consumers are the
decisive force. Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is India's largest Fast Moving
Consumer Goods Company, touching the lives of two out of three Indians with over 20
distinct categories in Home & Personal Care Products and Foods & Beverages. They
endow the company with a scale of combined volumes of about 4 million tonnes and
sales of Rs.10,000 crores. HUL is also one of the country's largest exporters; it has been
recognized as a Golden Super Star Trading House by the Government of India. The
mission that inspires HUL's 16,000 employees, including over 1,200 managers, is to
"add vitality to life." HUL meets everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene, and personal
care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life.
The reasons have inspired the researcher to make out a study about the consumers
satisfaction over Hindustan Unilever products. The problem undertaken for the study is
consumer satisfaction and behaviour towards using HUL brands. On what basis the
consumers prefers HUL brands and which influences them to buy such a brand and how
his buying motive is created, are analyzed to predict the exact buying behaviour of the
consumers towards using HUL brand.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

Primary objective
To analyze consumers satisfaction towards Hindustan Unilever products in the
study area.

Secondary Objectives
To understand the conceptual framework of the consumer behaviour.
To identify the factors responsible for the preference to HUL brands.
To study the extent to which consumers satisfaction varies with reference to
income, age, sex and other factors.
To offer suitable suggestions to improve the market share of the company.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The design of the research is explorative in nature as it tries to assess the
consumers satisfaction over HUL products in sirkazhi town. Both primary secondary
data have been used in this study. Primary data, the opinion of the consumers in sirkazhi
town have been collected directly from a group of sample consumers using a structural
interview schedule prepared specially for that purpose.

Secondary data have been

collected from related books and magazines, from relevant published and unpublished
reports.
The data thus collected from the opinion of the consumers were tabulated,
analyzed and interpreted. The total number of respondents for this research was 50.
Convenience sampling method of non probability sampling is used in this research.
The sample units are chosen primarily on the basis of the convenience to the
investigation. The statistical like percentage.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The study is confined to Sirkazhi town limit only. Therefore, the findings of the
study are not universally applicable.
The study is restricted to the opinion of the consumers only. Opinion of the
dealers is not taken into account.
The results of the study cannot be generalized to other areas due to
demographical differences.
The sample size is 50 only, which may not be sufficient to conclude the accurate
response.
The report is purely based on respondents data. There may be biased
information.

CHAPTER SCHEME
The whole study has been organized and presented in five chapters.
Introduction and framework of the study is given in the First Chapter.
Second chapter deals with Area profile
Third Chapter is devoted to consumer behaviour - A conceptual framework
Fourth Chapter is concerned with analysis of consumers satisfaction towards HUL
Products
Summary of finding, suggestion study is presented in the Fifth Chapter

CHAPTER II
AREA PROFILE OF SIRKAZHI
Sirkazhi is a municipal town in Nagapattinam district in Tamil Nadu, India. It is
located 13 km (8.1 mi) from the coast of the Bay of Bengal, and 250 km (160 mi) from
the state capital Chennai. Sirkazhi was a part of Thanjavur district until 1991 and has
later

been

part

of

Nagapattinam

district.

The

town

covers

an

area

of

13.21 km2 (5.10 sq mi) and in 2011 had a population of 34,927. It is administered by
a second grade municipality. Sirkazhi is part of the Cauvery delta region and agriculture
is the major occupation. Roads are the main means of transportation the town has
51.47 km (31.98 mi) of district roads, including a national highway.
The town is believed to be of significant antiquity and has been ruled by the Medieval
Cholas,Later

Cholas, Later

Pandyas,

the Vijayanagar

Empire,

the Marathas and

the British. The Tamil trinity of Carnatic music; Arunachala Kavirayar (1711
78), Muthu Thandavar (15251600) andMarimutthu Pillai (171287), originated from
Sirkazhi. The Saiva saint Tirugnanasambandar, foremost of the Saiva Nayanars, was
born here in the seventh century. The history of the town is centred on the Sattainathar
Temple, which is dedicated to Hindu god Shiva.
Etymology and Origin
In ancient times, this town had twelve different names, including Brahmapuram,
Venupuram, Thonipuram, Kazhumalam, Pugali, Sirkazhiswaram and Shri Kali.
According to Hindu legend, during one of the biggest deluges that submerged the planet
10

earth, Hindu god Shiva is said to have carried the 64 arts on a raft (called Thoni in
Tamil). The presiding deity in the temple, Shiva, is thus called "Thoniappar" (the one
who carried the raft) and the region is called "Thonipuram". The Hindu god Brahma is
believed to have worshiped Shiva here, giving the name "Bhramapureeswarar" (the one
worshipped

by

Brahma)

and

so

the

region

is

also

referred

as

"Bhramapureeswaram". Shiva is believed to have quelled the arrogance of Hindu

god Vishnu, after showing his dominance over the three worlds and hence got the name
"Sattainathar" here. The town is thus called "Sattainathapuram", which in modern times,
is a suburb within Sirkazhi. The town was known as "Kalumalam" during the early
Chola period. Thirugnanasambandar, the seventh century Saiva nayanar, as an infant is
believed to have been fed with the milk of wisdom by the divine mother Parvati on the
banks of the temple tank. The child Sambandar started singing the anthology
ofTevaram hymns from then on, commencing with "Todudaiya Seviyan". Sambandar
refers the town as "Kazhi" in his verses. It was called Shiyali during British rule, and
after Independence, it was renamed "Sirkazhi".
HISTORY
The earliest mention of Sirkazhi is found in the history of the Chola
king Kocengannan from the Sangam Age (3rd century BCE to 4th century CE), who is
believed to have won a bloody battle here. During the 7th8th century, there were
widespread

disputes

between

the

Hindu

sects

of

Saivism and Vaishnavism.

Tirugnanasambandar and Thirumangai Azhwar, belonging to Saivism and Vaishnavism,

respectively, and both natives of Sirkazhi, had disputes over their religious compositions
and theologies during the period. The Chola Kings ruled over the region for more than
11

four centuries, from 850 to 1280, and were temple patrons. There 41 inscriptions from
the Chola kings in the temple that record various gifts like land, sheep, cow and oil to
the temple.
The region fell under the control of Pandyas in 1532 and later became part of
the Thanjavur Nayak kingdom. The region was conquered in 1674 by Ekoji I (167584),
the Maratha enemy

of

the Nawab of Bijapur and

half-brother

of Shivaji

(167480). The town and the region became part of the British East India
Company during the mid-18th century. Tanjore district was constituted in 1799 when
the Thanjavur Maratha rulerSerfoji II (17981832) ceded most of his kingdom to the
British East India Company in return for his restitution on the throne. After India's
independence, Sirkazhi continued to be a part of Thanjavur district until 1991, when it
became part of the newly created Nagapattinam district.
GEOGRAPHY
sirkazhi is located at 11.23N 79.73E, on the eastern flank of the KumbakonamShiyali ridge, which runs along the Kollidam River. Sirkazhi has an average elevation of
5.18 m (17.0 ft) above sea level and is located at 13 km (8.1 mi) west of Bay of Bengal.
[18]

It is located 95 km (59 mi) north-east of Thanjavur, 24 km (15 mi) north

of Mayiladuthurai and 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of Chidambaram.

