1

1.1 INTRODUCTION
A customer (sometimes known as a client, buyer, or purchaser) is the recipient of
a good, service, product, or idea, obtained from a seller, vendor, or supplier for a monetary or
other valuable consideration. Customers are generally categorized into two types:
An intermediate customer or trade customer (more informally: "the trade") who is a
dealer that purchases goods for re-sale
An ultimate customer who does not in turn re-sell the things bought but either passes
them to the consumer or actually is the consume
Six Sigma doctrine places (active) customers in opposition to two other classes of
people: not-customers and non-customers. Whilst customers have actively dealt with a
business within a particular recent period that depends from the product sold, not-customers
are either past customers who are no longer customers or potential customers who choose to
do business with the competition, and non-customers are people who are active in a different
market segment entirely. A supermarket's customer is the person buying milk at that
supermarket; a not-customer is buying milk from a competing supermarket, whereas a non-
customer doesn't buy milk from supermarkets at all but rather has milk delivered to the door.
MOUTHWASH
Mouthwash or mouth rinse is a chemotherapeutic agent used as an effective home
care system by the patient to enhance oral hygiene. Some manufacturers of mouthwash claim
that antiseptic and anti-plaque mouth rinse kill the bacterial
plaque causing cavities, gingivitis, and bad breath. Anti-cavity mouth rinse uses fluoride to
protect against tooth decay.
2

The first known references to mouth rinsing is in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine,
about 2700 BC, for treatment of gingivitis. Later, in theGreek and Roman periods, mouth
rinsing following mechanical cleansing became common among the upper classes,
and Hippocrates recommended a mixture of salt, alum, and vinegar. The Jewish Talmud,
dating back about 1800 years, suggests a cure for gum ailments containing "dough water" and
olive oil.
Common use involves rinsing the mouth with about 20ml of mouthwash two times a
day after brushing. The wash is typically swished or gargled for about half a minute and then
spat out. In some brands, the expectorate is stained, so that one can see the bacteria and
debris. Some may suggest that it is probably advisable to use mouthwash at least an hour
after brushing with toothpaste when the toothpaste contains sodium lauryl sulfate, since
the anionic compounds in the SLS toothpaste can deactivate cationic agents present in the
mouth rinse. However, many would disagree with this hypothesis; in fact, many of the
pop0ular mouthwashes contain sodium lauryl sulfate as an ingredient
Each commercial brand of mouthwash has different ingredients. The active
ingredients are usually alcohol, chlorhexidine gluconate, cetylpyridinium
chloride hexetidine, benzoic acid (acts as a buffer),methyl salicylate, benzalkonium chloride,
methylparaben, hydrogen peroxide, domiphen bromide

and sometimes fluoride, enzymes,
and calcium
.
They can also include essential oils that have some antibacterial
properties, like phenol eucalyptol

or menthol

Ingredients also include water, sweeteners such
as sorbitol, sucralose, sodium saccharin, and xylitol (which doubles as a bacterial inhibitor).
A study suggested that cetylpyridinium chloride could be as effective as chlorhexidine
in mouthwashes. Another study suggested that mouthwashes based on essential oils could be
more effective than traditional mouthwashes.
3

Sometimes a significant amount of alcohol (up to 27% vol) is added as a carrier for
the flavor, to provide "bite". Because of the alcohol content, it is possible to fail
a breathalyzer test after rinsing although breath alcohol levels return to normal after 10
minutes
.
In addition, alcohol is a drying agent and may worsen chronic bad breath. Recently,
the possibility that the alcohol used in mouthrinses acts as a carcinogen was raised, but there
is to date no scientific consensus on the issue. Commercial mouthwashes usually contain a
preservative such as sodium benzoate to preserve freshness once the container has been
opened. Many newer brands are alcohol-free and contain odor-elimination agents such as
oxidizers, as well as odor-preventing agents such as zinc ion to keep future bad breath from
developing.











4

SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGTH WEAKNESS
1. Significantly reduces plaque in hard to
reach areas
2. Provides upto 67% healthier gums
3. Contains fluoride to help prevent cavities
4. Combats odour causing germs in the
mouth, thereby fighting bad breath
effectively
5. Good advertising, brand visibility and
distribution
1.Primarily an urban product,
therefore limited audience
OPPORTUNITY THREAT
1. Mouthwash category as part of oral care is
in early stages and witnessing high growth
rate
2. Combining sales of toothpaste with mouth
wash can boost sales for the products of the
company
1. Niche segment in the oral care industry
which requires high advertising to increase
awareness regarding the product can be
expensive for the company
2. Mouthwash if consumed can cause harm to
liver, hence awareness is essential

1.2 OBJECTIVES
To find out the decision making process of customers while buying mouthwash
(colgate and Listerine).
To identify various factors that affect their process.
To understand various promotional offers offered by the company
5

1.3 NEED FOR THE STUDY
In the current scenario there are many number of oral care products in the market among
which mouthwash is a product. Mouthwash is an innovative product which needs a lot of
promotion and high brand value to create a place in the market. .
This report will give the clear understanding of customer preferences and satisfaction
levels towards mouthwash. This study is also gives an insight on promotional offers from
company to push a product and increase sales.
1.4 SCOPE OF STUDY
The scope of study is among the data collected through questionnaires at selling points in
three different phases - Observation, Product Decision Tree (PDT), Exit Interview. This study
will give insight on customers opinion on mouthwash and will provide valuable suggestions
to mouthwash production companies in terms of increasing sales and maintaining customer
relations.
1.5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Sampling Technique:
The technique used in this study is Random sampling.
Sample Unit:
The study of research has been done towards the customers of Ushodaya Super market
since it is having the highest number of sales in Hyderabad city
Sample Size:
A sample size of 45 is collected which includes both PDT and exit questionnaires.
6

Source of Data
Primary data:
In this research the primary data was collected by means of structured questionnaire
















7

2.1 INDUSTRY PROFILE
Market research is any organized effort to gather information about markets or
customers. It is a very important component of business strategy.

