1.

INTRODUCTION

Gaining market share is the main objective for Indiamart involved in sales marketing of specific
products. However, deciding on the right marketing strategies is challenging due to numerous
factors influencing customer purchasing decisions. It is therefore important to under-stand the
customer values and the major preferences, for instance the quality versus price, levels of
services, brand loyalty, distribution channels. This study researches customer behavior in a
specific market and product area.

2. Purpose of the Study

This is a project with the objective to develop a basic website where a consumer is
provided with a shopping cart application and also to know about the technologies used to
develop such an application.

3. Research Challenges
The research challenges included the selection of the correct target group as well as the
composition of the questionnaire to be compact enough to get the required response rate. In
addition, the questions needed to be simple enough and self explanatory to be able to get a clear
analysis of the results.

INDIAMART SUMMARY

IndiaMART.com is India's largest online B2B marketplace for Small & Medium Size
Businesses, connecting global buyers with suppliers. The company offers a platform &
tools to over 1 million suppliers to generate business leads from over 5 million buyers,
who use the platform to find reliable & competitive suppliers. The company has over
4000 employees located across 75 offices in the country. Its existing investors include
Intel Capital and Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.

IndiaMART.com offers products that enable small & medium size businesses generate
business leads (online catalogs/store-fronts), establish their credibility (third party
verified trust profile) and use business information (finance, news, trade shows, tenders)
for their business promotion.

IndiaMART.com has won numerous awards over the years, which include coveted Red
Herring Award, Emerging India Award, among others. The company has also been widely
covered by media for its pioneering role in promoting SME business in the country.

Its existing investors include Intel Capital and Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd (Times
Group), India's largest print media group.

IndiaMART Knowledge Services: An in-house unit involved in SME research,

forecasting, analysis and education. It conducts independent surveys, etc. & holds
workshops for SMEs to educate them on specific areas such as Marketing, IT, etc.

The Board of Directors

Mr. DINESH AGARWAL

FOUNDER & CEO, IndiaMART.com
Dinesh Agarwal is the founder and CEO of IndiaMART.com, India's
largest online B2B marketplace connecting Indian suppliers with domestic and
international buyers. Founded in 1996, Dinesh is credited with leading
IndiaMART.com through a decade and a half with an unblemished record of
being profitable from d ay one - a feat no other online company in India has
been able to emulate.

Mr. BRIJESH AGRAWAL

COO, IndiaMART.com
Brijesh Agrawal is the Chief Operating Officer, IndiaMART.com.
Being a part of the core management team, Brijesh has been the brainchild
behind the creation of a plethora of innovative products of IndiaMART.

Mr. DEEP KALRA

FOUNDER & CEO, MakeMyTrip.com
Deep Kalra holds rich past experience at GE Capital, AMF Bowling
Inc. and ABN AMRO Bank. He is a member of the Executive Council of
NASSCOM and chairs the NASSCOM Internet Working Group.

Mr. M. K. Chouhan
MANAGING DIRECTOR, Mahendra&Ardneham Consulting (P) Ltd.

Mr. RAJESH SAWHNEY

PRESIDENT, Reliance Entertainment Private Ltd.

Core values

For us they are simple and straight; take responsibility, work with passion and commitment,
move ahead as a team and conserve the integrity.

We firmly believe that core values keep organizations stable and focused to the common goal.
Our core values have helped us achieve our mission to bring measurable benefits to our
customers.

Responsibility
Responsibility, not just of quality work but of continuous selfdevelopment, of
our decisions and of our actions. This helps us
think rationally and provides a sense of accountability to ourselves, our
commitment to customers and to our colleagues.

Passion
Work at IndiaMART.com involves constant innovation and creativity. It
involves a continuous thought process to get tangible benefits to our
customers, taking into account the uniqueness of their purpose. Passionate
people with a determination to make the difference are the ones who make
this possible.

Team Work
Together we can achieve the impossible" is our belief. Our success is a
result of our team work. Experts from the field of management, marketing, IT,
arts, content & various other disciplines work as a team on
every project, every endeavour. Dedication, passion and
teamwork are the true means to our mission fulfillment.

Integrity
We realize the importance of the job & information we handle. We
understand the responsibility that each member of our team has to
shoulder and we do that with highest levels of trust, honesty and integrity of purpose and action.

Awards & Achievements

Success of our customers is our greatest achievement. Their confidence in us and our innovation,
to give them the best, has got us applauds from various sources.
IndiaMART.com wins the Red Herring 100 Asia Awards 2008

IndiaMART.com nominated among the top three at Emerging India Awards 2008

IndiaMART.com's successful business model featured on CNBC India as analyzed by

McKinsey

Bestowed with "Amity Corporate Excellence Award" on the occasion of the Tenth
Business International Horizon INBUSH 2008

Recognized by Business Money (UK's leading financial magazine) for IndiaMART's

ten years of successful contribution to Indian businesses

Declared as India's only profit-making dotcom company by Business World (Cover

story)

Special footage for IndiaMART.com's contribution in enabling e-business for exporters

from Moradabad; Mr Dinesh Agarwal interviewed (India Tomorrow - BBC News)
www.indiantravelportal.com bags eighth "BIG" Award from
Britannicaindia.com

IndiaMART.com nominated for Britannica Internet Guide (BIG) Awards for

excellence on Internet

IndiaMART.com listed among Top Indian Websites under Business-to-Business

category by Ecomready Top Indian Site by www.indiatimes.com

Termed as 'Online Gateway to Indian marketplace'- The Economic 7Times

Best Travel Site- www.indiantravelportal.com by India Online: DD News

Site of the day - Handicraft.IndiaMART.com by Zee News

Listed in the Top Indian IT organisations survey by Dataquest

Nominated amongst the Top 5 Indian Sites by Microsoft.

