CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
A REPORT
ON
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
IN
ION EXCHANGE SERIVECE LIMITED
PANJAGUTTA, HYDERABAD
By
M.PAVAN KUMAR
Reg No. 181098064
A report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of
MBA program
SALN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND
MANAGEMENT
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DECLARATION
I hereby declare that the project titled “CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR” done at
ION EXCHANGE SERVICE LIMITED, PUNJAGUTTA,HYDERABD. Submitted by me
as part of partial fulfillment for the award of the “Master of Business Administration” at.
SALN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT, CHITTOOR. Affiliated to
SRI VENKATESWARA University is a record of bonafied work done by me.
PLACE:
DATE:
(M. PAVAN KUMAR)
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I cordially thank S.V University for giving me the opportunity to undergo my project
work.
I thank the principal Dr. KRISHANAMACHARYULU, for their full fledged support
for having given me the opportunity to study in this Institution.
I thank Mr. S.A. SARAVANA KUMAR, Head of the Department of Management
Studies for his inspiration and providing me all the facilities to do my project work.
I would also like to thank our faculty guide Mrs. N. Mythili, who guided me throughout
the project. Sincere thanks are also to all the staff members of MBA department for their
valuable guidance and support.
I would also like to thank Mr. D.N. RAO, Marketing Manager, for permitting me to
pursue the project for sparing his valuable time to guide me during the project work and also to
all the employees of .
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Chapter 1INTRODUCTION
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INTRODUCTION TO CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
The 1990s have borne witness to dramatic shifts in the marketplace triggered by sharp
changes in the lifestyle patterns of the past and present and the radical revolution in the
telecommunication technology. Time tested concepts on Brand loyalty and Mass Marketing, are
being turned on their heads as they fail to gauge the Behaviour of new generation customers. The
behaviour is characterized by the uniqueness of individual expectations, the preference for
multiple options, propensity to abandon Brand loyalty and switch to competition Brands that
give higher (perceived) value. The new breed is even willing to import to satisfy specific
requirement. It is difficult to classify this generation by conventional Demographic factors and
unless their thought process and buying behaviour are fully understood, decisions on product
designs and packaging, Branding and Distribution channels are likely to be misplaced. With the
inevitability of change looming large over the horizon, Indian companies must learn from their
western counterparts; not only to identify the sources, timing and direction of the changes likely
to affect India, but also the new competencies and perspective that will enable them to respond to
these changes, comprehensively and effectively. Companies offering Product or Services will
need to understand this new face of the customers. The changing Demographic profile of the
population in terms of education, income, size of family and so on, are important by what will be
more substantive in days to come will be the Psychographics of customers that is how they feel,
think or behave. Markers will have to constantly monitor and understand the underlying
Psychographics to map their respective industries are moving and decide what needs to be done,
by way of adding value that motivates customers to buy the company’s products and influence
the future industry structure.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
AWARENESS : This means to know about the existence of the product in the market. It is the
first stage of the adoption process. The consumers are exposed to the product innovation. The
consumers at this stage are not interested in more information about the product.
PERCEPTION : It is defined as the process by which an individual selects, organizes and
interprets stimuli into a meaningful and coherent of the world. It is how we see the world around
us’. Two persons subject to the same stimulus under the same conditions will react differently. A
stimulus is any unit of input to any of the senses. The study of perception is largely the study of
what we subconsciously add to or subtract from raw sensory to produce our own private picture
of the world.
ATTITUDE : In simple dictionary meaning ‘attitude; means a way of thinking is a learned
predisposition to behave in a consistently favorable or unfavorable way with respect to a given
object. Attitudes are learned may be because of a previous experience with the product,
information acquired from others, and exposure to mass media. Attitudes are not permanent, they
do change over a period of time.
Consumer Behavior
The study of consumers helps firms and organizations improve their marketing strategies
by understanding issues such as how consumers think, feel, reason, and select between different
alternatives (e.g., brands, products);
The psychology of how the consumer is influenced by his or her environment (e.g.,
culture, family, signs, media);
The behavior of consumers while shopping or making other marketing decisions;
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Limitations in consumer knowledge or information processing abilities influence
decisions and marketing outcome;
How consumer motivation and decision strategies differ between products that differ in
their level of importance or interest that they entail for the consumer; and how marketers can
adapt and improve their marketing campaigns and marketing strategies to more effectively reach
the consumer.
Understanding these issues helps in adapting strategies by taking the consumer into
consideration. For example, by understanding that a number of different messages compete for
our potential customers’ attention, one learns that to be effective, advertisements must usually be
repeated extensively. It is also learnt that consumers will sometimes be persuaded more by
logical arguments, but at other times will be persuaded more by emotional or symbolic appeals.
By understanding the consumer, the company will be able to make a more informed decision as
to which strategy to employ.
The "official" definition of consumer behavior given in the text is "The study of
individuals, groups, or organizations and the processes they use to select, secure, use, and
dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these
processes have on the consumer and society.
Behavior occurs either for the individual, or in the context of a group (e.g., friends
influence what kinds of clothes a person wears) or an organization (people on the job make
decisions as to which products the firm should use).
Consumer behavior involves the use and disposal of products as well as the study of how
they are purchased. Product use is often of great interest to the marketer, because this may
influence how a product is best positioned or how we can encourage increased consumption.
Since many environmental problems result from product disposal (e.g., motor oil being sent into
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sewage systems to save the recycling fee, or garbage piling up at landfills) this is also an area of
interest.
Consumer behavior involves services and ideas as well as tangible products.
impact of consumer behavior on society is also of relevance. For example, aggressive
marketing of high fat foods, or aggressive marketing of easy credit, may have serious
repercussions for the national health and economy.
There are four main applications of consumer behavior:
The most obvious is for marketing strategy—i.e., for making better marketing
campaigns. For example, by understanding that consumers are more receptive to food advertising
when they are hungry, we learn to schedule snack advertisements late in the afternoon. By
understanding that new products are usually initially adopted by a few consumers and only
spread later, and then only gradually, to the rest of the population, we learn that (1) companies
that introduce new products must be well financed so that they can stay afloat until their products
become a commercial success and (2) it is important to please initial customers, since they will
in turn influence many subsequent customers’ brand choices.
As a final benefit, studying consumer behavior should make us better consumers.
Common sense suggests, for example, that if you buy a 64 liquid ounce bottle of laundry
detergent, you should pay less per ounce than if you bought two 32 ounce bottles. In practice,
however, you often pay a size premium by buying the larger quantity. In other words, in this
case, knowing this fact will sensitize you to the need to check the unit cost labels to determine if
you are really getting a bargain. There are several units in the market that can be analyzed.
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Research Methods
There are two main categories of research methods. Secondary research uses research
that has already been done by someone else. For example, marketers often find information
compiled by the U.S. Census very useful. However, in some cases, information specific enough
to satisfy a firm’s needs is not publicly available. Original research that a firm does for itself is
known as primary research.
There is no one perfect primary research method. Each has strengths and weaknesses, and
thus the appropriate method must be selected based on research needs.
Surveys are useful for getting a great deal of specific information. Surveys can contain
open-ended questions or closed-ended, where the respondent is asked to select answers from a
brief list. Open ended questions have the advantage that the respondent is not limited to the
options listed, and that the respondent is not being influenced by seeing a list of responses.