The term is commonly
interchanged with marketing research; however, expert practitioners may wish to draw a
distinction, in that marketing research is concerned specifically about marketing processes,
while market research is concerned specifically with markets.
Market research is a key factor to get advantage over competitors. Market research
provides important information to identify and analyze the market need, market size and
competition. Market research, which includes social and opinion research, is the systematic
gathering and interpretation of information about individuals or organizations using statistical
and analytical methods and techniques of the applied social sciences to gain insight or
support decision making.

Market research began to be conceptualized and put into formal practice during the
1920s, as an offshoot of the advertising boom of the Golden Age of radio in the United
States. Advertisers began to realize the significance of demographics revealed by sponsorship
of different radio programs.
Market research is for discovering what people want, need, or believe. It can
also involve discovering how they act. Once that research is completed, it can be used to
determine how to market your product. Peter Drucker believed market research to be the
quintessence of marketing.
There are two major types of market research. Primary Research sub-divided
into Quantitative and Qualitative research and Secondary research. For starting up a business,
there are some important things:
8

Market information
Through Market information one can know the prices of different commodities in the market,
as well as the supply and demand situation. Information about the markets can be obtained
from different sources, varieties and formats, as well as the sources and varieties that have to
be obtained to make the business work.
Market segmentation
Market segmentation is the division of the market or population into subgroups with similar
motivations. It is widely used for segmenting on geographic
differences, personality differences, demographic differences, technographic differences, use
of product differences, psychographic differences and gender differences. For B2B
segmentation firmographics is commonly used.
Market trends
Market trends are the upward or downward movement of a market, during a period of time.
The market size is more difficult to estimate if one is starting with something completely
new. In this case, you will have to derive the figures from the number of potential customers,
or customer segments. [Ilar 1998]
Besides information about the target market, one also needs information about
one's competitors, customers, products, etc. Lastly, you need to measure marketing
effectiveness. A few techniques are:
Customer analysis
Choice modelling
Competitor analysis
Risk analysis
9

Product research
Advertising the research
Marketing mix modelling
Simulated Test Marketing

Top 9 of the market research sector 2009

Rank Company Sales in 2009
(million USD)
Growth
in %
1 Nielsen Company 9,056.0 2.6
2 Kantar Group - TNS, Millward Brown,
BMRB, IMRB International and Ziment
Group
4,692.0 2.5
3 IMS Health Inc. 1,958.6 8.5
4 GfK AG 1,397.3 5.4
5 Ipsos 1,077.0 6.5
10
















6 Synovate 739.6 9.5
7 IRI 665.0 6.6
8 Westat 425.8 0.8
9 Arbitron 400.0 5.9
11

2.2 COMPANY PROFILE:

Nielsen Holdings N.V. is an American global information and measurement company
with headquarters in New York (USA). Nielsen is active in over 100 countries and employs
approximately 35,000 people worldwide. Total revenues were $5.6 billion in 2012
Nielsen is a leading global information and measurement company that enables
companies to understand consumers and consumer behaviour. Nielsen measures and monitors
what consumers watch (programming, advertising) and what consumers buy (categories,
brands, products) on a global and local basis. The company has a presence in approximately
100 countries spread across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Middle East, North America,
South America and Russia.
James M. Kilts is Nielsen's Chairman and David L. Calhoun is Nielsen's Chief
Executive Officer. Prior to joining Nielsen in 2006, Dave Calhoun served as Vice Chairman
of The General Electric Company and President and Chief Executive Officer of GE
Infrastructure, the largest of six GE business units.
While the Nielsen brand is most often associated with television ratings, those TV
ratings services comprise approximately one-quarter of the company's business and revenues.
After substantial work to simplify the company over the last several years, Nielsen today
aligns their business into two divisions: What Consumers Buy and What Consumers Watch.
What Consumers Buy
Nielsen's Buy division (approx. two-thirds of global revenues) primarily helps
packaged goods companies and retailers (and Wall Street analysts) understand what
consumers are buying in terms of categories, brands and products. For example, it is Nielsen's
data that measures how much Diet Coke vs. Diet Pepsi is sold in stores, or how much Crest
12

versus Colgate toothpaste is sold. They accomplish this by purchasing and analyzing huge
amounts of retail data that measures what is being sold in the store, and they combine it with
household panel data that captures everything that is brought into the home. They also can
provide insights into how changes in product offerings, pricing or marketing would change
sales. Major clients include The Coca-Cola Company, Nestle S.A., The Procter
& Gamble Company, Unilever Group and Walmart.
What Consumers Watch
Nielsen's Watch division (approx. one-third of global revenues) primarily measures
what consumers are watching on all of the screens in their life: TV, computer, mobile/smart
phones, tablets, etc. The company measures consumption of programming and advertising
across all distribution points. Nielsen's ratings are used by advertisers and networks to shape
the buying and selling of advertising. Major clients include CBS, NBC Universal, News
Corporation and The Walt Disney Company

