ABSTRACT

Customers all over the world now prefer branded products. As in this competition era,
from business point of view, we must be aware about the customer needs & wants & what a
consumer expects from a company. We should have this information or a customer
database if we want to stay in the market and to develop a competitive edge in the market.
After conducting this study we must be able to understand what customers want from a
brand, why they switches to other brand, what are the factors which force them to
purchase branded apparels. By analyzing these, company can formulate the strategies as
per the customer needs & deliver them the products which consumer wants from the
company, which will be profitable for the company. The relationship between consumers’
decision-making styles and their choice between branded and non-branded clothing is
investigated using a sample of consumers of Panchkula City, Chandigarh City only. The
purpose of our research is to investigate youth, Men, Women of Panchkula, Chandigarh
city to examine if any factor dominates in their buying behavior for apparel. In addition,
consumer attributes (i.e., apparel involvement, brand consciousness, reference group,
social class, and other factors) and personal characteristics were investigated separately
and in relation to the purchase behavior of youth, Men and Women. This study is aimed at
analyzing the effect of brand on consumer buying behavior. Along with finding the effect of
brand on consumer buying behavior the purpose of the study is to have an in depth
knowledge of what actually is branding and consumer behavior. For meeting the objectives
primary data was collected from 200 consumers with the help of questionnaire across in the
Panchkula, Chandigarh cities. From the study it was found that consumers are branding
conscious now a days. To look more stylish they prefer branded apparels and branded
apparels also depict the status of a person. Due to more durability, variety and quality and
people prefer branded apparels

INTRODUCTION
Brand these days have become a status symbol. Customers all over the world now prefer
branded products. This study is aimed at analyzing the effect of brand on consumer buying
behavior. Along with finding the effect of brand on consumer buying behavior the purpose
of the study is to have an in depth knowledge of what actually is branding and consumer
behavior. All the study has been conducted with reference to fashion industry in India.
Firms in fashion industry are competing to increase their profit share in the market and
among these firms; branded clothing & accessories has shifted the conventional style &
interest of people. A brand which is sold at a high price and the other which is sold at low
price while both have same quality and attributes. Brand studies always have remained the
key attention of the marketer’s because of its importance and direct relationship with
consumers. Marketers use brands as to get the competitive advantage on other competitors
playing an imperative role in the success of companies. Brand holds a great importance in
consumer’s life. Consumer’s choose brands and trust them the way they trust their friends
and family members to avoid uncertainty and quality related issues. India has a successful
growing economy and the Fashion industry of the country has advanced tremendously in
the recent years. The increasing use of fashion goods and the emerging market has
intrigued foreign as well as local brands to provide services to its customers. In today’s
modern India more and more people are switching on to branded apparel than non-
branded ones. Increase in the income of consumers, increase in literacy level among
consumers, globalization, increase in purchasing power and consumer consciousness
towards fashion are the important factors which create demand for branded apparels in
India. Liberty Shirts was the first company to sell shirts under its brand name in India
during 1950’s. Then there was no looking back for the branded apparel market. Many
national as well as international brands have established themselves in Indian garment
industry. Branded apparels captivated the market of both menswear and women’s wear
and slowly catching up in children wear segment. Media and promotions have been the sole
reasons for the brand awareness and consciousness among the Generation Y. This is the
new trend that more and more young people are buying clothes which are of a particular
reputed brand. When they are out shopping in a chic shopping mall they are sure to visit
one of the big brands to buy a pair of jeans or a shirt from the shop. Today the youth are
eager to shell out a fortune to buy branded cloths. The common concept is that the clothing
brands provide high quality and great comfort. And hence more and more people are
becoming brand loyalist even though they have to give out quite a huge sum of money when
he is making his purchases. Most people tend to go and buy which are highly reputed and
have a brand value. By brand value people mean by the quality, the price and the style.
Being brand conscious is the new fashion mantra which has caught on like forest fire. The
increased income levels help the young people to buy from big clothing brands with much
ease and comfort.

UNDERSTANDING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Consumer behavior refers to the mental and emotional process and the observable
behavior of consumers during searching, purchasing and post consumption of a product or
service. It involves study of how people buy, what they buy, when they buy and why they
buy. It blends the elements from psychology, sociology, socio psychology, anthropology and
economics. It also tries to assess the influence on the consumer from groups such as family,
friends, reference groups and society in general.

