A Study of Consumer Perceptions of Three

8/12/2019 A Study of Consumer Perceptions of Three

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A STUDY OF CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS OF THREE

RETAIL CHAINS IN BANGALORE BIG BAZAAR,

SHOPPERS STOP AND MARKS & SPENCER


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RETAIL INDUSTRY IN INDIA

India has one of the largest numbers of retail outlets in the world. Of the 12

million retail outlets present in the country, nearly 5 million sell food and

related products. Thought the market has been dominated by unorganized

players, the entry of domestic and international organised players is set to

change the scenario.

Organized retail segment has been growing at a blistering pace, eceeding all

pre!ious estimates. "ccording to a study by #eloitte $askins and %ells,

organised retail has increased its share from 5 per cent of total retail sales in

2&&' to ( per cent in 2&&). The fastest growing segments ha!e been the

wholesale cash and carry stores *15& per cent+ followed by supermarkets *1&&

per cent+ and hypermarkets *)5(& per cent+. -urther, it estimates the organised

segment to account for 25 per cent of the total sales by 2&11.

India retail industry is the largest industry in India, with an employment of

around ( and contributing to o!er 1& of the country/s 0#. etail industry

in India is epected to rise 25 yearly being dri!en by strong income growth,

changing lifestyles, and fa!ourable demographic patterns.

It is epected that by 2&1' modern retail industry in India will be worth 3%4

1)5 2&& billion. India retail industry is one of the fastest growing industries

with re!enue epected in 2&&) to amount 3%4 2& billion and is increasing at a

rate of 5 yearly. " further increase of )( is epected in the industry of retail

in India by growth in consumerism in urban areas, rising incomes, and a steep

rise in rural consumption. It has further been predicted that the retailing


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industry in India will amount to 3%4 21.5 billion by 2&1& from the current size

of 3%4 ).5 billion.

%hopping in India has witnessed a re!olution with the change in the consumer

buying beha!iour and the whole format of shopping also altering. Industry of

retail in India which has become modern can be seen from the fact that there are

multi stored malls, huge shopping centres, and sprawling complees which

offer food, shopping, and entertainment all under the same roof.

India retail industry is epanding itself most aggressi!ely6 as a result a great

demand for real estate is being created. Indian retailers preferred means of

epansion is to epand to other regions and to increase the number of their

outlets in a city. It is epected that by 2&1&, India may ha!e '&& new shopping

centres.

India retail industry is progressing well and for this to continue retailers as well

as the Indian go!ernment will ha!e to make a combined effort

Retail !a"e

#ri!en by changing lifestyles, strong income growth and fa!ourabledemographic patterns, Indian retail is epanding at a rapid pace. 7all space,

from a meagre one million s8uare feet in 2&&2, is epected to touch 9& million

s8uare feet by end2&&) and an estimated '& million s8uare feet by end2&&(,

says :ones ;ang ;a%alle/s third annual etailer %entiment %ur!ey"sia.


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"longside, Indian cities are witnessing a paradigm shift from traditional forms

of retailing into a modern organized sector. " report by Images etail estimates

the number of operational malls to more than double to o!er 912 with 2&5

million s8uare feet by 2&1& and further )15 malls by 2&15, on the back of ma


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ha!e to pay more in order to retain them. This again brings down the Indian

retailers profit le!els.

The Indian go!ernment ha!e allowed 51 foreign direct in!estment *-#I+ in

the India retail sector to one brand shops only. This has made the entry of global

retail giants to organized retail sector in India difficult. This is a challenge being

faced by the Indian organized retail sector. >ut the global retail giants like

Tesco, =al7art, and 7etro "0 are entering the organized retail sector in India

indirectly through franchisee agreement and cash and carry wholesale trading.

7any Indian companies are also entering the Indian organized retail sector like

eliance Industries ;imited, antaloons, and >harti Telecoms. >ut they are

facing stiff competition from these global retail giants. "s a result discounting is

becoming an accepted practice.


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PROFILES OF THE COMPANIES

BIG BAZAAR

>ig >azaar is not ig >azaar scores o!er other stores is its !alue for money proposition for

the Indian customers.

"t >ig >azaar, one can get the best products at the best prices ? that is what

they guarantee. =ith the e!er increasing array of pri!ate labels, it has opened

the doors into the world of fashion and general merchandise including home

furnishings, utensils, crockery, cutlery, sports goods and much more at prices

that will surprise you. "nd this is ig >azaar plans to add

much more to complete the shopping eperience. -ood is the main shopped for

category in this store.

Pa(e$t C*+!a$

antaloon etail *India+ ;imited, is India@s leading retailer that operates

multiple retail formats in both the !alue and lifestyle segment of the Indian

consumer market. $ead8uartered in 7umbai *>ombay+, the company operates

o!er 12 million s8uare feet of retail space, has o!er 1&&& stores across )1 cities

in India and employs o!er &,&&& people.

The company@s leading formats include antaloons, a chain of fashion outlets,

>ig >azaar, a uni8uely Indian hypermarket chain, -ood >azaar, a


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supermarket chain, blends the look, touch and feel of Indian bazaars with

aspects of modern retail like choice, con!enience and 8uality and Aentral, a

chain of seamless destination malls. %ome of its other formats include >rand

-actory, >lue %ky, a;;, Top 1& and %tar and %itara. The company also operates

an online portalB futurebazaar.com.

" subsidiary company, $ome %olutions etail *India+ ;imited, operates $ome

Town, a largeformat home solutions store, Aollection i, selling home furniture

products and eCone focussed on catering to the consumer electronics segment.

antaloon etail was recently awarded the International etailer of the Dear

2&&) by the 3%based Eational etail -ederation *E-+ and the Fmerging

7arket etailer of the Dear 2&&) at the =orld etail Aongress held in

>arcelona.

antaloon etail is the flagship company of -uture 0roup, a business group

catering to the entire Indian consumption space.


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SHOPPERS STOP

The foundation of %hoppers/ %top was laid on October 2), 1GG1 by the H.

aheeing amongst India/s biggest hospitality and

real estate players, the 0roup crossed yet another milestone with its lifestyle

!enture %hoppers/ %top.

-rom its inception, %hoppers/ %top has progressed from being a single brand

shop to becoming a -ashion ;ifestyle store for the family. Today, %hoppers/

%top is a household name, known for its superior 8uality products, ser!ices and

abo!e all, for pro!iding a complete shopping eperience.

=ith an immense amount of epertise and credibility, %hoppers@ %top has

become the highest benchmark for the Indian retail industry. In fact, the

company@s continuing epansion plans aim to help %hoppers@ %top meet thechallenges of the retail industry in an e!en better manner than it does today.

%hoppers %top ;td has been awarded Jthe $all of -ameJ and won Jthe

Fmerging 7arket etailer of the Dear "wardJ, by =orld etail Aongress at

>arcelona, on "pril 1&, 2&&( %hoppers %top is listed on the >%F. =ith the

launch of the Ea!i 7umbai departmental store, %hoppers %top has 2' stores in1 cities in India.