Arthur C. Nielsen and the invention of "Market Share"
Arthur C. Nielsen founded the AC Nielsen Company in 1923 with the idea of selling
engineering performance surveys. It was the first company to offer market research. The
company expanded its business in 1932 by creating a retail index that tracked the flow of
food and drug purchases. This was the first retail measurement of its kind and for the first
time allowed a company to determine its share of the marketthe origination of the
concept of "market share" Arthur C. Nielsen is credited with coining this business term.
Radio and Television
In 1936, Arthur C. Nielsen acquired the Audi meter, which measured
which radio stations a radio had been tuned to during the day. After tinkering with the device
13

for a few years, the company created a national radio rating service in 1942. The company
collected information on which stations were tuned to in 1,000 homes. Then, this survey data
was sold to manufacturers who were interested in the popularity of programs and
demographic information about listeners for advertising purposes. This was the birth of
audience measurement that would become the most well-known part of Nielsens business
when applied to television. Today, these are commonly referred to as Nielsen ratings.
The company began measuring television audiences in 1950, at a time when the
medium was just getting off the ground. Just as with radio, a sampling of homes across the
U.S. was used to develop ratings. This information was collected on a device that was
attached to a television that recorded what was being watched. In 1953, the company began
sending out diaries to a smaller sample of homes (Nielsen families) within the survey to
have them record what they had watched. This data was put together with information from
the devices. This combination of data allowed the company to statistically estimate the
number of Americans watching TV and the demographic breakdown of viewers.
[4]
This
became an important tool for advertisers and networks.
In the 1980s, the company launched a new measurement device known as the people
meter. The device resembles a remote control with buttons for each individual family
member and extras for guests. Viewers push a button to signify when they are in the room
and push it again when they leave, even if the TV is still on. This form of measurement was
intended to provide a more accurate picture of who was watching and when.
[6]

In July 2008, Nielsen released the first in a series of quarterly reports, detailing video
and TV usage across the three screens Television, Internet and Mobile devices. The
A2/M2 Three Screen Report also includes trends in time shifted viewing behaviour and its
relationship to online video viewing, a demographic breakdown of mobile video viewers and
DVR penetration.
14

Mergers, Acquisitions, Strategic Alliances and Divestitures
The company was acquired by the Dun & Bradstreet Company in 1984.

D&B, as it is
known today, broke Nielsen into two separate companies in 1996. These were Nielsen Media
Research, which was responsible for TV ratings, and AC Nielsen, which was responsible for
consumer shopping trends and box-office data.

The Dutch publishing
company VNU (Verenigde Nederlandse Uitgeverijen) acquired Nielsen Media Research in
1999.

It later recombined the two halves of the business when it acquired AC Nielsen in
2001. In between, it sold its newspaper properties to Wegener and its consumer magazines
to Sanoma.
In 2004, Nielsen began a joint venture called AGB Nielsen Media Research
with WPP Group's AGB Group, a European competitor which provides similar services.
VNU combined the Nielsen properties with other research and data collection units including
BASES, Claritas, HCI and Spectra. The company's publishing arm also owned several
publications including The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard magazine. VNU began
acquiring companies that added to its measurement capabilities. In 2006, it acquired a
majority stake in Buzzmetrics, a company which measures consumer-generated media online.
Under the new ownership, Nielsen bought the remaining shares of the company in
2007.

In the same year, Nielsen acquired Telephia, which measures mobile media,and
Bilesim Medya, a Turkish advertising intelligence firm.
In 2006, VNU was acquired by a group of six private equity firms: the
American Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., Thomas H. Lee Partners, Blackstone
Group, Carlyle Group and Hellman & Friedman, and Dutch equity firm AlpInvest Partners

for 5bn. In the same year, the group hired David L. Calhoun, formerly of General Electric,
as CEO.

He renamed VNU as The Nielsen Company in 2007.
15

VNU sold its business publications division in 2006 for 320m (210m) to venture
capital group 3i, which then sold the UK division (VNU Business Publications Ltd)
to Incisive Media.
In 2008, the company acquired IAG Research which measures viewer engagement
with TV commercials.

The same year Nielsen made a strategic investment in Neuro Focus, a
California firm applying neuroscience brainwave techniques for consumer research. The firm
was later fully acquired by Nielsen in 2011
.
In 2009 and 2010, Nielsen sold its business
magazines; its well-known entertainment properties went to the new company e5 Global
Media.
In 2009, the company acquired The Cambridge Group, which is a management
consulting firm headquartered in Chicago. The Cambridge Group works with CEOs and top
management teams to drive growth. The firm has a distinctive expertise in tapping into latent
and emerging consumer demand, and using these insights to drive product, service and
marketing innovation across consumer-driven businesses.
In June 2010 Nielsen paired with McKinsey & Company to create the social media
consulting company NM Incite. NM Incite has operations in 13 global markets, including:
US, UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, India, Brazil, Canada
and Korea.
In August 2011 Nielsen acquired Marketing Analytics, Inc. The acquisition
strengthens Nielsen's marketing ROI and marketing mix capabilities.
In February 2012, Nielsen launched The Demand Institute in collaboration with The
Conference Board. The Demand Institute is a non-profit, non-advocacy organization focused
on helping business and government leaders understand how consumer demand is evolving
and shifting around the world.
16

