Analysis of Consumer Behaviour: A Survey on

Detergent Powder in Delhi Region

Submitted by:
Ayush Rajora (S143F0008)
Neha Bajaj (S143F0020)

School of Business, Public Policy and Social

Entrepreneurship
Ambedkar University Delhi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We express our sincere gratitude to Prof. Vijay Nagrani and Dr. Kartik Dave for giving
us the opportunity to undergo this project. We further thank him for lending a helping hand
when it came to solving our problem related to the project. This project would not have been
possible without his valuable time and support. We also thank Ambedkar University Delhi for
an opportunity to undertake a soft skill project at this crucial time in our life in MBA which
helped us to understand the topics deeply which were untouched before. Any suggestions to
improve are always welcome.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The project is to study the consumer behavior in response to detergent powders, for Delhi
market. To gather the data, we used the questionnaires method. A sample of 60 consumers
was surveyed. The respondents were interviewed across market places. This data was fed in a
data Microsoft Excel. With the help of which we analyzed and interpreted the data gathered,
pertaining the buying behavior of consumers. Along with questionnaires, we also used
Internet to find out about the detergent industry and the various brands available. There are
more than 10 brands available in the Indian market, but we have chosen some major brands.
The Indian laundry market is more than INR 5000 Crore, with HUL enjoying highest 42% of
share, followed by others like P&G, Nirma etc. Detergent bar comprises of 43% of market
share and powder enjoying the rest 57%. The brands which we tapped are Ariel, Surf Excel,
Tide, Rin and leaving others as option. Competition in this market is really high with HUL,
P&G, Nirma etc. strategizing and innovating to capture the market .The research design used
in our research was descriptive, incorporating knowledge from secondary information
analysis, quantitative research, methodology selection, question measurement & scale
selection, questionnaire design and sample design to be used. And simple random sampling
was done. Target customers were mainly housewives, and others who are using detergent
powder. Area where research is done is Delhi because of the convenience factor.
After the analysis we came to the conclusion that the Surf Excel enjoys the top position in
brand recall of the consumer. This is a positive sign for HUL. The research also shows that
the market share of Surf Excel in Delhi detergent market approximately comes out to be the
highest. Also, from the survey it is evident that brand name, price and cleansing action are
three of the most important attributes a consumer looks for in any detergent brand. Surf Excel
is the brand which people are well aware with and enjoys a good reputation with the
consumers with respect to all these attributes.
Another thing that we noted in this survey was that Television is the most used information
source for the consumer. The exact communication recall, is very high among the consumer.
This could be attributed to the innovative advertisement, across all media.
Thus, we can conclude that Surf Excel enjoys excellent customer reviews. It gets special
recognition for its superior cleansing action, the convenient packs it comes in, the ease it is
available with.

INTRODUCTION
Over the last decade, India has grown tremendously and so have the incomes of its people,
with a larger chunk of the Indian demography moving into urban areas in search of better and
more lucrative career options. With this advent, there has been a significant rise in consumer
durables as well, with some of the earliest signs of this rise being shown by those which
fulfilled the most basic of needs, like washing clothes. As a result of this, there has been an
influx of buyers in the detergent market, with more and more people buying washing
machine powders. However, this constitutes only 20% of the population. There is the
remaining 80% of them, around 200 million households, who wash their laundry by hand.
There are consumers who have just transitioned from hand-wash to machine-wash. They tend
to have a limited laundry detergent budget. But, established washing machine powder brands
such as P&Gs Ariel and HULs Surf, are priced high and are not able to tap this segment of
the consumers completely. They hence would be reluctant to use these high cost detergents
every wash.
With the above state of the consumer demography in the Indian detergent market, we believe
that there could be a significant scope for established brands like P&G and HUL to reposition
or extend some of their detergent lines to target this consumer segment. On a more specific
note, we aim to focus on P&Gs Tide, as potentially a new variant is to be introduced in the
low-cost washing machine powder space. The reason behind this choice is that Tide is an
established brand in the medium cost segment, priced at about half that of the high priced
Ariel and Surf and can thus leverage its existing brand equity and make it an Affordable
Washing Machine Detergent.
In order to back the above claim, we would have to undertake a market research study that
establishes a significant demand for such detergents in the low-priced segment. This should
be backed by surveys to gain the consumer and market knowledge and obtain insights of the
scope of success for such a brand repositioning in terms of its potential of penetration among
the potential customers wanting a lower priced washing machine detergent.
TRENDS
India inclined towards positive momentum with increase in demand for premium powder
detergents in big cities in 2014. Consumers are trying out brands that are one scale up
from what they were using and this is increasing in switching ratios. Increasing sales of
4