St*(e


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%hoppers %top began by operating a chain of department stores under the name

K%hoppers@ %topL in India. Aurrently %hoppers %top has twenty si *2'+ stores

across the country and three stores under the name $ome%top. %hoppers %top

has also begun operating a number of specialty stores, namely Arossword

>ookstores, 7othercare, >rio, #esi AafM, and "rcelia.

%hoppers %top retails a range of branded apparel and pri!ate label under the

following categories of apparel, footwear, fashion


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%hoppers %top@s has a loyalty program called -irst Aitizen. They also offer a co

branded credit card with Aitibank for their members


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MARKS & SPENCER

7arks %pencer *also 7%, 7arks and %parks and 7arks/+ is a >ritish

retailer, with )'& stores in more than & countries around the world. It is one of

the most iconic and widely recognised chain stores in the 3nited Hingdom, and

is the largest clothing retailer in the country, as well as being a multibillion

pound food retailer, and as of 2&&(, the 9rd largest retailer in the world. 7ost

of its 52& domestic stores sell both clothing and food, and since the turn of the

century it has started epanding into other ranges such as home wares and

furniture.

>y 1GGG, Online %hopping was brought in, and the company grew with new

sales of fashion clothing. In 2&&1, with changes in its business focus such as the

introduction of the Jer 3naJ clothing range designed by 0eorge #a!ies,

accompanied by a redesign of its underlying business model, profits reco!eredsomewhat and 7% reco!ered some of its market share, but it soon became

apparent that problems remained. Other changes to tradition included accepting

credit cards and opening its stores on %unday.

The 3H etail di!ision, the largest of the operating di!isions, is itself sub

di!ided into se!en business units, each representing a defined area ofmerchandiseB =omenswear, 7enswear, ;ingerie, Ahildren/s wear, >eauty,

$ome and -oods. The first si business units are reported as K0eneralL, and

footage is allocated between them depending on demand and seasonal factors.

The space allocated to the largest single business unit, -oods, is relati!ely

infleible.


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The International etail business consists of three broad geographic areasB

Furope *including Ireland but ecluding the 3H+, Eorth "merica and the -ar

Fast. The International etail results include those of 7%@ franchise

businesses, which, at 1 7arch 2&&1, operated 125 franchise stores in 2'

countries. The Furopean International etail can be di!ided into the Aontinental

Furope and the epublic of Ireland and Furopean franchise businesses. In Eorth

"merica the group operates two businesses, >rooks >rothers and Hings %uper

7arkets. "t 1 7arch 2&&1 >rooks >rothers traded in 221 stores and Hings

%uper 7arkets had 2) stores. -inally in -ar Fast the group operates 1& stores in

$ong Hong.

LINES OF BUSINESS OF THE ABO-E STORES

N Ftailing

N -oodN -ashion

N $ome %olutions

N Telecom and IT

N 0eneral 7erchandise

N ;eisure and Fntertainment

N =ellness and >eautyN >ooks and 7usic


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SYNOPSIS OF THE STUDY

Obooks, 7agazines, Eewspapers, >logs.


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Sa+!li$%

%ample %ize ? )5 customersPconsumers %ample 3nit ? Aonsumers in the age

group 1( to 5& years

S"*!e a$' Ue

1. It will etend to the actual field study of these outlets in >angalore.

2. It will gi!e information to prospecti!e customers.

. $elp us gain independent knowledge about the consumer perception of

the outlets identified.

9. The study can help the companies get additional research information.

5. It facilitates e!aluation of brand name and customer satisfaction.


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F*(+at * t#e ./eti*$$ai(e E+!l*e'

#ear Austomer,

=e, the students of Ahrist 3ni!ersity, are conducting a study on the customer

perception of three retail outlets in >angalore, !iz., >ig >azaar, %hopper/s %top

and 7arks %pencer. lease fill in the following 8uestionnaire to help us in our

sur!ey.

E"7FB OAA3"TIOEB

"0FB 1(2( 2(( (9( 9(5( 5('5

0FE#FB 7ale -emale

1+ $ow often do you shopQ

Once a week -ortnightly Once a month

2+ =hich of the following stores do you shop atQ

>ig >azaar %hopper/s %top 7arks %pencer Others *specify+

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

+ =hat do you mostly shop for at the mentioned storesQ

Alothing "ccessories 0roceriesOthers *specify+ RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

9+ =hy do you shop at the abo!ementioned storeQ

5+ ank your preferences for shoppingB

roimity uality


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>rand rice

%tore ;ayout Onestop shopping

'+ #oes ad!ertising and promotion influence your shopping decisionsQ

Des Eo

)+ =hich form of promotion do you think is most effecti!eQ

rint TS adio

(+ Indicate your satisfaction le!el based on the following parameters for the

following storesB

etail Outlet 3nsatisfied %atisfied $ighly %atisfied Eot Sisited

>ig >azaar

%hopper/s %top

7arks %pencer

T#a$0 */1


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ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

The tools and methods of data collection identified earlier were employed to

gather data on the consumer perception of the three retail chains in >angalore ?

>ig >azaar, %hoppers@ %top and 7arks %pencer. The data accrued, especially

from the inter!iews and 8uestionnaires circulated, are tabulated and depicted on

graphs in the following pages. The data thus gathered and tabulated is analysed.

The data is then scrutinized and rele!ant interpretations are drawn.

The ma


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.2 34 A%e * t#e (e!*$'e$t

"ge Total ercentage

1(2( ) 9G.2(( 1' 21.

(9( ( 1&.')

9(5( G 12.&&

5('5 5 '.')

)5 1&&

Data C*lle"te'


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The first criteria respondents were asked to indicate was the age group they

belonged to. espondents were asked to choose among fi!e age group

categories, !iz., 1(2(, 2((, (9(, 9(5( and 5('5 years. The age groups

were identified as key factors impacting shopping and purchase decisions of

consumers.

A$ali

-rom the table, bar graph and pie chart depicted abo!e, the distribution of the

population under study is e!ident. Of the )5 respondents who answered the

8uestionnaire, ) indicated that their ages fell in the category 1(2( years. This

accounts for 9G. of the respondents.

Of the )5 respondents who answered the 8uestionnaire, only 5 indicated that

their ages fell in the category 5('5 years. This accounts for '.') of the

respondents who fall in this age group.

It is e!ident from the responses and the subse8uent tabulation that, on an

a!erage, the respondents can be categorized in the following descending order

of age groupsB 1(2(, 2((, 9(5(, (9(, and 5('5.

I$te(!(etati*$

Of the consumers approached, )5 people agreed to fill in the 8uestionnaire andthis specific 8uestion. This 8uestion is aimed at analyzing the distribution of

ages of the population that !isit the stores under study. The age groups laid

before the respondent ha!e been the result of obser!ation and inter!iew. >y


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analysing the responses to this 8uestion, we, the researchers, as well as

companies, can identify the demographics of the population that !isit retail

outlets.