In July 2012, Nielsen acquired the advertising tech company Vizu. The acquisition
was made so that Nielsen can better analyze the effectiveness of online advertisement.
On December 18, 2012, Nielsen announced that it would acquire Arbitron, a company
primarily involved in radio audience measurement, for $1.26 billion dollars.
[24]

On June 17, 2013 Nielsen announced that Onex Corp (TSX: OCX) had completed the
acquisition of Nielsen Expositions for $950 million in cash consideration. Nielsen
Expositions operated tradeshows in the United States. The company was renamed Emerald
Expositions Inc. after the transaction.
Becoming a Public Company
Nielsen was a private company from 2006 through 2011. On January 25, 2011 the
company listed itself on the New York Stock Exchange and issued an Initial Public Offering
(IPO) that raised $1.8 billion in the largest private equity-backed U.S. IPO since 2006.
[25]













17

2.3 PROFILE OF COLGATE
The small soap and candle business that William Colgate began in New York City
early in the 19th century is now, more than 200 years later, a truly global company serving
hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide.

A 200-year history reflects the strength and innovation that Colgate people have used
to constantly transform the Company and identify new opportunities. With global brands sold
in over 200 countries; Colgate, Mennen, Palmolive, Ajax, Softsoap, and Hills Pet Nutrition
are among the world's most recognizable household names, trusted and relied upon by
consumers everywhere.
Colgate People, working around the world, share a commitment to three core
corporate values: Caring, Global Teamwork and Continuous Improvement. These values are
reflected not only in the quality of products and the reputation of Company, but also in
dedication to serving the communities where they do business.

As a leading consumer products company they are also deeply committed to
advancing technology which can address changing consumer needs throughout the world. In
fact, its goal is to use technology to create products that will continue to improve the quality
of life for consumers wherever they live.

As a successful business, it is focused on achieving the consistent growth required to
continue our global success and to make us an even stronger company. They believe this is
the best way to benefit consumers, people and shareholders.


18

Products
Oral Care


Toothpastes


Toothbrushes


Toothpowder


Whitening Products


Mouthwash

PERSONAL CARE


Body Wash


Liquid Hand Wash


Shave Preps


Skin Care


Hair Care

HOUSEHOLD CARE


Surface Care


DENTIST RECOMMENDED


Gingivitis Treatment


Sensitivity Treatment


Tooth Whitening
19



Fluoride Therapy


Mouth Ulcer Treatment


Speciality Cleaning

From a modest start in 1937, when hand-carts were used to distribute Colgate Dental
Cream Toothpaste, Colgate-Palmolive (India) today has one of the widest distribution
networks in India a logistical marvel that makes Colgate available in almost 4.93 million
retail outlets across the country. The Company has grown to a Rs. 2805 crore plus
organization with an outstanding record of enhancing value for its strong shareholder base.
The company leads the Rs.5200 crore Indian toothpaste market by holding 53.2% of the
market share.
Since 1976, Colgate has worked in close partnership with the Indian Dental
Association (IDA) to spread the message of oral hygiene to children across the country under
its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures Schools Dental Education Program. This program has
successfully reached more than 105 million school children covering around 2,34,756
schools across the country since itslaunch. The program focuses on children so that the
message of good oral hygiene is carried home to families and the community at large. In
2004, as an additional effort to create awareness for good oral hygiene Oral Health Month
(OHM), was introduced. Since its launch, OHM is conducted each year during September /
October, where free dental check ups are conducted by Colgate in partnership with IDA
across the country. Conducted in designated towns and cities to establish and promote the
importance of good oral hygiene, OHM is Colgates mass consumer contact program.
The strong relationship and the trust of generations of consumers, trade and the dental
profession built over decades of operations in India has made Colgate a trusted household
20

name. In 2009, Colgate-Palmolive (India) was adjudged as the Best Value Creator (Mid C ap
Category) in the 2009 Outlook Money NDTV Profits Awards. In 2003, Colgate was ranked
Indias #1 Most Trusted Brand across all categories by Brand Equitys Most Trusted Brand
Survey conducted in conjunction with Neilsen a position it held in succession for four
consecutive years from 2003 to 2007 and has been the only brand in the top
three coveted position in all the 8 surveys conducted since 2001. Prior to this, Colgate was
also rated as the #1 brand by the A&M MODE Annual Survey for Indias Top Brands for
eight out of nine years during the period1992 to 2001
Awards for Colgate in the year 2013
Best Companies for Multicultural Women
Fortune 500 Companies
World's Most Admired Companies
Worlds Most Ethical Companies
Top 50 Companies for Executive Women The National Association for Female
Executives (NAFE)
2013 Energy Star Partner of the Year Energy Star
Top 50 Companies for Diversity Diversity Inc.
100 Best Corporate Citizens Corporate Responsibility Magazine
Top 50 Companies for Latinas to Work For LatinaStyle
Top 50 Companies for Multicultural Business Opportunities
DiversityBusiness.com
America's 25 Most Reputable Companies Forbes
America's 25 Most Reputable Companies Forbes
For the year 2012
21

World's Most Admired Companies Fortune Magazine
Top 50 Companies for Diversity Diversity Inc.
Top 50 Companies for Executive Women The National Association for Female
Executives (NAFE)
100 Best Companies Working Mother Magazine
Top 2012 Employers: Best Company for Asian Pacific Americans Asia Society
Diversity Leadership Forum
2012 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Energy Star
100 Best Corporate Citizens Corporate Responsibility Magazine
Safe-In-Sound Excellence in Hearing and Loss Prevention Award U.S. National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
The Gartner Top 25 Global Supply Chain Gartner
Management
Ian M. Cook
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Cook joined Colgate in the United Kingdom in 1976 and progressed through a
series of senior marketing and management roles around the world. He became Chief
Operating Officer in 2004, with responsibility for operations in North America, Europe,
Central Europe, Asia and Africa. In 2005, Mr. Cook was promoted to President and Chief
Operating Officer, responsible for all Colgate operations worldwide and was elected
President and Chief Executive Officer in 2007. He was elected director in 2007 and
Chairman, effective January 1, 2009.

