Professional Documents
Culture Documents
A Project Report
On
“ANALYSIS OF BUYING BEHAVIOUR OF
CONSUMER WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE
TO KANPUR CITY
Submitted by
Shiv Kumar Gaur
MBA
ENR. NO. 520869880
Roopesh upadhyay
Head
Lcearning centre
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am deeply indebted to Mr. Sanjay Mitra my research
guide, the MULTI MANAGEMENT INFOTECH, Kanpur without his
help completion of the project was highly impossible.
Place : KANPUR
most countries. For the most part, the retailing arena in post-independence India
business principles.
This situation started to change is slowly in the 1980s, When India first
began opening up its economy. Textiles, which included companies like Bombay
Dyeing, Raymond, S Kumar’s and Grasim, was the first sector to see the
its series of elegant showrooms. These examples were however, few and far
between, from the mid eighties to the early nineties. There was nevertheless a
common thread running through this early retail make over. This was the
environment. The 200-500 square feet, over – the counter retails outlets with
poorly designed interiors, were not the ideal surrounding for placing a brand on
manufacturer looking for one more avenues to build brand equity. These are pure
retailers who have no serious plans for getting into manufacturing. These new
retailer aims to live or die within the confines of their retails offerings. And this
Subhiksha in food and FMCD, Planet M, Music world, Music café, Fast Forward
and Vijay Sales, through old hands in the consumer durables game, plan to
expand at a rapid pace. The scenario is similar for some existing players like
Niligiri’s or Arvind Brands, who seem to have decided that this is the time to be
However, garments still remain a favored spot for big players. Glob us and
Lifestyle have offerings that rival international standards. Then there are those
who want it all under one roof, so you are not at cross purposes when you enter a
Crossroads in Mumbai or an Ansals Plaza in Delhi, Yes, and the syndrome is not
in India as well.
WHY STUDY RETAILING
So far, it has been seen that retailing is a vital and involuntary action
performed by the living structure of the market economy (as opposed to the case
volume and variety) necessitate an interface between the manufacturers and final
consumers. Hence we reinforce the fact that retailing is not a new deal. This
discussed above.
malls, markets, chain stores, and like. In the last few years a shift occurred in
India from individual retail outlets owned separately and managed distinctively
attracting better investments and talent. Things changed primarily because of the
Today, the industry (in India) seems to be functioning somewhere between the
accelerated development and maturity stages, with high growth rates, intense
In order to get an idea of the magnitude of the issue we are dealing with,
we look at the international scenario. During 1992, the largest 100 retailers in the
Retailing is the second largest industry in the world, one of the largest
employers of the world and an index of economic growth. In India there are
about 5 million retail outlets varying in sizes and nomenclatures. India has the
highest number of retail outlets per capita in the world but has the lowest retail
space per capita in the world (2 ft / person). Out of these 5 million outlets 96%
are smaller than 500 sq. ft. in area 3. There are about 3 million outlets in India’s
3700 designated towns and more than 6,00,000 villages. About 350 million
Rs. 4,79,568 crore worth of products were sold through these 5 million retail
outlets.
areas to market consumer goods to the middle class in a much similar style as
towards the service oriented economy, a rise in this percentage is expected. The
number of the retail outlets is growing at about 8.5% annually in the urban areas
and in towns with population between 1,00,000 to 1 million; the growth rate is
about 4.5%
organized retailing seems all set to power ahead from Rs. 5000 crore currently to
about Rs. 30,000 crore in next five years. A.T. Kearney reports that organized
retailing will account for about 20% of the total $8 trillion retail market in India
Organized Retailing :
Even though the big retail chains are concentrating on the upper segment
and selling products at higher prices like Crossroads, Akbarally’s and Shopper’s
Stop, retail stores are sprouting that cater to the needs of the middle class. With a
huge middle class population, the retailers like RPG’s Food World are tapping
this market. The market is flooded with products – branded and unbranded.
The customers are in a dilemma as to pick which one! The organized retail
chains, display all the products and the most attractive product catches the
customer attention. Gone are the days of customer loyalty increasing number of
products of similar quality hitting the market? Differentiation plays the lead role.