The highest number of respondents falls in the age group 1(2(. It can be

deduced that most of the consumers who !isit retail outlets regularly are the

youth. They make up almost half of the population who shop at retail stores.

The rest of the population who !isit the retail outlets under study can be listed in

the following descending order of distribution ? the working age group, the

older age group, the middle age group, and senior citizens.

It is not surprising that the youth most fre8uent malls and retail stores. =hat is

unepected, howe!er, is the fact that more people who fall into the older age

group !isit the retail stores than those who fall in the middle age group. Then

again, this deduction cannot be applied to the entire population of >angalore.The disparity can be attributed to the small size of the sample under study.


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. 2+ 0ender of the respondents B

0ender Total ercentage

7ale 5 9'.))-emale 9& 5.

)5 1&&

Data C*lle"te'


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Aonsumers were asked to indicate their gender. The oby analysing the responses to this 8uestion, we, the researchers, as well

as companies, can identify the distribution in the number of men and womenwho !isit the retail outlets and appropriate decisions can be made keeping these

numbers in mind.


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The highest number of respondents were female, as is depicted by the graph and

chart presented abo!e. The number of male respondents was less compared to

the female respondents.

Two deductions can be made from the abo!e data collectedB one, more women

!isit retail outlets than men. Two, more women are willing to fill out

8uestionnaires and take a sur!ey than men.

This can help the companies and researchers in undertaking future decisions and

studies. %ince more women can be inferred to !isit retail stores than men,

companies can target their offerings and marketing strategies in two areas.

etail outlets can appeal to the women customers by offering more products

geared especially towards women. They can pro!ide a shopping eperience that

women are particularly attracted to.

"nother way that retail chains can use the abo!e data is to appeal to the menrather than the women. %ince, fewer men !isit retail stores as against women,

the companies ha!e a large base of potential customers. >y pro!iding products

that are geared towards men and by pro!iding a shopping eperience that

attracts men, the retail chains can epand their customer base.


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. + $ow often do you shop Q

-re8uency Total ercentage

Once a week 19 1(.')-ortnightly 2) '.&&

Once a month 9 95.

)5 1&&

Data C*lle"te'


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Aonsumers approached were asked about their fre8uency in !isits to shops. The

fre8uency points furnished wereB Once a week, -ortnightly, and Once a month.

These fre8uency points were identified by obser!ation and inter!iew as the

a!erage times that consumers shop.

A$ali

-rom the table, bar graph and pie chart depicted abo!e, the fre8uency of

shopping of the respondents is e!ident. Of the )5 respondents who answered the

8uestionnaire, 9 indicated that they shopped once a month. This accounts for

95. of the respondents, who !isit shops including retail stores once a month.

Of the )5 respondents who answered the 8uestionnaire, 19 indicated that they

shopped once a week. This accounts for 1(.') of the respondents, who !isit

shops, malls or retail stores once e!ery week.

It is e!ident from the responses and the subse8uent tabulation that, on ana!erage, the fre8uency of shopping among the respondents can be listed in the

following descending orderB Once a month, -ortnightly, and Once a week.

I$te(!(etati*$

Of the consumers approached, )5 people agreed to fill in the 8uestionnaire and

this specific 8uestion. This 8uestion is aimed at understanding how fre8uentlyconsumers !isit shops and buy their products or a!ail of their ser!ices. The

fre8uency points laid before the respondent ha!e been the result of


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obser!ation and inter!iew. >y analysing the responses to this 8uestion, we, the

researchers, as well as companies, can identify the number of times a customer

is likely to shop in a month@s time.

The highest responses ha!e been attributed to once a month shopping. It can be

deduced that consumers who shop only once a month look to buy groceries and

other essentials to last them a month. Therefore, retail outlets ha!e tough

customers in those who shop once a month. %uch customers look to buy in bulk.

7oreo!er, such customers may not be open to eperimenting with new stores.

$ence, to capture this market, retail outlets must put in place strategies that

attract them. Once they profess a liking to a certain store, they turn out to be

!ery loyal customers.

Aonsumers who shop once a week, on the other hand, pose !ery different

challenges to retail stores. %uch customers can be presumed to ha!e a high

disposable income and may buy more lifestyle or fashion products. %ince theyshop so fre8uently, they must continually be entertained and attracted to make

repeat purchases at stores. =hen targeting this segment, companies must be able

to get new stock e!ery week, and update their marketing strategies

continuously.


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. 9+ =hich stores do you shop at fre8uentlyQ

#etails Total ercentage

>ig >azaar 2 &.')

%hopper@s %hop 21 2(.&&

7arks %pencer 1 1).

Others 1( 29.&&

)5 1&&

Data C*lle"te'


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Aonsumers approached were asked which stores they shopped at fre8uently. The

retail store brands placed before them were >ig >azaar, %hoppers@ %top, 7arks

%pencer, and others. These particular stores were chosen to eamine the

differences in shopping patterns among stores that cater to the high income

group, middle income group and lower income group.

A$ali

-rom the table, bar graph and pie chart depicted abo!e, the preference as

regards the stores fre8uented is e!ident. Of the )5 respondents who answered

the 8uestionnaire, 2 indicated that they shopped fre8uently at >ig >azaar. This

accounts for &.') of the respondents, who gi!e preference to >ig >azaar.

Of the )5 respondents who answered the 8uestionnaire, 1 indicated that they

shop fre8uently at 7arks %pencer. This accounts for 1). of the

respondents, who prefer 7arks %pencer.

In the Others@ category pro!ided, many respondents indicated that they

shopped fre8uently at Aentral, -ood =orld, 7onday to %unday, Eamdhari@s,

-abmallP7ore, =estside, 3nited Aolours of >enetton, kirana stores etc.

I$te(!(etati*$

Of the consumers approached, )5 people agreed to fill in the 8uestionnaire andthis specific 8uestion. This 8uestion is aimed at analyzing the preferences of

consumers among the different stores. The stores under study ha!e been


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identified on the basis of the income groups they cater to. >y analysing the

responses to this 8uestion, we, the researchers, as well as companies, can

identify customer preferences among the !aried choices of stores, and can

calculate how much market share they hold.

The highest number of responses has been attributed to >ig >azaar. >ig >azaar

attracts people of many income groups, and offers products that appeal to a

wide array of consumers.

The other stores can be ranked in descending order of preference or fre8uency

of !isits asB %hoppers@ %top, Others, and 7arks %pencer.

It can be deduced from the abo!e figures that the category Others@ was

indicated by more number of respondents than those who indicated they

fre8uent 7arks %pencer. This may be because 7arks %pencer targets only

the elite classes in a city where a higher percentage of the population belong tothe middle income group.

In analyzing the other stores that consumers fre8uent, outlets such as =estside,

7onday to %unday, 7ore, Aentral etc., featured. This indicates that more people

fre8uent stores that cater to the middle income group. This is not to say that

7arks %pencer has no customer base. $owe!er, they may be unable togenerate a high !olume of repeat sales.