 There are several factors affecting consumer buying behavior, which can be broadly
classified as:-
 Social Factors- Which refer to forces that other people exert and which affect
consumers’ purchase behavior. These social factors include culture and subculture,
roles and family, social class and reference groups.
  Psychological Factors- Which are internal to an individual and generate forces
within that influence her/his purchase behavior. The major forces include motives,
perception, learning, attitude and personality.
 Personal Factors- Which include those aspects that are unique to a person and
influence purchase behavior. These factors include demographic factors, lifestyle,
and situational factors.
 Buying behavior involves both individual and group process.
 Buyer behavior is reflected from awareness right through post purchase evaluation
indicating satisfaction and non satisfaction, from purchaser.
 Buyer behavior includes communication, purchasing and consumption behavior.
 Consumer behavior is basically social in nature hence the social factors play
important roles in shaping buying behavior.
 Buyer behavior includes both customer and industrial behavior.

“Hence the consumer behavior is an orderly process whereby the consumer interacts with
the environment for making a purchase decision on products”

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AND MARKETING MANAGEMENT

Marketing management work around consumers which is actually the market

for them:

 Understanding their behavior is a very vital in every segment to plan

marketing activities accordingly.
 Both industrial and individual customers are vital in marketing
management.

DIVERSITY OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

 Customer and Consumer words are referred as synonyms but the

difference exists.
 CUSTOMER= the purchaser of product or service, may or may not be the end
user.
 CONSUMER=the end user may or may not be the purchaser.
 New age of business demands differentiation of customers by individual
differences in consumer expectations, preferences, and influences.
 Firms need to go deep of consumer behavior to analyze and act to
achieve objectives.

CONCEPT AND NEED FOR STUDYING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR:

Consumer behavior can be said to be the study of how individual make decision on how
to spend their available resources (time, money, effort) on various consumption related
items. The simple definition of consumer behavior tells the market to resolve every activity
around the ultimate consumer and gauge their behavior by specially focusing on:

 Who buys product or services?

 How do they buy products or service?
 Where do they buy them?
 How often they buy them?
 Why do they buy them?
 How often they use them?

These questions will help in understanding better what factors influences the decision
making process of the customer. The decision making process indentifies the number of
people who are involve in this process and describe a role to them like users, decides,
influences, and buyers.

It is believed that consumers or customers make purchase decision on the basis of receipt of
a small number of selectivity chosen pieces of information. Thus it will be very important to
understand what and how much them to evaluate the goods and service offerings.

Types of Consumer Behavior:

 Complex buying behavior

 Dissonance-reducing buying behavior
 Habitual buying behavior
 Variety seeking buying behavior
1. Complex buying behavior:
Complex buying behavior is encountered particularly when consumers are buying an
expensive product. In this infrequent transaction, consumers are highly involved in the
purchase decision. Consumers will research thoroughly before committing to invest.
Consumer behaves very different when buying an expensive product or a product that is
unfamiliar to him. When the risk of buying a product is very high, a consumer consults
friends, family and experts before making the decision.
For example, when a consumer is buying a car for the first time, it’s a big decision as it
involves high economic risk. There is a lot of thought on how it looks, how his friends and
family will react, how his social status will change after buying the car, and so on.
In complex buying behavior, the buyer will pass through a learning process. He will first
develop beliefs about the product, then attitudes, and then making a thoughtful purchase
choice. For complex buying behavior customers, marketers should have a deep
understanding of the products. It is expected that they help the consumer to understand
about their product. It is important to create advertising message in a way that influences
the buyer’s beliefs and attitudes.

2. Dissonance-reducing buying behavior

In dissonance-reducing buying behavior consumer involvement is very high. This might be
due to high price and infrequent purchase. In addition, there is a low availability of
choices with less significance differences among brands. In this type, a consumer buys a
product that is easily available. Consumers will be forced to buy goods that do not have too
many choices and therefore consumers will be left with limited decision making. Based on
the products available, time limitation or the budget limitation, consumers buy certain
products without a lot of research.
For example, a consumer who is looking for a new collapsible table that can be taken for a
camping quickly decides on the product based on few brands available. The main criteria
here will be the use and the feature of the collapsible table and the budget available with
him. Marketers should run after-sale service camps that deliver focused messaging.  These
campaigns should aim to support consumers and convince them to continue with their
choice of their brand. These marketing campaigns should focus on building repeat
purchases and referrals by offering discounts and incentives.
 