branded apparel have also influenced consumers to use branded concentrated detergents
and fabric softeners.
Current value sales of laundry care grew by 12% in 2014. Changing lifestyle and
preferences of consumers have led to their upgrading in laundry care with a
corresponding increase in premiumisation, machine wash and solution wash by using
combination of bars and detergents, fine fabric/liquid detergents, laundry aids, laundry
boosters and many more. This upgrading trend is especially seen in urban markets, which
supported the growth in 2014.
The average unit price increased slightly as consumers were trading up to premium
products and costs of raw materials were also rising in 2014.
Fabric softeners, growing from a small base, recorded current value growth of 25% in
2014. Fabric softeners are becoming increasingly popular as consumers prefer the soft
touch and fragrances that fabric softeners create, such as that offered by Comfort fabric
softener. In 2012, Hindustan Unilever launched a single-rinse conditioner under the brand
name Comfort One Rinse fabric softener to take advantage of the growth of conditioners
and their popularity amongst urban Indian consumers and now it is slowly starting to
penetrate into rural India.

Laundry detergents recorded current value growth of 12% in 2014. Premium laundry
detergents have cut short the growth rate of laundry aids in India as one product with
multiple attributes is preferred by women looking to save time and energy. Most of the
powder detergents are being positioned as having several functional benefits including
laundry aids so they were more preferred in 2014.
Laundry detergents premiumisation and solution washes are on rise in urban India as
consumers are tending to opt for products which satiate their need to care for their
clothing even if they have to spend extra for that. Still, economy products have a larger
market share because of their high volume lineage and larger consumer base. Urban
Indians are the prime consumer base for fine fabric detergents, liquid detergents and
powder detergents.
Standard automatic detergents, such as Surf Excel and Ariel Front-O-Mat, continued to
grow in 2014 due to the increasing use of washing machines across the country.
Concentrated powder detergents, such as Surf Excelmatic and Ariel Ultramatic, on the

other hand, accounted for only a marginal share of laundry care in 2014. Automatic
detergents accounted for an 18% value share of laundry care in 2014.
Laundry aids, such as fabric conditioners, spot and stain removers, and other laundry
boosters, are mostly preferred by upper-class and upper middle-class consumers in urban
India. Advertising is the largest trend within these categories, with a focus on these
consumer groups as seen in 2013 and in 2014 also. Higher retail mark-ups along with the
acquisition of premium shelf positioning improved the penetration and presence of brands
within spot and stain removers in 2014.
The concept of using fabric softeners continued to be niche in India. Furthermore, leading
companies sought to capitalise on the increasing awareness and growing incomes of
consumers, such as Hindustan Unilever with the launches of Comfort fabric softener and
Comfort One Rinse long back in 2012. Fabric softeners continued to be a new product for
Indian consumers, who had never used anything other than powder detergents or bar
detergents, or laundry boosters such as liquid blues. Bambi by Dabur India and Downy by
Procter & Gamble Home Products are the other prominent brands with a strong presence
in fabric softeners.
According to Euromonitor International's socioeconomic data, washing machines
continued to have a low penetration rate of 9% in 2014. Although penetration of washing
machines in urban areas was around 32%, rural areas continued to have low penetration.
Rural India continues to face many problems such as the lack of a water supply and
frequent power cuts, which restrains growth of the penetration rate of washing machines
in these areas. The concept of washing clothes by hand and domestic help also continues
to enjoy huge popularity in the country.
Washing continues to be done at room temperature, as most consumers continue to be
unaware of ideal washing temperatures for their clothes; however, manufacturers such as
IFB, Samsung, Whirlpool and LG have introduced temperature-controlled washing
machines, which are priced at least two to three times higher than fully automatic
washing machines. Additionally, only a few washing machines have an in-built
mechanism for washing clothes at a temperature lower than 30 degrees Celsius.
The majority of washing machine manufacturers, such as LG and IFB, amongst others,
are focusing on wash, rinse and spin cycles of lower than 30 minutes. This is primarily
6

attributable to fast-moving lifestyles in urban localities such as Bangalore, Hyderabad and