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. 5+ =hat do you mostly shop for at the abo!ementioned storeQ


Alothing 99.&&

"ccessories 12 1'.&&

0roceries 25 .

Others 9.&&

)5 1&&

Data C*lle"te'


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Aonsumers approached were asked to indicate the types of products they mostly

shopped for at the stores they had selected earlier. The types of products

presented were Alothing, "ccessories, 0roceries and others. These products

were identified by obser!ation and inter!iew as the most popular products that

consumers shop for fre8uently.

A$ali

-rom the table, bar graph and pie chart depicted abo!e, the products fre8uently

shopped for by consumers is e!ident. Of the )5 respondents who answered the

8uestionnaire, indicated that they essentially shopped for clothing at the store

they had indicated earlier. This accounts for 99.&& of the respondents.

Of the )5 respondents who answered the 8uestionnaire, only indicated other

products they fre8uently shop for at the stores indicated earlier. This accounts

for 9.&& of the respondents, who ga!e importance to products such as home

furnishings, books, and kitchen appliances.

It is e!ident from the responses and the subse8uent tabulation that consumers,

on an a!erage, fre8uently shop for products in the following descending orderB

Alothing, 0roceries, "ccessories, and Others.

I$te(!(etati*$Of the consumers approached, )5 people agreed to fill in the 8uestionnaire and

this specific 8uestion. This 8uestion is aimed at identifying the products


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consumers shop for fre8uently at retail outlets. The product categories laid

before the respondent are the result of obser!ation and inter!iew. >y analysing

the responses to this 8uestion, we, the researchers, as well as companies, can

identify the main attractions of products and ser!ices offered.

The high number of responses indicate that a large number of consumers !isit

retail outlets for clothesPdressesPapparel. "ccoutrement is the hottest selling item

that any retail outlet can pro!ide. Onethird of the respondents indicated that the

!isit retail outlets to purchase groceries.

To the retail stores, the abo!e tabulated responses lead to a !ery important

result. Alothing is the fastest mo!ing consumer good. etail outlets that pro!ide

apparel can see a higher rate of turno!er and sales !olume.

$owe!er, the abo!e results cannot be assumed to be representati!e of the entire

population of >angalore city. The sample size consists of only )5 respondents,who were approached on a random basis as they !isited the retail outlets.


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. '+ =hy do you shop at the abo!e storeQ

-actors Total ercentage

uality 2& 2'.')

-ashion 5 '.')

"ffordability 1& 1.

Sariety 9 5.

"ll under one roof 1& 1.

>rand name 11 19.')

%er!ice 9 5.

%tore atmosphere 9.&&

;oyalty 5 '.')

roimity 9.&&

)5 1&&


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Data C*lle"te'

Aonsumers approached were asked an openended 8uestion to indicate the

reasons they select a particular store to shop at as against any other retail outlet.

Their responses were recorded and a broad idea of the factors that influence

shopping and buying decisions was formed.

A$ali

The responses of the inter!iewees and consumers ha!e been broadly categorised

into 1& factors that they find impact their shopping decision and result in their

choosing one store o!er another.

-rom the table, bar graph and pie chart depicted abo!e, the influencing factors

are e!ident. The reasons includeB uality, -ashion, "ffordability, Sariety, "ll

products under one roof, >rand name, %er!ice, %tore atmosphere, ;oyalty, and

roimity.

Of the )5 respondents who answered the 8uestionnaire, 2& replied that 8uality

of the products is generally the main reason they choose to shop at specific

stores. This accounts for 2'.') of the respondents, who replied saying 8uality

was the reason why they shopped at the store indicated earlier.

Of the )5 respondents who answered the 8uestionnaire, answered that storeatmosphere contributed to their shopping decision, while another replied that

proimity of the store played a big role. This accounts for 9.&& of the

respondents, in each case.


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I$te(!(etati*$


this specific 8uestion. This 8uestion is aimed at getting direct customer

feedback as to the factors that influence their shopping decision. >y analysing


identify the biggest factors that influence the consumers in fa!ouring one store

o!er others, direct from the horse@s mouth.

If set in descending order of influence as indicated by the consumers, the factors

can be listed asB uality, >rand name, "ffordability, "ll products under one

roof, -ashion, ;oyalty, %er!ice, Sariety, roimity, and %tore atmosphere.

-rom the table, graph and chart depicted abo!e, it is e!ident that customers gi!e

!alue to a great many number of factors when deciding which store to shop at. It

would be prudent on the part of the company to identify their strong and weak

areas, which attract or dri!e away customers toPfrom their stores.


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. )+ ank your preferences for shopping B


uality 2 &.')

>rand 11 19.')

rice 1' 21.

%tore ;ayout ' (.&&

roimity 5 '.')

One%top %hop 19 1(.''

)5 1&&


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Data C*lle"te'

Aonsumers approached were asked to rank their preferences on a scale of 1 to '

of their preferences when choosing to shop at particular stores. The preference

points placed before them were uality, >rand@, rice@, %tore ;ayout@,

roimity@, Onestop shop@. These preference points were identified by

obser!ation and inter!iew as the most popular reasons that beget the attraction

of consumers and act as inducements to shop at particular stores.

A$ali

-rom the table, bar graph and pie chart depicted abo!e, the preference points of

consumers is e!ident. Of the )5 respondents who answered the 8uestionnaire,

2 gi!e first importance to 8uality when choosing which store to shop at. This

accounts for &.') of the respondents, who ga!e rank U1 to uality@.

Of the )5 respondents who answered the 8uestionnaire, only 5 ga!e first

importance to proimity of the store when choosing where to shop at. Thisaccounts for '.') of the respondents, who ga!e rank U1 to roimity@.

It is e!ident from the responses and the subse8uent tabulation that consumers,

on an a!erage, rank the preference points in the following descending order of

attractionB uality, rice, and Onestop shop, >rand, %tore ;ayout, and

roimity.


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I$te(!(etati*$


this specific 8uestion. This 8uestion is aimed at understanding what elements

attract the consumer the most. The preference points laid before the respondent

ha!e been the result of obser!ation and inter!iew. >y analysing the responses to

this 8uestion, we, the researchers, as well as companies, can identify the biggest

factors that influence the consumers in fa!ouring one store o!er others.

The highest responses and the highest ranking ha!e been attributed to 8uality of

the products on sale. =hen choosing to shop at a particular store, or when

fa!ouring one store o!er the others, it is seen that most consumers make this

decision based on the 8uality of the products on offer.

The net criteria that influence the consumers in fa!ouring a particular store

o!er others are *in descending order+ ? rice, Onestop shop, >rand, %tore

layout, and roimity.

"lthough it is said that the most important things in retail are K;ocation,

location, and locationL, from the consumers@ point of !iew, proimity is of little

concern. The 8uality, price and !ariety of goods play big roles in the decision

making process.