However, open-ended questions are often skipped by respondents, and coding them can be quite
a challenge. In general, for surveys to yield meaningful responses, sample sizes of over 100 are
usually required because precision is essential.
Surveys come in several different forms. Mail surveys are relatively inexpensive, but
response rates are typically quite low—typically from 5-20%. Phone-surveys get somewhat
higher response rates, but not many questions can be asked because many answer options have to
be repeated and few people are willing to stay on the phone for more than five minutes. Mall
intercepts are a convenient way to reach consumers, but respondents may be reluctant to discuss
anything sensitive face-to-face with an interviewer.
Focus groups involve getting a group of 6-12 consumers together to discuss product
usage. Focus groups are especially useful if we do not have specific questions to ask yet, since
we don’t know what consumers’ concerns might be. Drawbacks of focus groups include high
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costs and the fact that generalization toward the entire population is difficult for such small
sample sizes. The fact that focus groups involve social interaction also means that participants
may say what they think will make themselves look good rather than what they really believe
(the social desirability bias).
Personal interviews involve in-depth questioning of an individual about his or her interest
in or experiences with a product. The benefit here is that one can get really into depth . but this
method of research is costly and can be extremely vulnerable to interviewer bias.
Projective techniques are used when a consumer may feel embarrassed to admit to certain
opinions, feelings, or preferences. The main problem with this method is that it is difficult to
analyze responses.
Observation of consumers is often a powerful tool. Looking at how consumers select
products may yield insights into how they make decisions and what they look for. Observation
may help in determining how much time consumers spend comparing prices, or whether
nutritional labels are being consulted.
Physiological measures are occasionally used to examine consumer response. For
example, advertisers may want to measure a consumer’s level of arousal during various parts of
an advertisement.
Segmentation
Segmentation basically involves dividing consumers into groups such that members of a
group (1) are as similar as possible to members of that same group but (2) differ as much as
possible from members other segments. This enables us then to "treat" each segment differently
—e.g., by:
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Providing different products (e.g., some consumers like cola taste, while others prefer lime) .
Offering different prices (some consumers will take the cheapest product available, while others
will pay for desired features). Distributing the products where they are likely to be bought by the
targeted segment.
In order for a segment structure to be useful:
Each segment must have an identity—i.e., it must contain members that can be
described in some way (e.g., price sensitive) that behave differently from another
segment.
Each segment must engage in systematic behaviors (e.g., a price sensitive segment
should consistently prefer the low price item rather than randomly switching between
high and low priced brands).
Each segment must offer marketing mix efficiency potential—i.e., it must be profitable
to serve. For example, A smaller segment may be profitable if, for example, it is price
insensitive or can be targeted efficiently . Some segments are not cost effective.
There are three "levels" of segmentation. Levels here refer to the tradeoff between the difficulty
of implementing a segmentation scheme and the benefits that result.
The first level of segmentation involves personal characteristics—e.g., demographics.
The trouble with this method of segmentation, however, is that there is often not a good
correlation between personal characteristics of consumers and what they want to buy.
Psychographics includes a bit more information about the consumer than his or her mere
descriptive characteristics.
The second level is benefit desired—that is, segmenting on what someone wants rather
than who he or she is. Implementing segmentation on benefit desired is more difficult.
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The benefit, however, is that one can now make product that matches more closely a
particular segment’s specific desires, and one can promote, price, and distribute it
according to the desires of the segment. This method, then, lends itself extremely well to
strong product positioning—one make a product that offers specific benefits, and we
aggressively promote this fact to interested consumers. A drawback, however, is some
efficiency is lost in marketing communication.
The third level is segmentation based on behavior. Behavior here refers to a person’s
response (or lack of response) to a given treatment. The rewards are often great, because
one can tailor the kind of deal we give a consumer to the minimum concession needed to
get that consumer to buy our (as opposed to a competing) product.
Direct marketing offers exceptional opportunities for segmentation because marketers can buy
lists of consumer names, addresses, and phone-numbers that indicate their specific interests.
Culture
Culture is part of the external influences that imp
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OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
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Objectives of the Study
To understand the psychology and behavior of customers towards
purchase of water purifier.
To know the various forces that drives the consumer towards the water
purifier.
To know the most preferred brand of water purifiers.
To know the most effective media for promoting the product.
To know the various problems that generally encountered by the
customers of ZERO-B water purifier.
To suggest some measures to improve the efficiency and performance
of services offered by ZERO-B water purifier.
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NEED AND SCOPE OF THE STUDY
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Need and Scope of the Study:
Under the Title Consumer buying behavior in Hyderabad city, The Study mainly
concentrates on around awareness, opinion and level of satisfaction of the product.
The study mainly concentrates on consumer buying behavior. The study also tries to find
out the level satisfaction. The impact of customer is analyzed so as to find out the satisfaction
towards Zero-B.
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LIMITATIONS
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Limitations:
The number of respondents’ level is only 100, so there is no scope to understand the wide
perception Customers.
The survey done is limited only to the Hyderabad region, so there is limited scope in
understanding the preference of choice of other areas.
The Preference of people may be subjected to other conditions which are not being included
in the project.
The time limit which is taken to complete the project is very limited, that is only 7 weeks, so
there is limited scope for extensive study.
There are different factors like personal, psychological and Social factors which can not be
assessed properly in the study duration of 7 weeks
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RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGY
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Research Methodology
Methods of data collection
1. Primary data.
2. Secondary data
Primary data:
The primary data are those, which are collected fresh and for the first time and thus
happen to be original in character. Primary data are collected through “Mail survey and direct
interviews”.
Mail survey:
The questionnaire is send to the employee through the mail and the required data are
collected for the research work.
Direct interviews:
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Some of employees have not responded to the questionnaire, so for those employees,
direct interviews have been conducted to get the information required
Secondary data: Secondary data are those, which have already been collected by someone &
which have already been passed through statistical process. The secondary data have been collected from
following ways.
Books:
The information, which are required for the review of literature and research
methodology and sampling technique.
Journals:
Journals are used for finding out new ideas and information required for the research
work.
Internet:
Internet has been used to get more information for the research from various web sites, to
explore new ideas to be implemented in the statistical tools and review of literature.
Magazines:
Magazines have been used to get new method for evaluating the training needs.
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Chapter 2
COMPANY PROFILE
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Company Profile
Ion Exchange India pioneered water treatment in India and is today the country's premier
company in water and environment management, with a strong international presence. Formed in
1964, as a subsidiary of the Permuted Company of UK, they became a wholly Indian company in
1985 when Permuted divested their holding. They currently employ 1,000 people - multi-
disciplinary teams of highly experienced professional manager’s technologists and scientists,
supported by a widespread infrastructure in India and abroad.
If they were at the forefront of the water management industry, it's because of a sustained focus
on:
Technological advancement through R&D - innovation is our hallmark as our numerous
patents testify
Affiliations with the best specialist water treatment companies internationally.
Human resource development - melding technology with people trained to manage it
responsibly.
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Above all, commitment to customer care, that goes far beyond the sale. Technical service
support is a key component of our solutions bouquet and our service network is the
largest in the Indian water treatment industry.
Total Water Management
We use our wide range of processes with an integrated approach to deliver total solutions for
every market - household, institutional, commercial, industrial and public water supplies, urban
and rural, in India and overseas. Comprehensive services such as O&M and BOO/T enable us to
meet customer needs totally, offering end benefit conveniently and economically, with single
source responsibility.