Fact Sheet

We endeavor to maximize value for our customers by offering them efficient and costeffective solutions for business promotion, process support and transaction accomplishment.

1996-97

IndiaMART.com, India's first online B2B directory, launched

Successfully introduces free listing & free-query forwarding concept to familiarize Indian
SMEs with benefits of Internet for business promotion

Accomplishes India's first e-commerce project for Nirula's (http://nirulas.com)

Achieves break-even within 6 months of the launch

1997-98

Successfully crosses 100 clients mark

Initiates franchisee network program

1998-99

Launches Handicraft, Apparel & Finance channels

Increases workforce to 40

B2B marketplace network surges to 1 million page views/month mark

1999-2000

Accomplishes 'Bharat On Line' - MTNL's online portal project

Launches auto industry channel

Opens branch office in financial hub of India - Mumbai

Crosses Rs 1 crore revenue mark

2000-01

Touches 5 million page views/month

Crosses 1000 clients mark

Registers 100,000 business queries/month

Accomplishes prestigious online projects for HHEC, Jindal Organization, ModiCorp

Wins Britannica (BIG) Award for Travel.IndiaMART.com

Profits increased by 128% over last year

Company becoming limited, from InterMESH Systems, to IndiaMARTInterMESH

Limited

2001-02

Business World magazine declares IndiaMART.com as "the only profitable Indian

Dotcom, with positive cash flows" [Cover Story: 14 May 2001 issue]

Adds exclusive services to its portfolio - Electronic Trade Offers & Request for
Quotation / Request for Proposal

CNBC India recognizes IndiaMART.com as one of the only profitable dotcoms in India
based on report by McKinsey

2002-03

Moves operations to state-of-the-art NOIDA development center

Launches Exim.IndiaMART.com

Crosses 200,000 business queries mark with 12 million page views

2003-04

Launches TrustSEAL to bridge the trust gap in B2B trade

Crosses 3000 clients mark

Touches 26 million page views per month, generating more than 300,000 business
queries

2004-05

Becomes first ISO 9001:2000 company in its domain

Surpasses 8000 clients mark

2005-06

IndiaMART.com completed ten successful years (1996-2006)

Crossed 10,000 clients mark

Launches MDC, a four-page online catalog for clients

Implements corporate-wide WEBERP

Acquires new office at B-6, Sec 8, NOIDA

2006-07

BCCL (Times of India Group) makes strategic investment in IndiaMART.com

Launches new Templated Product Catalogs

2007-08

Launches IndiaMART Sourcing Guide

Commences International Trade Fair Participation initiative

Wins 'Amity Corporate Excellence Award 2008'

Wins 'ShiromaniYojanaPuraskar' award

5,00,000 members registered on IndiaMART.com

2008-09

Intel Capital makes strategic investment in IndiaMART.com

Wins 'Emerging India Award 2008' as a second runner-up

Wins 'Red Herring 100 Asia 2008' award

Launches Video Profiles for "Leading Suppliers"

IndiaMART.com footprints cover over 100 towns in India

Participates in more than 100 international & 200 domestic trade shows

2009-10

IAMAI declares IndiaMART.com as India's largest online B2B marketplace

Mr. Deep Kalra (Founder & CEO of Makemytrip.com) & Dr. NachiketMor (President,
ICICI Foundation) join IndiaMART.com Board of Directors

More than 300,000 products listed on IndiaMART.com

2010-11

Takes a giant leap in SME space & launches 'IndiaMART Leaders of Tomorrow Awards'

IndiaMART.com member base surges to 1 million suppliers

Celebrates 14 years of grand success

Launches FREE tenders service - a first in India

Being a socially responsible corporate, associates with "MeriDilliMeri Yamuna"

campaign

The SmartTechie ranks IndiaMART.com among India's '25 Most Promising Internet Cos.'

 Dynamic Catalog

A comprehensive online marketing program that provides enhanced enquiry generation.

 Trust Seal

Trust Seal is a business verification service that checks supplier's records of existence,
credibility and trustworthiness for the benefit of buyers.

 Star Supplier
With Star Supplier to your support, you can get premium positioning among suppliers in all the
relevant categories.

 Leading Supplier
Leading Supplier is the right choice for companies who have a right mix of infrastructure,
management capabilities and experience in servicing global buyers.