Chennai. On the other hand, washing machine manufacturers are offering higher-capacity
appliances with shorter cycles to appeal to various types of consumers and to retain them
as customers.
India does not have an established network of organised laundrettes in any region. There
are extremely limited branded outlets, such as Fabric Spa, which is a chain operated by
Jyothy Laboratories. Independent laundrettes continue to be found only in urban areas,
such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Additionally, community-level laundry washing is
usually done by common helpers who carry out laundry services for a group of people
living in the same area. Hence laundrettes were not popular in India at the end of the
review period.
Dry cleaning is very popular in India and such services can easily be found throughout
cities. Typical clothes that are dry-cleaned are jackets, eveningwear, woollens and other
delicate items.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Hindustan Unilever continued to maintain its lead in laundry care with a 38% value share
in 2014. The company enjoys a long-established presence in all categories of laundry care
in India. The companys widening distribution and its continued offer of various products
at different price points help it cater to a larger consumer base. The company brands
present at different price points are an advantage when looking towards developing a

larger consumer base.

Along with Jyothy Laboratories, which benefitted in 2014 from aggressive marketing and
new launches, Rohit Surfactants increased its value share by 0.4 percentage points in
2014. Its increased distribution to South India and also its launch of premium detergent
powder in 2013 helped the latter company to gain share points over other companies in

2014.
Both domestic and international brands are present in laundry care in India. International
manufacturers, including Hindustan Unilever, Procter & Gamble Home Products and
Reckitt Benckiser (India), continued to maintain dominant positions and registered a
combined value share of 51% in 2014. Domestic manufacturers such as Rohit Surfactants
and Nirma, however, continued to enhance their presence by focusing on geographical

expansion to reach more consumers. Furthermore, other domestic brands such as Ujala

and Fena continued to enjoy huge popularity in specific regions of India.

Jyothy Laboratories launched Henko LINTelligent, targeting premium-end consumers,
and accelerated its Henko brand movement in the market in 2014. The launch has added a
new clothes-friendly concept to cash in on consumers psyche and further stirred the

competition in the market.

In 2014, Jyothy Laboratories engaged actress Madhuri Dixit and aggressively
communicated its Nano Fiber Lock technology, which keeps clothes evergreen and free

from lint.
Hindustan Unilever and Procter & Gamble Home Products increased their focus towards
online advertising such as Twitter, Apple, Facebook and Google for core and non-core

brands such as Vim, Surf Excel, Rin Advanced, Active Wheel, Tide and Ariel.
There were no new packaging innovations in 2014 which impacted laundry care.
Economy and standard brands accounted for 85% of value sales in India in 2014.
Premium brands are increasing their presence in urban areas of India and their unique
functional positioning across categories like fabric detergents, laundry boosters and

laundry aids.
Private label lines, including 110% by the More supermarket chain, Great Value by Easy
Day, Clean Mate by Big Bazaar and Sudz by Reliance Fresh, have become hugely
popular in India. Most private label products in detergents are distinguished by the offer
of various in-store schemes and discounts.

LITERATURE REVIEW

FMCG's (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) is one of the largest sectors of the business world.
FMCG's are products that are manufactured by organisations such as Unilever, Procter &
Gamble and GlaxoSmithKleine and are typically bought by consumers frequently (essentially
they move from retailer's shelves to consumer very quickly).
FMCG have a short shelf life, either as a result of high consumer demand or because the
product deteriorates rapidly. Some FMCGssuch as meat, fruits and vegetables, dairy
products, and baked goodsare highly perishable. Other goods such as alcohol, toiletries,
pre-packaged foods, soft drinks, and cleaning products have high turnover rates.
Though the profit margin made on FMCG products is relatively small (more so for retailers
than the producers/suppliers), they are generally sold in large quantities; thus, the cumulative
profit on such products can be substantial. FMCG is probably the most classic case of low
margin and high volume business. This market consists of three main segment:
1) Food and beverages Market Share of 19% and consist of products such as Health
beverages, staples/cereals, bakery products, snacks, chocolates, ice cream,
tea/coffee/soft drinks, processed fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and branded
flour.
2) Health Care Market share of 33% and consists of products such as OTC products
and ethical.
3) Household and Personal care Market share of 48% and consists of products such as
Oral care, hair care, skin care, cosmetics/deodorants, perfumes, feminine hygiene and
paper products, Fabric wash, household cleaners.