The town experiences long summers and short winters, ]and receives an average
yearly rainfall of 1,250 mm (49 in), mainly from the north-east monsoon between
October and December. Its close proximity to the sea means that Sirkazhi receives more

12

rainfall than neighbouring towns. Sirkazhi is part of the Cauvery delta region and has
irrigation channels, called the Kollidam channels, which carry water from the rivers and
provide a rich deposit of fertile silt before reaching the sea. The soil is black and
contains fertile alluvial sediment The area's main crop is rice; other crops grown in the
area are coconut, tamarind and neem. The landscape mostly consists of plain lands with
fields

and

small

portions

of

scrub

jungle. Antelope, spotted

deer, wild

hog, jackal and fox are present in the jungles and outlying areas of the town.
[20]

Crow and ordinary game birds are found in large numbers in the town.
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea, megathrust earthquake that

occurred on 26 December 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra,
Indonesia, triggering a series of devastating tsunamis along coastal fringes of the Indian
Ocean. Nagapattinam district was the most affected part of Tamil Nadu, accounting for
6,064 off the 8,009 casualties in the state. Sirkazhi remained mostly unaffected by the
tsunami, but the groundwater quality deteriorated where aquifers were close to the water
bodies. There was heavy salt water intrusion inland.
DEMOGRAPHICS
According to 2011 census, Sirkazhi had a population of 34,927 with a sex-ratio of
1,028 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929. A total of
3,367 were under the age of six, constituting 1,740 males and 1,627 females. Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 23.21% and .13% of the population
respectively. The average literacy of the town was 81.5%, compared to the national
average of 72.99%. The town had a total of : 8756 households. There were a total of
13

11,476 workers, comprising 352 cultivators, 1,398 main agricultural labourers, 50 in

house hold industries, 7,681 other workers, 1,895 marginal workers, 88 marginal
cultivators, 809 marginal agricultural labourers, 77 marginal workers in household
industries and 921 other marginal workers.
In 1981, there were 15 notified slums accommodating 4,499 persons, constituting
17.64% of the population. In 2001, there were still 15 slums accommodating 7,533
persons, constituting 23.37% of the population. The slum area has remained static at
39.45 acres (0.1596 km2).The town has a residential area of 2.79 km2 (1.08 sq mi)
(20.96%), commercial area of 0.4 km2 (0.15 sq mi) (3.04%), industrial area of
0.58 km2(0.22 sq mi) (4.39%), public & semi public area of 1.29 km2 (0.50 sq mi)
(9.66%) and undeveloped area of 8.23 km2 (3.18 sq mi) (38.05%).
ECONOMY AND TRANSPORT
The service sector provides most employment in the town. Limited agriculture is
carried out the main crop is paddy rice. During the British Raj, Sirkazhi was known for
mats made with a kind of cyperus. The headquarters of the taluka and panchayat union
administration, and many government offices are located in the town. There are no major
industries within the town, except for several rice mills. Sirkazhi has many Hindu
temples, which draw in tourism activity. Sirkazhi Coop Urban Bank, founded in 23 Apr
1918 is the oldest bank in Sirkazhi. All majornationalised banks and private banks have
branches in the town, and all have atms.

14

Sirkazhi municipality has 51.5 km (32.0 mi) of roads: 18.3 km (11.4 mi) of BT
roads,

30.4 km

(18.9 mi)

of

cement

roads,

2.2 km

(1.4 mi)

of

water-

bound macadam surface and 0.6 km (0.37 mi) of other roads. Bullock carts are the
traditional mode of transport; as late as the 1950s, landlords and rich farmers travelled
mostly by bullock carts except on rare, long journeys, which they undertook by buses or
motor vehicles. Buses are the main mode of public transport from Sirkazhi. The
municipality operates a B-Class bus stand with 36 bays that accommodate local and
intercity buses. The buses are operated by Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation,
connecting the town to Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Karaikkaland other cities in
Tamil Nadu.
Sirkazhi's

railway

station is

on

the

main

line

between

Chennai

and Trichy via Cuddalore and Chidambaram. Daily express trains connect major cities in
Tamil Nadu like Chennai, Madurai and Trichy, and weekly express trains connect
Tirupathi, Varanasi, Tiruchendur and Bhubaneswar. There are also daily passenger trains
to Mayiladuthurai, Salem, Villupuram and Bangalore daily. The nearest airport is
Tiruchirapalli Airport which is 160 km (99 mi) from Sirkazhi.

EDUCATION AND UTILITY SERVICE

The first English school in the town was the Leipzig Evangelical Lutheran
Mission School, which was opened by the Lutheran Mission in 1896. The Lutheran
mission was the earliest Protestant mission founded in Tanjore (present-day Thajavur)
by Rev. C.V. Schwartz in 1778 to promote Christian knowledge in the region. Of the 32
schools in Sirkazhi, there are nine municipal schools. [39] There are three higher
15

secondary schools, three middle schools, fourteen primary schools and three
matriculation schools in the town. There are two arts and science colleges, BEST
College of Arts and Science and Vivekananda College of Arts and Science. Srinivasa
Subbaraya Polytechnic College (locally called Puttur Polytechnic) is located in Puttur, 7
kilometres (4.3 mi) from Sirkazhi.
Electricity supply to the town is regulated and distributed by the Sirkazhi Circle
of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board(TNEB). Water supply is provided by the Sirkazhi
municipality from the Kollidam river; it is distributed through five water tanks which
supply 2 million (two million) litres a day. Push carts and tricycles are used to collect
solid waste, which is deposited in marsh lands located outside the town. Sirkazhi
municipality is implementing underground drainage and the current sewerage system is
through septic tanks and public conveniences. Roadside drains carry away untreated
sewage, which is released into the sea or accumulates in low-lying areas.
Sirkazhi comes under the Sirkazhi Telecom Circle of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam
Limited (BSNL), India's state-owned telephone and internet services provider. BSNL
also provides a broadband internet service The town has a government hospital, 12
private hospitals, clinics and medical shops.