40/73

. (+ #o ad!ertisement and promotion influence your shopping decision Q


Des 99.&&

Eo 92 5'.&&

)5 1&&


41/73

Data C*lle"te'

Aonsumers approached were asked if ad!ertisements and promotional acti!ities

influence their shopping decisions. This 8uestion was answered by )5

consumers. "d!ertisements refer to those that appear in anyPall types of media.

romotional acti!ities refer to sales, coupons, gifts, free products etc.

A$ali

-rom the table, bar graph and pie chart depicted abo!e, the influence of

ad!ertisements and promotions on the psyche of consumers is e!ident. Of the

)5 respondents who answered the 8uestionnaire, 92 replied that ad!ertisements

ha!e little or no effect when deciding where to shop at. This accounts for

5'.&& of the respondents, who indicated the choice Eo@.

Of the )5 respondents who answered the 8uestionnaire, replied that

ad!ertisements and promotional acti!ities do affect their decision when

fa!ouring one store o!er others. This accounts for 99.&& of the respondents,who indicated the choice Des@.

I$te(!(etati*$


this specific 8uestion. This 8uestion is aimed at understanding the effect of

ad!ertisements and promotional acti!ities on the psyche of the consumers. Theoby analysing the responses to this 8uestion, we, the researchers, as

well as companies, can identify the effect of ad!ertising and marketing


42/73

campaigns on the consumers@ minds and how far ad!ertisements translate into

sales.

-rom the tabulated data depicted abo!e and responses of the consumers, it is

e!ident that a slightly higher number of respondents do not gi!e much

importance to ad!ertisements and promotional acti!ities. The number of

respondents who indicated that ad!ertisements and promotional acti!ities do

ha!e an impact on their shopping decisions was slightly lesser.

This indicates that although most consumers are aware of the ad!ertisements

and promotional campaigns, a slightly higher percentage of consumers are not

swayed by the marketing strategies instituted by the companies.

This is not, howe!er, to say that ad!ertisements and promotional acti!ities ha!e

no bearing on the minds of the consumers at all. The responses only indicate

that ad!ertisements ser!e to keep the brand in retention although they do notguarantee sales. The products sold at the stores ha!e the biggest impact on

attracting and retaining customers


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. G+ =hich form of ad!ertisement do you think is most effecti!e Q


rint 2( ).

TS 9& 5.

adio ) G.9

)5 1&&

Data C*lle"te'


44/73

Aonsumers approached were asked which form of ad!ertisement they thought

was most effecti!e. This 8uestion was answered by )5 consumers. The methods

of ad!ertising were restricted to three ? Tele!ision, rint and adio. The options

laid before the respondents were the result of obser!ation and inter!iew as being

the most popular which the consumers identify as means of ad!ertising.

A$ali

-rom the table, bar graph and pie chart depicted abo!e, the effecti!eness of the

!arious modes of ad!ertising on the psyche of consumers is e!ident. Of the )5

respondents who answered the 8uestionnaire, 9& indicated that the tele!ision is

the most effecti!e means of ad!ertising for a store. This accounts for 5. of

the respondents, who indicated the choice TS@.

Of the )5 respondents who answered the 8uestionnaire, only ) indicated that the

radio is an effecti!e means in ad!ertising to the consumers. This accounts for

G.9 of the respondents, who indicated the choice adio@.

It is e!ident from the graph and chart presented abo!e that, in the minds of the

consumers, the effecti!eness of the three kinds of media are classified as

follows *in the descending order+B Tele!ision, rint, and adio.


this specific 8uestion. This 8uestion is aimed at understanding the


45/73

effecti!eness of the three means of ad!ertising. The oby analysing the responses to this 8uestion, we, the researchers, as well as

companies, can identify the effecti!eness of ad!ertisements through the media

identified. This helps to understand which media is more influential and attracts

more sales.


e!ident that the ma


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. 1&+ Indicate your satisfaction le!el based on the gi!en parameters for thefollowing stores B


rint 2( ).TS 9& 5.

adio ) G.9

)5 1&&


47/73

Data C*lle"te'

Aonsumers approached were asked about their satisfaction with the three stores

co!ered in this study. This 8uestion was answered by )5 consumers. The three

stores are >ig >azaar, %hopper@s %top, and 7arks %pencer. The satisfaction

scale comprised of four ranks ? 3nsatisfied, %atisfied, $ighly %atisfied and

Ee!er Sisited.

A$ali

-rom the table, bar graph and pie chart depicted abo!e, satisfaction le!els with

the three stores are e!ident. Of the )5 respondents who answered the

8uestionnaire, 9 indicated a satisfactory response towards >ig >azaar, and 2

had not !isited the store.

Of the )5 respondents who answered the 8uestionnaire, 9( indicated a

satisfactory response towards %hopper@s %top, 1( were highly satisfied, and G

were unsatisfied.

It is e!ident from the graph and chart presented abo!e that of the )5

respondents, 91 indicated a satisfactory response towards 7arks %pencer, 1)

were highly satisfied, while ' had not !isited the store.


this specific 8uestion. This 8uestion is aimed at understanding the satisfaction

le!els of the consumers with the three stores under study ? >ig >azaar,

%hopper@s %top, and 7arks %pencer. The ob


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the marketing strategies, brand image, ad!ertisements, layout, 8uality etc.,

contribute towards consumer perception and satisfaction.

>y analysing the responses to this 8uestion, we, the researchers, as well as

companies, can identify the effecti!eness of ad!ertisements, location, brand,

price, promotion, product !ariety etc., on the target consumers. This helps to

understand the current consumer perception of the three stores identified and the

corresponding satisfaction le!els.


e!ident that a good number of target consumers are satisfied with the stores at

large. $owe!er, there are those who are unsatisfied or who ha!e ne!er !isited

the store at all. %uch consumers form the potential market that the companies

must stri!e to attract.

There are also 8uite a few respondents who were highly satisfied with the retailchains. It is imperati!e for the stores to find out why this is so. They can modify

and apply the same attractions towards the consumers who are less satisfied.

The abo!e table and graph gi!e a worm@s eye!iew of the consumer perception

of the three stores. This can help the marketers understand how effecti!e their

strategies ha!e been.


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A$ali

-rom the pie chart depicted abo!e, satisfaction le!els with >ig >azaar are

e!ident. Of the )5 consumers who answered this 8uestion, 5). indicate that

they are satisfied with >ig >azaar.

Of the )5 respondents, who indicated their satisfaction le!els with >ig >azaar,

2'.') indicated that they are unsatisfied with >ig >azaar. Of the total number

of respondents, 1. indicated that they were highly satisfied with >ig

>azaar. "nd 2.') indicated that they had not !isited the store up to the date of

filling in this 8uestionnaire.

I$te(!(etati*$

Of the consumers approached, )5 agreed to fill in the 8uestionnaire and answer

the abo!e 8uestion. The aim of this 8uestion is to understand the le!el of

satisfaction that consumers feel with regards to the retail chain >ig >azaar.


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"s is e!ident from the pie chart presented abo!e, a little more than half of the

respondents indicated that they are satisfied with >ig >azaar, while almost one

eighth indicated that they are highly satisfied with the store. $owe!er, almost

onefourth of the number of respondents indicated that they were unsatisfied

with >ig >azaar.