10

INDIAN CONSUMER DURABLES AND FMCG INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

Favourable demographics and rise in

income level will boost FMCG market
in India. Overall FMCG market is
expected to increase at a CAGR of 17
per cent to USD103.7 billion during
201520E. Retail market in India is
estimated to reach USD 869 billion by
2015, with organised retail accounting
for an 8 percent share; this is likely to
boost revenues of FMCG companies.
The FMCG sector in India generated
revenues worth USD 47.3 billion in 2015. Over 2007-15, these sector posted a CAGR of 13
percent inrevenues.

Rise in rural consumption will drive the

FMCG market in India. The rural
FMCG market expected to increase at a
CAGR of 18.1 per cent to USD100
billion during 201225E.The overall
rural FMCG consumption continues to
grow at 12.5 per cent during 2013-14.
Rural Indias per capita disposable
income is set to increase. Rural Indias
per

capita

disposable

income

is

estimated to rise to USD631 in 2020

from USD411 in 2010. Shampoo maximum penetration of 69 percent, followed by biscuits at
68 percent. Skin Cream been listed in the top 10 category.
Total consumption expenditure set to increase in the future years. Total consumption
expenditure to reach nearly USD3600 billion by 2020 from USD1328 billion in 2012. Indias
online retail to be more than seven times in next five years. The online retail market is
11

expected to grow from USD3.5 billion to USD14.5 billion (from 10 per cent to more than 15
per cent of the organised retail market) during FY14-FY18E.
Indias middle income population estimated to reach 267 million by 2016 from 160 million in
2011. Rising incomes and growing youth population have been key growth drivers of this
sector. Brand consciousness has also aided the demand. First Time Modern Trade Shoppers
spend is estimated to triple to USD1 billion by 2015. Tier II/III cities are witnessingfaster
growth in modern trade.
Low penetration levels in rural market offers room for growth. Disposable income in rural
India has increased due to the direct cash transfer scheme. Growing demand for premium
products and exports is another growth segment.
Investment approval of upto100 percent foreign equity in single brand retail and 51 percent in
multi-brand retail is allowed. Initiatives like Food Security Bill and direct cash transfer
subsidies reach about 40 percent of households in India. The minimum capitalisation for
foreign FMCG companies to invest in India is USD 100 million.
Hair Care is the leading segment,
accounting for 23.0 percent of the
overall market in terms of revenue.
Food Products is the second leading
segment of the sector accounting for
19.0

percent

followed

by

health

supplements which is 18.0 percent.

Household and Personal Care products
are

the

largest

FMCG

segment,

constituting around 48 percent of the

total market, followed by health care products (33percent). Salty snacks was the fastest
growing FMCG category in 2014 with a growth rate of 25 percent. Other categories such as
packaged Atta, chocolates, and non-refined oil grew over 20 percent in 2014, as companies
aggressively focused on increasing their penetration. Sales in biscuits, refined oil, soap, and
washing powder (among the top five FMCG product categories) grew 410 percent in 2014.
The urban segment is the largest contributor to the sector, accounting for around two-thirds of
total revenue and had a market size of around USD 28.38 billion in 2015. Semi-urban and
12

rural segments are growing at a rapid pace; they currently account for 40 percent of revenues.
In the last few years, the FMCG market has grown at a faster pace in rural India compared
with urban India. FMCG products account for 50 percent of total rural spending.

Soap and Detergent Industry

Market Split By Detergent Type

18%; 18%

82%; 82%
Machine Wash

Hand Wash

The market of synthetic detergents was valued

at about Rs 112 billion as of 2012-13 with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3%.
Out of this, the machine wash or automatic sales has been dominated by powder detergents,
with a 98% share in the market, which has a size of Rs. 18700 Million. However, a much
bigger segment of the market is the non-automatic or the hand-wash category, which has a
size of Rs. 85466.8 Million and is also dominated by the powder detergents but by a smaller
percentage compared to the machine-wash category, about 68%. The remaining contribution
comes from the bar detergents. Within the machine-wash category, the highest growth has
been contributed by the powder detergents, a CAGR of 9.5% since 2005, with the other subcategory within the machine-wash category being liquid detergents. Also, the hand-wash
detergents have shown an impressive growth rate of 8.8% CAGR since 2005, which has
contributed to the growth in the overall detergent market.
The multinational firms have taken the bigger pie in the market share, with about 56% of the
category belonging to them. This has primarily been due to frequent product innovations and
the higher advertising budgets of these firms. This higher budget translates into a better
13