According to Mr. Simon Bell of A.T. Kearney, there is a close relation between
the growth of brands and the growth of the organized retailing. “Companies
selling branded products prefer to have big and organized retail outlets such as
opines. India is going through that phase in retailing, which the US experience in
80s and early 90s. From product based shopping, the importance has shifted to
The customers of the 21st century would expect to pick his / her own
products from an array of choices rather than asking the local kirana wallas to
deliver a list of monthly groceries. Thus the way of distribution of products has
use”. It is the final stage in the distribution process for goods and services from
Final
Consumer
Wholesa
Retaile
Manufactu
ler
r rer
Retailing involves :
Retailing differs from marketing in the sense that is refers to only those
executive the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods and
services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational
objectives.”
intermediary buyers. Industrial buyers are those who purchase goods and
those (i.e. wholesalers and retailers) who buy merchandise for resale. Retailers
barbershops, airlines and even bike and car showrooms. Still retailing may or
may not involve the use of a physical location. Mail and telephone orders, direct
selling to consumers in their homes and offices and vending machines all fall
within the purview of retailing. In addition to it, retailing may or may not
are acing as retailers when they sell goods and / or services to final consumers.
retail marketing strategy involves selecting a retail target market (i.e. the
satisfy) and then implementing the corresponding retail marketing mix (i.e. a
satisfy the retail target market). The elements of the marketing mix encompass
the facets shown in the table below. The table depicts consumer service as the
structure – what the retailing industry is made up of, what is looks like. The
operates only one retail outlet. A family mostly owns it with high
image and his offering reflects the tastes and preferences of its owners
and customers. Kirana shops are very good examples of such retailers.
throughout all branches in order to project a particular image to the chain. This
calls for centralized decision making which in turn result in difficulties for
order to compete more effectively with corporate chain stores. They enjoy
franchisees.)
independently).
There are some key questions that a franchisee must answer while
• Does the franchise have potential for further growth or does its success
depend on a fad?
store’s major product lines and it must be taken care that it is not a
parasite and does not live off the traffic generated by other parts of the
store. Thus goods or services lines that it can offer may be restricted.
INDUSTRY PLAYERS
What is the reason that big groups like Tatas, ITC, Piramal Enterprises and
The answer is very simple. Now, just a couple large organized retailers are
in the market whose turnover crosses Rs. 100 crore. And in this sector anything
above 25 crore counts you as a major player. Consultants like A.t. Kearney have
predicted that by year 2005 retailing will be worth Rs. 1,60,000 crore in India.
Table 1 give an overview of the main players in this sector along with their
expansion plans :
Table 1 : India’s Large Retailers
Company Turn Outlets Space (in Expansion Plans (to be
over (in sqft) achieved by 2002)
Rs.
Crores)
RPG 156 27 Food world 2 200 000 50 Food World 8 Music
Music World 4 World 18 Health & Glow
Spencer’s outlets for total turnover of
Outlets 23.75 crores per month
Shopper’s 130 1 each in 100 000 15-17 outlets if FIPB
Stop Mumbai, approves Foreign Equity
Bangalore,
Hyderabad,
Delhi, Jaipur
Vivek & 90 8 in Chennai 3 in 100 000 10 stores in Chennai and
Co. Banglore 1 in Bangalore 7 in Hyderabad,
Salem Vishakapatnam &
Vijayawada
Nilgiris 76 17 Supermarkets 80 000 4 outlets 30% growth in
14 Cakeshops terms of turnover 289
stores by 2007
Pantaloon 60 12 stores 40 90 000 11 superstores
franchises
NANZ 40 15 Supermarkets 70 100 N.A.