This goes to show that although >ig >azaar may ha!e an o!erall goodwill from

the consumers, there are still some things that they are not doing right. >ig

>azaar must identify eactly what the problem areas are and must address them

8uickly and swiftly.

The abo!e pie chart shows that almost & of the respondents fall into the

category of potential customers. >ig >azaar must take effecti!e steps to attract

these consumers.


51/73

A$ali

-rom the pie chart depicted abo!e, satisfaction le!els with %hopper@s %top are

e!ident. Of the )5 consumers who answered this 8uestion, '9.&& indicate that

they are satisfied with %hopper@s %top.

Of the )5 respondents, who indicated their satisfaction le!els with %hopper@s

%top, 29.&& indicated that they are unsatisfied with %hopper@s %top. Of the

total number of respondents, 12.&& indicated that they are highly satisfied

with %hopper@s %top. "nd there were no respondents who had not !isited the

store.

I$te(!(etati*$


the abo!e 8uestion. The aim of this 8uestion is to understand the le!el of

satisfaction that consumers feel with regards to the retail chain %hopper@s %top.


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"s is e!ident from the pie chart presented abo!e, almost twothirds of the

number of respondents indicated that they are satisfied with %hopper@s %top,

while more than onefourth indicated that they are highly satisfied with the

store. $owe!er, almost oneeighth of the number of respondents indicated that

they were unsatisfied with %hopper@s %top.

This goes to show that %hopper@s %top is doing many things right. It seems to

en


53/73

A$ali

-rom the pie chart depicted abo!e, satisfaction le!els with 7arks %pencer are

e!ident. Of the )5 consumers who answered this 8uestion, 59.') indicate that

they are satisfied with 7arks %pencer.

Of the )5 respondents, who indicated their satisfaction le!els with 7arks

%pencer, 19.') indicated that they are unsatisfied with 7arks %pencer. Of

the total number of respondents, 22.') indicated that they are highly satisfied

with 7arks %pencer. "nd (.&& of the number of respondents indicated that

they had not !isited the store up to the date of filling in this 8uestionnaire.

I$te(!(etati*$


the abo!e 8uestion. The aim of this 8uestion is to understand the le!el.


54/73

of satisfaction that consumers feel with regards to the retail chain 7arks

%pencer.

"s is e!ident from the pie chart presented abo!e, more than half of the number

of respondents indicated that they are satisfied with 7arks %pencer, while

almost onefourth indicated that they are highly satisfied with the store.

$owe!er, almost onese!enth of the number of respondents indicated that they

were unsatisfied with 7arks %pencer.

This goes to show that although 7arks %pencer may ha!e an o!erall goodwill

from the consumers, there are still some things that they are not doing right.

7arks %pencer must identify eactly what the problem areas are and must

address them effecti!ely and efficiently.

The abo!e pie chart shows that almost 2& of the respondents fall into the

category of potential customers. 7arks %pencer must take effecti!e steps toattract these consumers.


55/73

FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS

In the sur!eys, inter!iews and study conducted abo!e, we came across many

factors that influence the consumers@ perception of a store and their subse8uent

shopping and buying decisions. $ere, we present the findings gathered and the

suggestions we offer to companies based on the data gathered and analyzed.

espondents were asked to choose among fi!e age group categories, !iz., 1(

2(, 2((, (9(, 9(5( and 5('5 years. The age groups were identified as key

factors impacting shopping and purchase decisions of consumers. >y analysing


identify the demographics of the population that !isit retail outlets.

The highest number of respondents falls in the age group 1(2(. It can be

deduced that most of the consumers who !isit retail outlets regularly are the

youth. The rest of the population who !isit the retail outlets under study can belisted in the following descending order of distribution ? the working age group,

the older age group, the middle age group, and senior citizens.

It is not surprising that the youth most fre8uent malls and retail stores. =hat is

unepected, howe!er, is the fact that more people who fall into the older age

group !isit the retail stores than those who fall in the middle age group. Then


56/73

again, this deduction cannot be applied to the entire population of >angalore.

The disparity can be attributed to the small size of the sample under study.

Aonsumers were also asked to indicate their gender. The oby analysing


identify the distribution in the number of men and women who !isit the retail

outlets and appropriate decisions can be made keeping these numbers in mind.

The highest number of respondents were female, as is depicted by the graph and

chart presented abo!e. The number of male respondents was less compared to

the female respondents.

Two deductions can be made from the abo!e data collectedB one, more women

!isit retail outlets than men. Two, more women are willing to fill out

8uestionnaires and take a sur!ey than men.

This can help the companies and researchers in undertaking future decisions and

studies. %ince more women can be inferred to !isit retail stores than men,

companies can target their offerings and marketing strategies in two areas.

etail outlets can appeal to the women customers by offering more products

geared especially towards women. They can pro!ide a shopping eperience thatwomen are particularly attracted to.


57/73

"nother way that retail chains can use the abo!e data is to appeal to the men

rather than the women. %ince, fewer men !isit retail stores as against women,

the companies ha!e a large base of potential customers. >y pro!iding products

that are geared towards men and by pro!iding a shopping eperience that

attracts men, the retail chains can epand their customer base.

Aonsumers approached were asked about their fre8uency in !isits to shops. The

fre8uency points furnished wereB Once a week, -ortnightly, and Once a month.

>y analysing the responses to this 8uestion, we, the researchers, as well as

companies, can identify the number of times a customer is likely to shop in a

month@s time.

The highest responses ha!e been attributed to once a month shopping. It can be

deduced that consumers who shop only once a month look to buy groceries and

other essentials to last them a month. Therefore, retail outlets ha!e tough

customers in those who shop once a month. %uch customers look to buy in bulk.7oreo!er, such customers may not be open to eperimenting with new stores.

$ence, to capture this market, retail outlets must put in place strategies that

attract them. Once they profess a liking to a certain store, they turn out to be

!ery loyal customers.

Aonsumers who shop once a week, on the other hand, pose !ery differentchallenges to retail stores. %uch customers can be presumed to ha!e a high

disposable income and may buy more lifestyle or fashion products. %ince they

shop so fre8uently, they must continually be entertained and attracted to make

repeat purchases at stores. =hen targeting this segment, companies must be


58/73

able to get new stock e!ery week, and update their marketing strategies

continuously.

Aonsumers approached were asked which stores they shopped at fre8uently. The

retail store brands placed before them were >ig >azaar, %hoppers@ %top, 7arks

%pencer, and others. >y analysing the responses to this 8uestion, we, the

researchers, as well as companies, can identify customer preferences among the

!aried choices of stores, and can calculate how much market share they hold.

The highest number of responses has been attributed to >ig >azaar. >ig >azaar

attracts people of many income groups, and offers products that appeal to a

wide array of consumers.

The other stores can be ranked in descending order of preference or fre8uency

of !isits asB %hoppers@ %top, Others, and 7arks %pencer.