3. Habitual buying behavior
Habitual Buying Behavior is depicted when a consumer has low involvement in a purchase
decision. In this case the consumer perceives only a few significant differences between
brands. When consumers are buying products that they use for their daily routine, they do
not put a lot of thought. They either buy their favorite brand or the one that they use
regularly – or the one available in the store or the one that costs the least.
For example, while a consumer buys a loaf of bread, he tends to buy the brand that he is
familiar with without actually putting a lot of research and time. Many products fit into
this category. Everyday use products, such as salt, sugar, biscuits, toilet paper, and black
pepper all fit into this product category. Consumer just goes for it and buys it – there is no
brand loyalty. Consumers do not research or need information regarding purchase of such
products.  Habitual buying behavior is influenced by radio, television and print media.
Moreover, consumers are buying based on brand familiarity. Hence marketers must use
repetitive advertisements to build brand familiarity. Further to initiate product trial,
marketers should use tactics like price drop promotions and sales promotions. 
Marketers should attract consumers using visual symbols and imagery in their advertising.
Consumers can easily remember visual advertisements and can associate with a brand.

4. Variety seeking buying behavior

In variety seeking consumer behavior, consumer involvement is low. There are significant
differences between brands. Here consumers often do a lot of brand switching. The cost of
switching products is low, and hence consumers might want to try out new products just
out of curiosity or boredom. Consumers here, generally buy different products not because
of dissatisfaction but mainly with an urge to seek variety.
For example, a consumer likes to buy a cookie and choose a brand without putting much
thought to it. Next time, the same consumer might may choose a different brand out of a
wish for a different taste. Brand switching occurs often and without intention. Brands have
to adopt different strategies for such type of consumer behavior. The market leader will
persuade habitual buying behavior by influencing the shelf space. The shelf will display a
large number of related but different product versions. Marketers avoid out-of-stock
conditions, sponsor frequent advertising, offer lower prices, discounts, deals, coupons and
free samples to attract consumers.

FACTOR INFLUENCING BUYING BEHAVIOR

 ECONOMIC  PERSONAL  PSYCOLOGICAL  CULTURAL/S

FACTORS: FACTOR FACTOR:
 FACTOR:
 Personal  Age  Lifestyle and  Culture/ sub cu
income- Attitude
Discretionar
y income,
Disposable
income
 Family  Occupation  Learning  Social class
income
 Expectations  Life cycle  Perception  Opinion leader
regarding stage
future
income
 Liquid assets  Lifestyle  Involvement  Role and Statu
and
consumer
credit
 Level of  Personality  Motivation  Social groups
standard of and self
living concept

FACTOR INFLUENCING BUYING BEHAVIOR

Individual factor
Cognitive factor- thinking process, perception, attitudes, needs and
motives.
Personal factors- Demographic lifestyle, personal traits.
Environmental factors
Culture- values, beliefs, sub cultural, cross cultural factors
Social class- social class society
Influence groups- family, opinion leaders, reference group
Situational variables- purchase occasion, market communication,
shopping behavior, price, sales influence, products positioning

CONSUMER DECISION MAKING PROCESS

What is Consumer Decision Making Process?
Consumer decision making process involves the consumers to identify their needs, gather
information, evaluate alternatives and then make their buying decision. The consumer
behavior may be determined by economic and psychological factors and are influenced by

Environmental factors like social and cultural values. The consumer decision making
behavior is a complex procedure and involves everything starting from problem
recognition to post-purchase activities. Every consumer has different needs in their daily
lives and these are those needs which make than to make different decisions. Decisions can
be complex, comparing, evaluating, selecting as well as purchasing from a variety of
products depending upon the opinion of a consumer over a particular product. This
renders understanding and realizing the basic problem of the consumer decision making
process for marketers to make their products and services different from others in the
marketplace.