Banner Advertising
Build your brand & drive traffic to your website with Banner Advertising

Application
Of
E-Commerce

E-commerce is fast gaining ground as an accepted and used business paradigm. More
and more business houses are implementing web sites providing functionality for performing
commercial transactions over the web. It is reasonable to say that the process of shopping on
the web is becoming commonplace.
The objective of this project is to develop a general purpose e-commerce store where any
product (such as Commoditys, CDs, computers, mobile phones, electronic items, and home
appliances) can be bought from the comfort of home through the Internet. However, for
implementation purposes, this paper will deal with an online Commodity store.
An online store is a virtual store on the Internet where customers can browse the catalog
and select products of interest. The selected items may be collected in a shopping cart. At
checkout time, the items in the shopping cart will be presented as an order. At that time, more
information will be needed to complete the transaction. Usually, the customer will be asked to
fill or select a billing address, a shipping address, a shipping option, and payment information
such as credit card number. An e- mail notification is sent to the customer as soon as the order is
placed.
Literature Review
Electronic Commerce (e-commerce) applications support the interaction between
different parties participating in a commerce transaction via the network, as well as the
management of the data involved in the process [2].
The increasing importance of e-commerce is apparent in the study conducted by
researches at the GVU (Graphics, Visualization, and Usability) Center at the Georgia Institute of
Technology. In their summary of the findings from the eighth survey, the researchers report that
e-commerce is taking off both in terms of the number of users shopping as well as the total
amount people are spending via Internet based transactions.

Over three quarters of the 10,000 respondents report having purchased items online. The
most cited reason for using the web for personal shopping was convenience (65%),
followed by availability of vendor information (60%), no pressure form sales person
(55%) and saving time (53%).
Although the issue of security remains the primary reason why more people do
not purchase items online, the GVA survey also indicates that faith in the security of ecommerce is increasing. As more people gain confidence in current encryption
technologies, more and more users can be expected to frequently purchase items online .
A good e-commerce site should present the following factors to the customers for
better usability :

Knowing when an item was saved or not saved in the shopping cart.

Returning to different parts of the site after adding an item to the shopping cart.

Easy scanning and selecting items in a list.

Effective categorical organization of products.

Simple navigation from home page to information and order links for specific
products.

Obvious shopping links or buttons.

Minimal and effective security notifications or messages.

Consistent layout of product information.

Another important factor in the design of an e-commerce site is feedback [4]. The

interactive cycle between a user and a web site is not complete until the web site responds
to a command entered by the user. According to Norman [5], "feedback--sending back to
the user information about what action has actually been done, what result has been
accomplished--is a well known concept in the science of control and information theory.
Imagine trying to talk to someone when you cannot even hear your own voice, or trying
to draw a picture with a pencil that leaves no mark: there would be no feedback".

Web site feedback often consists of a change in the visual or verbal information
presented to the user. Simple examples include highlighting a selection made by the user
or filling a field on a form based on a user's selection from a pull down list. Another
example is using the sound of a cash register to confirm that a product has been added to
an electronic shopping cart.
Completed orders should be acknowledged quickly. This may be done with an
acknowledgment or fulfillment page. The amount of time it takes to generate and
download this page, however, is a source of irritation for many e-commerce users. Users
are quick to attribute meaning to events. A blank page, or what a user perceives to be "a
long time" to receive an acknowledgment, may be interpreted as "there must be
something wrong with the order." If generating an acknowledgment may take longer than
what may be reasonably expected by the user, then the design should include
intermediate feedback to the user indicating the progress being made toward
acknowledgment or fulfillment.
Finally, feedback should not distract the user. Actions and reactions made by the
web site should be meaningful. Feedback should not draw the user's attention away from
the important tasks of gathering information, selecting products, and placing orders.
Project Design
In order to design a web site, the relational database must be designed first.
Conceptual design can be divided into two parts: The data model and the process
model. The data model focuses on what data should be stored in the database while
the process model deals with how the data is processed. To put this in the context of
the relational database, the data model is used to design the relational tables. The
process model is used to design the queries that will access and perform operations on
those tables.

Data Model
A data model is a conceptual representation of the data structures that are required
by a database. The first step in designing a database is to develop an Entity-Relation
Diagram (ERD). The ERD serves as a blue print from which a relational database maybe
deduced. Figure 1 shows the ERD for the project and later we will show the
transformation from ERD to the Re lational model.

entity A matches exactly one record in entity B and every record in B matches exactly
one record in A. One to many means that every record in A matches zero or more records
in B and every record in B matches exactly one record in A. If there is a one to many
relationship between two entities, then these entities are represented as Associative
Entities. In the Relational Database model, each of the entities will be transformed into a
table. The tables are shown below along with the attributes.

Database Design
In this section, the basic structure of the tables composing the database for the
project are shown along with information about primary and foreign keys.
Customer
SNO

