A Study on Consumer Behaviour Purchasing Pattern on Durable Products in Sustainable Consumer Market

Abstract

The large scale production of goods and the durability of usage by the consumer to enrich their life style. The innovation, technological advancement and changing consumer taste and preference led to more production of durable goods/products. The consumers are led by more socially, economically and political in chose of purchase of product. The purchasing pattern of consumer are induced by earning capacity, socio-economic, cultural, demographic, etc. the emerging consumer are more vibrant and knowledgeable in choose of purchase. The migration of consumer from rural to urban area has led more demand for durable product. The changing life style pattern along with their migration shown enormous consumption of durable product. The growth rate of consumer durable on an average of 15%. The growing population is tender towards more white goods, modern kitchen appliance, electronics wearables. This present scenario paved to strong competition and large attraction towards Indian market. Now Indian market is become potential for global competitor to market their durable product. They are tapped by the new innovation and adaptability to new technology by the consumer.

6.1 Introduction

The study of Consumer behaviour has gained it significant long before and the major research are made after globalization of economy in past two decades. This has widened the market and number of competitors at large. The earlier studies researcher and scholar has made interdisciplinary approach such as Social, Anthropology, Psychology and Economics. According to Kotler and Keller (2007, p. 151) “Consumer Behaviour is the study of how individuals, groups, and organizations select, use and dispose of goods, services, ideas or experiences to satisfy their needs and wants”.

The consumer needs, preference, beliefs and attitude enables the marketer to understand the consumer behaviour buying pattern. The key issues of behavioural changes in buyer, they are.

• Consumer perception of product they feel and select among the alternatives.

• The factors influenced by the consumer (family, friends, relative, mass media, internet).

• What is the level of needs and wants on their buying decision.

• How they are motivated to buy a durable products.

The great shift in focus of potential consumer both in urban as well as rural consumer in India shows a significant change in trend recent years. The growth of internet and mass assess to durable products. The growth of single young population and rapid growth of nuclear family in urban and semi-urban has increased the sale of durable product. The marketer encourages the buyer on purchase of durable product on credit. The market segmented the consumer on basis of young working groups, and modern household buyer is increased to large extent.

The structure of this paper as follows: The following section explains the consumer behaviour in general and conceptual and it highlights. The second section explains the objective of the study which helps in developing in hypotheses and determinants. This is followed by methodology, research design that include data collection, respondents and the survey method is conducted for the study. After analysing the data and result is presented in the fourth section. The fifth section gives the recommendation on consumer purchase behaviour. The last section contains the conclusion, limitations and for recommendation for future research.

6.2 Review of Literature

The review of literature gives large insight on each and every steps of research process. The review gives previous study of work done by researcher and enables to induce for further study. The present study is done on consumer behaviour buying pattern towards consumer durables goods.

Castillo (2017) in his study considered key element for understanding the consumer behaviour is in the study “The Connection between Big Five Personality Traits, Customer Empowerment, and Customer Satisfaction in the Retail Sector”, the emphasis was on determining how the Big Five Personality Dimensions of Personality and Customer Empowerment relate to each other.

James et al. (2016) in his study, sample data from Austria, Brunei, France, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and the United States are used to assess consumer responses to situations of unethical consumer behaviour. It has been discovered that nationality has a key role in predicting how customers will react to certain dubious behaviours. Age and religion affiliation are proven to be key forecasters of consumer virtuous attitudes, although gender is not.

Naidu (2015) in his study revealed “An assessment of consumer awareness in rural marketplaces”. The research assessed the level of awareness in India's rural markets. It highlights the availability of gold in this rapidly expanding market that has been developing continuously since the 1980s. FMCG products and durable goods now account for a sizable portion of the market, each contributing 53% to the overall market.

Erasmus and Meriam (2012) has reviewed the paradox of progress: choosing a large household appliance by an inexperienced consumer. The findings confirmed the hypothesis that, in the absence of adequate product knowledge, consumers with limited consumer socialization may rely on representative indicators of quality, such as price, brand name and store image. Unfortunately, the use of these substitute indicators of quality does not always imply informed, responsible purchasing behaviour.

6.3 Objective of the Study

• To comprehend the psychology of customer behaviour towards durability.

• To identify the purchasing behaviour of consumer of durables in Pondicherry region.