22

Fabian Garcia
Chief Operating Officer, Global Innovation and Growth, Europe & Hill's Pet Nutrition
Mr. Garcia joined Colgate in 2003 as President, Colgate-Asia Pacific. He was appointed to
his current position in 2010, with expanded responsibility for Hills Pet Nutrition in 2012.
Most recently he was EVP, President, Colgate-Latin America & Global Sustainability. Prior
to joining Colgate, Mr. Garcia was Senior Vice President of International Operations at the
Timberland Company.
Franck J. Moison
Chief Operating Officer, Emerging Markets & South Pacific
After joining Colgate in France in 1978, Mr. Moison advanced through marketing and
management positions in Colgate-Europe and at the corporate level. He was appointed to his
current position in 2010, with expanded responsibility for South Pacific in 2012. Most
recently he was President, Global Marketing, Supply Chain & Technology.
Dennis Hickey
Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Hickey became CFO in January 2011, having most recently been Colgates Vice
President and Corporate Controller since 1998. Since joining Colgate in 1977, Mr. Hickey
has held key financial positions for the Companys European and North American business
units, the Corporate Audit unit and a variety of business strategyleadership assignments.


23

Andrew D. Hendry
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
Mr. Hendry joined Colgate in 1991 from Unisys, where he was Vice President and General
Counsel. A graduate of Georgetown University and NYU Law School, Mr. Hendry has also
been a corporate attorney at a New York law firm and at Reynolds Metals Company (now
part of Alcoa, Inc.).













24

3.1 LITERATURE REVIEW:
The topic of consumer behaviour is one of the massively studied topics by the
researchers and marketers in the past and still being studied. Researchers show different
reasons as to why consumer behaviour has been the topic of many academics and researchers.
One of the common views is that understanding consumer behaviour has become a factor that
has a direct impact on the overall performance of the businesses (Kotler and Keller, 2012).
Another view suggests that understanding consumer behaviour has become crucial especially
due to fierce competition in retail industry in the UK and worldwide (Lancaster et al, 2002).
This chapter will introduce some other areas of research background of consumer behaviour
addressing the works of researchers and marketers. Moreover, consumer decision making
process, in particular, five stages of consumer decision making process will be discussed in
detail.
It is worth noting that consumer buying behaviour is studied as a part of the marketing
and its main objective it to learn the way how the individuals, groups or organizations
choose, buy use and dispose the goods and the factors such as their previous experience,
taste, price and branding on which the consumers base their purchasing decisions (Kotler and
Keller, 2012).
One of such studies of consumer buying behaviour has been conducted by Acebron et
al (2000). The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of previous experience on buying
behaviour of fresh foods, particularly mussels. In their studies the authors used structural
equation model in order to identify the relationship between the habits and previous
experience on the consumer buying decision. Their findings show that personal habits and
previous experience on of the consumers have a direct impact on the consumers purchase
25

decision in the example of purchasing fresh mussels. They also found that the image of the
product has a crucial impact on the purchasing decision of the consumer and further
recommended that the product image should continuously be improved in order to encourage
the consumers towards purchasing.
Another study conducted by Variawa (2010) analyzed the influence of packaging on
consumer decision making process for Fast Moving Consumer Goods. The aim of the
research was to analyze the impact of packaging for decision making processes of low-
income consumers in retail shopping. A survey method has been used in order to reach the
research objectives. In a survey conducted in Star Hyper in the town of Canterville 250
respondents participated. The findings of the research indicate that low-income consumers
have more preferences towards premium packaging as this can also be re-used after the
product has been consumed. Although the findings indicate that there is a weak relat ionship
between the product packaging and brand experience. However, it has been proven by the
findings of the research that low-income consumers have greater brand experience from the
purchase of premium products when compared to their experience from purchasing cheap
brand products.
Lee (2005) carried out study to learn the five stages of consumer decision making
process in the example of China. The researcher focuses on the facts that affect the consumer
decision making process on purchasing imported health food products, in
particular demographic effects such as gender, education, income and marital status. The
author employed questionnaire method in order to reach the objectives of the research.
Analysis of five stages of consumer decision making process indicate that impact of family
members on the consumer decision making process of purchasing imported health food
products was significant.
26