1. Identify the decision:

To make a decision, you must first identify the problem you need to solve or the question
you need to answer. Clearly define your decision. If you misidentify the problem to solve,
or if the problem you’ve chosen is too broad. If you need to achieve a specific goal from
your decision, make it measurable and timely so you know for certain that you met the goal
at the end of the process.

2. Gather relevant information:

Once you have identified your decision, it’s time to gather the information relevant to that
choice. Do an internal assessment, seeing where your organization has succeeded and failed
in areas related to your decision. Also, seek information from external sources, including
studies, market research, and, in some cases, evaluation from paid consultants.

Beware: you can easily become bogged down by too much information—facts and statistics
that seem applicable to your situation might only complicate the process.

3. Identify the alternatives:

With relevant information now at your fingertips, identify possible solutions to your
problem. There is usually more than one option to consider when trying to meet a goal—
for example, if your company is trying to gain more engagement on social media, your
alternatives could include paid social advertisements, a change in your organic social media
strategy, or a combination of the two.

4. Weigh the evidence:

Once you have identified multiple alternatives, weigh the evidence for or against said
alternatives. See what companies have done in the past to succeed in these areas, and take a
good hard look at your own organization’s wins and losses. Identify potential pitfalls for
each of your alternatives, and weigh those against the possible rewards.

5. Choose among alternatives:

Here is the part of the decision-making process where you know, make the decision.
Hopefully, you’ve identified and clarified what decision needs to be made, gathered all
relevant information, and developed and considered the potential paths to take. You are
perfectly prepared to choose.

6. Take action:

Once you’ve made your decision, act on it! Develop a plan to make your decision tangible
and achievable. Develop a project plan related to your decision, and then set the team loose
on their tasks once the plan is in place.

7. Review your decision:

After a predetermined amount of time—which you defined in step one of the decision-
making process—take an honest look back at your decision. Did you solve the problem?
Did you answer the question? Did you meet your goals? If so, take note of what worked for
future reference. If not, learn from your mistakes as you begin the decision-making process
again.

DECISION MAKING PROCESS

CHAPTER-2: BRANDED FASHION APPAREL INDUSTRY

INTRODUCTION:

The Indian customer has undergone a remarkable transformation. Just a decade or two
ago, the Indian customer saved most of his income, purchased the bare necessities and
rarely indulged himself. Today, armed with a higher income, credit cards, exposure to the
shopping culture of the west and a desire to improve his standard of living, the Indian
consumer is spending like never before. Organized retail with its variety of products and
multitude of malls and supermarkets is fuelling their addiction. Most customers’
preferences change according to the change in Fashion.

APPAREL INDUSTRY

The Apparel Industry reflects people’s lifestyles and shows their social and economic
status. The Apparel and Textile industry is India’s second largest industry after IT
Industry. At present it is amongst the fastest growing industry segment and is also the
second largest foreign exchange earner for the country. The apparel industry accounts for
26% of all Indian export The Indian government has targeted the apparel and textiles
industry segments to reach $50 billion by the year 2015. One of the most interesting
features of the apparel industry is that, it migrates from high cost nations to the low cost
nations. The growth of the domestic demand for clothing in India is linked with the success
of the retailing sector. India presently has entered the second phase of growth and is
witnessing a massive rise in the domestic demand. This is primarily due to the rise in the
standard of living caused by the rise in the middle income groups. In our present economic
world of demand and supply, price and quality are the key factors, which determine the
success of any BUSINESS.

Apparels Fashion: The apparel fashion plays a paramount role in shaping apparel
consumerism. As lifestyles change, fashion in India is becoming more diversified, as in the
Western countries. Technology, ideas and lifestyles are moving concurrently and quickly.
Companies and brands that offered monotonous and mundane products for years, have
now multiplied their product ranges and new appealing styles, shapes and forms are being
launched each season by them. Identification of the role of apparel as a sign of business
success is not a new concept. A review of related literature revealed that self-image/product
image congruity was related to an individual’s behavior to a particular item and that
apparel products had symbolic meaning. Studies have considered the relationship between
the self and apparel and have taken into account the various aspects of the self such as
actual self-image and ideal self-image. If the image of an outfit were a positive match with
the self-image, including both the actual self and the ideal self, the apparel item would be
worn most of the time.
YOUNG SHOPPER: India‘s population is young, very young. Most consumers have grown
up with television, the Internet, and have been exposed to the standards of living and
consumer culture abroad. This generation is also making money at a younger age and lots
of it, thanks to call centers and other avenues of employment opening up that cater to

Students in college and schools. As a result they are ready to spend most, if not all of their
income on apparel.