Vitan 25 11 Departmental 50 000 25 Outlets 100 crore
Stores turnover
Crosswor 16 Bookstores in 27 000 25 stores
D Ahmedabad,
Delhi, Mumbai,
Pune, Goa,
Nasik
Landmark N.A. 1 in Chennai and 18 000 Plans to open Mall in
Coimbatore Calcutta with Emami
Kemp N.A. 2 stores in 125 000 Kemp City retailing cum
Chain of Bangalore entertainment
Stores development, over 200
acres
Charagh N.A. Mumbai store 10 000 Will remain single
Din location store
Source : “Rushing into Retailing” Business World, 31 May, 1999
in the last two decades. In the eighties it breached the so-called Hindu rate
of growth and reached 5 percent levels, by the end of the nineties even this
was considered unacceptable. During at least 3 of the last 5 years the gross
domestic products has grown over the 7 percent levels. The government is
pushing for 8 percent over the next few years. Various international
leaders visiting India have expressed consensus over India’s this higher
disposable incomes.
trend. Thesis true of India as well. The number of towns with population
India consumers are no different. In the past 3 years, when the economy
was not doing very well consumer durables sales in India were coasting at
pattern. Driving this trend was media and cable TV proliferation, which
have been growing at a fast clip for a few years not. The resultant
trends. In the 1980s, there was just one brand of salt in the Indian market –
Tata Salt oils used to be sold losses till a few years ago. Now there are at
least ten known brands of oil and in more variations than Indians have
ever used in the last few hundred years. Pack size proliferation is another
trend. This year, the shelves of retail supermarket find six brands of salt.
Just about every respectable brand in the world in consumer durable has
• Cheaper real estate : Real estate is the largest fixed investment for a
retailer. In the last few years real estate prices have tumbled. According to
most real estate consultants prices could now be bottoming out. So this
already showing, pure retailers can make money in India. However, the models
will be deferent in different segments and the break even times may differ
why this cannot be replicated in Delhi or Banglore. There always been shops in
Chennai are examples. The music business can be lucrative, if early indication
is anything to go by. There are high margins and high volumes in this business.
Food and consumer durables are tougher segments. In consumer durables, Vijay
Sales or Vivek have expanded in the last 4 to 5 years without external. Though
food retailing has yet to yield profitable operator, Food world and Subhiksha
present exciting possibilities. They are both growing at explosive rates Food
Food world operates at 18-20 stock turns per year or an effective inventory of
15-20 days. Subhiksha on the other hand, operates on 33-34 stock turns per
annum which mean an effective inventory of only 10-11 days. They plan to bring
this down further. Department stores work at 2.5-3 stock turns per year. The
international standard is 4-5 stock- turns per annum. All leading retailer have put
level. The question then appears to be of critical mass and consumer acceptance.
Customers will opt walk that extra mile to the organized retailer if retailer if they
perceive any specific benefits. So far they have been getting by swimmingly
with the existing neighborhood kirana or the cloth merchant. The retailers will
have to offer perceptible advantages for the consumer to make that specific trip.
The new breed of retailers clearly understands this. They have identified a few
key planks.
and busy lifestyles are trends that make such an offering appealing to the
consumers Garments and consumer durable are natural businesses for this
Crossroads understands this. So does Planet M. Big kid’s keep which was
undercut successfully then market share will follow. This strategy has
showing that nothing works like price. This is the strategy all food
CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
Macro economic and household information gives a picture of consumer
buying power or the wallet size. The retail also needs to understand many more
issues about a consumer before he can take various strategic decisions like
location, store format or merchandise mix. For example, knowing where and
promotional strategy could be made better if the retailer had idea of the decision
making process could be made better if the retailer had idea of the decision
making process could be of the consumer. Among readily visible trends in urban
India is the increasing acceptance of casual clothing among urban Indian women.
Even the alliance at the work place has become for more relaxed about casual
wear. The Eastern influence has been heightened with the entry of a large
corporate philosophy. In line with this trend, Allen Solly has introduced their
Most garment companies have originated a range of sold and bright plains
need for one-stop which could translate into a multi-brand large format store or a
mall. With the increasing trend towards nuclear families the average family size,
parents whose children have grown up and have left home and who are saving
marketing.
Some of these trends are also clearly visible in the late study
3. To find out the factors which motivate consumers to buy from a Mall
store.
Agra consumer.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research
problem. It comprises of the various steps adopted by researcher along with the
logic behind it. According to Hudson “All progress is born of inquiry. Doubt
is often better than overconfidence, for it leads to inquiry and inquiry leads
to inventions”.