The author further explains this by the fact Chinese tradition of taking care of young
and old family members have long been developed and marriage is considered to be
extremely important in Chinese tradition. This reflects in the findings of the study that the
purchase of imported health food products made by a person for the people outside the family
is declined significantly by both male and female Chinese after they get married.
Five Stages Model of consumer decision making process has also been studied by a
number of other researchers. Although different researchers offer various tendencies towards
the definitions of five stages, all of them have common views as they describe the stages in
similar ways. One of the common models of consumer decision making process has been
offered by Blackwell et al (2006). According to him, the five stages of consumer decision
making process are followings: problem/need recognition, information search, evaluation of
alternatives, purchase decision made and post-purchase evaluation.
Each stage is then defined by a number of researchers varying slightly but leading to a
common view about what each stage involves. For example, according to Bruner (1993) first
stage, need recognition occurs when an individual recognizes the difference between what
they have and what they want/need to have. This view is alsosupported by Neal and Questel
(2006) stating that need recognition occurs due to several factors and circumstances such as
personal, professional and lifestyle which in turn lead to formation of idea of purchasing.
In the next stage, consumer searches information related to desired product or service
(Schiffman and Kanuk, 2007). Information search process can be internal and external. While
internal search refers to the process where consumers rely on their personal experiences and
believes, external search involves wide search of information which includes addressing the
media and advertising or feedbacks from other people (Rose and Samouel, 2009).
27

Once the relevant information about the product or service is obtained the next stage
involves analyzing the alternatives. Kotler and Keller (2005) consider this stage as one of the
important stages as the consumer considers all the types and alternatives taking into account
the factors such as size, quality and also price.
Backhaus et al (2007) suggested that purchase decision is one of the important stages
as this stage refers to occurrence of transaction. In other words, once the consumer
recognized the need, searched for relevant information and considered the alternatives he/she
makes decision whether or not to make the decision. Purchasing decision can further be
divided into planned purchase, partially purchase or impulse purchase as stated by Kacen
(2002) which will be discussed further in detail in the next chapters.
Finally, post-purchase decision involves experience of the consumer about their
purchase. Although the importance of this stage is not highlighted by many authors Neal et al
(2004) argues that this is perhaps one of the most important stages in the consumer decision
making process as it directly affects the consumers purchases of the same product or service
from the same supplier in the future.
The most noteworthy writers that serve as academic advocates of The Five Stage
Model of consumer decision making include Tyagi (2004), Kahle and Close (2006)
Blackwell et al. (2006), and others.
It is important to note that The Five Stage Model is not the only model related to
consumer decision-making, and there are also a range of competing models that include
Stimulus-Organism-Response Model of Decision Making developed by Hebb in 1950s,
Prescriptive Cognitive Models, The Theory of Trying (Bagozzi and Warsaw, 1990), Model of
28

Goal Directed Behaviour (Perugini and Bagozzi, 2001) and others. All of these models are
analysed in great detail in Literature Review chapter of this work.














29

Table 4.1 Distribution of respondents based on age

Pie chart representing distribution of customers who purchased
mouthwash based on age

Figure:4.1
From the above data is is clear that customers between the age range 26 to 35 are the highest
purchasers of mouthwash.


4%
44%
36%
16%
Age
18 - 25
26 - 35
36 - 45
> 45
S.No Age No. of Respondents %
01 18 - 25 2 4.44
02 26 - 35 20 44.44
03 36 - 45 16 35.55
04 > 45 7 15.55
Total
respondents - 45
30


Table 4.2 Distribution of respondents based on their income
S.No Income No. of respondents %
01 1000 - 50,000 10 22.22
02 51,000 - 1,00,000 20 44.44
03 1,01,000 - 1,50,000 10 22.22
04 1,51,000 - 2,00,000 5 11.11

Pie chart representing distribution of customers who purchased
mouthwash based on their income of the entire family

Figure 4.2
From the above data it is clear that customers having the income range between Rs,51,000 to
Rs.1,00,000 are the majority purchasers of mouthwash

22%
45%
22%
11%
Income
1000 - 50,000
51,000 - 1,00,000
1,01,000 - 1,50,000
1,51,000 - 2,00,000
Total
respondents - 45
31

Table 4.3 Distribution of respondents based on gender
S.No Gender No. of Respondents %
01 Male 26 57.77
02 Female 19 42.22

Pie chart representing distribution of customers of customers who
purchased mouthwash based on gender

Figure 4.3
It can be inferred from the above data that male customers account to 58% and are the major
users of mouthwash


58%
42%
Gender
Male
Female
Total respondents -
45
32

Table 4.4 Distribution of customers based on the product purchased
S.No Name of product No. of respondents %
01 colgate fresh tea 28 62.22
02 colgate fresh mint 1 2.22
03 colgate complete care 4 8.88
04 colgate peppermint 4 8.88
05 colgate sensitive 4 8.88
06 Listernine original 4 8.88

Pie chart representing distribution of data based on the products
purchased in the store

Figure 4.4
It can be inferred from above that Colgate fresh tea has the highest sales when compared to
other brands such as Colgate fresh mint, colgate complete care, colgate peppermint, colgate
sensitive, Listerine original.
62%
2%
9%
9%
9%
9%
Products
colgate fresh tea
colgate fresh mint
colgate complete care
colgate peppermint
colgate sensitive
listerine original
total respondents - 45
33

Table 4.5 Number of customers influenced by promotional schemes
(Bundled offer 1+1)
S.No Response No. of Respondents %
01 Influenced 28 62.22
02 Not influenced 17 37.77

Pie chart representing number of customers who purchased the product
because of promotional offer

Figure 4.5
From the data it is clear that 62% of customers are influenced by the promotional offers
offered by the company

62%
38%
Influenced by promotions
influenced
Not inluenced
34

Table 4.6 Distribution of customers based on the size of the product
S.No Quantity No. of Customers %
01 40 ml 32 71.11
02 250ml 13 28.88