HISTORY:

Clothing is one of humanity's basic needs; its primary function is to protect the body from
the elements. Clothing styles, however, are diverse, having been influenced by well-known
people, religion, tradition, art, science, and more recently, the media. Archaeologists have
found no clothing from early periods before the Stone Age. This may be because of the
fragility of the garments; even if they were buried, they didn't survive the weathering of the
centuries. It is assumed that prehistoric people made clothing for warmth from the skins of
animals killed for food. The clothes may have been unfitted and tied or wrapped around
the body. Toward the end of the Stone Age (about 10,000 years ago), the first sewn clothing
was made in the southern regions of Europe with needles carved from bone. In the
northern regions, people used leather straps to sew together skins. Holes were made in the
garments and hooks were used to pull leather thongs through the skins. From pottery and
wall paintings, archaeologists have clues to the clothing of the ancient Egyptians. Material
was woven from spun thread. The thread was spun on a spindle, a long smooth stick with a
notch at one end for catching the thread or yarn. Spinning the spindle against a bowl,
called a whorl, and produced a fairly even, continuous fiber. These fibers were formed into
fabric by weaving. The first clothing Egyptian men wore was a band around the waist, with
pendants and religious objects hanging from the band. The first clothing worn by Egyptian
women was a white linen skirt that reached down to the ankles. The first pair of trousers
was worn in Persia around the sixth century B.C. The type of clothing worn in any location
often was influenced by the climate. In warmer climates, both men and women tended to
wear dresses and other loose fitting apparel that was open at the bottom. Those in colder
climates were more likely to wear pants. Religious customs also influenced the type of
apparel worn. For example, in the 12th century when the Muslims conquered northern and
central India, dramatic changes were made in the dress code to conform to Muslim
practice. Until the conquest, the warm climate had dictated that dress styles leave some of
the body uncovered, but the Muslim practice of covering as much of the body as possible
led to a change. For women, this meant covering the arms, legs, and in many areas, the
head and most of the face. It was also in the 12th century that the spinning wheel came into
use, although its origin is unknown. The spinning wheel increased the speed at which
threads and yarns could be produced. The two-bar loom was invented at about the same
time, increasing the speed at which the threads could be woven. Advances in fabric making
resulted in more beautiful and widely available clothing. The next wave of inventions to
assist fabric makers in their art came during the 18th century. The spinning jenny, a
machine that spun more than one thread at a time, was invented by James Hargreaves in
about 1764. The water-frame, cotton-spinning machine invented by Richard Arkwright
made hard, twisted thread from cotton rather than linen, the fiber used until then. In 1785,
Edmund Cartwright developed a power loom that ran on steam. He opened a factory in
England that used the machine for rapid production of fabric. In 1793, Eli Whitney, an
American inventor, developed the cotton gin, which reduced the amount of time and
manpower necessary to pull the seeds from cotton. In 1830, Barthelme Thimonnier’s
patented a sewing machine in Paris. The same fate befell Thimonnier’s and Cartwright: In
fear of losing their livelihood, weavers and tailors destroyed their factories, leading to
many instances of destruction and violence across Europe. In 1846, Elias Howe of the
United States developed a sewing machine. The machine was quick and used two threads in
a lockstitch pattern, as sewing machines use today. Howe's sewing machine was no more
accepted by tailors in the United States than Thimonnier's invention had been in Paris and
Howe sold part of the patent rights in England. In 1851, Isaac Singer built the sewing
machine that would survive the objections of the tailors. The machine made only simple
stitches, and although it sped production of the basic elements of garments, tailors still
were needed for much of the manufacturing process. These early workers were required to
purchase their own sewing machines. As the Industrial Revolution progressed, the sewing
machine was joined in 1860 by a band-knife cutting machine, invented by John Barran of
Leeds, England, that cut several layers of fabric. In the 1890s, the first spreading machine
was put to use in garment making, as was the first buttonhole machine, which was invented
in the United States at the Reece Machinery Company. Factories began to replace craft
shops. In the early 20th century, New York City's Lower East Side became the largest
clothing-production zone in the world. This was due to the city's large population of
immigrant garment workers and its easy access to both New England's woolen mills and
the South's cotton mills. The small garment factories were poorly lit and ventilated, unsafe,
and unsanitary. The rooms were packed with workers who labored 12 or 14 hours a day
for meager wages. The term sweatshop was used to describe these early businesses .On
March 25, 1911, in New York City, a disastrous fire swept through the Triangle Shirtwaist
Factory, killing 146 people, most of them young girls. The building had only one fire
escape, and the exit doors were blocked. The factory had just been approved by the city
inspectors for fire safety. As a direct result of the tragedy, the city was forced to revise its
building codes and labor laws, and membership in garment industry unions increased
dramatically. The International Ladies Garment Workers Union, founded in 1900,
developed enough support after the fire to lobby for labor laws to be enacted and enforced.
The Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America was established in 1914 and soon became
one of the largest unions in the apparel industry. The era of the sweatshop was coming to
an end in the United States. The World Wars increased the need for clothing production
and helped maintain the United States' leadership position in the apparel-producing
industry. Like many other fields, the apparel industry was starting to specialize and
departmentalize. Jobbers bought raw materials, such as cotton, and sold it to contractors.
Contractors made materials—fabrics, threads, or even garments. Manufacturers bought
materials and threads and made clothes to sell to wholesalers or to distributors who owned
their own stores. Wholesalers sold finished products to retail stores. However, shops that
produced finished garments from raw materials still existed; they were called vertical mills
and vertical mill distributors. During the first half of the 20th century, the garment
industry was concentrated in the United States and Great Britain. By the 1950s, many
other countries, including Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, South Africa, the
Scandinavian countries, Australia, and Japan, began to expand their garment industries.
In the 1960s, the garment industry grew rapidly worldwide, expanding greatly in the Far
East, especially in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The greatest
change in the apparel industry in the last 50 years has been the migration of manufacturing
jobs to Asia. A substantial number of garments are made abroad because of the reduced
cost of labor and taxes as well as technologically advanced, well-engineered factories. The
quantity of clothing imported increased by more than 300 percent in the late 20th century.
Because of the limited investment required to cut and sew garments and the tendency of
firms to specialize in one operation, such as cutting, small companies can enter this
industry. Most manufacturers have small factories, which employ fewer than 100 workers.
However, employment is concentrated in mills with 50 or more employees