NAME

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

UserID

Varchar

Primary key for Customer identification

Password

Varchar

Security for Customer

First_Name

Varchar

Last_Name

Varchar

Address

Varchar

City

Varchar

Zip

Integer

State

Varchar

Email Address

Varchar

10

Phone_Number

Varchar

Commoditys
SN
O

NAME

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

InventoryID

Integer

Primary key for Inventory Identification,

ISBN of a Commodity

2 Commodity_Name

Varchar

Author

Varchar

Nr_Commoditys

Integer

Price

Double

State_Tax
SNO

NAME

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

State Name

Varchar

Primary key for State Identification

Sales Tax Rate

Double

Sales tax for each state

Shopping_Cart_Items
SNO

NAME

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

ShoppingCartID

Integer

Primary key for Shopping Cart

Identification

InventoryID

Varchar

Price

Double

Date

Date

UserID

Varchar

Quantity

Integer

Foreign key to Inventory

Foreign key to Customer

Order_Details
SNO

NAME

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

OrderID

Integer

Primary key for Order identification

UserID

Char

Foreign key to Customer

Receivers Name

Char

If order is to be sent to other address rather

than to the customer, we need that address

Address

Char

City

Char

Zip

Integer

State

Char

Foreign key to State Tax

Type of Shipping

Char

Foreign key to Shipping Type

Date of Purchase

Date

Shipping_Type
SNO

NAME

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

Type of Shipping

Varchar

Primary key to define type of shipping

Price

Double

Approximate days
for delivery

Integer

Credit_Card_Details
SNO

NAME

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

Credit Username

Varchar

Primary key for Customer Identification

Varchar

Credit Card
Number
Card Type

Varchar

Master Card, Visa, Discover

CVV Number

Integer

Number present on the back of the card for

extra security

Expiry Date

Date

UserID

Varchar

Foreign key to Customer

DESCRIPTION

Commodity_Review
SNO

NAME

TYPE

InventoryID

Varchar

Reviews

Rating

Varchar

Review Date

Date

User Name

Varchar

Varchar

ISBN of the Commodity on which the review

is
written
Review on the Commodity
Rating given to the Commodity in a scale of 5
Name of the user providing the review

Purchase_History
SNO

NAME

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

UserID

Varchar

Primary key for Customer Identification

InventoryID

Varchar

Commodity purchased by the user

Date of Purchase

Date

OrderID

Integer

Quantity

Integer

Price

Double

Foreign key to Order_details

Process Model
A Process Model tells us about how the data is processed and how the data
flows from one table to another to gather the required information. This model consists
of the Functional Decomposition Diagram and Data Flow Diagram.
Functional Decomposition Diagram
A decomposition diagram shows a top-down functional decomposition of a
system and exposes the system's structure. The objective of the Functional
Decomposition is to break down a system step by step, beginning with the main function
of a system and continuing wit h the interim levels down to the level of elementary
functions. The diagram is the starting point for more detailed process diagrams, such as
data flow diagrams (DFD). Figure 2 shows the Functional Decomposition Diagram for
this project.

Figure 2 Functional Decomposition Diagram

Data Flow Diagram (DFD)

Data Flow Diagrams show the flow of data from external entities into the system,
and from one process to another within the system. There are four symbols for drawing a
DFD:
1. Rectangles representing external entities, which are sources or destinations of
data.
2. Ellipses representing processes, which take data as input, validate and process it
and output it.
3. Arrows representing the data flows, which can either, be electronic data or
physical items.
4. Open-ended rectangles or a Disk symbol representing data stores, including
electronic stores such as databases or XML files and physical stores such as filing
cabinets or stacks of paper.
Figures 3 - 14 are the Data Flow Diagrams for the current system. Each process within
the system is first shown as a Context Level DFD and later as a Detailed DFD. The
Context Level DFD provides a conceptual view of the process and its surrounding input,
output and data stores. The Detailed DFD provides a more detailed and comprehensive
view of the interaction among the sub-processes within the system.

Customer-Browse Context DFD

Figure 3 Customer - Browse Context DFD

Customer-Browse Detailed DFD

Figure 4 Customer - Browse Detailed DFD

Customer - ShoppingCart Context DFD

Figure 5 Customer Shopping Cart Context DFD

Customer - ShoppingCart Detailed DFD

Figure 6 Customer - Shopping Cart Detailed DFD

Customer-Authentication Context DFD

Figure 7 Customer - Shopping Cart Detailed DFD

Customer-Authentication-PurchaseHistory DFD

Figure 8 Customer - Shopping Cart Detailed DFD

Customer-Authentication-UserProfile DFD

Figure 9 Customer Authentication UserProfile DFD

Authenticated User-Purchase Context DFD

Figure 10 Authenticated User-Purchase Context DFD

Authenticated User-Purchase DFD

Figure 11 Customer - Authentication - Purchase DFD

Customer-NewUserRegistration DFD

DEFINING THE OBJECTIVE

41

Defining the Objectives

1. To understand the buying behavior activities of a product like Quantity

or preference
2. To know how buyers are able to access the largest database of Indian
suppliers through INDIA MART.COM.
3. To gain knowledge about the various major components of online
promotions like Online Directory/Indiamart Yellow Pages, Online
Product Catalogs, Trade Leads , Product portals.
4. To understand how business promotions are done through online to attract
customers through various portals.
5. To survey the market through questionnaire preparation and understand
the customer's perception regarding the online purchasing activities of the
Products

Planning the Research

Secondly, the researcher has to develop the research plan for collecting information and by
doing this, determine what kind of data will be collected. Secondary data consists of material
collected for another purpose that already exists and is defined as data that has already been
collected by another researcher for another purpose . Information collected by or for an
organization to address that organizations specific research question or needs is referred to
as primary data. It can also be identified as the fresh data that the researcher collects for the
specific research on hand. After the preliminaries have been determined, the methodologies
of the research need to be chosen.