Universe : All the people of the city of Agra who buy any
store.
Sample Unit : A person of the city of the city of Agra who buy
store.
Secondary Data
Questionnaire
figures are however not available. Of urban adults 6.6 percent are shop owners,
urban shop-owner employs at least one assistant on an average then the total
sector could work out to around 8-10 percent of the adult population. Retailing
share in the actual work force would be much higher in the range 15-20 percent.
This is because 45 percent of Indian adult population does not work. A large part
retailers like Nilgiri’s Nallis or Vivek are just about a drop in the retailing ocean
The Indian retail market is large, but very highly fragmented with virtually
Audit the total number or retail outlets in the country was close to 10 million in
2000.
A NEW SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
However, disadvantages of allowing FDI in retail are significant. While
Wal-Mart may boost exports and buy directly from farmers, invest in food
Global retail giants would recruit people who are educated and skilled.
Small time retailers might not stand a chance. Moreover, the retail houses may
be capital rather than labour-intensive. How is one to assume that retail giants
would source products from India and raise its exports? They may source from
low wage countries like Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal or China. How can one be
sure that they would invest in food processing and help Indian farmers to sell
their produce directly to them and earn a better price? What happens when
farmers are unable to meet exact specifications and their produce is rejected? All
market, unbranded products enter the market, unbranded products will lose their
demand base. The Indian market is not integrated or homogenous. It caters to
MALL MANIA
In the second great wave of expansion, malls his small-town India even as they
become gigantic concrete amusement parks for the middle class in metros. These
shoppertainment centres are changing the way India shops and sells.
343
malls to be built in India by 2007
__________________________________
87.7 m
sq ft mall area in India by 2007
__________________________________
12.8 m
sq ft mall space in non-metros
__________________________________
1.5 m
sq ft mega mall being built in Noida
__________________________________
60,000
footfalls on weekends in large malls
__________________________________
93
malls planned for 14 major cities
__________________________________
54
total malls to come up in Delhi in two years
__________________________________
23
new malls in Pune by 2007
__________________________________
In all metros, major and minor, across the country, the shopping mall is changing
and reinvention in Mumbai and Bangalore, then its arrival in cities like
norms. In their varying shapes, sizes and descriptions, malls promise to change
the way India does shopping. At the peak of the Puja season in Kolkata this year,
the alleys of the city’s iconic New Market were far from crowded. There was not
the mall which has turned shopping from an ordeal to an outing, and become a
community hub where families congregate, entertain themselves and also buy
things. Kolkata’s Forum Mall, Nashik’s Big Bazaar, Velocity in Indore and
Mumbai’s Inorbit are the flagships of India’s booming mall culture. Vikas Jain, a
32-year-old garment exporter from Ludhiana, visits the newly inaugurated Ansal
Plaza once in five days. “Visiting a mall has become a family outing with
rushing to keep up with the demand. By 2007, 22 new malls will be added to
Region will see 18 new malls. The Indian consumer is, perhaps for the first time,
the middle of the city, and houses tenants like Shoppers’ Stop and the INOX
sells itself as the inexpensive mall experience. Its biggest tenant is Big Bazaar.
The big-city malls’ other hook is parking. Bangalore’s Garuda Mall has
succeeded not only because of its stores but also because of its mega car park,
which takes in 1,000 cars. Says D.G. Uday, CEO of Garuda Mall: “Consumers
shopping and entertainment. “The Phoenix Mills shopping mall in an old textile
mill area in central Mumbai has proved so popular, thanks to its mix of high-and
low-end brands, and options in both food and shopping, that the parking space
made available initially has proved inadequate. Now shoppers weave their way
Drawing crows is, however, not the same as drawing profits. When a mall
opens most of the visitors are window shoppers. Mall in India have had to take
this in their stride and be innovative. In the first phase, investors bought mall
making a killing. That resulted in empty retail spaces and poor customer traffic.
Says the CEO of a retail brand, which is a big anchor tenant in most malls:
“Gurgaon is a mess.”
“Today, customers take air-conditioning and parking facilities as basic.