distribution and also much higher visibility in the retail stores. However, the relative success
of the Indian firms like Rohit Surfactants and Nirma could be attributed to a long standing
customer relationship and more importantly, the fact that these products have always been
present in the economy tiers, thus positioning them as affordable brands and therefore
catering

to

bigger

chunk

of

the

customers,

which

has

Market Share: Brand-wise

19%

Wheel

19%

Ghari
Surf
Nirma

7%

Tide

17%

Rin
Others

10%
14%

14%

14

Market Share: Manufacturer-wise

RohitGodrej,
Surfactants;
Henkel,15%
Amway; 17%

Godrej, Henkel,
Amway
HUL
Nirma and P&G

Nirma and P&G; 26%

Rohit
Surfactants

HUL; 42%

helped them gain the relatively larger

market shares they currently hold.

15

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A research process consists of stages or steps that guide the project from its conception
through the final analysis, recommendations and ultimate actions. The research process
provides a systematic, planned approach to the research project and ensures that all aspects of
the research project are consistent with each other. Research studies evolve through a series
of steps, each representing the answer to a key question.
The chapter aims to understand the research methodology establishing a framework of
evaluation and revaluation of primary and secondary research. The techniques and concepts
used during primary research in order to arrive at findings; which are also dealt with and lead
to a logical deduction towards the analysis and results.

RESEARCH DESIGN

It is proposed to first conduct an intensive secondary research to understand the full impact
and implication of the detergent industry, to review and critique the industry norms and
reports, on which certain issues shall be selected, which one feels remain unanswered or
liable to change, this shall be further taken up in the next stage of exploratory research. This
stage shall help to restrict and select only the important question and issue, which inhabit
growth and segmentation in the industry.
The various tasks that are undertaken in the research design process are:
Defining the information need
Design the exploratory, descriptive and causal research.
Research design is a conceptual structure within which research is conducted. A research
design is the detailed blueprint used to guide a research study towards its objective. It is a
series of advanced decision taken together comprising a master plan or a model for
conducting the research in consonance with the research objectives. Research design is
needed because it facilitates the smooth sailing of the various research operations, thereby

16

making research as efficient as possible yielding maximum information with the minimum
effort, time and money.

RESEARCH PROCESS
The research process has four distinct yet interrelated steps for research analysis.
It has a logical and hierarchical ordering:
Determination of information research problem.
Development of appropriate research design.
Execution of research design.
Communication of results.

Each step is viewed as a separate process that includes a combination of task, step and
specific procedure. The steps undertake are logical, objective, systematic, reliable, valid,
impersonal and ongoing.

EXPLORATORY RESEARCH
The method I used for exploratory research was
Primary Data
Secondary data

PRIMARY DATA
New data gathered to help solve the problem at hand. As compared to secondary data which
is previously gathered data. An example is information gathered by a questionnaire.
Qualitative or quantitative data that are newly collected in the course of research, Consists of
original information that comes from people and includes information gathered from surveys,
focus groups, independent observations and test results. Data gathered by the researcher in
the act of conducting research. This is contrasted to secondary data which entails the use of
data gathered by someone other than the researcher information that is obtained directly from
first-hand sources by means of surveys, observation or experimentation.
17

Primary data is basically collected by getting questionnaire filled by the respondents.

SECONDARY DATA
Information that already exists somewhere, having been collected for another purpose is
called secondary data. Sources include census reports, trade publications, and subscription
services, data that have already been collected and published for another research project
(other than the one at hand). There are two types of secondary data: internal and external
secondary data. Information compiled inside or outside the organization for some purpose
other than the current investigation. Market information compiled for purposes other than the
current research effort; it can be internal data, such as existing sales-tracking information, or
it can be research conducted by someone else, such as a market research company.
Secondary source of data used consists of books and websites
My proposal is to first conduct a intensive secondary research to understand the full impact
and implication of the industry, to review and critique the industry norms and reports, on
which certain issues shall be selected, which I feel remain unanswered or liable to change,
this shall be further taken up in the next stage of exploratory research.