• To identify the post-purchase behaviour and satisfaction of consumer durable goods.

6.4 Research Methodology

Data collection method: This study has been carried out with the help of primary data and the data has been collected from interview schedule conducted from consumers. The secondary data was taken from various sources such as website and reports and complied as said by the study.

6.5 Sampling Design

The study used a convenience sampling technique. The researcher has conducted the area of study over Pondicherry region. 306 samples have been selected from 350, for the study after dropped out incomplete and inappropriate responses.

6.6 Hypotheses of the Study

Ho1: There is no substantial difference between the accused's demographic data and durables.

Ho1: There is no significant distinction between marketing mix and consumer characteristics of durable goods.

Ho1: There is no significant difference between timing of the purchase and consumer behaviour for durable goods.

Ho1: There is no significant distinction between post-purchase behaviour and band loyalty, image, advertisement, band value and consumer redresses and grievance of durable goods.

6.7 Analysis on Consumer Behaviour

This chapter analyses the consumer purchase behaviour in Pondicherry region. The data is collected to know the demographic variables of the general profile.

6.8 Demographic Particulars of the Informant

Table 6.1 shows the following analysis among 306 respondents, age reveals that 66.3% fall in the age group of less 30 years and generation have the influence by shopping habits. The gender of male buyer is more induced in purchasing of consumer durable. Marital status of respondents reveals that unmarried consumer buys more than the consumer are in relationship. Education of the respondents shows that graduate are trends to buys consumer durables more. Monthly of respondents reveals that middle class groups have more shopping habits of purchasing consumers than other class of groups. Family types shows that in joint family have the habit of buying more consumer durables. Residential area of respondents shows that most of consumers who lives in urban area have shops more than peoples live in rural area.

Table 6.1 Demographics information of the Respondents

6.8.1 Consumers’ Characteristic on Marketing Mix

The classification made on four P’s of marketing mix and the observation. The marketing involves keys elements like product, price, place and promotion of goods. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA between the marketing mix and chosen demographic variables are used to analyse the data.

Table 6.2 shows that the marketing mix with monthly income of respondents with product, the variables like high quality, design and value there is significant difference in mean factor affecting consumer behaviour while purchasing the durable. Whereas there is no significant difference in mean factor affecting consumer behaviour not considers the convenience of durable product.

Table 6.2 Means, standard deviation and F value for Monthly income of the respondents

Table 6.3 shows that the marketing mix with family type of respondents, the variables like high quality, design and value there is significant difference in mean factor affecting consumer behaviour while purchasing the durable. Whereas there is no significant difference in mean factor affecting consumer behaviour not considers the convenience of durable product.

Table 6.3 Means, standard deviation and F value for family type of the respondents

Table 6.4 shows that the marketing mix with residential area of respondents, the variables like high quality, design and value there is significant difference in mean factor affecting consumer behaviour while purchasing the durable. Whereas there is no significant difference in mean factor affecting consumer behaviour not considers the convenience of durable product.

Table 6.4 Means, standard deviation and F value for residential area of the respondents

6.8.2 Post-purchase Behaviour of Consumer

Ten characteristics were used to assess customer behaviour towards durable products after the sale. Factor analysis using principal component approach and vari-max rotation were used to condense the variables into factors based on the responses provided by the randomly selected customers (Table 6.5).

Table 6.5 Initial eigenvalues of post-purchase behaviour

By analysing the correlation between the variables, ten variables are broken down into smaller components. (Perception on Post-purchase behaviour consumer). In this circumstance, five components may explain the majority of the original data after 10 variables are condensed (Table 6.6).

Table 6.6 Factor scores of post-purchase behaviour of consumer

Significant differences between consumer’s demographics with the post-purchase behaviour (PPB)

One way ANOVA test is used to test for significant differences in post-purchase behaviour of consumer durable goods based on factors such as age, gender, marital status, educational attainment, occupation, family type, residential location, and yearly income of the customer. The following null hypotheses are framed in order to be identified:

Null hypothesis H₀: There is no substantially different of age with post-purchase behaviour of consumer durable goods

PPB with Factor 1: H₀ that “there is no significant impact on consumer’s age on Consumer Redresses & Grievance” is rejected. (‘F’ value is 44.854 and 19.179 and Value is 0.000 (p < 0.05)).