Value for money has changed to value for time. This makes quality of service on
Leased mall space gives businesses a better chance of making profits. The
mall locks in the tenant for at least three year and big anchor tenants, like
multiplexes and chains like Shopper’s Stop and Westside, for a longer period.
Every mall needs its anchors, which are its biggest draw. They could be a
superstore like Big Bazaar multiplexes like Delhi’s PVRS. The “anchor” is
meant to give a pull in return visits, stable footfalls and revenues. When the
rentals doubled.” You get everything for everyone under one roof, she says.
expected to rise from Rs. 15,02,900 crore in 2004 to Rs. 27,70,400 crore by
2009. Organized retail is still at a nascent stage in India but there are some
pointers to the major growth areas. It is estimated that in 2003, the Indian
easy to understand why malls, which have hypermarkets like Big Bazaar and
Getting people to a mall once is easy. Getting them to return and spend
pertainment. As footfalls increase so does the size of the mall – from a modest
2,00,000 sqft, the major metros are now witness to the second wave of mall
development. There is more than one contender for the title of India’s biggest
mall and whoever owns it will know it is modest by global standards. The size of
an Indian mall is between 1,00,000 sq ft and 7,00,000 sq ft, while the malls in
the US start at 5,00,000 sq ft. Of the Indian malls, the Inorbit Mall at Malad in
multiplex and a very popular food court. The mall gets about one million
footfalls in a month and 30 per cent of its revenue comes from entertainment
the mall experience and festivals like Karwa Chauth, Dussehara, Diwali and
Christmas are celebrated with a splash. To keep the buzz alive, malls regularly
The mall boom has created its own economy, its own brands and its own
brand of fun. The future may include both the large mega mall and the smaller
specialty mall. At the focus of this churning is the Indian consumer. The
shopping experience for him will, to borrow from the title of a rock album,
The new entrants in the India retail signify the beginning of the retail revolution.
Organized retail is the next Big Thing to watch out for in Corporate India.
Consumer numbers in India can fill more than just heavyweight telephone
directories. Yet retailing here is one business that has seen few avatars apart
from its traditional Mom and Pop, or bania-bhaji, manifestations. A slow process
of evolution has begun since the mid-eighties, with manufactures getting into the
Retailing for organized business. The pure retailer is now starting to emerge.
countries. Wal-Mart of the US and Metro of Germany are among the world’s
trade.
ETIG believes that the answer to this will depend to a large extent on whether
(RoCE). A department store chain could expect about 17 percent RoCE. Industry
sources assert that a well-managed business can give better returns in both forms
of business.
These rates of return are attractive. They are better than cost of funds and
also better than many other businesses in India. This means, big business is
happening too, given the way most large business houses in India are
addition to the advent of Internet, various issues glare at retailing some of them
are :
Human Resource :
Big retail shops do not confine their target segments for employees to
undergraduates. Shoppers stop broke the myth of MBAs not wanting to go into
the retailing career. Cross Roads and Spencer also hire MBAs to manage their
chains. However there still exists a gap between the supply and demand of
professionals. Mr. Goenka, Chairman RPG Group, hopes that one of the greatest
personnel. In order to address the problem RPG Group has set up a national
Retaining the human resources is also a major challenge for these big
retailers. The bigwigs like Crossroads offer high compensation and create a
retail chains.
To establish a retail shop/ Mall, the real estate and the infrastructure are
very vital. The expenditure and availability on both the accounts do hinder the
growth of the retail chain. The land ceiling restrictions and other state
restrictions on land use have prevented the growth of efficient retailing in the
cities. An average investment of about Rs. 5 crore is required to establish a mall
and that explains the rush of big companies into this business. Small and
incurred on technological side. This makes the retail projects less attractive for
defect free international brands are available at 50% discount, is yet to catch on.
Still, The major section of customers is conservative and choosy and prefers to
go to a known retail shop than opt for a discount store. Very few discount stores
like SM2, Mumbai are at present operational. Its reach is confined to major
cities. Breaking the conventional mindset of the Indian consumers that discount
Penetration into the rural market is what big retailers have to concentrate
on for growth. Attracting rural markets will be different from that of the urban
market. For example detergent cakes are preferred to powder and coconut oil in
bottle to sachets in the rural areas. The rural consumer are different from the
urban consumers as they are more price sensitive and their quantity of
consumption would be less as their share of wallet for shopping along with
consumers list and whatever is left would be used to fulfill aspiration needs.