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH
STEPS in the descriptive research:
Statement of the problem
Identification of information needed to solve the problem
Selection or development of instruments for gathering the information
Identification of target population and determination of sampling plan
Design of procedure for information collection
Collection of information
Analysis of information
Generalizations and/or predictions

18

DATA COLLECTION

Data collection took place with the help of filling of Questionnaires.The questionnaire
method has come to more widely used and economical means of data collection. The
common factor in all varieties of the questionnaire method is this reliance on verbal responses
to questions, written or oral. I found it essential to make sure the questionnaire was easy to
read and understand to all spectrums of people in the sample. It was also important as
researcher to respect the samples time and energy hence the questionnaire was designed in
such a way, that its administration would not exceed 2-3 min. These questionnaires were
personally administered.
The first-hand information was collected by making the people fill the questionnaires. The
primary data collected by Direct Personal interview .The respondents were contacted at
shopping malls, market places in Delhi. The data was collected by interacting with 60
respondents who filled the questionnaires and gave the required necessary information. The
respondents consisted of home makers, students, business men, professionals etc. the
required information was collected by directly interacting with these respondents.

19

SAMPLE DESIGN AND SAMPLE SIZE

SAMPLE DESIGN
It is a description of the characteristics of that group of people from whom a course is
intended. Also called the audience the audience to be served by our project includes key
demographic information (i.e.; age, sex etc.). The group of people you are trying to reach
with a particular strategy or activity. The target population is the population I want to make
conclusions about. In an ideal situation, the sampling frames to matches the target population.
A specific resource set that is the object or target of investigation. The audience defined in
age, background, ability, and preferences, among other things, for which a given course of
instruction is intended.
I have selected the sample through Simple random Sampling
A simple random sample is a group of subjects (a sample) chosen from a larger group (a
population). Each subject from the population is chosenrandomly and entirely by chance,
such that each subject has the same probability of being chosen at any stage during the
sampling process. This process and technique is known as Simple Random Sampling.

SAMPLE SIZE
The numbers of samples you need are affected by the following factors:

Project goals

How you plan to analyze your data

How variable your data are or are likely to be

How precisely you want to measure change or trend

The number of years over which you want to detect a trend

How many times a year you will sample each point

How much money and manpower you have

I have targeted 60 people in the age group of 20 years and above for the purpose of the
research. The sample size is influenced by the target population. The target population
represents the Delhi regions. . The people were from different professional backgrounds.
20

QUESTIONNAIRES
The method of data collection through questionnaire is very popular. In a questionnaire a
number of questions are typed in a define order on a form or set of forms. And the researcher
fills it by asking the questions with a request to answer by respondents. This method is vastly
used in various economy and business surveys and research. There are various benefits of
conducting a research with the help of a questionnaire and these are as follows:

1.

There is a low cost in conducting a field survey when population is less in number.

2.

It is free from the bias of the interviewer; answers are in respondents own words.

3.

Respondents have adequate time to give well thought out answers.

4.

Results that are found from this method are most reliable and dependable. In the good
form of questionnaire there should all type of questions like open ended, close-ended
questions in a right sequence and number of questions should be very limited. Start of the
questionnaire should be respondent friendly.

In my questionnaire we had used both open and close ended questions and made the
questionnaire in the simple language stating questions in basic language.

CONDUCTING THE FIELD SURVEY

After making the suitable questionnaire according to my research problem we conducted the
field survey in some part of Delhi and collected the necessary data for my research.

21

ERRORS IN THE STUDY

Interviewer error
There is interviewer bias in the questionnaire method. Questions can be biased by the
interviewers views or probing, as interviewers are guiding the respondent while the
questionnaire is being filled out. The attitudes, interviewer revels to the respondent during the
interview can greatly affect their level of interest and willingness to answer openly. As
interviewers probing and clarifications maximize respondent understanding and yield
complete answers, these advantages are offset by the problems of prestige seeking, social
desirability and courtesy biases.

Questionnaire error
The questionnaire designing has to careful so that only required data is concisely reveled and
there is no redundant data generated. The questions have to be worded carefully so that the
questions are not loaded and does not lead to a bias in the respondents mind

Respondent error
The respondents selected to be interviewed were not always available and willing to
cooperate also in most cases .The respondents were found not having the knowledge, opinion,
attitudes or facts required additionally uninformed response errors and response styles also
led to survey error.

Sampling error
We have taken the sample size of 60, which cannot determine the buying behavior of the total
population.

22

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

All the research projects are hindered in their smooth flow by some unforeseen problems. The
problems arise in the form of constraints by budget, time and scope of the study. The
current project was also faced by certain problem. Some of the problems faced in the course
of the research are as follows:

A strong unwillingness on the part of the owners of various cars, to participate and aid
the research.