CULTURE
The Bhramapureeswarar temple, also called Sattainathar temple, is an ancient
temple complex dedicated to Shiva, and has three Shiva shrines. The temple is entioned
in the Saiva canonical work, Tevaram,by ThirugnanaSambanthar,Tirunavukkarasar and

16

Sundarar, the foremost Saivite saints of 7theighth century CE and is classified

as Paadal Petra Sthalam. There is a separate shrine for Sambandar celebrating the
miracle of Parvathi suckling the child Sambandar when he was crying for milk. Shiva is
worshipped in three different forms; the Shivalingam (Bhrammapureeswarar), Uma
Maheswarar (Toniappar) at the middle level, and Bhairavar (Sattanathar) at the upper
level.[73] The original temple was enlarged during the period of Kulothunga Chola I,
Vikrama Chola, Kulothunga Chola IIand Kulothunga Chola III (as in Chidambaram
11th through the 13th centuries). Every year in the Tamil month of Chithirai
(April May), a 10-day festival is celebrated.
Kazheesirama Vinnagaram temple, also called Thadalan Koil, is dedicated to Vishnu
inthe formof Trivikrama. Sirkazhi is base to the outlying places like Poompuhar,and the
temples Thirusaikkadu, Thiruppallavaneeswaram,Melapperumpallam, Keezhaperumpall
am, Thiruvengadu andThirunangur. Thirukkavalampadi,Thiruvanpurushothamam, Thiru
arimeyaVinnagaram, Thiruchsemponsey, Thirumanimadam, Thiruvaikundavinnagaram,
Thiruthevanartthogai, Thiruthetriyambalam, Thirumanikkoodam, AnnanKoil and Thirup
paarththanpalli are eleven Vishnu temples, called Nangur Divya Desams revered
in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, located in the outskirts of Sirkazhi. The annual
Garudasevai festival held during January attracts thousands of pilgrims.
Tamil

Isai

Moovar

(meaningTamiltrinityofCarnaticmusic)

Arunachalaavirayar (17111778), Muthu

Thandavar (15251600)

and

namely
Marimutthu

Pillai (17121787) originated from Sirkazhi. Arunachala composed devotional songs,

including Sirkazhi

Sthalapuranam and Sirkazhi

17

Kovai,

eulogising

the

town

S. R. Ranganathan, considered to be the father of library science in India, is from

Sirkazhi.

18

CHAPTER III
CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

INTRODUCTION
It is well established that in all marketing decision making, consumer needs should
serve as the focal point. As such, it is both relevant and important for any business to know
its consumers and understand his/her buying behavior. It is also important to understand
how buying decisions are taken.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR: MEANING AND IMPORTANT

When a person gets his pay packet at the beginning of each moth he sits down with
his wife and prepares the family budget after carefully apportioning amounts to different
items of expenditure. However, after a trip to the market with his family, he finds that the
whole exercise in rationality (budget) is futile as the purchase made by him are not
compatible with the budget is futile as the purchases made by him are not compatible with
the budget items. On recapitulation and analysis, he finds that it was his wife, son, daughter
and even he himself who were responsible for this deviation. The deviation is attributed to
the arousal of new needs on account of new products displayed, better packages, better
credit facilities, charming saleswomen/men ship and also because a rich neighbor is using
some particular article. While making purchases, the son a has friendss dress in his mind,
the daughter has her class teachers new lipstic in her mind, the wife is thinking of a
particular sari shed had seen at a party, and he himself was overawed by his neighbors
choices. This whole behavior of a person(s) while making purchases may be termed as
19

consumer behavior. It has been defined as the process where by individuals decide
whether, what, when where, how and from whom to purchase goods and services.

In this process, the consumer deliberates with in himself before he finally makes a
purchase move.

This deliberation relates to many variables and is aimed at solving

consumption problems. Among these problems, the first and foremost is to decide whether
to spend money or to save it. Once a decision is taken to spend money, the second problem
is to decide what to buy because the needs are multiple and resources scarce. Therefore,
needs are to be ranked in terms of priority. The subsequent consumption problems relate to
the place from where to buy, the mode of purchase large/small quantities, cash/credit
purchases and the like-and, last, the seller/shop from whom to buy.

This whole

consumption behavior consists of both physical and mental activities.

The physical

activities involve visiting a shop, examining a product, selecting products or eating/drinking

outside, that is , the actual act of consumption. Mental activities, on the other hand, involve
deliberations within and forming of attitudes, perceiving communication material and
learning to prefer a particular brand of product.

MEANING OF BUYING MOTIVES

According to W.J.Stanton, A motive can be defined as a drive or an urge for which
an individual seeks satisfaction. It becomes a buying motive when the individual seeks
satisfaction through the purchase of something.. Motive is thus an inner urge that moves or
prompts a person to some action. Motive is an effectual desire that prompts one to a
defined action. Customers purchase any goods as results of certain mental and economic
forces that create desires or the articles offered for purchase can satisfy wants that they
20

know. In the words of Berelson and Steiner, A motive is the inner state that energizes,
activates or moves and that directs of channels behavior toward goals.
FACTORS AFFECTING CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
Marketing success or failure depends mainly on target customers individual and
group reaction expressed in the form of buying patterns. There are three main approaches
to the explanation of buyer behaviour: (i) the economic (ii) the psychological and (iii) the
structural. Buying behaviour may be viewed as an orderly process where by the individual
interacts with his or her environment for the purpose of making market place decisions on
products and services. The individual specific behavour in the market place is affected by
internal factors such as needs, motives, perception and attitudes as well as by external or
environmental influences.

Such as the family, social groups, cultural, economic and

business influences.

Buyers behaviour Insights from Psychology

Studies of learning and the related areas of recognition recall and habitual response
have furnished marketers with several keys to understanding consumer behaviour. They
help in answering question like how do consumer learn about products offered for sale? By
what process do they develop buying and consuming habits? Buying is influenced not only
by external stimuli but also by internal factors.

The basic factors influencing learning

These are repetition, motivation, conditioning and relationship and organization
Repetition is necessary for the progressive modification of psychological influences and
must be accompanied by attention, interest and a goal if it is to be effective. Advertisers
who depend on repetition alone waste both their efforts and money.
21

Motivation: The individual motivation is the most important factor involved in

indicating and governing his or her activities. Activity in harmony with ones motives both
satisfying and pleasing. Human motivation is a topic of considerable interest for marketing
professionals.