Data Collection Method

The main methodologies used in marketing research are qualitative and quantitative research. Qualitative data is defined as exploratory research that aims to understand
consumers attitudes, values, behavior and beliefs. Qualitative re-search provides
information about the motives behind the customer decisions, or their perceptions and
expectations of products. The aim is to get responses about the respondents thoughts and
feelings on the given topic and examples of qualitative research methods include depth
interviews and focus groups . Qualitative data is referred to as data that reflects attitudes and
42

opinions collected by unstructured or semi-structured methods to gain insight into buyer

behavior. Qualitative research is also referred to as information that cannot be put into a
numerical format.

The other research methodology is quantitative research which is defined as a method of

analysis which provides data, normally numerical, for statistical analysis . Quantitative
research produces numbers and figures and shows the quantities of respondents who for
instance, recognize a specific product or brand. The target group is usually large so that the
responses could be projected as the opinions of the whole population. Quantitative research
are generally gathered with surveys and presented in a numerical format in statistics, tables,
and graphs. Surveys are defined as interviews with a large number of respondents using a
pre-designed questionnaire . Questionnaires consist of different types of research questions
which are given to the respondent with the aim of acquiring specific information.
Questionnaires are a form of survey using questions which can be either open-ended, or
have a choice of pre-set answers . The correct target groups need to be determined in both
methodologies to secure the desired responses and research results.
The empirical data for this project was collected with both quantitative and qualitative
methods. The main research method was conducted with a questionnaire that was sent to a
specific amount of people, with the hope of a minimum of respondent finishing the survey.
The qualitative approach was through an in-depth interview with the sales manager for the
company department in question.

The Market Research Process

43

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

44

Research refers to a search for knowledge. It can be defined as a scientific and

systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic.
Research comprises defining and redefining problems, formulating hypothesis or
suggested solutions; collecting, organizing and evaluating data; making deduction and
reaching conclusions; and at last carefully testing the conclusions to determine
whether they fit the formulating hypothesis Clifford Wood.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

It is a way to systematically solve the research problem. It may be understood as

science of studying how research is done scientifically. In it we study the various steps
that are generally adopted by the researcher in studying his research problem along
with the logic behind them. In general methodology is an optional framework within
which the facts are placed so that the meaning may be seen more clearly. The sources
of data shown that designing of a research plan calls for decision on the data sources
are research approaches (primary and secondary data) research instruments
(observation survey experiment) sampling plan and contact methods(personal
interviews).

RESEARCH DESIGN

A research design is the determination and statement of the general research approach
or strategy adopted for the particular project. It is the heart of the planning. If the
design adheres to the research objectives, it will ensure that the client need will be
served.
Research design is a plan structured and strategies of investigation. It is the
arrangement of condition and analysis of data in a manner to combine relevance to the
research purpose with economy in procedure.
In order to achieve the objective it was necessary to talk to the Customer and public to
draws the conclusions regarding the objective.

45

For visiting the Customer and publics to collect the relevant information; a
questionnaire has to be designed. The questionnaire was designed in such a manner to
achieve the objective of the research. The sample size taken is 10 respondents.

TYPE OF RESEARCH

In this project Descriptive Research has been used.

Descriptive Research

This is a kind of research structure which is concerned with describing the

characteristics of the problem. In this way the main purpose of such a research design
is to present a descriptive picture about the marketing problem on the basis of actual
facts. For this it is important to obtain the complete and actual information about the
subjects.

NATURE OF RESEARCH
Quantitative type of research has been used. As all the data was based on numerical
figures obtained in the survey.

TYPE OF QUESTIONS
The questions were self-administered, with a view to obtain maximum information
from the respondent that is why the questions were straightforward.

TYPE OF QUESTIONNAIRE
The entire questionnaire was standardized and formalized.

TYPE OF ANALYSIS
As all the data found in the survey are totally numericals so the type of analysis was
statistical.

SOURCE OF DATA
46

PRIMARY DATA
The data which is collected fresh and for the first time and thus happen to be the
original one characteristic is called primary data.
SECONDARY DATA
The data which is already collected by someone else and which have been passed
through the statistical process is known as the secondary data.

METHODS OF COLLECTING PRIMARY DATA

Interview Method
In this Project I have taken the questionnaire method for collecting necessary
information. In this method a questionnaire is given to the person concerned with
question to answers the question and return the questionnaire. A questionnaire
consists of number of questions printed in a definite order on a form or a set of forms.

SECONDARY DATA COLLECTION

The report mainly consists of data from the primary source gathered through the
schedule of questions and from other sources of websites, newspapers, etc.

Data Analysis
After the collection, the next step for the researcher is to analyze the data and eventually
present the findings to the company or client who requested the research. In case of a
quantitative research, the researcher can tabulate data and develop frequency mathematical
distribution whose objective is to obtain a count of the number of responses associated with
different values of one variable and to express these counts in percentage terms is the
47

definition of frequency distribution. Data analysis is de-fined as the coding, tabulation, and
analysis of marketing research. Usually averages and measures are computed for major
variables, although to be able to draw comprehensive conclusions from the research, the
response rate has to be high enough. The response rate is the amount of respondents that
agree to participate in the research, and the expected rate is usually determined in the
beginning stages of the research process. The researcher can draw conclusions from the final
findings and make recommendations on which the company can make future decisions.
The analysis of the data in this thesis was conducted with the help of a survey program the
questionnaire was made with. The program calculated the averages and percentages of each
respondent, and from there the answers were segmented by the executor of the study. The
segmentation was made on the basis of which in-formation would interest and benefit the
company the most. The respondents were divided into groups depending on their sales
background and line of business, and the analysis results are presented in different smaller
segments as well as the average responses of the whole target group. The frequency
distributions per segments are presented.