Quality and Environmental Assurance:
All operating units of the company are ISO 9001:2000 certified. Ours was the first ion
exchange resin manufacturing company in India to have an FDA.
Approved facility for the manufacture of pharmaceutical grade specialty resins.
Our resin unit is also ISO 14001 certified. And our chemical division, too, is the first in the water
treatment sector in India to be ISO 14001 certified.
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THE WIDEST RANGE INTERNATIONALLY
Short cycle demineraliser
Pretreatment, process water/liquid treatment, waste water
treatment, water recycle and product recovery using
various physico-chemical processes for settling,
clarification, filtration, and disinfection, membrane and ion
exchange technology.
Ion exchange resins, membranes, polymers and
polyelectrolytes for water and specialty non-water
applications
Boiler and cooling water treatment chemicals
Fireside chemicals and fuel additives
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Speciality ion exchange reisins for de
colorising
Process chemicals for sugar and paper manufacture
Specialized systems for removal of excessive fluoride,
arsenic, iron and nitrates from water. These along with
disinfection systems have been adapted to rural needs.
Domestic and institutional drinking water purifiers and
water conditioners; central drinking water treatment
systems.
Sewage treatment and recycle systems
Comprehensive services - rehabilitation and automation of
plant, BOO/T, O&M, consultancy, operator training,
design engineering and project management.
Hallmarks of Value Creation
Strategic concept-to-completion guidance and consultancy
360o turnkey water management
Assured supply and quality of water
Superior price performance ratios and production efficiencies
Single point responsibility enabling greater customer focus on core business
Lower cost and effective use of capital employed
Creative ownership options
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Environmentally responsive solutions
Over 4 decades of experience
In its 40 years of experience, the company has provided
installations for diverse industries in India and abroad, from
nuclear and thermal power, fertiliser and refinery, to
automobile, electronics and textile . The company has an
indepth understanding and knowledge of the Indian market
as well as of the cultural patterns prevailing particularly in
South East Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Reverse Osmosis System for TV
picture tube company
Water treatment plant (softening, demineralisation,
condensate polishing and side stream filtration) for
power project
Demineralization plant for refinery
More than 35,000 plants in India and abroad -
packaged, pre-engineered and custom built.
Over 400 major installations at thermal and nuclear
power stations, fertilizer factories, refineries,
petrochemical and other industries.
Over US$30 million worth projects in India on global
tender basis and many projects abroad.
Exports of equipment, ion exchange resins,
membranes and water treatment chemicals to Japan,
South East Asia, USA, Europe, Africa, Egypt,
Middle East, Russia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mauritius
and Sri Lanka
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Corporate Purpose
The importance of protecting the environment has never been greater than now. The
capacity of the earth, our spaceship, to absorb more waste or more energy, is fast getting
exhausted. Environmental damage has already caused the extinction of hundreds of species of
plant and animals. Human beings themselves are now under threat. There is an urgent need to
protect the water we drink and use, the air we breathe, the soil on which our crops and plants
grow.
Ion Exchange India's core business relates to water, a precious natural resource, essential
for all human activity and for life itself. It is our privilege to manage this increasingly scarce
resource by providing total water management solutions. Purifying water to ensure safe drinking
water for homes and communities. Treating water with care to meet the quality requirements for
any process. Removing pollutants from wastewater. Recycling and recovering water and
valuable products for reuse. Reducing waste and pollution. Using technology beneficially to
conserve earth's most precious resource while improving quality of life and protecting the
environment.
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We at Ion Exchange India believe ourselves fortunate - privileged in fact, that our
business is of such beneficial service to society and the environment which are directly affected
by the use and misuse of water. That our business provides us the opportunity to use technology
to improve the quality of people's lives and the environment, enabling us to fulfil our inherent
responsibility and obligation to society of which we are a part, returning what we owe to it, with
value added.
Code of Conduct
Our Company firmly believes that its vision of being a market leader in its businesses can
be achieved only if it has the trust and association of its employees, customers and investors,
whom the company values very highly. The code of conduct has been drafted to ensure that the
employees act in accordance with these principles. In respect of matters for which there is no
specific rule, employees will have to take an honest, pragmatic approach without compromising
the values and principles of the company.
Applicability
The Code is applicable to officers, employees and workers at all levels of the Company,
whether working in India or abroad.
Secrecy
The Company values honest dealing with all its customers, dealers and vendors. At all
times, whether during employment with the Company or after leaving the Company, employees
will have to observe secrecy regarding the affairs of the Company and shall keep confidential all
information or knowledge obtained about the Company's affairs, its manufacturing processes and
inventions. Any improvement in processes or products or any new inventions that is made by an
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employee shall be the exclusive property of the Company and the employee shall do all things
necessary to vest the ownership rights thereof in the Company.
Protection of Company’s Property
Employees must use the Company’s property with care and should not use it for personal
purposes. They should return to the Company at the time of resigning, the items used in the
course of their employment with the Company.
Conflict of Interest
Employees should not allow personal interests and prejudices come in the way of
decisions, for e.g., profiting from confidential information, influencing a business transaction
with an entity with which the company is dealing with. They should always ensure that decisions
taken by them are not detrimental to the interests of the company. The Company’s interest
should be uppermost in their mind and dealings contrary to this should be disclosed to their
immediate superior or to the management or in-house legal counsel for appropriate action.
Fair Treatment of Employees
Employees shall treat each other with respect and there should be no discrimination with
respect to religion, race, creed, gender, disability etc.
Harassment in Workplace
The Company cannot function and meet its objectives without the support, co-operation
and trust of its employees. The Company has always worked towards the well-being and growth
of its employees and believes in transparent and cordial relations. Employees should not tolerate
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harassment of any nature and must report to their immediate superior or management, any such
problem faced by them. The management will maintain confidentiality and shall extend all co-
operations to the employee.
Safety & Environment Protection
The Company is committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy work
environment, by establishing safe operating procedures and practices that protect employees
from ill health and injury. The Company’s businesses are undertaken in an environmentally
responsible manner and it is committed to conservation of resources and continual improvement
of processes and activities in order to minimize impact on environment, prevent pollution and
protect the environment.
Customers
Customer satisfaction is a core value and the Company is committed to providing
customers the best value for money through quality solutions and services that meet needs of
consumers. We are focussed on understanding customer needs and obtaining customer feedback for
improving products and services and finding innovative solutions that will improve the quality of
people’s lives and the environment.
Shareholders
Our Company believes in and has consistently practised good corporate governance. It
provides timely and accurate information to the shareholders regarding the company’s activities
and financials and continuously work towards enhancing shareholder value.
Insider Trading
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Inside information means any information known to an employee which is not yet made
public and which, if made public, will result in manipulation of stock prices. For e.g., financial
results, any major expansion plans or execution of new projects, plans of merger, amalgamation
or takeover etc. is inside information. Employees possessing such information should not misuse
and gain from such information.
Compliance with Competition Laws
The employees must comply with competition laws and should not indulge in activities that
are in violation of such laws. The employees shall consult the in-house legal counsel in case of
any doubt or clarification in understanding the laws.
Infrastructure in India and Worldwide
Our company's countrywide infrastructure of sales and project offices, production facilities,
service companies, dealers, agents and stockists, has been built up and expanded over more than
four decades of operations. Globally too, its overseas operations are well represented by a
network of offices, agents and stockists.