Conditioning is a way of learning in which a new response to a particular stimulus is

developed. Through long advertising efforts and continued exposure of a particular symbol
the company succeeds in conditioning the people to recognize the bottle or packet of its
product, e.g. Vajardanti tooth paste and Dalda or Rath Vanaspati. The conditioned
response establishes only a temporary rather a permanent behaviour pattern and if it is not
frequently enforced by the original stimulus the conditioned response eventually disappears.
We have to remember that all persons do not respond equally well to conditioning nor are
their responses generally predictable.

Relationship and Organization: Learning effectiveness is enhanced if the thing to

be learned is presented in a familiar environmental setting. A salesman can more effectively
demonstrate a vacuum cleaner or a washing machine by using them at the customer place
instead of describing their capacity and cleaning power in a store. The housewife is
interested in the machines, performance specification only as they directly relate to the take
of cleaning own carpets and garments etc. This sales manager should relate the customers
needs and interests.

Relation and Forgetting of Learned Information:

Relation is explained in terms of impressions left in the nervous system as a result of
learning.

Forgetting or negative retention develops with the deterioration of these

22

impressions.

The phenomenon is important with respect to long-run promotion of

advertising campaigns. Messages will have been forgotten and must be relearned.

Needs of Satisfaction and Buyers Behaviour

Buying behavior is directed towards satisfying certain basic needs, clinical
psychologist has not yet agreed on a single list of basic needs. According to Maslow, and
individual normally tries to satisfy the most basic needs first and then he proceeds to the
next ones. He has mentioned seven basic needs. These are: (i) psychological needs,
(ii) safety (iii) belongingness and love needs , (iv) esteem needs (v) need for selfactualisation (vi) desire to know and understand (vii) Aesthetic needs.
The concept of basic needs and the theory that the individuals normally try too
satisfy them in some order are especially significant for marketing success.
Sociologists and Anthropologists view marketing as involving the activities of
groups of people motivated by group pressures. Now it is recognized that individuals as
social creatures are strongly influenced in their buying by the social and cultural
environments in which they live. The person with whom an individual regularly associates
exerts strong influences on his or her behavior. Reference group including family and peer
groups, social groups, religious or fraternal organizations exert strong influences on an
individual behavior.

Knowledge of reference groups and their influences make it easier to explain why
consumers behave in particular ways and more important to marketers to predict their
behavior.

23

Status Symbol Concept:

Sociologists explain the so-called status symbols by holding that people express their
personalities not so much in words as in symbol such as mannerisms, dress, ornaments
possession etc. Most people are concerned about their social status. Different products
vary in their status symbol value and these values may change from time to time. The
Baggi is horse-driven vehicle was once the major status symbol.

Then came the

automobile, which now has been replaced, by the house and its furnishings.
The status symbol concept is a valuable one for the marketer for when it recognizes
that is selling a symbol as well as a product it views its product more completely. The
marketer should understand not only how the product satisfies certain needs but also how it
fits into modern culture.

Reference Groups
The people with whom an individual regularly associates exert strong influences on
his behavior.

He or she must comfort to their standards of behavior to gain group

acceptance. Reference group include family and peer groups and religious and fraternal
organization.
The most influential primary group is, of course, the family Peer groups composed
of individuals who spend considerable time together and are of fairly common age and
social backgrounds.

Other groups with varying degrees of socializing influence are

religious, educational, political institutional and work groups. Any of these groups may be
classified as peer groups if they are sufficiently homogenous. The peer groups have the
greatest influence on the individuals as a consumer because the groups general interests
and mode of life are most nearly like his or her own.
24

Importance of Reference Groups of Marketing

Knowledge of reference groups and their influences makes it easier to explain why
consumers behave in a particular way. It keeps the marketer to predict their behavior. A
young executive, for example, may dress and act differently when in the job and in content
with his business associate, but off the job, he may behave and dress quite differently.
Influential
An influential is a person who serves as an opinion leader of a group. Such opinion
leaders are found at all levels of society. For example, an unmarried girl in the college may
be a fashion leader. An older woman may be her groups cooking expert because of her
expert knowledge in cooking; and a man, his groups political leader because of whom he is
known not only within the group but also outside it. This influential tries or uses a product;
his or her followers are proved to the same.

Marketers, therefore, often target their

promotional efforts to reach influential and through them reach their followers by word of
mouth or other subtle influences exerted by the influential.
Needs of Satisfaction and Buyers Behaviour
Psychological studies indicate that all-human activities including buying behavior
are directed towards satisfying certain basic needs. All individuals do not act exactly in the
same way in their efforts to fulfill their needs. These actions not only depend upon the
nature of the basic needs but also they are modified by the individuals particular
environmental and social backgrounds. Whatever action the individual takes is directed
towards reducing tension built up to satisfy basic needs.
There is no unanimity among the psychologist in regard to a list of basic needs.
Maslow enumerates basic needs in their order of importance.

25

DIFFERENT

TYPE OF BUYING MOTIVES

Marketing today is consumer oriented. The consumer is the king. A marketing

manager, therefore, to be successful in his marketing efforts should understand the needs,
wants, buying motives and feelings of the customers of his product. Buying motives and
feelings of the customers of his product. Buying motives motivate a consumer to purchase.
Buying motive may be of many type. The important types of buying motives are:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Inherent and learned buying motives.

Emotional and rational buying motives.
Psychological and Social buying motives.
Consumer Patronage motives.

Now we shall discuss these motives as under.

Inherent and Learned Buying Motives
Inherent buying motives are those which arise from the basic needs of the consumer
such as hunger, sex, comfort and safety. In order to satisfy these motives, a consumer has to
make his best efforts. If these motives remain unsatisfied, he feels mental tension. Learned
motives, on the other hand, are those, which a customer acquires, or learn from the
environment in which he lives or from education. These motives are social status, social
acceptance, economic, social or political achievement, fear and security.
Emotional and Rational Buying Motives
Prof.M.T. Copeland has classified the buying motives in two types Emotional and
Rational. Emotional buying motives are those which are affected by the feeling o he heart.
In satisfying these needs, sometimes man is not rational. These motives are hunger, thirst,
ego, prestige, comfort, pleasure, love and affection etc.,
Rational buying motives are those motives where a consumer is rational in taking
buying decision.

Here head and mind are dominant over heart.