The boredom and wavering concentration that set in among the respondents while
answering the long questionnaire: thus in turn led to the difficulty of preventing
incomplete questionnaires.

Sampling error: the research include a sample size of 60 customers which is not
enough to determine the brand perception of the consumers for buying FMCG. Since
its not a census survey there is always a chance of error while extrapolating the
results of a sample study over the population especially in those researches where the
qualitative aspects are concerned. So its always doubtful to map the qualitative
aspects using a quantitative measure.

23

ANALYSIS
Average quantity of buying a
powder
100
250
500
1
2
gms
gms
gms
Kg K
g
1
2
11
11 1
1
1
4
4
9
7

Location of Purchase
Local Kirana Store
Phone Apps like Grofers etc.
Super Market stores like Big
Bazaar, More Stores, Relaince
Fresh etc.
Wholesalers
Grand Total

Location of
Purchase

Governm
ent
Service

Local Kirana Store

Phone Apps like
Grofers etc.
Super Market stores
like Big Bazaar, More
Stores, Relaince Fresh
etc.
Wholesalers
Grand Total

15

Detergent Powder

Occupation
Home Privat Self
e
Employ
Maker Servic ed
e
12
3
9
1
1
6

19

13

17

1
14

Location of Purchase
Local Kirana Store
Phone Apps like Grofers etc.
Super Market stores like Big Bazaar, More Stores,
Relaince Fresh etc.
Wholesalers
Grand Total

Ariel
Ghari
Nirma
Rin
Surf exel

20

Female
5
7
8
2
14

Female
21
1
19
1
42

Gender
Male
2
2
1
8

washing
5
K
g
4

Grand
Total

30
2
27

1
8

1
60

Stud
ent

Gra
nd
Total

30
2

27

1
60

Gender
Male Grand Total
9
30
1
2
8
27
1
60

18

Grand Total
7
9
8
3
22
24

Tide
Wheel
Grand Total

5
1
42

3
2
18

8
3
60

25

Monthly Household
Income (in Rupees)
> 10,000
10,000 30,000
31,000 50,000
51,000 and above
Grand Total

Education

Graduate
Post-Graduate/
Doctorate
Professional
Degree
Under Graduate
Grand Total

Occupation

250
gms
4
3

1
1
2

Grand
Total
3
17
14
26
60

Awareness of your choice of detergent was through

Display Friend
Promotio Retail T.V./Radi
Gra
s&
s&
nal stalls er
o/
nd
Hoardin Relativ
Newspap Total
gs
es
er adv.
5
3
7
14
29
5
2
2
9

3
8

10

Monthly Household
Income (in Rupees)

7
17

5
22

15
60

Brands of Detergent Powder

Ghari Nirm Rin Surf
Tid
Whe
a
Exel
e
el
4
2
1

Ariel

Government
Service
Home-Maker
Private Service
Self Employed
Student
Grand Total

> 10,000
10,000 - 30,000
10,000 30,000
31,000 50,000
51,000 and above
Grand Total

100
gms

Quantity Purchased
500
1
2
5
gms
Kg Kg Kg
2
1
6
6
1
4
3
1
2
3
10
7
5
15
20
8
8

3
2
1
1
7

Ariel

1
1
1
4
7

4
3
2

4
4

1
1
1

2
10
4
2
22

3
1
2

Brands of Detergent Powder

Ghar Nirm Rin
Sur Tid Whe
i
a
f
e
el
Exe
l
2
1
5
5
2
1
2
4
1
1
3
3
1
2
16
4
9
8
3
22
8
3

Grand
Total
7
19
17
14
3
60

Grand
Total
3
1
16
14
26
60

26

Residence Location
Central Delhi
East Delhi
North Delhi
South Delhi
West Delhi
Grand Total

Location of Purchase

Local Kirana Store

Phone Apps like Grofers
etc.
Super Market stores like
Big Bazaar, More Stores,
Relaince Fresh etc.
Wholesalers
Grand Total

Location of Purchase

Local Kirana Store

Phone Apps like Grofers
etc.
Super Market stores like
Big Bazaar, More Stores,
Relaince Fresh etc.
Wholesalers
Grand Total