Corporate Office
Mumbai
International Division
Rabale, Navi Mumbai
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Regional Sales Offices
Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Vadodara
Branch Sales Offices
Bangalore, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Indore, Lucknow, Pune, Vashi
Project Offices
Vashi & Rabale, Navi Mumbai
Production Facilities
State-of-the-art units spread across five states of India, committed to built-in quality achieved by
quality assurance systems, advanced manufacturing processes and continuous training in
manufacturing practices, safety and quality issues.
Ankleshwar, Gujarat
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ISO 9001:2000 & ISO 14001 certified, fully automated,
integrated unit for manufacture of cation and anion exchange
resins. Also set up here is the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) approved and ISO 9001 certified facility for
manufacture of pharmaceutical grade speciality resins.
Hosur, Tamil Nadu
ISO 9001:2000 certified facility for assembly of packaged
plants and for manufacture of water quality monitoring
instruments. Also, a modern 11,000 sq. ft. facility for
fabrication facility of vessels, pipes and structurals.
Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh
ISO 9001:2000 & ISO 14001 certified facility for manufacture
of cooling and boiler water treatment chemicals, sugar & paper
process chemicals, RO chemicals, water quality test kits and
polyelectrolytes, fireside chemicals and fuel additives.
Rabale, Maharashtra
ISO 9001:2000 certified export oriented unit for skid-mounted
assembly and testing of custom-built plants before shipment.
Verna, Goa
ISO 9001:2000 certified facility for membrane manufacture and
for drinking water purification/water conditioning products for
the household sector.
Dealers
Ahmedabad Amritsar Bangalore
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Bhubaneshwar Kolkata Cochin
Coimbatore Cuttack Durgapur
Guwahati Hyderabad Indore
Jaipur Jamshedpur Kanpur
Kota Lucknow Madras
Mumbai Nagpur New Delhi
Pune Raipur Sangli
Thane Tinsukhia Udaipur
Vadodara Vapi Vishakapatnam
Overseas Operations
Ion Exchange Singapore Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. at Singapore & Malaysia
Overseas Offices
Bangkok - Thailand
Jakarta - Indonesia
Kenya - Africa
Dhaka - Bangladesh
Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia
International Agents In
Bangaladesh
Indonesia
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Japan
Kenya
Korea
Malaysia
Nepal
Sri Lanka
Tanzania
Uganda
Zimbabwe
Group Businesses
Ion Exchange Singapore Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. (Subsidiary)
To service the Pan Asian region for total water
management we set up Ion Exchange Asia Pacific Pte.
Ltd. in Singapore www.ieiasiapacific.com
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Ion Exchange Services Ltd. (Subsidiary)
Our investment in building an all-India service
infrastructure, started almost two decades ago, is today
serving us in good stead. Our service company network,
the largest in the water treatment industry in
India, and recently extended to several countries overseas, offers a comprehensive range of
technical and value-added services.
www.ion-services.com
Ion Exchange Enviro Farms Ltd. (Subsidiary)
Like our core business, our diversification into organic agri-
horticulture, through Ion Exchange Enviro Farms Ltd., is a natural
extension of our activities and shares our vision of a better world.
An agri-business subsidiary, this company harnesses Ion Exchange India's four decades of water
and environmental management experience into organic agri-horticulture. The company is
among the first corporate in India to undertake scientific bio-intensive organic farming on a
commercial scale. Its thrust areas of business are enviro farms, contract farming and produce
marketing.
www.ionenviro.com
Ion Exchange Waterleau Ltd. (Joint Venture)
Our joint venture with Waterleau, Brussels specializes in environmental solutions and services
with proprietary technologies encompassing air, water & waste water , bio solids, waste & soil
remediation
in municipal and industrial segments. www.ionexchangewaterleau.com
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A Spectrum of Solutions, Spanning Every Sector
For more than four decades we’ve led the water treatment industry in India, catering to
the needs of all sections of society.
We service myriad industries as diverse as power, refinery, fertilizer, food & beverage,
automotive, pulp & paper, textile, pharmaceutical and electronics. Industrial
Ion Exchange India provides industry with total water management - from pretreatment,
through process water/liquid and waste water treatment, to water recycle and recovery of
valuable byproducts for reuse in process. Total solutions address environmental concerns of
customers by incorporating water conservation, pollution control, energy saving and reduced
chemical consumption. Comprehensive services, including O&M and BOO/T contracts, deliver end
benefit conveniently and economically, with single-point responsibility.
We have more than 40,000 installations worldwide - packaged, pre-engineered and custom
built, of which over 500 are at thermal and nuclear power stations, fertilizer factories, refineries,
petrochemical and other core sector industries. Our plants, ion exchange resins and water
treatment chemicals are exported to South East Asia, Japan, Europe, Africa, Egypt, the Middle
East, USA and UK, as well as to the neighboring countries of Bangladesh, Nepal, Mauritius and
Sri Lanka.
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Homes
well known range of drinking water purifiers and water conditioners is part of a
range of water treatment solutions that together provide total water care for homes. Personalized
understanding of the problem, analysis of the water and a complete solution is what we offer.
From drinking and cooking, to bathing, laundry and swimming pools, as well as sewage
treatment/ recycle systems that provide assurance to residential complexes against water
shortages.
http://www.zerobonline.com
Drinking Water Purifiers
Catering to every consumer segment and budget is a wide range of
drinking water purifiers that ultimate protection against waterborne
diseases. They use iodinated resin, reverse osmosis and ultra filtration
membrane technologies, activated carbon or ozonation to purify water.
They come in a wide range of convenient, compact, user friendly devices to
provide all segments with safe drinking water.
Zero B Range
Sapphire Wall-Mount RO
Intello
Solar Online wall-mounted purifier
Suraksha Plus Non-electric storage water purifier
Pristine & Ultimate
ROTable top reverse osmosis purifier
Ultimate RO Under-the-counter reverse osmosis purifier
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Reverse Osmosis
15/25 LPHSkid RO
Pristine UF Counter top purifier uses ultra filtration to purify water
Resiline On line purifier for residential use
Suraksha On tap purifier in kitchens
Srijal Cartridge Unique purifying cartridge, upgrades ordinary candle filter into a water
purifier
Puristore Storage type purifier
Srijal "Siphon" purifier for rural and semi-rural areas without piped water
supplies
Watermate Portable purifier
Puriline On line purifier for offices & Institutions, hospitals, factories
Water Stations Water vending machines for retailing purified water at railway stations,
bus depots, shopping malls, places of pilgrimage etc.
Top
WaterConditioners
We also offer water conditioners to handle hardness and excessive iron in water. Our
specialised systems deal with the problems caused by minerals like calcium, magnesium and
iron in household water. These condition the water to remove the impurities to make it safe for
use.
Product Range
Duplex - Water softener
Softenizer - Water softener
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D-Ferrous - Iron remover
Pool Sparkler - Swimming pool filtration system
Communities
Increasing pollution of surface and ground water has made quality of drinking water supplies to
communities a paramount concern. Simultaneously, communities are faced with increasingly
severe water shortages.
Using our vast experience in total water management, Ion Exchange India offers solutions that
provide safe drinking water at an affordable cost
treat waste water to comply with discharge regulations
and conserve fresh water while reducing pollution, through recycle
Our products & treatment processes for communities cover
chemical dosing systems, polyelectrolytes, flocculation, sedimentation
clarification and filtration
decarbonisation
softening
disinfection
brackish water treatment, desalination of sea water
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iron/ fluoride/ nitrate and arsenic removal
waste water/sullage/sewage treatment and recycle
disaster management for drinking water
We have provided community level solutions directly as well as through NGOs, municipalities and
government public health engineering departments.
