IMT – 82: RETAIL SHOPPERS BEHAVIOUR

PART – A

Q1. Product/brand packaging is considered as silent sales person. If this be so? Discuss motivational aspects of packaging on consumer purchase behavior.

Q2. Differentiate with examples, between various problem solving approaches that are adopted by consumers to make purchase decisions for addressing their problems.

Q3. Purchasing behavior is seen as a process of problem solving and can be grouped into five stages. Describe these stages with examples.

Q4. What is consumer confusion? Discuss strategies adopted by consumers to resolve the confusion, justify your answer with an example.

Q5. Highlight the importance of, store layout, POP displays, and the like in stimulating impulse purchase behavior in the consumers

PART – B

Q1. Comment on the challenges to food and grocery retailing in India.

Q2. What are conflicting needs? Discuss how a young girl trying to buy expensive merchandise but is limited by budget will resolve the conflict.

Q3. What is the relevance of market segmentation for a startup retailer? Discuss various approaches to market segmentation.

Q4. Discuss how an airline can use VALS 2, to identify the profitable segments.

Q5. Celebrities are often used to endorse brands, highlight the impact of celebrity endorsements for a jewellary brand.

THIRD SET OF ASSIGNMENTS Assignment-III = 5 Marks

PART – C

Q1. Give customer classification on the basis of their attitudes and willingness.

Q2. Discuss different types of customers that a salesperson may face having different purchasing style.

Q3. Discuss advantages and disadvantages of creating a buying experience.

Q4. Describe in some detail, cross selling up selling and post selling.

Q5. Discuss methods and value of sales promotions as used by the retailers

CASE STUDY – I

Dead kill Bug store

Dead kill Bugstore operates a national chain of locally owned franchises. Their claim to fame is that they sell a contract for $79.95 plus a $19.95 monthly service charge. For this amount, company sprays a home, inside and out, and maintains monthly visits designed to keep bugs from coming back. They guarantee that you won't see a bug, or they'll come out immediately and respray, regardless of the time of month, and without regard to the next regularly scheduled service call.

Bill is the closer for the company. He's just sold a contract to an elderly woman to protect her home from roaches and other bugs. The morning after the first application, and the application that will be the most thorough by virtue of the nature of exterminating business, Bill answers the phone to find an extremely upset woman screaming about her dead cat. She tells Bill that she's canceling the contract, and moreover, contacting her lawyer about bring a lawsuit for the wrongful death of her animal not to mention the mental and physical strain this whole incidence has placed on her.

The customer is certain the cat is dead because of excessive use of chemicals. Moreover, the welfare of the cat was a specific concern of the customer, and she had asked Bill if the chemicals they were planning to use were toxic to animals. She had plainly stated her fears for her animal’s life and now despite Bill’s assurance to the contrary she had lost one of her prize pets it is evident to her that not only did bill not care about her and not care about her animals, but that his only real concern was taking her money.

Questions

1. Identify and analyze the key factors in the given case study.

2. What strategy would you use to resolve the situation?

3. Can a disgruntled customer like the above affect your business, if so, how?

CASE STUDY – II

The organized retail industry in India did not evolve till the early 1990s. Until then, the industry was dominated by the un-organized sector. It was a seller’s market, with a limited number of brands, and little choice available to customers.

Lack of trained manpower, tax laws and government regulations all discouraged the growth of organized retailing in India during that period. Lack of consumer awareness and restrictions over entry of foreign players into the sector also contributed to the delay in the growth of organized retailing. This allowed the un-organized sector to rule the Indian retailing industry. It was during this time that the foundation of PRIL was laid by Biyani. Biyani was a commerce graduate with a post-graduate diploma in marketing. After spending five years in managing his family business of trading textile and yarn, he started with apparel manufacturing in the mid-1980s. In 1987, he launched Manz Wear Pvt. Ltd. for making the country's first readymade trousers with 'Pantaloon' as the brand name. In 1989, the company launched its first jeans brand, 'Bare.'

On September 20, 1991, Manz Wear Pvt. Ltd., went public and on September 25, 1992, it changed its name to 'Pantaloon Fashions (India) Limited' (PFIL).

In 1993, PFIL launched its first formal shirt brand, 'John Miller,' and began distribution of its branded garments through multi- brand retail outlets across India. It also established a chain of franchised Pantaloon outlets, called 'Pantaloon Shoppe,' to market its readymade trousers. The first Pantaloon Shoppe was established in 1993 and by 1997, there were 60 such "shoppes" in various parts of India. Though PFIL's readymade garments offered good quality at competitive prices, its business suffered mainly because of high distribution costs and low margins which resulted from the presence of intermediaries like multi-brand retailers and franchisees between the company and its end customers...

In June 2004, Pantaloons Retail India Limited, (PRIL), a leading retailing group in India, opened its first Central Mall, "Bangalore Central," in the garden city of Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka.

"Bangalore Central" followed the Selfridges Model that aimed at redefining and revolutionizing the paradigm of lifestyle retailing in India. The mall was a result of PRIL's desire to set up a shopping centre with world class ambience, which represents the spirit of modern affluent society.

With 'shop, eat and celebrate' as its theme and tagline, "Bangalore Central" was aimed at making shopping a leisure activity, where customers can eat, relax and enjoy themselves as well. This five-floor mall holds 300 brands of products for men, women, youngsters and children, along with playing host to beauty parlours, food joints and recreation facilities. It sells almost everything from basics to the extravagant, from apparel to whitegoods, from home furnishing to groceries.

It houses a Central Square, dedicated for product launches, impromptu events, daring displays, shows and exhibitions. The mall also has a separate section providing a variety of services such as travel, financial, investment, insurance and entertainment (like ticket booking for concerts and cinemas).

Besides it also has some innovative features like centralized billing and Radio Central, India's first in-house radio station. Analysts were quick to point that "Bangalore Central" might mark the beginning of another successful hypermarket chain under the aegis of Kishore Biyani (Biyani), the founder, CEO and managing director of PRIL.

Questions

1. Highlight the impact of organized retailing as practiced by PRIL on the Indian economy.

2. Discuss in detail the paradigm of lifestyle retailing in the current situation as practiced by PRIL.