26

Before making any

purchase, he satisfies himself with the price, quality, durability, reliability and service and
then decides to purchase the goods, which are useful to him and are available at reasonable
price. He takes more time in making rational purchases.
STAGES OF BUYING PROCESS
The purchaser or consumer takes his buying decision, for some commodities
immediately without much consideration such as items of daily use while for some other
commodities mainly luxury or durable items, he thinks much before taking a decision to
purchase it. Sometimes, he consults others. Generally, the purchaser passes through five
distinct stages in taking a decision for purchasing a particular commodity. These stages are:
(i) need arousal, (ii) information search, (iii) evaluation behaviour (iv) purchase decision,
and (v) post-purchase feelings.
Need Arousal
The buying process starts with need arousal. A need can be activated through
internal or external stimuli. The basic needs of a common man arise to a threshold level
and become a drive and he knows from his previous experience how to satisfy those needs
like hunger, thirst, sex, etc., this is a case of internal stimulus. A need can also be aroused
by an external stimulus such as sight of a new thing in a shop while purchasing other things.
There is two-fold significance of need arousal stage to a marketing man. First, the marketer
must identify the drive that might actually or potentially connect to the product class or
brand and make the buyer feel that the product can satisfy the drive, he feels, and secondly
It also helps to recognize that the need levels for the product fluctuate over time and are
rigged by different cues. The marketer can arrange cues to conform better to the natural
rhythms and timing of need arousal.

27

Information Search
After need arousal, the consumer tries to solve it and gathers the sources and
information about the product depending upon the intensity of need; it produces two states
in the individual. The first state is called heightened attention when the consumer becomes
more receptive to the information regarding the item he needs. He becomes alert to
information bearing on the need and its gratification. If a consumer needs to purchase a
television, he will pay mere attention, to TV Ads, TV being used by him and the remarks
made by friends and associates about TVs. If need is more intense, the individual enters a
state of active information search and he tries to collect more information about the product,
its key attributes, qualities of various brands and about the outlets where they are available.
There are four consumer information sources:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Personal sources (family, friends, neighbors etc)

Commercial Sources (advertisements, salesmen, dealers)
Public sources (mass-media, consumer-rating organization)
Experiential sources (handling, examining, using the product)

Identifying the information sources and their respective roles and importance calls for
interviewing consumers about the sources of information and can use the findings to
plan its advertisements.

Evaluation Behaviour
Having collected the information, the consumers clarify and evaluate the alternative. There
is, unfortunately no simple and single evaluation process used by all consumers or even by
28

one consumer in all buying situations. The most current Process of evaluation is to judge
the product largely on a conscious and rational basis. Various considerations from the part
of judgment such as product attributes, importance weights, brand image, utility function of
reach attribute, and attitude etc. After evaluation of various alternatives, he takes the
decision to buy.

Purchase Decision
Evaluation behaviour leads the consumer to from a ranked set of preferences,
normally a consumer buys the article, and he or she likes most. But there are three
important considerations for taking the buying decision. (a) Attitude of others such as of
wife, relatives, and friends, but it depends upon the intensity of their negative attitude
and the consumers motivation to comply with the other persons wishes; (b) anticipated
situational factors as expected family income, expected total cost of the product and the
expected benefits of the product; (c) unanticipated situational factors as looks or manner
of the salesmen or the way business is carried on or worry about his income situation.
The marketer must consider these factors and should try to provoke the feeling of risk in
the consumer and attempt to provide information and support that will help him.
Post Purchase Feelings
After buying and trying the product, the consumer will feel some level of
satisfaction or dissatisfaction and level of satisfaction depends very much on the
expectation and the products perceived performance. If the product matches up to his
expectations, the consumer is satisfied; if it exceeds, he is highly satisfied; and if it falls
short of expectations, he is dissatisfied. Consumers form their expectations on the basis
of messages and claims sent out by the seller and other communications sources. If
29

seller makes exaggerated claims, the consumer will naturally fell dissatisfaction. So, the
smart seller must make claims about the performance of the product that are congruent
with its quality so that the consumer would feel satisfied.
PARTICIPANTS IN THE BUYING PROCESS
There are following five different roles that persons can play in the buying
decision.

Initiator
The initiator is a person, who first suggests or thins of the idea of buying the
particular product. For example, publisher of a book on marketing management initiates
the professor to ask the students of his class to purchase the book. Here publisher is the
initiator, the first person to initiate the buying process.

Influencer
Influencer is a person who explicitly has some influence on the final buying
decision of others. Students are influenced by the advice of the professor while taking a
decision to purchase a book here professor is the influencer.

Decider
The decider is a person who ultimately determines any part of whole of the
buying decision i.e., whether to buy what to buy, how to buy, when to buy or where to
buy. Children are the deciders for buying the toys, house lady for kitchen provisions,
and head of the family for durable luxury items.

Buyer

30

The buyer is the person who actually purchases. Buyer may be the decider or he may be
some other person. Children (deciders) are the deciders for purchasing the toys, but the
parents make purchases. Thus, parents are buyers.

User
User is the person who actually uses or consumes the services or products.

31

CHAPTER IV
CONSUMER SATISFACTION TOWARDS HUL PRODUCTS

A marketer is always interested to known how consumers respond to various

marketing stimuli product, price, place and promotion and other stimuli i.e., buyers
environment economic, technological, political and cultural. The market studies the
relationship between marketing stimuli and consumer response. The buyer is considered
as a black box, because his mind cannot be imagined, as to his buying decision. The
buying decision depends on his attitude, preference, feeling etc.

Factors influencing the consumer satisfaction and behavior are internal needs,
motives, perception and attitude as well as external family, social groups, culture,
economic, business influence etc. The success or failure in marketing depends upon the
individuals reactions, expressed in the form of buying pattern. Mainly, they buyer
behavior has many approaches: the economic, the psychological, the socio-cultural etc.
A buyer is subjected to many influences before the actual purchase. Aroused needs are
forces which activate goal-oriented behavior to bring want satisfaction. Therefore in this
study an attempt is made to analyze the consumer behavior towards HUL products in the
study area.

32

SEX WISE CLASSIFICATION OF THE RESPONDENTS

The sex of respondents has direct bearing on the consumption of consumer goods.
Therefore sex wise classification of the respondents is presented Table No.4.1.

TABLE NO.4.1
SEX WISE CLASSIFICATION OF THE RESPONDENTS
S.No

Sex

No.of Respondents

Percentage

01
02

Male
Female
Total

32
18
50

64
36
100

Source: Primary data

Table No.4.1 shows the sex wise classification of the respondents. Out of 50
sample respondents 64 per cent of the respondents is male and 36 per cent of the
respondents is female. If implies that the male respondents who consume HUL brands
out number female respondents.