Validity
A measure is valid to the extent that variability in scores among objects reflects the true
differences of the characteristics being measured . The validity represents the valid level of
the responses in terms of how the responses matched the aim of the research question.
Basically if a research is valid, the research has met the purpose of what was supposed to be
measured. the extent to which differences in observed scale scores reflect true differences
among objects on the characteristics being measures, rather than systematic or random
errors. A research is not measured as valid if the respondent have not understood the
question asked correctly but the research executor still analyzes the results in question.
The research conducted for this thesis is valid because the analysis was based only on the
questions that were correctly comprehended by the respondents.

48

Reliability
Reliability is defined as being the similarity of results provided by independent but complex
measures of the same object or construct. In other words, reliability assures that there is
similarity in the results between similar researches.
The research in this project is reliable due to the fact that the responses were clear and some-what
general. An identical research has not been conducted in the specific product market in question,
but a marketing company researched consumer preferences in another market of the Services
department. The results were similar although the questions were different and the survey was
conducted by telephone which enabled freer answers from the respondents.

Methodological Implications
There are different methods of conducting market research although the major guidelines are
generally followed. The research process presents the different steps that need to be considered
before starting the research. When the process is completed and the results are analyzed, the
validity and reliability of the results need to be examined. The validity and reliability of the
research conducted in this Project are solid although the questions in the survey could be extended
and specified to gain more specific answers.

Question
Basic concept
The structure of the interview concept is based on the following pattern:
Identifying the target person for the interview;
Preference of brand or quality while buying the Product
For the purposes of the , the participant was, on the one hand, to be made aware of the general
subject. On the other hand, the question is to ascertain whether the brand or type of services
played a determining role in the purchasing process.

Questionnaire
49

1.How frequently do you visit indiamart website?

[ ] once in a week

[ ] once in 15 days

[ ] once in a month

[ ] once in 2-3 months

2. Which products do you purchase more often in indiamart online store ?

[ ] groceries

[ ] electronic goods

[ ] apparels

[ ] others (specify)____________________

3. Through which source you came to know about indiamart online store?

[ ] news paper
friends/others

[ ] f.m radio

[ ] news paper

[]

4. What Interest you to purchase products from indiamart online store ?

[ ] low price
[ ] various brands

[ ] better quality

[ ] variety of products

5. Is Indiamart website is willing to provide you with a larger variety of

product?
[ ] yes

[ ] no

[ ] not many

6. How is the website space for moving around for products?

[ ] its free space

[ ] not free space

[ ] small space
50

[ ] none

[ ] congested

7. How well the customer representatives at Indiamart online store interact

with you?

[ ] effective

[ ] not effective

[ ] good

[ ] no interaction

8. How is the customer service in online store, is it effective in providing

service?
[ ] fast service

[ ] slow service

[ ] not sufficient service

[ ] not good service

9. Would you be waiting for a long time at the delivery from indiamart online
store?

[ ] yes

[ ] no

10. Have any other preferences Apart from indiaMart online store?

[ ] yes

[ ] no

11. Have you purchased any product at indiamart online store just by visiting
first time?
51

[ ] yes
(visiting)

[ ] no

[ ] not first time

[ ] more than two times

12. Which interest you to re-enter our indiamart website?

[ ] low prices

[ ] product quality & availability

[ ] Suppliers service

[ ] seasonal offers & discounts

13. How is indiamart online store maintaining product quality, quantity

compare to other retail stores?

[ ] good

[ ] normal

[ ] not good

[ ] poor

14..How is you feeling after shoping at Indiamart online store ?

[ ] feel very satisfied

[ ] satisfied

52

[ ] not satisfied

ANALYSIS
THROUGH
STATISTICAL TOOLS
OF
PECENTAGE SCALE AND PIE CHART

53

How frequently do you visit indiamart website?

Once a week

Once in 15 Days

Once in 2-3 months

once in a month

Types Of option Once in a

No. of
participants
Percentage

week
10

Once in 15

Once in a

Once in 2 to 3

days

month
5

month

15

20%

30%

20

10%

40%

Through which source you came to know about indiamart website ?

newspaper

Types Of
option
No. of
participant
s
Percentage

F.M. radio

internet

friends/other

News paper

F.m radio

Internet

Friends/others

30

nil

15

60%

nil

30%

10%

54

Which products do you purchase more often From indiamart website?

Types Of
option
No. of
participant
s
Percentage

groceries

groceriesr

electronic goods

Office utilities

others

Office
utilities
5

Others

20

electronic
goods
10

40%

20%

10%

50%

25

What Interest you to purchase products from indiamart Website ?

low price

Types Of
option
No. of
participants
Percentage

low price

better quality

variety of product

various

10

better
quality
10

variety of
products
20

various
brands
20

20%

20%

40%

40%

55

Is Indiamart Website is willing to provide you with a larger variety of product?

yes

Types Of
option
No. of
participants
Percentage

No

Not many none

yes

no

not many

None

40

10

80%

nil

20%

Nil

How is the website space for moving around for products?

its free space

Types Of
option
No. of
participants
Percentage

not free space

small space

congested

its free
space
40

not free
space
5

small space

congested

nil

80%

10%

nil

10%

56

How well the online customercare team interact with you ?

effectice

Types Of
option
No. of
participant
s
Percentage

not effective

good

no interaction

effective

not effective

good

no interaction

30

Nil

20

Nil

60%

Nil

40%

Nil

How is the customer service in online store, is it effective in providing service?

Fast service

slow service

not sufficent

Types Of
option
No. of
participants

fast service

slow service

30

Percentage

60%

not good service

10

not sufficient
service
5

not good
service
5

20%

10%

10%

57

Would you be waiting for a long time at the delivery at indiamart ?

yes no 4th Qtr

Types Of option
No. of participants
Percentage

Yes
45
90%

No
5
10%

Have any other preferences Apart from indiaMart online store ?

yes

Types Of option
No. of participants
Percentage

no

Yes
5
10%

58

No
45
90%

Have you purchased any product at indiamart online store just by visiting first time?

yes

no

Second Visiting More than 2 Visiting

Types Of option

yes

No

Not first
time

No. of
participants
Percentage

nil

15

15

more than
two times
(visiting)
20

nil

30%

30%

30%

Which interest you to re-enter our indiamart website?

good

Types Of option
No. of
participants
Percentage

normal

not good

poor

Good
40

normal
10

not good
nil

Poor
Nil

80%

20%

Nil

Nil

59

How is indiamart maintaining product quality, quantity compare to other online stores?

low prices

product Quality & avality

suppliers services seasonal offers and discounts

Types Of option

low
prices

Suppliers
Services

product
quality &
availability
20

20

seasonal
offers &
discounts
5

No. of
participants
Percentage

10%

40%

40%

10%

How is you feeling after shoping at Indiamart online store ?

Feel very satisfies

Types Of
option
No. of
participants
Percentage

satisfied

not good

not Satisfied

feel very
satisfied
30

satisfied

Not good

not satisfied

20

nil

Nil

60%

40%

nil

Nil

60

FINDINGS OF THE STUDY

Findings
61

After I completed my training in indiaMART, I had a very mixed experience regarding the online
promotions . My analysis showed the customr were very happy in interacting with Indiamart
.Indiamart is having a very good standing in the market at the present market outset. Being an
online promotional company , they have taken subtle online promotional strategies which is
fruitful for the company. During this session ,I had managed to interact to many buyers ,prepared
the questionnaire for their buyers perception towards the activities of Indiamart.com and I come
up with the companys positive and the negative aspects along with some limitations.
1. Some of the important findings in Indiamart was that most of the Buyers were very
reluctant to spend money on the online Purchasing of products.
2. They have a very good knowledge of the online retail websites which are prevalent in the
market and they are interested also.
3. They are also aware of the other competitors in the market like alibaba.com,
tradeindia.com, etc
4. Most importantly they have enough faith on indiamart.com and they are very much
interested in buying the product through the indiamart as they know the number of
Suppliers in Indiamart are very high.
5. They are also in the belief that if they want to Buy product globally globally, online
purchasing are necessary.
6. During the interaction with the buyers ,it was very much clear of the fact that the service
rendered by indiamart is of supreme quality and they want to be the client of the company.

ANALYSIS
Thus it could be said the company is in a good position in the market and
is expected to have a bright future ahead.

LIMITATIONS OBSERVED

62

Following are some limitations which affect our performance in the organization. Indiamart.com
is providing eminent facilities so as to increase and maintain the performance of each and every
employee in the organization.
1. Some of the suppliers are satisfied with the present status of their Purchases. They dont want to
buy further due to limited money or lack of vision and like to avoid risk.
2. The price factor also plays key role in generating leads because aware customers are likely to
respond to that services which offer maximum advantages at minimum cost. For e.g.
tradeindia.com provides almost same services but at considerably low amount as compared to
indiamart.com.
3. Some of the clients are not able to afford the cost or price that indiamart.com offers. It
necessitates keeping record of their status at regular interval. For e.g. with the help of appointment
at regular intervals, the probability of converting the prospect into regular client can be found out.
4 .Many of the clients had bad experiences as a result they have withdrawn from it. The most
likely reasons are late service or late delivery.
.
5. Most of the organizations are controlled from their respective headquarters as a result the
decision remains pending for a long period of time. Regular follow up is required to maintain their
proper status.
6. The absence of respective departmental head because of meetings or on leave requires follow
up on continuous basis.
7. Some of the clients are very satisfied with market locally and so they do not go for online
marketing.

8.Few clients are satisfied with their present service provider in all respect so they dont want to
change it.
9. Some of the organizations are positive about online promotional services but they cant afford it
at present
.

63

RECOMMENDATION

Recommendations

64

For an effective online promotional marketing strategy for a manufacturer, there are some
recommendations which need to be followed so as to increase the revenue of the company.

REGISTRATIONS AT B2B MARKETPLACES

Leveraging services of an online B2B marketplace opens up numerous doors of
opportunities. It offers both options for registrations free and paid. The latter offers
additional features to enhance business prospects. To gain maximum exposure
manufacturing companies should register at many online B2B marketplaces as possible
and be visible to buyers visiting from across the globe.