Rural Urban
Disaster Management
Ion Exchange India has associations with some of the best known specialist water
treatment companies in the world through which we have acquired state-of-the-art technologies.
Sullage Recycle & Sewage Treatment Systems
Water recycle systems save upto 60% of fresh water requirement, reducing dependence
on unreliable and inadequate water supply & expense on tanker of unknown quality. Sullage
(grey water from kitchens and bathrooms) and sewage is recycled for toilet flushing, gardening,
car washing etc.
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To tap the growing health consciousness among all segments, we expanded our range to
offer total water care for homes, under the Zero B umbrella which enjoys countrywide brand
equity.
And we’ve further extended our solutions to townships and smaller communities in the
urban and rural infrastructure, working with municipalities, public health engineering
departments of state governments and NGOs.
We've led the Indian water treatment industry for over four decades, enjoying first mover
and pioneer advantage, and a reputation for quality and commitment. Our total water
management portfolio is practically unrivalled in the industry and our solutions preferred by
diverse industries, homes and communities across India and overseas.
Widely considered to possess the best domain knowledge, our people are our greatest and
most competitive asset, and we attach as much importance to their development as to technology.
We are perhaps the only Indian company to set up, in 1985, Employee Benefit Trusts
which now hold around 23% of our stock. This along with Employee Stock Options contribute to
a strong sense of pride and ownership
Work culture
you will find at Ion Exchange India a work culture that is at once professional, result-
oriented and challenging as well as friendly, lively and comfortable. An open-door, informal
climate provides ample occasion to interact and exchange views with corporate management and
business heads and thus benefit from their experience. Cross-functional exposure enables
tremendous broadening and value-adding to skills and experience base.
Training
Learning organizations are the organizations of the future. Human Resource Development is
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therefore a focus area, and our personnel are recognized as the best trained and most experienced
in the industry. Emphasis is given to product, application and functional training - through
individual on-the-job training as well as structured group programmes. Training in technical,
managerial and soft skills is provided in-house by our HRD department and by sponsorship to
external programmes. A detailed training calendar is prepared at the beginning of the financial
year enabling departments plan ahead for training and development.
Career Path
You will find that organic career growth is characteristic of our company - a number of senior
positions are and have been held by those who have demonstrated their capabilities and have
thus risen up from within the company.
We introduced a system of career progression way back in 1977. This is intended for planning
career growth in such a way that skills and abilities develop progressively, greater use is made of
these and recognition accorded through enlarged job responsibilities and career growth.
In 1987 we introduced a system of performance appraisal against objectives or key result
areas, set and reviewed jointly, half-yearly and annually. We consider the appraisal process
important because it helps identify the strengths of a person, the potential for development and
growth, areas of improvement and training required. It also serves as a tool for long term human
resource planning and development.
India
Operating Places in India
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INDUSTRY PROFILE
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Industry Profile
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Water purifiers are one of the most used kitchen utilities Available In India. Portable
versions of Water Purifiers are available for Camping. Water Purification Methods include the
mechanized versions as well as the age-old and time-tested Water Purification Tablets. The
Water Purification Process includes removing contaminants from the raw water source.
Some of the home remedies for Water Purification are boiling or the use of the household
charcoal filter. But these do not ensure the required standard of Water Purification thus a proper
treatment is mandatory. That's where the Water Purifiers For Home step in. treatment of water
by ozone also provides certain levels of purity.
Water Purifier Companies in India
The main Manufacturers having the major share of the water purifiers' customers are:
Eureka Forbes
Kent
Zero B
Usha Brita
Jaipan
Kenstar
Maharaja Whiteline
Orpat
Water Purifier Reviews The Reviews and Ratings of their products are available on the
Online electronic stores. A thorough study of the Review or Rating a particular model receives
can help us in determining its exact relevance to our requirement. The top Ratings and Reviews
are usually scored by Water Purifiers from Usha Brita, Philips, Eureka Forbes and Kent.
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
Water Purifier Price in India
The Price range of the Water Purifiers Available In India might vary from below Rs. 2,000 to
above Rs. 12,000. The water flow rate can be around 1 litre per minute. The additional features
that one can take in account are:
Candle filter
Pre-filter
UV purification
Reverse osmosis
Activated carbon
Total market for water purifiers in India is valued at INR 9 bn in 2009 and is expected to
grow significantly in near future. Market comprises of three segments Ultra Violet (UV) based
Purifiers, Reverse Osmosis (RO) purifiers and storage / resin based purifiers.
The report provides a snapshot of the market. An overview gives a quick picture of the
market with estimated market size, growth rate, segment share, and revenue split between
organized and unorganized sectors. An analysis of drivers reveals that the scarcity of clean
drinking water, low penetration of water purifiers, increasing urbanization and rising water borne
diseases is driving growth in this sector. The key challenges identified include lack of standards
and low awareness levels. Future trends identified include tie-ups for enhancing distribution,
increasing product portfolio and rural expansion. The competitive landscape identifies major
players in this sector. The report also provides details of the key developments in this space
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CHAPTER 3
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
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Introduction to Consumer buying
behavior
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INTRODUCTION
Consumer Buying Behavior
What influences consumers to purchase products or services? The consumer buying
process is a complex matter as many internal and external factors have an impact on the buying
decisions of the consumer.
When purchasing a product there several processes, which consumers go through. These
will be discussed below.
Stages of the Consumer Buying Process
1. Problem/Need Recognition
2. Information search
3. Evaluation of different purchase options.
4. Purchase decision
5.Post Purchase Behavior
Factors influencing the behavior of buyers.
Consumer Behavior is affected by many uncontrollable factors. Just think, what
influences you before you buy a product or service? Your friends, your upbringing, your culture,
the media, a role model or influences from certain groups?
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Culture is one factor that influences behavior. Simply culture is defined as our attitudes
and beliefs. But how are these attitudes and beliefs developed? As an individual growing up, a
child is influenced by their parents, brothers, sister and other family member who may teach
them what is wrong or right. They learn about their religion and culture, which helps them
develop these opinions, attitudes and beliefs (AIO) . These factors will influence their purchase
Behavior however other factors like groups of friends, or people they look up to may influence
their choices of purchasing a particular product or service. Reference groups are particular
groups of people some people may look up towards to that have an impact on consumer
behavior. So they can be simply a band like the Spice Girls or your immediate family members.
Opinion leaders are those people that you look up to because your respect their views and
judgments and these views may influence consumer decisions.. The economical environment
also has an impact on consumer behavior; do consumers have a secure job and a regular income
to spend on goods? Marketing and advertising obviously influence consumers in trying to evoke
them to purchase a particular product or service.
People’s social status will also impact their behavior. What is their role within society?