AGE WISE CLASSIFICATION OF THE RESPONDENTS

The respondents are classified according to their age, because age is considered
as an important factor for satisfaction over particular product.
classification of the respondents is presented in Table No.4.2.

33

The age wise

TABLE NO.4.2
AGE WISE CLASSIFICATION OF THE RESPONDENTS

S.No
01
02
03
04
05

Age
Less than 20
20-30
30-40
40-50
More than 50
Total

No.of Respondents
7
10
12
8
13
50

Percentage
14
20
24
16
26
100

Source: Primary data

Table No.4.2 explains the age wise classification of respondents. It clearly shows
out of 50 respondents 24 per cent of the respondents belong to the age group of 30-40
years. Nearly 20 percent of the respondents fall under the age group of 20-30 years.
The respondents 40-50 years of age constitute 16 per cent of the total respondent. The
senior respondents more than 50 year of age is accounted for 26 per cent of the total. It
shows the senior people who consume HUL brands less than the other age groups.

34

EDUCATIONAL STATUS OF THE RESPONDENTS

Education plays important role in moulding the human wants and desires. The
behavior and inner urge of the individual are also determined by education.

The

educated person can compare the cost and benefits, while making his buying decision.
Therefore, educational status of the respondents is also considered in this study. The
educational status of the respondents is given in Table No.4.3.

TABLE NO.4.3
EDUCATIONAL STATUS OF THE RESPONDENTS
S.No
01
02
03
04
05

Educational Status
Illiterate
Primary School Level
High School Level
Graduation
Technical
Total
Source: Primary data

No.of Respondents
11
8
7
12
12
50

Percentage
22
16
14
24
24
100

Table No.4.3 reveals that out 50 sample respondents 14 per cent of the
respondents studied up to high school level. The graduates come in second place; nearly
24 per cent of the respondents studied technical education and 16 per cent studied up to
primary school level. A negligible 22 per cent of the respondents is illiterate.

INCOME WISE CLASSIFICATION OF THE RESPONDENTS

35

One of the deciding factors of the consumption of any product is the income of
the respondents family. Income decides the quality and quantity of consumption. The
Table No.4.4 indicates the total monthly income of the respondents.

TABLE NO.4.4
INCOME WISE CLASSIFICATION OF THE RESPONEDNTS
S.No
01
02
03
04

Age
Below 5000
5000-1000
10000-5000
Above 5000
Total

No.of Respondents
6
10
16
18
50

Percentage
12
20
32
36
100

Source: Primary data

It is understood from the Table No.4.4 that 20 per cent of the respondents
monthly income is in between Rs.5000-10000. 36 per cent of the respondents is higher
income group since their monthly income is more than Rs.5000. The lower income
group of the respondents constitutes 12 per cent of the total respondents.

OCCUPATION WISE DISTRINUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS

The consumer of consumer goods belongs to heterogeneous group residing at

different areas of sirkazhi. So the sample classified on the bais of their occupation viz.,
36

Business, Profession, Employment and Housewife. All those who are the employees of
the Central and Stare Government or Private concerns come under the category of
employment. Those who run business comes under the category of Business, those
engaged in profession like medicine, laws, income tax and other tax etc., are placed
under the category profession. All those who depend exclusively on their husbands
for their livelihood come under Housewife. The occupation wise distribution of the
respondents is Given Table No.4.5.

37

TABLE NO.4.5
OCCUPATION WISE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS
S.No
01
02
03
04

Occupation
Business
Profession
Employment
House wife
Total
Source: Primary data

No.of Respondents
12
13
9
16
50

Percentage
24
26
18
32
100

Table No.4.5 shows that the 18 per cent of the respondent is working in State and
Central Government. 32 per cent of the respondent is not doing any work other than
looking after their family. The respondents who are doing business constitute 24 per
cent of the total respondents. Therefore, it is understood from the table the housewives
and employees segments are more potential market as compared to other segments.
PREFERENCE TO PERSONAL WASH BRANDS OF HUL
Consumers preference to particular brands depends on quality, price and other
factors. In the same way, consumer preference to HUL brands also depends on the
quality, price, taste, quantity package and other factors. In the study area consumers use
various personal wash brands, their preference to particular brand of the hl is explained
in table 4.7.

TABLE NO.4.6
PREFERENCE TO PERSONAL WASH BRANDS OF HUL

38

S.No
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08

Brands
Lux
Lifeboy
Liril
Hamam
Breeze
Dove
Pears
Rexona

No.of Respondents
7
9
5
12
6
7
4
Total
50

Percentage
14
18
10
24
12
14
8
100

Source : Primary data

Table No.4.6 shows that most preferred Personal wash Brands of HUL is Haman
as it is preferred 12 respondents accounting for about 24 per cent. It implies that the
Human enjoys the supreme position with regards to consumers preference to Personal
wash brand. Life boy comes to second place which is preferred by 9 respondents
constitutes 18 per cent.

TABLE NO.4.7
PREFERENCE TO HAIR CARE BRANDS OF HUL

S.No
01
02

Brands
Sun Silk Naturals
Clinic

No.of respondents

Percentage

13

37

26
74

50

100

Total
Source : Primary data

39

According to Table No.4.7 among the Hair care brands of HUL Clinic plus
shampoo is preferred by the 74 per cent of the respondents and sun silk naturals is
preferred by 26 percent of the respondents. Therefore the company should improve the
sales of sun silk natural shampoo through appropriate promotional methods.

40

TABLE NO.4.8
PRERERENCE TO ORAL CARE BRANDS OF HUL
S.No
01
02

Brands
Pepsodent
Close up
Total
Source: Primary data

No.of Respondents
31
19
50

Percentage
62
38
100

Table No.4.8 shows that among the oral care brands of HUL, close up and
pepsodent is more or less equally preferred by the consumers in the study area.
Therefore the brands pepsodent and close up compete each other in the study area.

41

TABLE NO.4.9
PREFERENCE TO TEA BRANDS OF HUL
S.No
01
02

Brands
Brooke Bond
Lipton
Total

No.of Respondents
33
17
50

Percentage
66
34
100

Source: Primary data

It is understood from Table No.4.9 among the tea brands of HUL, Brooke Bond
tea is highly preferred by the consumer as compared to Lipton.