Growth of the Industry:

Apparel industry plays a pivotal role in developing a countries economy in terms of
revenue generation and creation of employment. The industry is undergoing a drastic
change due to global sourcing and high level of price competition. Favorable demographic
factors, rise in disposable incomes, change in consumer behavior and a substantial shift
towards branded apparel has resulted in a positive growth in the global apparel market.
Global exports of apparel which was 108 billion USD in 1990, increased drastically to 453
billion USD in 2004, which is a positive of 138% increase during the last 14 years. Industry
leaders contemplate an increase of 600 billion USD by 2014 which promises a potential
market for efficient producers. Asian countries contribute to a 50% of the total global
apparel exports. Apparel industry is more labor intensive. So the countries endowed with
abundant labor power, has a promising future for its nourished growth.
Apparel Manufacturers: Country-wise comparison:

China has almost 50% of the market share of the total apparel manufacturing in a global
perspective followed by India, Hong Kong Mexico, Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh and
Srilanka.

China:
China is the largest exporter in the world and is a major sourcing hub for apparels. Its
economic policy and availability of cheap and abundant labor has made it climb up the
apparel ladder. Their apparel exports have increased by 25% in 2006 from 2005. Economic
policies regarding FDI have also helped China to increase its apparel exports to a
considerable extent. Investment in machineries in the apparel sector is $ 1 million. Japan,
Hong Kong and US are the largest importers of Chinese apparels. Short lead-time, larger
capacity and well-developed infrastructure, availability of profuse and cheap labor and
manufacturers flexibility in product offerings contribute to the countries success.