PPB with Factor 2: H₀ that “there is no significant impact on consumer’s age on Brand Image” is rejected. (‘F’ value is 4.580 and 21.833 and Value is 0.011 (p < 0.05)).

PPB with Factor 3: H₀ that “there is no significant impact on consumer’s age on Brand Advertisement” is rejected. (‘F’ value is 20.229 and 20.827 and Value is 0.000 (p < 0.05)).

PPB with Factor 4: H₀ that “there is no significant influence on consumer’s age on Brand Value” is rejected. (‘F’ value is 8.959 and 26.339 and Value is 0.000 (p < 0.05)).

PPB with Factor 5: H₀ that “there is no significant influence on consumer’s age on Brand Loyalty” is rejected. (‘F’ value is 20.737 and 13.580 and Value is 0.000 (p < 0.05)).

Null hypothesis H₀: There is no discernible gender difference in the post-purchase behaviour of durable consumer items

PPB with Factor 1: H₀ that “there is no significant impact on consumer’s gender on Consumer Redresses & Grievance” is rejected. (‘F’ value is 25.839 and 19.179 and Value is 0.059 (p < 0.05)).

PPB with Factor 2: H₀ that “there is no significant impact on consumer’s gender on Brand Image” is rejected. (‘F’ value is 8.826 and 10.658 and Value is 0.000 (p < 0.05)).

PPB with Factor 3: H₀ that “there is no significant impact on consumer’s gender on Brand Advertisement” is rejected. (‘F’ value is 13.395 and 14.824 and Value is 0.000 (p < 0.05)).

PPB with Factor 4: H₀ that “there is no significant impact on consumer’s gender on Brand Value” is accepted. (‘F’ value is 0.952 and 0.127 and Value is 0.387 (p > 0.05)).

PPB with Factor 5: H₀ that “there is no significant impact on consumer’s gender on Brand Loyalty” is rejected.

Null hypothesis H₀: There is no significant change of educational qualification with post-purchase behaviour of consumer durable goods

PPB with Factor 1: the formulated hypothesis H₀ that “there is no significant influence on consumer’s educational qualification on Consumer Redresses & Grievance” is rejected.

PPB with Factor 2: H₀ that “there is no significant influence on consumer’s educational qualification on Brand Image” is rejected.

PPB with Factor 3: H₀ that “there is significant influence on consumer’s educational qualification on Brand Advertisement” is accepted.

PPB with Factor 4: H₀ that “there is no significant influence on consumer’s educational qualification on Brand Value” is rejected.

PPB with Factor 5: H₀ that “there is no significant influence on consumer’s educational qualification on Brand Loyalty” is rejected.

6.9 Analysis and Interpretation

The study made by the research and analysis are given under the following heads.

• All patterns of income group of consumers are to be considered while manufacturing a product or goods.

• The awareness and proper education about the product should be given to the consumers.

• The sale promotion will be boosted on various credit facility available to consumer which enable increase in volume of sales.

• Brand image and Brand value gives more important in increase of the sale volume as well as retain the old and potential consumer. The manufactures have to maintain its standards.

• Post-purchase behaviour of consumer another important factor which the consumer are satisfied after purchase and services of product should be done and give better grievance on product.

• The younger generations are prone to shift brand and other age groups seek social status hence the manufacture has to maintain its brand reliability.

6.10 Conclusion

The study shows that the consumers durable are wider market. The product or goods should be available to all and world market seeks its potential outcome in Indian market. Our country has evident growth in internet and communication in recent past year. The marketers have started using the digital device which resulted in numerous marketing opportunities and marketing domain for advertisement both domestic and international. The consumers are directly connected to seller in real-time intermediary service by digital marketing app and communication tools. Social media accounted for 25% of all marketing spending in Q2 of 2020, an increase of 13% from 2019. Hence there is a substantial growth in purchase of durables goods.

The study is limited to certain measurement scale only. The research is covered to consumer behaviour of durable goods of white goods and brown goods only. There is a possibility of factor response bias and uncontrolled. Thus the study can be conducted on comparing the durables and Non-durables products. The brand is important factor where it was found in the study, so brand attitude of consumer behaviour can be focused on the future study.