Pie chart representing data of customers who purchased based on size of
packs

Figure 4.6
From the data it is clear that 71% of customers preferred low sized packs (40ml )



71%
29%
Sales based on quantity
40ml
250ml
Total customers - 45
35

Table 4.7 Number of customers who purchased the product before and
after Doctor recommended
S.No Response No. of Respondents %
01 After doctor
recommended
22 48.88
02 Before doctor
recommended
23 51.11


Pie chart representing the number of customers who purchased
mouthwash after recommended by a Dentist


Figure 4.7
From the data it can be inferred that 51% customers use mouthwash even before
recommended by a doctor
49%
51%
Doctor recommended
after doctor recommended
before doctor recommended
Total customers - 45
36

Table 4.8 Distribution of customers who are loyal to one particular brand

S.No Response No. of Respondents %
01 Particular about a
brand
29 64.44
02 Not particular about a
brand
16 35.55

Pie chart representing the number of customers who are particular about
one brand ( Brand conscious )

Figure 4.8
It can be inferred that 64% of customers are particular about one particular brand and use it
regularly and are not ready to switch to another brand
64%
36%
Brand conscious
Particular about a brand
Not particular about any brand
Total customers - 45
37

Table 4.9 Distribution of customers who are happy with availability of
stock in the store
S.No Response No. of Respondents %
01 yes 36 80
02 no 9 20

Pie chart representing the data of customers who are satisfied with the
availability of stock in the store

Figure 4.9
From that data it can be understood that 80% of customers are happy with the availability of stock in
the store

80%
20%
Stock availability
Stock is available
Stock not available
Total customers - 45
38

Table 4.10 Distribution of brands which move faster in the store from
customer point of view
S.No Brand name No. of responses %
01 Colgate 41 91.11
01 Listerine 4 8.88

Pie chart representing the distribution of brands which move fast in the
store according to customers who visited the store

Figure 4.10
From the above data it is clear that 91% of customers agree that colgate is the most preferred
brand and hence it the fast moving brand in the store

91%
9%
Brand movement
Colgate
Listerine
Total customer - 45
39

Table 4.11 Number of customers who follow and get influenced by
advertisements while purchasing the product
S.No Response No. of Respondents %
01 Influenced 23 51.11
02 Not influenced 22 48.88

Pie chart representing the distribution of customers who are aware of
advertisements about mouthwash

Figure 4.11
From the above data it is clear that 51% of customers notice advertisements in Televisions,
Newspapers


51%
49%
Advertising awareness
Aware
Not aware
Total customers - 45
40

Table 4.12 Number of customers who make their purchase decision based
on price
S.No Response No. of Respondents %
01 price conscious 33 73.33
02 not price conscious 12 26.66

Pie chart representing the distribution of customers who make their choice
on the basis of price of the product

Figure 4.12
From the above data it can be inferred that 73% of customers are conscious about price while making
a purchase decision

73%
27%
Influenced by price
Price conscious
not price conscious
Total customers - 45
41

Table 4.13 Data representing Top of Mind choices preferred by customers regarding
oral care brand
S.No Brand name No. of customers %
01 Colgate 32 71.11
02 Liserine 13 28.88

Pie chart representing choices preferred by customers in Top of mind survey

Figure 4.13
It can be inferred from the above data that 71% of customers answered colgate as the first
brand that comes into their mind when they think of oral care product



71%
29%
Top of mind
Colgate
Listerine
Total customers-45
42

Table 4.14 Data representing average number of people involved in the decision making
process while purchasing mouthwash
S.No Number of
customers in the
group
Average number of
customers involved
in PDT
%
01 5 3 60%
02 2 2 100%
03 1 1 100%

Pie chart representing the average number of customers who involve in the decision
making process among the group of people who visited the store

Figure 4.14
From the above data it can be inferred that if two people visit the store then the decision
making process involves both i.e. 100%
50%
33%
17%
Process Decision tree
group ( 5 )-3
Group (2 )-2
Group ( 1 )-1
43

5.1 FINDINGS
Customers between the age range 26 to 35 are the highest purchasers of mouthwash.
Customers having the income range between Rs,51,000 to Rs.1,00,000 are the
highest purchasers of mouthwash
Male customers account to 58% of total customers and are the major users of
mouthwash
Colgate fresh tea has the highest sales when compared to other brands such as Colgate
fresh mint, colgate complete care, colgate peppermint, colgate sensitive, Listerine
original.
62% of customers are influenced by the promotional offers offered by the company
62% of customers are influenced by the promotional offers offered by the company
51% customers use mouthwash even before recommended by a doctor
64% of customers are particular about one particular brand and use it regularly and
are not ready to switch to another brand
80% of customers are happy with the availability of stock in the store
91% of customers agree that colgate is the most preferred brand and hence it the fast
moving brand in the store
51% of customers notice advertisements in Televisions, Newspapers
73% of customers were conscious about price while making a purchase decision
71% of customers answered Colgate as the first brand that comes into their mind
when they think of oral care product
The decision making process involved a minimum of 60% of the people in the group
who visited the store

44

5.2 LIMITATIONS
The study was confined only to the customers of Ushodaya Super market
The time period of the study was limited to only 11 days.
Customers refused to answer to all the questions in the questionnaire.
There is no way to find out if the respondent answered truly