Are they Actors? Doctors? Office worker? and mothers and fathers also? Clearly being parents
affects your buying habits depending on the age of the children, the type of job may mean you
need to purchase formal clothes, the income which is earned has an impact. The lifestyle of
someone who earns 250000 would clearly be different from someone who earns 25000. Also
characters have an influence on buying decision. Whether the person is extrovert (out going and
spends on entertainment) or introvert (keeps to themselves and purchases via online or mail
order) again has an impact on the types of purchases made.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Abraham Maslow hierarchy of needs theory sets out to explain what motivated
individuals in life to achieve. He set out his answer in a form of a hierarchy. He suggests
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individuals aim to meet basic psychological needs of hunger and thirst. When this has been met
they then move up to the next stage of the hierarchy, safety needs, where the priority lay with job
security and the knowing that an income will be available to them regularly. Social needs come
in the next level of the hierarchy, the need to belong or be loved is a natural human desire and
people do strive for this belonging.
Esteem need is the need for status and recognition within society, status sometimes drives
people, the need to have a good job title and be recognized or the nedd to wear branded clothes
as a symbol of status. Self-actualization the realization that an individual has reached their
potential in life. The point of self-actualization is down to the individual, when do you know you
have reached your point of self-fulfillment?
But how does this concept help an organization trying to market a product or service?
Well as we have established earlier within this website, marketing is about meeting needs and
providing benefits, Maslow’s concept suggests that needs change as we go along our path of
striving for self-actualization. Supermarket firms develop value brands to meet the psychological
needs of hunger and thirst. Harrods develops products and services for those who want have met
their esteem needs. So Maslow’s concept is useful for marketers as it can help them understand
and develop consumer needs and wants.
If a marketer can identify consumer buyer behavior, he or she will be in a better position
to target products and services at them. Buyer Behavior is focused upon the needs of individuals,
groups and organizations.
It is important to understand the relevance of human needs to buyer Behavior (remember,
marketing is about satisfying needs).
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Let's look at human motivations as introduced by Abraham Maslow by his hierarchy of
needs: The hierarchy is triangular. This is because as you move up it, fewer and fewer people
satisfy higher level needs. We begin at the bottom level.
Physiological needs such as food, air, water, heat, and the basic necessities of survival
need to be satisfied. At the level of safety, man has a place to live that protects him from the
elements and predators. At the third level we meet our social and belongingness needs i.e. we
marry, or join groups of friends, etc.
The final two levels are esteem and self-actualization. Fewer people satisfy the higher
level needs. Esteem means that you achieve something that makes you recognized and gives
personal satisfaction, for example writing a book. Self-actualization is achieved by few. Here a
person is one of a small number to actually do something. For example, Neil Armstrong self-
actualised as the first person to reach the Moon.
The model is a little simplistic but introduces the concept a differing consumer needs quite well.
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To understand consumer buyer Behaviors to understand how the person interacts with the
marketing mix. As described by Cohen (1991), the marketing mix inputs (or the four P's of price,
place, promotion, and product) are adapted and focused upon the consumer.
The psychology of each individual considers the product or service on offer in relation to
their own culture, attitude, previous learning, and personal perception. The consumer then
decides whether or not to purchase, where to purchase, the brand that he or she prefers, and other
choices.
Types of buying behavior.
There are four typical types of buying Behavior based on the type of products that intends
to be purchased. Complex buying Behavior is where the individual purchases a high value brand
and seeks a lot of information before the purchase is made. Habitual buying Behavior is where
the individual buys a product out of habit e.g. a daily newspaper, sugar or salt. Variety seeking
buying Behavior is where the individual likes to shop around and experiment with different
products. So an individual may shop around for different breakfast cereals because he/she wants
variety in the mornings! Dissonance reducing buying Behavior is when buyer are highly
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involved with the purchase of the product, because the purchase is expensive or infrequent.
There is little difference between existing brands an example would be buying a diamond ring,
there is perceived little difference between existing diamond brand manufacturers.
Types of Consumer Buying Behavior
Types of consumer buying behavior are determined by:
Level of Involvement in purchase decision. Importance and intensity of interest in a
product in a particular situation.
Buyer’s level of involvement determines why he/she is motivated to seek information
about a certain products and brands but virtually ignores others.
High involvement purchases--Honda Motorbike, high priced goods, products visible to others,
and the higher the risk the higher the involvement. Types of risk:
Personal risk
Social risk
Economic risk
The four type of consumer buying behavior are:
Routine Response/Programmed Behavior--buying low involvement frequently purchased
low cost items; need very little search and decision effort; purchased almost
automatically. Examples include soft drinks, snack foods, milk etc.
Limited Decision Making--buying product occasionally. When you need to obtain
information about unfamiliar brand in a familiar product category, perhaps. Requires a
moderate amount of time for information gathering. Examples include Clothes--know
product class but not the brand.
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Extensive Decision Making/Complex high involvement, unfamiliar, expensive and/or
infrequently bought products. High degree of economic/performance/psychological risk.
Examples include cars, homes, computers, education. Spend alot of time seeking
information and deciding. Information from the companies MM; friends and relatives,
store personnel etc. Go through all six stages of the buying process.
Impulse buying, no conscious planning.
The purchase of the same product does not always elicit the same Buying Behavior. Product can
shift from one category to the next.
For example:
Going out for dinner for one person may be extensive decision making (for someone that
does not go out often at all), but limited decision making for someone else. The reason for the
dinner, whether it is an anniversary celebration, or a meal with a couple of friends will also
determine the extent of the decision making.
Categories that Effect the Consumer Buying Decision Process
A consumer, making a purchase decision will be affected by the following three factors:
1. Personal
2. Psychological
3. Social
The marketer must be aware of these factors in order to develop an appropriate MM for its target
market.
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Personal
Unique to a particular person. Demographic Factors. Sex, Race, Age etc. Who in the
family is responsible for the decision making. Young people purchase things for different
reasons than older people.
Psychological factors
Psychological factors include:
Motives
A motive is an internal energizing force that orients a person’s activities toward
satisfying a need or achieving a goal. Actions are effected by a set of motives, not just one. If
marketers can identify motives then they can better develop a marketing mix. MASLOW
hierarchy of needs!!
o Physiological
o Safety
o Love and Belonging
o Esteem
o Self Actualization
Need to determine what level of the hierarchy the consumers are at to determine what
motivates their purchases.
Perception
What do you see?? Perception is the process of selecting, organizing and interpreting
information inputs to produce meaning. IE we chose what info we pay attention to, organize it
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and interpret it. Information inputs are the sensations received through sight, taste, hearing, smell
and touch.
Ability and Knowledge
Need to understand individuals capacity to learn. Learning, changes in a person's
behavior caused by information and experience. Therefore to change consumers' behavior
about your product, need to give them new information re: product...free sample etc.
South Africa...open bottle of wine and pour it!! Also educate American consumers about
changes in SA. Need to sell a whole new country.
When making buying decisions, buyers must process information.
Knowledge is the familiarity with the product and expertise.
Inexperience buyers often use prices as an indicator of quality more than those who have
knowledge of a product. Non-alcoholic Beer example: consumers choose the most
expensive six-pack, because they assume that the greater price indicated greater quality.
Learning is the process through which a relatively permanent change in behavior results
from the consequences of past behavior.
Attitudes
Knowledge and positive and negative feelings about an object or activity-maybe tangible
or intangible, living or non- living.....Drive perceptions
Individual learns attitudes through experience and interaction with other people.
Consumer attitudes toward a firm and its products greatly influence the success or failure
of the firm's marketing strategy.
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Attitudes and attitude change are influenced by consumers personality and lifestyle.
Consumers screen information that conflicts with their attitudes. Distort information to
make it consistent and selectively retain information that reinforces our attitudes. IE
brand loyalty.
