Themarket for FMCGs has been growing steadily over the years and has been adisparity in the consumption patterns. The FMCG sector is the fourth largest inthe Indian economy .
The market size is expected to grow from US$ 30 Billion in2011 to US$74 billion in 20181 . Growing awareness,easier access, and changing lifestyles have been the key growth drivers for thesector. With the increasingdisposable income, the mid, high income group consumers have shifted theirpurchasing trend from essential to premium products. An FMCG brand has to focuson R&D and innovation for its growth. Consumers brand preferences representa fundamental step in understanding consumer behaviour which would help marketers’in designing marketing program for creating long term relationship withconsumers. This warrants an empirical study for such specific FMCG products tohelp marketers to improvise the dynamics of segmentation and marketing mixvariables.
The basic purpose of this study is to explore the consumer buyingbehaviour through brand awareness and brand preference of five products-Tooth paste, Toilet Soap, Tea, and CookingOil and washing Soap in the Thiruvannamalai district. The result of thestudy from the analysis of 100 pre-schedulesis narrated.STATEMENTOF THE PROBLEMNow a days the e-commerce,the socio-economic and political changes are all made changes in life styles in preferring FMCGproducts.
Brand awareness is the degree of familiarity among consumers aboutthe life and availability of the products and Brand preference is theindividual tastes, measured utility, likeness and willingness to accept. Due toinformation technology revolution the Brand awareness and product preferencehas been the vital driver for satisfying consumers’ needs and enhancing incomeof marketers; which are to be deeply studied for their mutual benefits. Thiruvannamalaidistrict has a population mixed with mostly rural and a small portion of cityarea culture-commerce has made product preference and door delivery easy whichsaves time and shopping efforts of consumers in any geographic area. Hence, itis the need of the hour to explore the potential product preference of thepeople living in Thiruvannamalai district in the changed situation. It wouldexpose more quality product preference and revenue generation by concentratingon supplying the quality products at the expectation of the consumers. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY To study the perception of consumers towards FMCG products and the role of brand in purchase decisions.
. To analyze factors influencing the purchase decision of FMCG products. To study the brand preferences of Select FMCG products. To discover the reasons for Brand switching in the select FMCG products. To share the suggestions and experiences in relation to brand awareness and preferences towards the select FMCG productsHYPOTHESES Theresearch model is designed to study the brand awareness and brand preferencesof select five consumer products. The study has been made to test the followinghypothesis:1.
Thereis no significant association between Brand loyalty and demographic profiles.2. Thereis no significant association between influencing persons and Brand influencingfactors.3. Thereis no significant association between Brand switching and schemes offered. RESEARCHMETHODOLOGYResearchDesign: The study is designed to explore the behaviour towards brandawareness and brand preference towards five types of FMCG products in the studyarea..
.ResearchType: Both primary data collected through questionnaire andsecondary data from journals, publications, books and website information anddata are used.SampleDesign: Thiruvannamalai district has been taken for the study as itcovers both the rural and urban populations. Convenient sampling method hasbeen used to collect sample to make a study on five FMCG products.TheSource of Data: Data related to the study has been collectedwith the help of structured questionnaire. Convenient random sampling methodwas used in getting response from the 100 respondents’ through questionnaires.Statistical Tools: Descriptiveanalysis, chi-square tests, weighted average scores and Artificial NeuralNetwork analysis have been used to focus on the objectives of the study andsuitable hypothesis are framed and tested.
Statistical Analysis: suitable hypothesis is framed and tested withthe statistical tools.ChiSquare Tests: It is used to find the significant relationshipbetween the variables. The result of the test is given below:I. Association between Loyalty andDemographic Variables:Hypothesis-1: There is no significantrelationship between loyalty of consumers and demographic variables.TableNo.1 Loyalty of Customers and Demographic Variables- Chi-Square Tests Sl.No Particulars Pearson Chi-Square Value Df Asymp. Sig.
(2-sided) Remarks 1 Customers and Age 12.656 12 0.395 Accepted.
There is no close Association. 2 Customers and Education 14.182 9 0.116 Accepted. There is no close Association.
3 Customers and Occupation 24.068 12 0.020 Rejected. There is a close Association. 4 Customers and Monthly Income of Family 24.302 9 0.004 Rejected. There is a close Association.
5 Customers and Marital Status 16.498 3 0.001 Rejected. There is a close Association.
6 Customers and Family Members 28.169 9 0.001 Rejected. There is a close Association.. 7 Customers and Earnings of Members 15.163 9 0.087 Accepted.
There is no close Association. Sources:ComputedInference: The Chi-Squaretest employed shows that there is a close relationship between Loyalty ofcustomers to the products and Occupation, Monthly Income, Marital Status andFamily members. However, there is no relationship between loyalty of customersand age, Education, and earnings of members at 5 percent level of significance.II. Association Between InfluencingPersons And Brand Factors:Hypothesis-2: There is no significantrelationship between influencing persons-family, friends, Advertisement andself-interest to prefer branded products and brand influencing factors.Chi-square test is employed to find out the existence or nonexistence of suchrelationship. TableNo.
2. Influencing Persons and Influencing Factors-tooth paste Sl.No Particulars Pearson Chi-Square Value Df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) Remarks 1 Influencing persons Tooth paste price 23.967 15 0.065 Accepted.
There is no close Association. 2 Influencing persons Tooth paste Availability 35.185 15 0.002 Rejected. There is a close Association. 3 Influencing persons Tooth paste Brand Image 29.646 15 0.