42

REASONS FOR PREFERRING PARTICULAR BRAND

The consumers have attributed many reasons to stick on a particular brand of the
company products. It is given in Table No.4.10.
TABLE NO.4.10
REASONS FOR PRERERRING PARTICULAR BRAND
S.No
01
02
03
04
05
06
07

Reasons

No.of Respondents

Quality
Quantity
Price
Discounts
Premium offer
Free gifts
Attractive package

14
11
2
7
5
8
3
50

Total

Percentage
28
22
4
14
10
15
6

100

Source : Primary data

Table 4.10 reveals that out of 50 respondents 28 per cent of the respondents
preferred the particular brand of HUL for is quality. 4 per cent of the respondents
preferred the particular brand for the least price with the same quality. 14 per cent of the
respondents stated that the reason for using particular brand was the discount offer given
by the company. Premium offers and free gifts have influenced just 10 per cent of the
respondents. It is understood from the table that most of the respondents give more
importance to quality while buying the HUL products.

AWARENESS OF COMPETITEVE BRANDS

In the study area the number of respondents who aware of the different comsumer
goods brands available in the market is explained in Table No.4.11.
TABLE NO.4.11
43

AWARENESS OF COMPETITIVE BRANDS

S.No
01
02

Awareness
Aware
Not aware
Total

No.of Respondents
44
6
50

Percentage
88
12
100

Source : Primary data

It is clear from the Table No.4.11, 88 percent of the respondents is aware of the
different brands available in the market. This may be due to advertisement made by the
companies through television. Even some of the illiterate respondents are aware of the
various brands of the consumer goods. Due to illiteracy 12 per cent of the respondents is
not aware of the different brands available in the market.
The awareness of the respondents about various competitive brand is explained
with the help of a pie diagram.

44

SOURCES OF BRANDS AWARENESS

The consumers are aware of the brands through news media like television, radio,
cinema, magazines and other sources.

The respondents are aware of HUL brands

through the following ways as shown in Table No.4.12.

TABLE NO.4.12
SOURCES OF BRAND AWARENESS
S.No
01
02
03
04
05

Reasons
Sales representative
Advertisement
Friend and relatives
Publicity
Sales promotion methods
Total
Source : Primary data

No.of Respondents
9
12
4
15
10
50

Percentage
18
24
8
30
20
100

Table No.4.12 reveals that out of 50 sample respondents the majority of

respondents became aware of the HUL brands through advertisements which alone
accounts for about 24 per cent. In the next place 20 per cent of the respondents know
their brands through sales promotion methods. The respondents, who know about the
brands through friends and relatives, account to nearly 8 per cent of total respondents.
Publicity influences the respondents get awareness through publicity. It is understood
from the table that the advertisement plays vital role to make aware of the respondents
about HUL brands.

POINT OF PURCHASE
The place of purchase the products by the consumers are important from the stand
viewpoint of the company because they may apply intensive sales promotion technique

45

to that particular point to increase sales. Table No.4.21 gives the different point of
purchase of the respondents.
TABLE NO.4.13
POINT OF PURCHASE
S.No
01
02
03
04

Point of Purchase
Departmental Store
General Provision Shop
Retailers
Co-operative stores
Total
Source : Primary data

No.of Respondents
22
13
11
4
50

Percentage
44
26
22
8
100

It is clear from the Table No.13 that as much as 44per cent of the respondents
purchased the brands from the departmental store followed by 26 per cent of respondents
purchased from General Merchant. Another 22 per cent of the respondents purchased as
the brands from the retailers. It is suggested that the company may make their sales
promotion technique at department stores where the majority of the purchase the HUL
products.

EFFECTIVE PROMOTION METHOD

The opinion of the respondents about the promotion methods adopted by the
company is given in Table No.4.14.
TABLE NO.4.14
EFFECTIVE PROMOTION METHOD

46

S.No
01
02
03
04

Methods
Advertisement
Sales Promotion
Publicity
Personal Selling
Total
Source : Primary data

No.of Respondents
35
5
7
3
50

Percentage
70
10
14
6
100

It is understood from the Table No.4.14 majority of the respondents stated that the
advertisement is most effective sales promotion method. About 10 per cent of the
respondents opined that the sales promotion is the effective promotion method and 9 per
cent of the respondents stated that the publicity is effective sales promotion technique.
Negligible portion of the respondents opined that personal selling is effective sales
promotion method.

47

EFFECTIVE SALES PROMOTION METHOD

The opinion of the respondents about the Sales promotion method to be adopted
by the company is given in Table NO.4.15.

TABLE NO.4.15
EFFECTIVE SALES PROMOTION METHOD
S.No
01
02
03
04

Methods
Price reduction
Premium offer
Free offer
Free gifts
Total

No.of Respondents
27
13
4
6
50

Percentage
54
26
8
12
100

Source : Primary data

Table No.4.15 shows that majority of the respondents are of the opinion that the
price reduction is effective salves promotion method. 26 per cent of the respondents
opined that the premium offer i.e., extra quantity is the effective sales promotion
method. 8 per cent of the respondents expect free offer from time to time to get more
quantity and 12 per cent of the respondents stated that the free gifts with the product is
effective sales promotion technique.

Therefore, it may be assumed that the price

reduction is the effective sales promotion methods in the study area. The opinion of the
respondents about the effective sales promotion method is explained with the help of the
bar diagram.

REASONS FOR WILLING TO CHANGE THE COMPETITOR BRAND

48

Out of 50 respondents 92 respondents are willing to chance their brand. The

reasons sated by the respondents for willing to change their brand is explained in Table
No.4.16.

TABLE NO.4.16
REASONS FOR WILLING TO CHANGE THE BRAND
S.No
01
02
03
04

Reasons
Attractive package
Least price
More discount offer
Better quality
Total
Source : Primary data

No.of Respondents
5
14
6
25
50

Percentage
10
28
12
50
100

Table No.4.16 shows that the majority of the respondents are willing to switch
over to the competitor brand if it offers better quality. As far as consumer goods is
concerned, the respondents give more important to quali8ty of the product than price
because only 28 per cent of the respondents were ready to switch over to the new brand
for least price.

REASONS FOR UNWILLING TO CHANGE THE BRAND

In addition to strong brand loyalty the reason for unwilling to switch over the
competitor brand is presented in Table No.4.17.
TABLE NO.4.17
49

REASONS FOR UNWILLING TO CHANGE THE BRAND

S.No
01

Reasons
No knowledge about quality of the

No.of Respondents
8

Percentage
16

9
33
50

18
66
100

competitor brand
02
Price and discount are immaterial
03
Highly satisfied with HUL brand
Total
Source : Primary data

It is clear from the Table No.4.17 that the nearly 66 per cent of the respondent
was unwilling to switch over to the competitor brand because they were highly satisfied
with the HUL brand. Another18 per cent of the respondents reluctant to change the
brand because price and discount are immaterial to them, they concerned about only
quality of the product.