Customers in the rural area are not urbanites without money. He has a distinct
identity and value system. One more challenge in the rural market is that
shopping habits vary according to seasons. During harvest time, the spending of
television, increasing literacy levels, mobility between rural and urban areas and
success in the rural areas too if the right strategies are adopted.
organized business in retailing. Skeptics abound who believes that chain stores
and personal products, the largest segment of the consumer shopping basket.
There are really not enough players in the supermarket business for the business
itself to provide a direct answer to the cynics. Food world and Subhiksha are yet
to break even. Nilgiri’s has a large own brand portfolio, which entails higher
margins.
needs higher turnover than existing fragmented stores for each its stores. In fact,
this is the entire premises of organized retail, which aims to achieve higher sales
➢ Ambience
➢ Service
➢ Product assortment
➢ Prices
that, give the right advantage, a customer would prefer to travel that little extra
distance from his/her friendly neighborhood store. Outlets like Shoppers Stop,
Cross World and Planet M in Mumbai, and Food world or Subhiksha in Chennai,
already provide that chain stores can attract more than the threshold level of
customers. The reason that some of these chains have yet to be break even
possibly owes to the fact that they are currently in a stage of rapid expansion.
Each of these has fairly successful individual stores, which shows that they can
grocery chain, for example, will need to invest in developing vendors. It would
also build its own supply chain with perhaps a few trucks and distribution
centers. It would invest in computer hardware and software to keep close to real
time tabs on inventory to be able to turn it around fast. All these investments
need time and a certain scale to start paying off. Says Raghu Pillai, Managing
Director, Food World, ‘A turnover of Rs. 300 crore and at least 75 stores
Organized retail will really some into its own when a few chains,
particularly in the food genre, like Food world, reach a threshold size. That is
when the efficiencies of organized business would start reaching the customer.
For instance, most large retailers in the developed world have built their
successes on low consumer prices. In other words, retailer have led, at times
the benefit of the consumer. Indian retailers are beginning to offer below MRP
prices in food. Garments chains are selling in house label products that offer
branded goods quality at lower prices. There is no reason to believe that these
widespread and customers get hooked, which is likely to the case, organized
retail will overcome its critical hurdle of achieving a higher number of customer
(2) People falling in the age group of 18 – 25 years has the largest
proportion as visitors with the percentage of 41%. Remaining
categories of age group had percentage figures as follows : Upto 18
years-14%; 18 25 years – 41%; 25 35 years – 23%; 35 50 years 14%
above 50 years – 8%.
(3) The third factor taken up was occupation of the visitors and the results
declare that service class people and students were the one who visit
the malls most with percentage of 40% and 35% respectively. Other
occupational aspects covered were business people, retired people and
housewives and their proportions were 16%, 3% and 6% respectively.
(4) Monthly family income survey revealed that families falling in the
income group of Rs. 10,000-25,000 were coming to malls more in
comparison to the families in other income categories defined (Figure).
The percentage figures for this class are as under : Upto Rs 10,000 :-
17%; Rs. 10,000-25,000 :- 45; Rs. 25,000-50,000 :- 28% Rs. 50,000
and above :- 10%.
(5) Malls have become a symbol of affluent life style became evident from
the responses as 32% people market it as one of the reasons to visit
malls (figure). This was clubbed with convenience of getting most
things under the same roof along with good environment and service.
The various reasons for visiting the malls as rated by the customers
are : life style-32%, convenience-29%, good service-21%, ambience-
20%, quality of items-20%, social influence-13%.
(6) A measure of frequency of visits indicated that most people visit the
malls once in a month. Next in row were those who would visit the
malls once in a week. Quite a number of people also said that there was
no specific reason or frequency and they visited the malls as and when
required. The percentage distribution of the frequency of visits came
out to be as.