013 Rejected. There is a close Association. 4 Influencing persons Tooth paste promotion 37.322 15 0.
001 Rejected. There is a close Association. 5 Influencing persons Tooth Advertisement 31.431 15 0.008 Rejected. There is a close Association. 6 Influencing persons Tooth paste Quality 38.
533 15 0.001 Rejected. There is a close Association. TableNo.3 Influencing Persons and Influencing Factors – toilet Soap Sl.No Particulars Pearson Chi-Square Value Df Asymp. Sig.
(2-sided) Remarks 1 Influencing persons Soap price 34.208 15 0.003 Rejected. There is a close Association. 2 Influencing persons Soap Availability 46.
603 15 0.000 Rejected. There is a close Association. 3 Influencing persons Soap Brand Image 51.713 15 0.
000 Rejected. There is a close Association. 4 Influencing persons Soap promotion 42.511 15 0.000 Rejected. There is a close Association. 5 Influencing persons Soap Advertisement 49.352 15 0.
000 Rejected. There is a close Association. 6 Influencing persons Soap Quality 23.108 15 0.082 Accepted. There is no close Association. TableNo.
4.Influencing Persons and Influencing Factors -Tea Sl.No Particulars Pearson Chi-Square Value Df Asymp.
Sig. (2-sided) Remarks 1 Influencing persons Tea price 10.743 15 0.
771 Accepted. There is no close Association. 2 Influencing persons Tea Availability 42.300 15 0.000 Rejected.
There is a close Association. 3 Influencing persons Tea Brand Image 33.041 15 0.005 Rejected.
There is a close Association. 4 Influencing persons Tea promotion 33.520 15 0.004 Rejected. There is a close Association. 5 Influencing persons Tea Advertisement 33.355 15 0.
004 Rejected. There is a close Association. 6 Influencing persons Tea Quality 29.794 15 0.003 Rejected. There is a close Association. TableNo.
5.Influencing Persons and Influencing Factors -Cooking Oil Sl.No Particulars Pearson Chi-Square Value Df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) Remarks 1 Influencing persons Cooking Oil price 28.
845 15 0.017 Rejected. There is a close Association. 2 Influencing persons Cooking Oil Availability 31.770 15 0.007 Rejected. There is a close Association. 3 Influencing persons Cooking Oil Brand Image 30.
100 15 0.012 Rejected. There is a close Association. 4 Influencing persons Cooking Oil promotion 33.138 15 0.004 Rejected. There is a close Association. 5 Influencing persons Cooking Oil Advertisement 21.
920 15 0.110 Rejected. There is a close Association. 6 Influencing persons Cooking Oil Quality 22.451 15 0.033 Rejected.
There is a close Association. TableNo. 6.
Influencing Persons and Influencing Factors -Washing Soap Sl.No Particulars Pearson Chi-Square Value Df Asymp. Sig.
(2-sided) Remarks 1 Influencing persons Washing Soap price 31.026 15 0.009 Rejected. There is a close Association. 2 Influencing persons Washing Soap Availability 32.112 15 0.006 Rejected. There is a close Association.
3 Influencing persons Washing Soap Brand Image 33.869 15 0.004 Rejected. There is a close Association. 4 Influencing persons Washing Soap promotion 19.329 15 0.199 Accepted.
There is no close Association. 5 Influencing persons Washing Soap Advertisement 40.924 15 0.
000 Rejected. There is a close Association. 6 Influencing persons Washing Soap Quality 21.154 12 0.
132 Accepted. There is no close Association. Table No.7. Summary of InfluencingPersons and Influencing Factors of FMCGs: Products Price Availability Brand Image Promotion Advertisement Quality TOOTH PASTE No Association Close Association Close Association Close Association Close Association Close Association TOILET SOAP Close Association Close Association Close Association Close Association Close Association No Association TEA No Association Close Association Close Association Close Association Close Association Close Association COOKING OIL Close Association Close Association Close Association Close Association Close Association Close Association WASHING SOAP Close Association Close Association Close Association No Association Close Association Close Association Inference:The chi-square test employed shows that there is a close relationship between influencingpersons and all influencing factors except price in respect of tooth paste;similarly there is a close relationship with all influencing factors exceptquality in respect of Toilet soaps; similarly there is a close relationship with all influencing factors except pricequality in respect of Tea; similarly there is a close relationship with all influencing factors in respect ofCooking Oil and there is a close relationship with all influencing factors except promotion in respect of washing Soap.III.Association Between Brand Switching and Schemes Offered:Hypothesis-3:There is no significant relationship between brand switching and schemesoffered.
Table No.8.Brandswitch and Schemes Reasons for Brand Switching Attractive preferable Schemes Total Coupons Price Off Extra Quantity Bundling Offers Scratch cards Cost 0 2 10 0 0 12 Quality 0 6 10 2 2 20 Satisfaction 4 14 28 4 0 50 More Benefit 0 0 5 1 0 6 Seasonal Change 4 2 5 1 0 12 Total 8 24 58 8 2 100 Table No.9.
Chi-Square Tests Value Df Asymp. Sig(2-sided) Pearson Chi-Square 27.702a 16 0.034 Likelihood Ratio 27.005 16 0.
041 Linear-by-Linear Association 2.190 1 0.139 No of Valid Cases 100 Inference:The Chi-Square test employedshows that there is a close relationship between Brands switching and schemesoffered at 5 percent level of significanceI. Artificial Neural Network:Product preferencedepends on Buying decision factors-promotion factors, Life Style-Factors, Trustvalue-Factors and Product-factors; To identify the most significant factors inpreferring a product ANN has been used. The result of the analysis is givenbelow:
