Examining Rural-Urban Purchase Behaviour towards Washing Machines: An Empirical Study in Punjab

Abstract

Rapid changes are being experienced in almost every sector in Indian economy. Consumer Durables too, are facing tough times (feeling saturated) in urban markets. A large number of gigantic MNCs have changed their destination from urban to rural markets which have displayed an impressive growth over last few years. The present study is an attempt to examine the purchase motivators (viz; Item of necessity, symbol of social status, marketing influence, brand reputation and time-saving device) for Washing machine in the rural and urban areas of Punjab. The study suggests that more sophisticated use of marketing and advertising strategies, specifically focused on core benefits of product use will be highly useful in tapping these unexplored markets

Keywords

Indian Rural Market Consumer Durables Marketing Influence Brand Reputation

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Arora

(2002), Understanding the Male Rural youth from marketing Perspective. Published on web http://www.indiainfoline.com/bisc/mdmk. Accessed on March 23, 2004.

Bansal

Easwaran

(2004), Creative Marketing for Rural India. A Research Paper for manifestation. VISTA 2004, IIM Bangalore, http://www.indiainfoline.com/bisc/ari/cmri.pdf, Accessed on 23 September, 2005.

Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (2004), “Industry (Consumer Durables.” Monthly Review of Indian Economy, July, pp. 60.

Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (2005), “Industry (Consumer Durables),” Monthly Review of Indian Economy, August, pp. 58.

Donthu

Gilliland

D. I.

(2002), The Single Consumer, Journal of Advertising Research, Vol. 42(6), Nov.-Dec., pp. 77–83.

Gupta

Chundawat

D. S.

(2002), Family and Social Influences in Buying Decision making – A Study of Television. Decision, July-December, Vol. 29 (2), pp. 45–66.

Herbig

Paul

(1997), India's Middle Class: Real or Fiction? Feasible or Not? http://www.geocities.com/athens/delphi/9158/paper21.html).

Hundal

B.S.

(2001), Consumer Behaviour in Rural Market: A Study of Durables, An Unpublished PhD Dissertation Submitted to Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.

Indian Brand Equity Foundation (2008), “Rural Market”, accessed from http://www.ibef.org/economy/ruralmarket.aspx on 03 Sep, 2008.

10.

Kaur

(2008), “Mobile Phone Manufactures Increasing Their reach in Rural India”, accessed from www.google.com.reviews08.

11.

Malhotra

Naresh. K.

(2005), Marketing Research-An Applied Orientation, Pearson Education Ltd, Delhi.

12.

Manchandani

(2003), “Rural Marketing in India”, (www.projectshub.com).

13.

Mason

J.B.

Himes

S.H.

(2005), An Exploratory Behavioral and Socio-Economic Profile of Consumer Action About Dissatisfaction With Selected Household Appliances, The Journal of Consumer Affairs, pp. 121–127.

14.

Narang

(2001), Reaching out to the Rural Markets of Uttar Pradesh”, Indian Management Studies Journal, October, Vol. 5, pp. 87–103.

15.

NCAER, Business World, 11 October 1999, pp. 28.

16.

Reddy

G.S.

(2004), Buyer Behaviour of Home Appliances With Special Reference to Microwave Products in Bangalore City, Indian Journal of Marketing, Vol. 34(1), January, pp. 19–24.

17.

Sehrawet

Kundu

S.C.

(2007), “Buying Behaviour of Rural and Urban Consumers in India: The Impact of Packaging” International Journal of Consumer Studies, November, Vol. 31 (6), pp. 630–638.

18.

Shivakumar

Arun

(2002), Buying Behaviour in the Hinterland, Indian Management, October, pp. 55–57.

19.

The Hindu (2008), “Amara Raja's Powerzone targeting rural market”, accessed from http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/05/08/stories/2007050803940500.htm.

20.

The Tribune (2003), Gnglobal Firms Eye Rural India, May 31, pp. 15.