There is a difference between attitude and intention to buy (ability to buy).
Personality
All the internal traits and behaviors that make a person unique, uniqueness arrives from a
person's heredity and personal experience. Examples include:
o Workaholism
o Compulsiveness
o Self confidence
o Friendliness
o Adaptability
o Ambitiousness
o Dogmatism
o Authoritarianism
o Introversion
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o Extroversion
o Aggressiveness
o Competitiveness.
Traits effect the way people behave. Marketers try to match the store image to the
perceived image of their customers.
There is a weak association between personality and Buying Behavior, this may be due to
unreliable measures. Nike ads. Consumers buy products that are consistent with their self
concept.
Lifestyles
Recent US trends in lifestyles are a shift towards personal independence and
individualism and a preference for a healthy, natural lifestyle.
Lifestyles are the consistent patterns people follow in their lives.
Social Factors
Consumer wants, learning, motives etc. are influenced by opinion leaders, person's family,
reference groups, social class and culture.
Opinion leaders
Spokespeople etc. Marketers try to attract opinion leaders...they actually use (pay)
spokespeople to market their products. Michael Jordon (Nike, McDonalds, Gatorade etc.)
Can be risky...Michael Jackson...OJ Simpson...Chevy Chase
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Roles and Family Influences--A
Role...things you should do based on the expectations of you from your position within a
group.
People have many roles. Husband, father, employer/ee. Individuals role are continuing to
change therefore marketers must continue to update information.
Family is the most basic group a person belongs to. Marketers must understand:
o that many family decisions are made by the family unit
o consumer behavior starts in the family unit
o family roles and preferences are the model for children's future family (can
reject/alter/etc)
o family buying decisions are a mixture of family interactions and individual
decision making
o family acts an interpreter of social and cultural values for the individual.
Reference Groups--
Individual identifies with the group to the extent that he takes on many of the
values, attitudes or behaviors of the group members.
Families, friends, sororities, civic and professional organization. Any group that
has positive or negative influence on a person’s attitude and behavior. Membership
groups (belong to ). Affinity marketing is focused on the desires of consumers that
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belong to reference groups. Marketing is focused on the desires of consumers that belong
to reference group to approve the product and communicate that approval to its members.
Credit Cards etc.!!
Aspiration groups (want to belong to Disassociate groups (do not want to belong
to) Honda, tries to disassociate from the “biker” group..
The degree to which a reference group will affect a purchase decision depends on
an individual’s susceptibility to reference group influence and the strength of his/her
involvement with the group.
Social Class
An open group of individuals who have similar social rank. US is not a classless
society. US criteria; occupation, education, income, wealth, race, ethnic groups and
possessions.
Social class influences many aspects of our lives. IE upper middle class
Americans prefer luxury cars Mercedes.
Lower class people tent to stay close to home when shopping, do not engage in
much pre purchase information gathering.
Family, reference groups and social classes are all social influences on consumer
behavior. All operate within a larger culture.
Culture and Sub-culture
Culture refers to the set of values, ideas, and attitudes that are accepted by a homogenous
group of people and transmitted to the next generation.
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Culture also determines what is acceptable with product advertising. Culture determines
what people wear, eat, reside and travel. Cultural values in the US are good health,
education, individualism and freedom. In American culture time scarcity is a growing
problem. IE change in meals. Big impact on international marketing.
Chapter 4
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Data Analysis and interpretation
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1. Why do you think water purifiers are necessary?
Attributes No of Respondents
Bacteria & virus free water 20
Disease free health 32
Heavy metal free water 29
Unnecessary excess mineral remover 19
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Interpretation:
Most of the water purifier users are using to get the disease free health
2. Do you think the bubble tubs water is equivalent to the water purified by purifiers?
a. Yes b. no
Yes 53
No 47
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Interpretation :
53 percent of the individuals think that bubble tubs water is equivalent to the water purified by
purifiers
3. Do you think some important bacteria and minerals are lost by using purifiers?
Yes 44
No 56
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Interpretation:
Most of the individuals think that important bacteria & minerals are lost by using purifiers
4. What is your perception about “RO”(Reverse Osmosis) water purifiers?
a. Remove bacteria & virus
b. Remove organic chemicals
c. Remove heavy metals
d. Provide water of WHO standards
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No of Respondents
Remove bacteria & Virus 27
Remove organic chemicals 17
Remove heavy metals 24
Provide water of WHO standards 32
Interpretation:
Majority of the individual’s perception is that “RO” water purifiers could Provide water of WHO
standard
5. What is the cost desired by you in case of “RO” water purifiers?
a. <7000
b. 7000-10000
c. 10000-15000
d. >20000
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Cost respondents
<7000 25
7000-10000 51
10000-15000 24
>20000 0
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
Interpretation:
Majority of the population desire the cost in the range 7000-10000
6.Which brand purifier do you prefer of using?
a. Zero.B
b. Kent
c. Pure it
d. Aqua guard
Zero.B 23
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CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
Kent 20
Pure it 35
Aqua guard 22
Interpretation:
Majority of the population use “Pure it” water purifier
7. Do you think that boiled water is better than Zero.B “RO” water?
a. Yes
b. No
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CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
Interpretation:
Majority of the individuals suggest that boiled water is better than Zero.B “R.O” water
8. Why do you think of using Zero.B softener?
a. Reduce hair fall
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Yes 43
No 57
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
b. Increase life time of utensils
c. Rust free water
d. Reduce skin rashes
Interpretation:
Most of the individuals use the softener to increase the life time of utensils
9. What is the desired cost preferred by you in case of Zero.B softener?
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Reasons Respondents
Reduce hair fall 6
Increase life time of utensils 56
Rust free water 32
Reduce skin rashes 6
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
a. <15000
b. 15000-20000
c. 20000-30000
d. >30000
Cost Respondents
<15000 28
15000-20000 72
20000-30000 0
>30000 0
Interpretation:
Most of the consumers desire the cost in the range of 15000-2000
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10. What is the guarantee/warranty period you are expecting about, regarding water
purifiers and softeners?
a. One year
b. Two years
c. More than three years
Warranty
duration
No Of
Respondents
One year 32
Two years 42
More than three
years
26
Interpretation:
Most of the customers prefer the warranty/guarantee period as two years
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11. Are the servicing facilities provided by Zero.B is satisfying?
a. Yes
b. No
Interpretation:
Most of the customers are not satisfied with the servicing facilities of Zero.B
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Response No.of
respondents
Yes 32
No 68
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
12. Do you think Zero.B purifiers save electricity ?
a. yes b. no
Interpretation
The above table shows that consumers are supporting to saving electricity
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Yes 59
No 41
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
With the zero.B purifiers.
13. Can the Zero.B purifiers remove metals like lead and aluminum
a. Metals can be removed b. cannot be removed.
Interpretation
Many consumers believe that zero.B purifiers can remove harmful metals like
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A 68
B 32
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
Lead and aluminum.
14. What do you think of DECHLORINATION with Zero.B ?
a. chlorine can be removed b. chlorine cannot be removed.
Interpretation
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A 39
B 61
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
Most of the consumers of zero.B purifiers state that it does not remove chlorine completely
15. What factors motivated you to purchase Zero.B ?
a. personnel touch b. promotional activities
c. quality d. price.
Interpretation
Above graph shows that zero.B purifiers are purchased due to the
Personnel touch by service men and there is a need to improve its promotional activities.