It can be deduced from the abo!e figures that the category Others@ was

indicated by more number of respondents than those who indicated they

fre8uent 7arks %pencer. This may be because 7arks %pencer targets only

the elite classes in a city where a higher percentage of the population belong to

the middle income group.

In analyzing the other stores that consumers fre8uent, outlets such as =estside,

7onday to %unday, 7ore, Aentral etc., featured. This indicates that more people

fre8uent stores that cater to the middle income group. This is not


59/73

to say that 7arks %pencer has no customer base. $owe!er, they may be

unable to generate a high !olume of repeat sales.

Aonsumers approached were asked to indicate the types of products they mostly

shopped for at the stores they had selected earlier. The types of products

presented were Alothing, "ccessories, 0roceries and others. >y analysing the

responses to this 8uestion, we, the researchers, as well as companies, can

identify the main attractions of products and ser!ices offered.

The high number of responses indicate that a large number of consumers !isit

retail outlets for clothesPdressesPapparel. "ccoutrement is the hottest selling item

that any retail outlet can pro!ide. Onethird of the respondents indicated that the

!isit retail outlets to purchase groceries.

To the retail stores, the abo!e tabulated responses lead to a !ery important

result. Alothing is the fastest mo!ing consumer good. etail outlets that pro!ideapparel can see a higher rate of turno!er and sales !olume.

$owe!er, the abo!e results cannot be assumed to be representati!e of the entire

population of >angalore city. The sample size consists of only )5 respondents,

who were approached on a random basis as they !isited the retail outlets.

Aonsumers approached were asked an openended 8uestion to indicate

the

reasons they select a particular store to shop at as against any other retail outlet.

>y analysing the responses to this 8uestion, we, the researchers, as well


60/73

as companies, can identify the biggest factors that influence the consumers in

fa!ouring one store o!er others, direct from the horse@s mouth.

If set in descending order of influence as indicated by the consumers, the factors

can be listed asB uality, >rand name, "ffordability, "ll products under one

roof, -ashion, ;oyalty, %er!ice, Sariety, roimity, and %tore atmosphere.

-rom the table, graph and chart depicted abo!e, it is e!ident that customers gi!e

!alue to a great many number of factors when deciding which store to shop at. It

would be prudent on the part of the company to identify their strong and weak

areas, which attract or dri!e away customers toPfrom their stores.

Aonsumers approached were asked to rank their preferences on a scale of 1 to '

of their preferences when choosing to shop at particular stores. The preference

points placed before them were uality, >rand@, rice@, %tore ;ayout@,roimity@, Onestop shop@. >y analysing the responses to this 8uestion, we,

the researchers, as well as companies, can identify the biggest factors that

influence the consumers in fa!ouring one store o!er others.

The highest responses and the highest ranking ha!e been attributed to 8uality of

the products on sale. =hen choosing to shop at a particular store, or whenfa!ouring one store o!er the others, it is seen that most consumers make this

decision based on the 8uality of the products on offer.


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The net criteria that influence the consumers in fa!ouring a particular store

o!er others are *in descending order+ ? rice, Onestop shop, >rand, %tore

layout, and roimity.

"lthough it is said that the most important things in retail are K;ocation,

location, and locationL, from the consumers@ point of !iew, proimity is of little

concern. The 8uality, price and !ariety of goods play big roles in the decision

making process.

Aonsumers approached were asked if ad!ertisements and promotional acti!ities

influence their shopping decisions. >y analysing the responses to this 8uestion,

we, the researchers, as well as companies, can identify the effect of ad!ertising

and marketing campaigns on the consumers@ minds and how far ad!ertisements

translate into sales.


e!ident that a slightly higher number of respondents do not gi!e much

importance to ad!ertisements and promotional acti!ities. The number of

respondents who indicated that ad!ertisements and promotional acti!ities do

ha!e an impact on their shopping decisions was slightly lesser.

This indicates that although most consumers are aware of the ad!ertisements

and promotional campaigns, a slightly higher percentage of consumers are not

swayed by the marketing strategies instituted by the companies.


62/73

This is not, howe!er, to say that ad!ertisements and promotional acti!ities ha!e

no bearing on the minds of the consumers at all. The responses only indicate

that ad!ertisements ser!e to keep the brand in retention although they do not

guarantee sales. The products sold at the stores ha!e the biggest impact on

attracting and retaining customers.

Aonsumers approached were asked which form of ad!ertisement they thought

was most effecti!e. The methods of ad!ertising were restricted to three ?

Tele!ision, rint and adio. >y analysing the responses to this 8uestion, we, the

researchers, as well as companies, can identify the effecti!eness of

ad!ertisements through the media identified.


e!ident that the ma


63/73

Aonsumers approached were asked about their satisfaction with the three stores

co!ered in this study. The three stores are >ig >azaar, %hopper@s %top, and

7arks %pencer. The satisfaction scale comprised of four ranks ? 3nsatisfied,

%atisfied, $ighly %atisfied and Ee!er Sisited. The oby analysing the responses to this 8uestion, we, the researchers, as well as

companies, can identify the effecti!eness of ad!ertisements, location, brand,

price, promotion, product !ariety etc., on the target consumers. This helps to

understand the current consumer perception of the three stores identified and the

corresponding satisfaction le!els.


e!ident that a good number of target consumers are satisfied with the stores atlarge. $owe!er, there are those who are unsatisfied or who ha!e ne!er !isited

the store at all. %uch consumers form the potential market that the companies

must stri!e to attract.

There are also 8uite a few respondents who were highly satisfied with the retail

chains. It is imperati!e for the stores to find out why this is so. They can modifyand apply the same attractions towards the consumers who are less satisfied.


64/73


65/73

ad!ertisements, promotions, 8uality, pricing, product !ariety etc., seem to be

!ery appealing and also translate into sales and repeat purchases.

The abo!e pie chart shows that 12 of the numbers of respondents, howe!er,

are unsatisfied with the store. They form the potential consumers market for

%hopper@s %top.

7ore than half of the number of respondents indicated that they are satisfied

with 7arks %pencer, while almost onefourth indicated that they are highly

satisfied with the store. $owe!er, almost onese!enth of the number of

respondents indicated that they were unsatisfied with 7arks %pencer.

This goes to show that although 7arks %pencer may ha!e an o!erall goodwill

from the consumers, there are still some things that they are not doing right.

7arks %pencer must identify eactly what the problem areas are and mustaddress them effecti!ely and efficiently.

The abo!e pie chart shows that almost 2& of the respondents fall into the

category of potential customers. 7arks %pencer must take effecti!e steps to

attract these consumers.


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RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION

BIG BAZAAR

P(*

1. Sariety B >ig >azaar offers a wide !ariety of products of different prices

and different 8ualities satisfying most of its customers.

2. uality B ro!iding 8uality at low prices and ha!ing different types of

products for different income customers is another ad!antage.

. rice B "s noted the prices and offers in >ig >azaar ha!e been one of the

main attractions and reasons for its popularity. The price ranges and the

products offered are !ery satisfying to the customers.

9. ;ocation B The location of >ig >azaar has been mainly in the heart of the

city or in the out skirts gi!ing a chance to both the Aity and the peopleli!ing outside the city to shop.

5. "d!ertisements B >ig bazaar has endorsed !ery popular figure like 7 %

#honi and other famous personalities which has attracted a lot of

customers. This has resulted in increase of sale and the outdoor

ad!ertising techni8ues ha!e also helped >ig >azaar.

'. 7iddle class appeal B Aonsidering the fact that there are a lot middle

class families in India, >ig bazaar has had a huge impact on the middle


67/73

class section of India, the prices, 8uality and sales strategy has helped in

getting the middle income groups getting attracted towards >ig >azaar.

). "ttracti!e sales B >ig bazaar has been known for its great sale and great

offers. >ig bazaar has had long lines of people waiting to get into the

store for the sale. Therefore, the sales that >ig >azaar has had has

increased sales in a huge way due to the sales and offers, thus this has

been one of the main ad!antages of >ig >azaar.

Dia'5a$ta%e

1. %tore layout B The store layout and the assortment of goods is not the best

at >ig >azaar, as the 8uantity of goods sold is more the arrangement and

assortment of goods in the store is the greatest. $ence at times customers

find it hard to find what they re8uire, this leads to dissatisfaction of

customers.2. ;ower 8uality of goods B "s >ig bazaar aims more toward the middle

income group, the 8uality of goods is not of the highest 8uality, and this is

sometimes a disad!antage as some would prefer better 8uality to the

price, making customers to search for different places.

. #oes not appeal to the elite B "s mentioned abo!e, the main customers

are middle income and a few high income groups, The elite do not like toshop at >ig >azaar as the 8uality of goods is lower and they would prefer

a higher price and get a better brand, this decreases sales from the elite

class.


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9. Eot acclaimed for !ery good ser!ice B >ig >azaar is not known for high

class ser!ice. The staff recruited is not !ery well trained and the billing

8ueues take a long time to mo!e, this irritates customers which makes

them !isit the store more seldom.

5. ;ower 8uality of goods B "s the sore is trying to concentrate on the

middle income group the type of products used is not of the most superior

8uality and most of the times nor branded, this may dissatisfy certain

customers.

'. Aonsumer satisfaction B ;ong 8ueues and lower 8uality leads to

dissatisfaction of customers. #ue to factors mentioned abo!e >ig >azaar

shoppers are not always satisfied, this is not a positi!e for the store.


69/73

SHOPPERS STOP

P(*

1. Sariety B The !ariety of goods and products at shoppers stop is like a one

stop shop for customers. It pro!ides household products and other

products like apparels etc. This attracts customers

2. ;ayout B %hoppers@ %top pro!ides ease of shopping by pro!iding them

with a !ery clear store layout which is an essential element in attracting

customers as it pleases them.

. "mbience B %hoppers@ %top has a !ery pleasing ambience which helps in

shopping, the colours, lights and others help in encouraging customers in

shopping.

9. >rand "wareness B %hoppers@ %top has a high le!el of brand awarenessamong customers in and around the city. It is a popular store, this helps in

attracting customers as publicity by person to person by word of mouth

helps %hoppers@ stop in getting more customers.

5. $igh Income 0roups B %hoppers@ %top attracts mainly the high income

group although it attracts the middle income group as well but not asmuch as the high income group.


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Dia'5a$ta%e

1. Fpensi!e B %hoppers@ %top has a label which is tagged in the minds of

customers that it is epensi!e and therefore this affects the sale of goods

in the store.

2. ;ess "d!ertisement B %hoppers@ %top is not known much for their

ad!ertisements and the ad!ertisements done are !ery less as well. This

does not attract more customers to the store.

. Sery few outlets B %hoppers@ %top is not spread all o!er the city and

hence this causes a problem for customers to tra!el far distances to get to

the store and hence they find alternati!es.

9. ;ess "ttraction B The attraction in shoppers stop is less compared to other

stores, i.e., the sales and offers are lesser and as the store attracts peoplewith higher incomes the number of sales per year is lesser this does not

attract other customers

5. ;ocation B The location of the stores are not in the main areas making it

difficult for the customers to find the store, location of the store plays a

huge role as the customers would like the store to be aPin a con!enientplace for them to reach it with more comfort.

'. ;oss on middle income groups B The store loses out on the middle

income group which is more dominant in India, with lesser or reduced

prices the middle income group can be attracted.


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MARKS & SPENCER

P(*

1. uality B 7arks and %pencer is known for its 8uality products. Therefore

their main ad!antage is that their image in the !iew of the customer is a

store with !ery good 8uality.

2. ;oyalty B eople are loyal to the store as they are highly satisfied with

the 8uality and they ha!e an assurance from the store for their continued

supply of 8uality products

. ;ocation B 7arks and %pencer is mostly located near the residential areas

or sometimes the commercial areas. This helps the customers to get to the

store 8uickly and hence pro!ides con!enience to the customers gi!ing the

customers a positi!e image about the store.

9. $igh Income B 7arks and %pencer attracts the higher income group, the

profit is higher as the customers are ready to spend more for better

products

5. ;ayout B 7arks and %pencer ha!e a !ery good layout for the store andthis gi!es chance for the customers to get a proper look at the store and

help them locate their needs with ease, this makes customers happy.


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Dia'5a$ta%e

1. Fpensi!e B 7arks and %pencer is a high end store pro!ing to be a little

more epensi!e when compares to other stores. This makes people

hesitant to go to the store.

2. Aompetition B 7arks and %pencer recei!e !ery high competition from

stores like eliance -resh, -ood =orld, -ab mall and others. Austomers

would prefer buying the same product at a cheaper price. Thus the

competition is !ery high.

. Eo middle income customers B The middle income groups would prefer

other stores as 7arks and %pencer is pro!en to be an epensi!e store,

middle income customers will try and find alternati!es and sa!e money.

9. ;esser 0oods B 7arks and %pencer do not ha!e a huge !ariety or

assortment of goodsPproducts, though they deal with groceries and

products which are similar, there is lesser !ariety and customers prefer

more !ariety.

5. -ewer >ranches B "s 7arks and %pencer is still growing there are fewerbranches around, this is a reason for lesser sale as customers would not

want to tra!el long distances to find the store, they would find

alternati!es instead.

'. ;ess "d!ertisement B 7arks and %pencer ha!e do not ha!e an ad

campaign or ha!e !ery little ad!ertising. This leads to lesser information


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of the store, thus sales and profits would depend and fluctuate on the le!el

of ad!ertisement and information gi!en to the public.

). Eo Offers or sales B 7arks and %pencer rarely has sales or offers. This

does not attract customers. Thus as a result of no sales and offers when

compared to other stores the sales are lesser pro!ing to be a disad!antage

to the store.

Documents

A Study of Consumer Perceptions of Three