Location of Purchase

100
gms
1

250
gms

4
1

2
7

Arie
l
5

Arie
l

Brands of Detergent Powder

Ghar Nirma Ri Sur Tid Whe
i
n
f
e
el
exe
l
4
7
2
6
3
3
1
1
4

Quantity Purchased
500
1
2
5
gms
Kg
Kg
Kg
2
6
6
2
1
2
3
4
1
1
2
3
5
1
2
5
1
4
15
20
8
8

Grand
Total
30
2

16

27

22

1
8

1
60

Brands of Detergent Powder

Ghar Nirma Ri Sur Tid Whe
i
n
f
e
el
exe
l
4
7
2
6
3
3
1
1
4

Grand
Total
9
15
11
11
14
60

Grand
Total
30
2

16

27

22

1
8

1
60

Reasons for purchasing from a particular

location
Convenie Guarante Price /
Varie Gran
nce
e of
Discou ty
d
originalit
nts
Total
y
27

Local Kirana Store

Phone Apps like Grofers etc.
Super Market stores like Big
Bazaar, More Stores,
Relaince Fresh etc.
wholesalers
Grand Total

Reasons of
preference for the
brand of your choice
Cleans with only small
amount
Cleans with only small
amount & Fragrance
Fragrance
Superior whiteness
Tough stains removal
Usability
in
washing
machine
Affordable (Price)
Good for colored clothes
Mildness on hands
Grand Total

Ari
el

21
1
10

30
2
27

1
60

Brands of Detergent Powder

Nirm Ri Surf
Tid Whee
a
n
exel
e
l

Grand
Total

1
4

1
33

Gha
ri

1
2
1

16

1
9

1
3

3
13
3
6

1
4
1
22

24
6
1
60

7
1

28

APPENDIX I
QUESTIONNAIRE
Dear respondent,
We are students of AUD (Ambedkar University Delhi) and as part of our curriculum
we are conducting a market research. We would like your cooperation for the same,
with an assurance that all the information, which youll give, will remain
confidential
1.

Which brand of detergent powder do you use the most?

o Surf exel
o Ariel
o Tide
o Rin
o Nirma
o Wheel
o Ghari
o Others (Please Specify).

2.

On an average in what quantity do you buy washing powder?

o Sachet poch
o 100 gms
o 250 gms
o 500 gms
o 1 Kg
o 2 Kg
o 5 Kg

3.

Why do you like this brand?

o Affordable (Price)
o Superior whiteness
o Mildness on hands
o Good for colored clothes
o Tough stains removal
o Usability in washing machine
o Cleans with only small amount
o Fragrance

4.

From where do you like to buy your detergent powder?

o
o
o
o

Super Market stores like Big Bazaar, More Stores, Relaince Fresh etc.
Local Kirana Store
Phone Apps like Grofers etc.
Others (please specify)

5.

Why do you buy from this particular place?

o Convenience
o Price / Discounts
o Guarantee of originality
o Variety

6.

How did you come to know about the detergent powder that you use?

29

7.

Retailer

Friends& Relatives

T.V & Radio , newspaper ad

Displays & Hoardings

Promotional stalls

Any Other source _________

Can you recall any one of the advt. of the detergent powder you use the most that you saw in past one
month?
o
o
o

Fully Recall
Partially Recall
Cant Recall

8.

Gender
o Male
o Female

9.

Age
o
o
o
o

Below 25 Years
25 35 years
36 45 years
46 years and above

10. Education
o Under Graduate
o Graduate
o Post-Graduate/ Doctorates
o Professional Degree
11. Monthly Household Income (in Rupees)
o > 10,000
o 10,000 30,000
o 31,000 50,000
o 51,000 and above
12. Residence
o South Delhi
o West Delhi
o Central
o North Delhi
o East Delhi
13. Occupation
o Student
o Home-Maker
o Government Service
o Private Service
o Self Employed

30

31

APPENDIX II

32

Response Sheet in Excel

33

References
Chowdhury Aayush, Kapoor Abhishek (2005)., Profiling the Young Indian Consumer,
Advertising Express, Vol. V, Issue 9, September 2005, pp.83-85
SaklaniAlok, Purohit H.C and Badoni, D.C(2005)., Positive Disconfirmation as a Threshold
to High Satisfaction, Journal of Management Research, Vol.1, No.1, September - December
2000, p.41.
Schiffman Leon, KanukLeslie(2010-E).,Consumer Behaviour , 10/E Pearson

34