5.3 CONCLUSION
Brand name: Colgate has a very strong brand image in the market when compared to
Listerine
Appearance and packing: Colgate and Listerine have attractive appearance and
packing such as low sizes
Top of Mind survey: Colgate is the first brand that comes into respondent`s mind
when we ask about oral care product
Expensive brand: Listerine is considered to be the expensive brand than other
brands.
Awareness: Most of the customers visiting the store are unaware of mouthwash,
hence a lot of emphasis is required in this area





45

5.4 SUGGESTIONS
To advertise and position the concept of mouthwash more effectively by the following
methods
Advertisements
Newspapers
Promoter at the selling point
To increase the low sized stock in the store as they are the highest selling products in
the store
To increase variety in the category of mouthwashes
To make sure the mouthwash is placed in such a way that it is visible to the customers
passing by the rack












46

6.1 PRODUCT DECISION TREE - QUESTIONNAIRE
1.Name of the respondent: 2. Telephone No:
3.Date of interview: Time Begin:

Time
end:
4.Gender: MALE

FEMALE


5.Age:
6.Can you please tell details of the mouthwash (s) you bought?

Brand:

flavour:

No. of units in pack : 1 2 3

Pack Size (Wt.):

Grams
Price(Rs.):

Pack Type: Cardboard Box Plastic Pouch Plastic Tube Others:



Brand:

flavour:

No. of units in pack : 1 2 3

Pack Size (Wt.):

Grams
Price(Rs.):

Pack Type: Cardboard Box Plastic Pouch Plastic Tube Others:



7.If the mouthwash you bought was not available can you please take a look at the shelf and tell me

which product would have been your second choice?

Brand:

flavour:

No. of units in pack : 1 2 3

Pack Size (Wt.):

Grams
Price(Rs.):

Pack Type: Cardboard Box Plastic Pouch Plastic Tube Others

8.Brand:

flavour:

No. of units in pack : 1 2 3

Pack Size (Wt.):

Grams
Price(Rs.):

Pack Type: Cardboard Box Plastic Pouch Plastic Tube Others

9.Brand:

flavour:

No. of units in pack : 1 2 3

Pack Size (Wt.):

Grams
Price(Rs.):

Pack Type: Cardboard Box Plastic Pouch Plastic Tube Others

47

10.What criteria are the most important to you when choosing mouthwash? Please Rate using the
following scale.
1= Totally Unimportant 2= Unimportant 3= Neutral 4= Important 5=VeryImportant



1. Mouthwash gives you whiter teeth 1 2 3 4 5
2. Mouthwash freshens your breath 1 2 3 4 5
3. Flouride Content of Mouthwash 1 2 3 4 5
4. Usable for Sensitive teeth 1 2 3 4 5
5. Taste 1 2 3 4 5
6. Dental Association Approved 1 2 3 4 5
7. Low Price 1 2 3 4 5
8. Attractive Packaging 1 2 3 4 5
9. Coupons given in store 1 2 3 4 5
10. Mouthwash is Available everywhere 1 2 3 4 5

11.How often do you use mouthwash?
Once a Day Twice a Day Three times a day More than three times


12.How often do you purchase mouthwash?
weekly once monthly once yearly once

13.Who Purchases the mouthwash you use?
Yourself Spouse Parents Other

14.Do Commercial campaigns such as adverts on TV influence your choice of mouthwash?
Yes No

15.Have you ever been influenced by friends or family on your choice of mouthwash?
Yes No

16.What range does your monthly Income fall into?

Below Rs.5000 5001-10000 10001-20000 Above Rs.20000

17.What is your level of Education?
Primary High School Graduate Post Graduate Other

18.What is your Occupation?
Student Employed Pensioner Housewife Other
If Employed Please Specify type of Employment.............................................




48

EXIT INTERVIEW - Questionnaire
SCREENER QUESTIONS
1. Name
2. Phone number
3. Does anyone of your family members work in any of the following fields
FMCG/Clothing/ Retail
Market research survey company
None of the above
MAIN QUESTIONNAIRE
4. Age
15 - 20
21 - 25
26 - 30
31 - 35
36 - 40
41 - 45
46 - 50
>50
5. Address
6. Highest qualification
10/inter
some college but not graduate
graduate/professional
post graduate (technical )
post graduate (professional )
Doctoral
7. Occupation
Executives/chairman
businessmen/industrialists (1 member)
businessmen/industrialists(1-10 members)
businessmen/industrialists( >10 members)
supervisor
self employed professional
clerical
49

shop owner
petty trader
skilled worker
8. Who is the chief wage earner in your family
9. What is the range of income in your house
1000 - 20,000
21,000 - 40,000
41,000 - 60,000
61,000 - 80,000
81,000 - 1,00,000
1,01,000 - 1,20,000
1,21,000 - 1,40,000
1,41,000 - 1,60,000
1,61,000 - 1,80,000
2,00,000 and above
9. Did you buy any of the products - toothpaste, toothbrush, mouthwash
Mouthwash
10. Which brand of mouthwash did you buy?
11. Where did you pick this brand
category shelf
Special display
12. When we say mouthwash what brands come into your mind?

12. How frequently do you buy mouthwash
once in 2 months
monthly
fortnight
weekly
13. Why do you come to this store?
Convenient to shop
near to home
ambience is good
variety of product
50

wide range of premium products
good promotional offers
customer service is good
14. Did you notice any kind of promotional posters in the store
yes
no