16 per cent of the respondents opined that they have no

knowledge about quality of the competitor brand as their reasons for unwilling to change
their brand.

EXPECTATIONS OF THE COSUMERS

The consumers may except certain thing s from the producers of the goods and
services. The producers should satisfy the expectation of the consumers in order to
withstand in the highly consumers of the HUL product is listed in Table No.4.18.
TABLE NO.4.18
EXPECTATIONS OF THE CONSUMERS
50

S.No
01
02
03
04
05

Expectations
Quality improvement
Price reduction
More discount
Extra Premium
Free gift
Total
Source : Primary data

No.of Respondents
29
6
5
7
3
50

Percentage
50
12
10
14
6
100

Table No.4.18. shows the expectation of respondents in the study area from the
company. Out of 50 respondents 50 per cent of the respondents expect improvement of
quality with same price level. 12 per cent of the respondents expect to reduce price of
the HUL brands with same quality and 10 per cent expects more discounts.

The

respondents who except extra premium offer constitute 14 per cent of the total
respondents. The remaining 6 per cent of the respondents expect free gift from the
company. Therefore the Hindustan Unilever Limited should make an attempt to satisfy
the expectation of the consumers to withstand in the market forever.

CHAPTER V
FINDINGS AND SUGGESSTIONS
FINDINGS
The results of the study are
It is found that in the study area housewives and employees segments are more
potential market as compared other segments.
It is found that the Hamam soap enjoy the supreme position with regards to
consumers preference Personal wash brand. Life boy comes to second place
which is preferred by 9 respondents constitutes 18 per cent. Lux preferred by 14
51

percent of the total respondents. Similarly Rexona enjoy consumer preference

with 8 per cent of total respondents.
The laundry brands of HUL, surf excel, Rin and wheel soap are more or less
equally preferred by the consumer in the study area.
Among the Hair care brands HUL; Clinic Plus shampoo is preferred by the 74 per
cent of the respondents and sun silk naturals is preferred by 26 per cent of the
respondents.
The oral care brands of HUL close up and pepsodent is more or less equally
preferred by the consumers in the study area. Therefore the brands pepsodent and
close up compete each other in the study area.
Among the tea brands of HUL, Brooke Bond tea is highly preferred by the
consumer as compared to Lipton.
Out of 50 respondents 28 per cent of the respondents preferred the particular
brand of HUL for its quality.

4 per cent of the respondents preferred the

particular brand for the least price with the same quality. 14 per cent of the
respondents stated that the reason for using particular brand was the discount
offer given by the company. Premium offers and free gifts have influenced just
10 per cent of the respondent. It is understood from the study that most of the
respondents give more importance to quality while buying the HUL products.
88 per cent of the respondents is aware of the different brands available in the
market. This may be due to advertisement made by the companies through
television. Even some of the illiterate respondents are aware of the various
brands of the consumer goods.
Out of 50 respondents, 36 per cent of the respondents is using the HUL brand for
less than one year. They are new consumers of the brand, previously they
consumed some other brand and recently they have switched over to this brand.

52

 Out of 50 sample respondents the majority of respondents became aware of the

HUL brands through advertisement which alone accounts for about 24 per cent.
In the next place 20 per cent of the respondents know their brands through sales
promotion methods.

The respondents, who know about the brands through

friends and relatives, account to nearly 6 per cent of total respondents.

It is found that there is no difference in the source of information that influenced
the male and female buyers of the company product.
As much as 44 per cent of the respondents purchased the brands from the
departmental store followed by 26 per cent of respondents purchased from
General the brand loyalty, which shows confidence of the respondents on the
brand. It is implied from the study that most of the consumers are likely to
change their brand if better product is available in the market.
Majority of the respondents are willing to switch over to the competitor brand if it
offers better quality. As far as consumer goods is concerned, the respondents give
more important to quality of the product than price because only 28 per cent of
the respondents were ready to switch over to the new brand for least price.
Out of 50 respondents 66 per cent of the respondents was unwilling to switch
over to the competitor brand because they were highly satisfied with the HUL
brand. Another 18 per cent of the respondents reluctant to change the brand
because price and discount are immaterial to them, they concerned about only
quality of the product. 16 per cent of the respondents opined that they have no
knowledge about quality of the competitor brand as their reasons for unwilling to
change their brand.
It is found that the promotion method creates a big impact on the selection of a
HUL brand.

53

 Majority of the respondents stated that the advertisement is most effective sales
promotion method. About 20 per cent of the respondents opined that the sales
promotion is the effective promotion method and 30 per cent of the respondents
stated that the publicity is effective sales promotion technique. Negligible portion
of the respondents opined that personal selling is assumed that the advertisement
is the most effective sales promotion methods in the study area.
Out of 50 respondents 50 per cent of the respondents expect improvement of
quality with same price level. 12 per cent of the respondents expect to reduce
price of the HUL brands with same quality and 10 per cent expects more
discounts. The respondents who expect extra premium offer constitute 14 per
cent of the total respondents. The remaining 6 per cent of the respondents expect
free gift from the company.

54

SUGGESTIONS
In the light of foregoing analysis and findings of the study the following practical
suggestions are given to the company for increasing market share:
The study revels that the majority of the respondents come to know about
HUL brands through advertisement. Therefore, it implies that the
advertisement place vital role in the consumer goods industry. To increase
more

awareness

among

the

consumers,

effective

and

genuine

advertisement must be made. The advertising is not only retaining existing

consumers but also for attracting new customers.
In order to attract new consumer, it is recommended to give useful gift
article along with the product.
In order to satisfy the consumer who are housewives, it is suggested to the
company that small jar type package may be introduced in the place of
poly pack.
In the study area the consumers always look for better quality and
reasonable price of the product. Therefore, steps are to be taken to
maintain and improve the quality and reduce the price so as to avoid shift
the consumers choice to other substitutes.
The analysis of the study shows that the majority of the respondents
purchased the product from the departmental store. Therefore, it is
suggested that the company may make their major sales promotion
programme at departmental store to reach the mass consumers

55

BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOK
1) ABBOT J.C

Marketing problems and

Improvement Programme F.A.O
1958.
Management of marketing co
Operative deep a and deep

2) GOAL B.B

publication Delhi 1999

3) JAIN D.K

Management of marketing co
Operative In india kanishka
publication house Delhi 1992

4) SING I.P

co-operative in India himaijaya

Publishing house Mumbai 2000

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