BUILD A WEBSITE
A website that covers complete product and company information along with client
testimonials has become a prerequisite for manufacturers looking for web presence.
Updating the product catalogue and other latest happenings such as trade fare
participations at regular intervals is also essential to keep the customers and visitors
interest. The company must be prompt in replying to business queries from buyers over
email or phone.

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMISATION

Also the manufacturer firms should register themselves at Google Local , Google Maps, and
similar services across all search engines, both major and minor.

EMAIL MARKETING
A concrete database of the target customers from a reliable source should be obtained and
send mailers using a service that gives detailed statistics of its rate ,click through ,etc.

BUILD TRUST
Online marketing is mainly based on trust. You can capitalize on mechanism which
bridge the trust gap associated with the online medium and enhance your
credibility.Indiamart.com has a business verification service Trust Seal and that needs to
be used in a very fair way to obtain the customers trust.

65

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING:

It is a powerful tool to speed the word about your company and increase network
possibilities , social media , holds immense potentials. Sending regular update messages in
your LinkedIn network , updating companys products at various blogs,uploading product
pictures on photo sharing sites like Flickr,putting product videos on all video sharing
siteslike You Tube, placing company presentations and documents on document sharing
sites, such as Slide shares, Scribd,etc can improve the suppliers perceptions over the
online promotional products.

66

CONCLUSION

Conclusions
The main purpose of Dissertation is to gain practical knowledge and apply our skills in practical
and real environment. It is the time when we have to sharpen our skills, abilities and knowledge
which would help me in getting final placement.
In Indiamart.com, I have got an opportunity to explore my potential. By preparing extensive
research reports I have attained fundamental knowledge of online promotional services, its scope,
the suppliers perceptions towards the different online promotional tools provided by the company
and its importance in coming years. I have also come across various technicalities related to online
67

promotional services. I am very confident that after completing my internship in Indiamart.com

Company I would have mastered in various online promotional services.
The purpose of this study was to give an insight to customer preferences in the services market,
and the objectives were achieved to some extent. The research results of this study provide new
information as to which areas more effort should be put into. The research could have been more
extensive to get a deeper view of the customers opinion on the product itself, even though the
research provided a general picture of the market preferences.

68

REFERENCES

References:Kotler, Philip Marketing Managementpublished byVikaspublishing house Pvt. ltd.

New Delhi.
Kothari, C. R. .Research Methodology. (third. edition 2007) published by. new age
international (P) ltd.
CMA Magazine (Cement Manufacturers Association)
Aaker, D.A. and Shansby, J. (1982) Positioning your Product, Business Horizons, 25,
(May/June), 56-62
Crawford, C. M. (1985) A New Positioning Typology, journal of Product Innovation
69

Management, 4 , 243-253

70

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Web Based References:http://www.IndiaMart.com

http://www.amzon.com
http://www.wikipedia.com
http://www.answer.com
http://www.cma.com

71

72

ANNEXURE

ANNEXURE
Questionnaire

Name:
Designation:

Date:

(Tick as Appropriate)
Section-A: Personal Data
1

Your Age
1) Bellow 25 yrs

2)25-29 yrs

73

3) 30-34 yrs

4) 35 yrs & Above

Gender
1) Male

2) Female

What is Your Qualification?

1) Undergraduate
2) Graduate

3) Post-Graduate

How long have you been working in this company?

1) Less than 3 yrs
2)3-5 yrs
3) Above 5 yrs

Section-B: Survey Question

1.How frequently do you visit indiamart website?

[ ] once in a week

[ ] once in 15 days

[ ] once in a month

[ ] once in 2-3 months

2. Which products do you purchase more often in indiamart online store ?

[ ] groceries

[ ] electronic goods

[ ] apparels

[ ] others (specify)____________________

3. Through which source you came to know about indiamart online store?

[ ] news paper
friends/others

[ ] f.m radio

[ ] news paper

[]

4. What Interest you to purchase products from indiamart online store ?

[ ] low price
[ ] various brands

[ ] better quality

[ ] variety of products

74

5. Is Indiamart website is willing to provide you with a larger variety of

product?
[ ] yes

[ ] no

[ ] not many

[ ] none

6. How is the website space for moving around for products?

[ ] its free space

[ ] not free space

[ ] small space

[ ] congested

7. How well the customer representatives at Indiamart online store interact

with you?

[ ] effective

[ ] not effective

[ ] good

[ ] no interaction

8. How is the customer service in online store, is it effective in providing

service?
[ ] fast service
service

[ ] slow service

[ ] not sufficient service

[ ] not good

9. Would you be waiting for a long time at the delivery from indiamart online
store?

[ ] yes

[ ] no

75

10. Have any other preferences Apart from indiaMart online store?

[ ] yes

[ ] no

11. Have you purchased any product at indiamart online store just by visiting
first time?

[ ] yes
(visiting)

[ ] no

[ ] not first time

[ ] more than two times

12. Which interest you to re-enter our indiamart website?

[ ] low prices

[ ] product quality & availability

[ ] Suppliers service

[ ] seasonal offers & discounts

13. How is indiamart online store maintaining product quality, quantity

compare to other retail stores?

[ ] good

[ ] normal

[ ] not good

[ ] poor

14..How is you feeling after shoping at Indiamart online store ?

[ ] feel very satisfied

[ ] satisfied

76

[ ] not satisfied