(7) Convenience in shopping is giving malls an edge over the general
scattered market where customers had to visit different places to make
their purchases while at the malls they are getting most of their
household items at the same corner. Malls are also emerging as a good
place to hang around or pass time whenever you are free. The visitors
of the malls whose percentage ranged as high as 20% established this
(figure). Multiplex and upcoming branded food joints were also pulling
visitors towards the malls as it was providing them variety at the same
place. One factor, which was not included in the questionnaire but was
told by many is that the malls are also a suitable place for love birds as
they can roam freely without spending much and without being
bothered by anyone. The proportion of visitors responding this was
about 19%. Also became known that malls were being used as a
complete day out / picnic spot where you could spend time, eat, enjoy,
watch movies, shop and be merry (Figure).
(8) It was also discovered that the branded items were a preferable
purchase in comparison to the unbranded items while there was a good
percentage of people who would purchase both branded as well as
unbranded items (figure). People also disclosed that the branded
products range carried by malls was larger in comparison to the general
shops but in the case of unbranded products the prices were more in the
same comparison.
(9) An insight in the amount of money spent in each visit disclosed that
most customers spent an amount ranging Upto Rs. 500- 17%; from Rs.
500-1000, the percentage of such people was 36%. The figures that
followed were:- Rs. 1000-2000-34%; and Rs. 2000 and above 13%.
(10) Customers were also driven to the malls by the sales schemes that
would come from time to time. Though the category of people who
always come to the malls during such schemes was only 15% and those
who never get affected by these was 20%. The highest percentage 45%
is of people who sometimes take note of these schemes and visit malls
during that time. Such schemes also affect the amount spent in
purchases, as people tend to purchase more to make best use of
opportunities available particularly in the household item category
where the consumption is on regular basis.
(11) A comparison of the products available at the malls with those at the
general market revealed strong opinions of customers regarding price,
quality, variety and service provided.
(12) But the way no coins is with a single side, similarly the well-developed
consumer friendly malls even suffer from shortcomings and
drawbacks. Digging inside this aspect several problems were also
reported by the consumers. Rush at the cash counters in the wee hours
and the generally huge crowd topped the list of problems with as high
as 96% and 89% people reporting it. Though the malls have all the
consumer friendly arrangements but the multi-storeyed and complex
structures often leave consumers confused about the utilities, a huge
82% people reported requirement of maps and guidelines in the malls.
Parking followed the list of severe problems with 80% people facing
parking space problem and 71% people complaining about the massive
time consumed during entry and exit of vehicles. Unavailability of
washrooms on all the floors was the next in sequence with 64% people
reporting it, followed by problems of sitting arrangement and drinking
water, which were brought into notice by 63% and 62% visitors
respectively 60% of the people coming to malls also complained about
the absence of any medical facilities or even chemist shops in the
malls, and for even small health problems they had to rush out. Some
48% visitors also reported small sizes of the lifts. Quite a good number
of people (44%) were also worried about the lack of proper security
systems and the vulnerability of malls towards any antisocial elements
who can be a threat to the otherwise comfortable environment. Some
people (22%) also said that the malls are becoming a centre for the neo
rich and do not accommodate the lower income group customers for
whom there were no products.
PROBLEMS
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Finding good quality, variety and service under the same roof along with
other facilities of time pass and entertainment, clubbed with ambience and life
style, the customers are moving fast and in number towards these malls and are
willingly ready to pay higher prices for the facilities. The malls are gradually
this culture has clicked the customers so well and so fast. If the problems that are
being faced by the consumers are dealt properly, even higher proportions of
visitors can be attracted. The fast track way, mall culture is picking up, if
managed properly, the brick and mortar stores will have a new face very soon
1. www.timesofindia.com
2. www.hindustantimes.com
3. www.indiatoday.com
4. www.indiatimes.com
5. www.projecthubs.com
6. Outlook magazines
8. www.lycos.com
Chapter – 1 : Introduction
Chapter – 4 :
✔ Data Collection
✔ Questionnaire
Chapter – 5 :
✔ Limitation
Chapter – 6 :
✔ Conclusion
✔ Bibliography
✔ Annexure
QUESTIONNAIRE