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A 38
B 3
C 34
D 25
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
16. Do you think Zero.B purifiers can be used at schools, Offices, hospitals,
restaurants and factories ?
a. Yes b. No
Interpretation
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Yes 63
No 37
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
Majority of the consumers support that zero.B purifiers can be used at
Schools, offices, restaurants etc,
17. What is your perception about different models of Zero.B purifiers ?
a. Used any where b.cannot be used any where
Interpretation
77% of the consumers feel that all the models of purifiers cannot be
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A 23
B 77
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
used everywhere.
18. Do you think Zero.B purifiers can be used for industrial purpose
a. yes b. no
Interpretation
Consumers of zero.B state that certain models of zero.B purifiers cannot
Be used at industries.
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NO.OF
RESPONDENTS
A 40
B 60
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
19. Do you think income levels influence buying behavior ?
a. yes b. no
Interpretation
Above table shows that income levels of different people influence
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A 59
B 41
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
buying behavior.
20. What do you think about the design of the Zero.B purifiers ?
a. satisfactory b. un satisfactory.
Interpretation
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A 44
B 56
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
Above table shows that all the designs of the zero.B are not satisfactory.
21. Do you think services provided by distribution channels are satisfying customers ?
a. yes b.no
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A 29
B 71
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
Interpretation
By observing above table we can notice that consumers are not satisfied with the services of
distribution channels
22. What made you satisfactory with the Zero.B products ?
a. Quality b. Price c.Purification
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respondents
Quality 49
Price 38
Purification 13
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
Interpretation
By the above table it can be known that quality of purifiers is satisfactory
and water purification to be improved.
23. Which media would you suggest to create better awareness among consumers ?
a. Print media b. Electric media
Interpretation
Above graph shows that majority of consumers state advertising as the best means of
Media.
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respondents
Print media 36
Advertising 64
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
24. which problem do you face mostly with the company services ?
a. time of delivery b.customer care
Interpretation
Majority of the consumers are facing problem with the services and customer care
Is not upto the mark.
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A 33
B 67
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
Findings
Most of the customers prefer the warranty/guarantee period as two years.
Most of the consumers desire the cost of softener in the range of 15000-20000.
Most of the individuals use the softener to increase the life time of utensils.
Majority of the individuals suggest that boiled water is better than Zero.B “R.O” water.
Majority of the population use “Pure it” water purifier.
Majority of the population desire the cost of purifier in the range 7000-10000.
Majority of the individuals perception is that “RO” water purifiers could Provide water
of WHO standards.
56 percent of the individuals think that bubble tubs water is equivalent to the water
purified by purifiers.
Most of the water purifier users are using to get the disease free health.
Most of the customers are not satisfied with the servicing facilities of Zero.B.
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Suggestions:
Improve advertising by using a celebrity as a Brand ambassador.
Create brand awareness among the people by maintaining Stalls, Hoardings etc.
Expand the market into Rural & Urban areas.
Produce cost effective equipments to sustain competitors in the market.
Offer free services for more than an year.
Explain your achievements & quality about your product by maintaining Stalls,
Advertising, Hoardings.
Maintain more service men who are efficient to serve people in the out skirts.
This even helps in improving the sales by a good margin, as the out skirts people are
suffering from the in supply of water.
Maintain good relations with the public societies, educational institutions & offices &
offer them free demo’s about the product which will create a strong impression on the
effectiveness of the product.
Expand your market in the water effected areas.
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Conclusions:
1. Demographic factors, Psychological factors, personal factors are the factors that influence
the individuals to buy the product
2. Pure it is the best voted water purifier
3. Forces that drives the consumer towards buying the water purifier: Impurities in water
a) Increase of population and decrease in supply of water
b) No supply of water for the areas located in out skirts
c) Failure of government to provide 100% disease free water in a consistent way
d) Psychological factors
e) Increase in cautiousness about the health
4. Most effective media for promoting the product is advertising. It would be better if it is
been advertised by a celebrity, which increases the trust of the consumers on the product.
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CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
5. Lack of services for the individuals situated in out skirts.
6. Provide cost effective equipments, maintain stalls, increase advertising, create brand
awareness
QUESTIONNAIRES
ON CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOR OF ZERO.B
Name _______________________________________ Age __________ Gender Male / Female
Qualification ___________________________ Designation ____________________________
Employer _____________________________ Income ______________________________ ( pa)
Contact No ___________________________ email id __________________________________
1.Why do you think water purifiers are necessary?
a.Bacteria & virus free water
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CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
b.Disease free health
c.Heavy metal free water
d.Unnecessary excess mineral remover
2.Do you think the bubble tubs water is equivalent to the water purified by purifiers?
a.Yes b. No
3. Do you think some important bacteria and minerals are lost by using purifiers?
a.Yes b.No
4.What is your perception about “RO”(Reverse Osmosis) water purifiers?
a. Remove bacteria & virus
b. Remove organic chemicals
c. Remove heavy metals
d. Provide water of WHO standards
5.What is the cost desired by you in case of “RO” water purifiers?
a.<7000
b.7000-10000
c.10000-15000
d.>20000
1. Which brand purifier do you prefer of using?
a.Zero.B
b.Kent
c.Pure it
d.Aqua guard
e.Alfaa
2. Do you think that boiled water is better than Zero.B “RO” water?
a.Yes
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CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
b.No
3. Why do you think of using Zero.B softener?
a.Reduce hair fall
b.Increase life time of utensils
c.Rust free water
d.Reduce skin rashes
4. What is the desired cost preferred by you in case of Zero.B softener?
a.<15000
b.15000-20000
c.20000-30000
d.>30000
5. What is the guarantee/warranty period you are expecting about, regarding water purifiers
and softeners?
a.One year
b.Two years
c.More than three years
11. Are the servicing facilities provided by Zero.B is satisfying?
a.Yes
b.No
12. Do you think Zero.B purifiers save electricity ?
a. Yes
b. No
13. Can the Zero.B purifiers remove metals like lead and aluminium
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CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
a. Metals can be removed
b. Cannot be removed.
14. What do you think of DECHLORINATION with Zero.B ?
a. Chlorine can be removed
b. Chlorine cannot be removed.
15. What factors motivated you to purchase Zero.B ?
a. Personnel touch
b. Promotional activities
c. Quality
d. Price.
16. Do you think Zero.B purifiers can be used at schools, Offices, hospitals,
restaurants and factories ?
a. Yes
b. No
17. What is your perception about different models of Zero.B purifiers ?
a. Used any where
b.Cannot be used any where
18. Do you think Zero.B purifiers can be used for industrial purpose
a. yes
b. No
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CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
19. Do you think income levels influence buying behaviour ?
a. Yes
b. No
20. What do you think about the design of the Zero.B purifiers ?
a. Satifactory
b. Un satisfactory.
21. Do you think services provided by distribution channels are satisfying customers ?
a. Yes
b.No
22. What made you satisfactory with the Zero.B products ?
a.Quality
b. Price
c.Purification
23 . Which media would you suggest to create better awareness among consumers ?
a. Print media
b. Electric media
24. which problem do you face mostly with the company services ?
a. Time of delivery
b.Customer care
c.No problem
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BIBILIOGRAPHY
BIBILIOGRAPHY
WEB REFERENCES
http://www.ionindia.com
http://www.zerobonline.com
http://www.learnmarketing.net/consumer.htm
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