India:
India has an abundant supply of cotton and man-made fiber, a well-established production
base, availability of cheap and skilled labor and creative designers. Besides, the
Governments liberalization on FDI and export policies also nurtures the growth of apparel
industry in India. India is considered as a best alternative for sourcing of apparel industry
next to China by the global business giants. Chinese apparel and textile industry is not only
lucrative for domestic players but is also attracting the international giants. The expected
sourcing market is likely to be 25 billion USD in 2008 and is positively expected to grow by
35 billion USD in 2011. 2008 will witness the entry of new international brands in India.
This will enhance layout of the domestic stores with global trends. International style malls
will also provide new technology and comfort for the shoppers.

Emerging trend:
Apparel manufacturers now concentrate more on the marketing and branding of their
products. A branded product sells itself in the market. Less effort is needed to promote a
branded product as the consumer trend now a day is leaning towards acquiring branded
items. Some firms seek merging with other firms to sustain in the competitive market.
Some other firms, apart from production also move into other functions like, warehousing,
entering the retail market etc. Computer aided design systems have also helpful in
circulating new and latest fashions across the globe. These advancements in technology and
flexible strategies of the apparel industries enable them to meet the growing competition
and offer fashionable garments at an acceptable cost.

Conclusion:
Apparel industry represents a dynamic sector in the global trade. The performance of
Asia-pacific regions like China, India, Hong Kong, Philippines, Indonesia, and Bangladesh
in the apparel sector is astounding. China is the largest manufacturer and exporter of
apparels. India’s garment export sector has grown substantially since the elimination of
quotas. Global exporters look at Turkey, South Korea and Mexico as alternate markets to
China. Due to a rebound in FDI, Indonesian market has a healthy pace. Despite the
competition from China and India, Bangladesh’s performance is noticeable in the post-
quota period. Philippines apparel exports have a good market in USA. Consolidation
through mergers and acquisitions creates opportunities for economies of scale. Consumer is
aware of the current fashion trends through modern Medias like television and Internet.
New business strategies are adopted by the apparel manufacturers to enhance trade. The
industry is expected and estimated to grow in leaps and bounds and generate a
considerable amount of revenue and employment in a global perspective.

Fashion Companies

To cater to the large, 3,000 billion, textile and garment industry new companies are
entering the market daily. Most of these companies remain rather unknown to the
consumer audience, better known are the individual brands that are part of these
global fashion companies.

LVMH, Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, a French luxury conglomerate is currently the
largest fashion company worldwide. LVMH’s annual revenues reached 42.6 billion
Euros in 2017 and the company are valued around 122 billion Euros. The company
operates a chain of independent stores and shops-in-shops for fashion brands such as
Louis Vuitton, Fendi and Dior. LVMH does not only stand for high-end fashion, but
provides for every aspect of a luxury lifestyle, from champagne (Moët) to sailing
yachts (Royal Van Lent).

US-based athleisure - and lifestyle brand Nike is the second largest fashion company
worldwide. In 2017 Nike’s revenues amounted to 34.4.6 billion dollars and a market
value of nearly 105 billion dollars. Nike offers its products worldwide and its largest
markets are the United States, 46 percent of the total revenues, and Western Europe
(19 percent). Most of Nike’s income, nearly 90 percent, comes from the Nike brand.
The remaining 10 percent comes from Converse, which is a subsidiary of Nike. The
brand’s best selling division is footwear, accounting for 63 percent of Nike’s income.

Spanish fast-fashion giant Inditex - with a market value of nearly a 92 billion dollars
- is the third largest fashion company worldwide. Inditex owns brands like Zara, Pull
Bear and Stradivarius. The Spanish company is valued at 75 billion Euros and its
2017 annual revenue was 25.34 billion Euros. Inditex has stores is every major city in
Europe, which also account for the majority of the company’s revenue.

Fashion industry market share: 4%

Fashion industry market value: 406 billion $

APPAREL AND GARMENT INDUSTRY IN INDIA AND EXPORT

HIGHLIGT:

 India is the second largest textile exporter in the world. In 2017, India’s share in
global trade of textiles and apparels was approximately 5 per cent.
 In FY19, total textile and clothing exports stood at US$ 36.62 billion and reached
US$ 22.94 during April-November 2019.
  Ready-made garments (RMG) exports from India stood at US$ 16.27 billion in
2018-19 and US$ 10.03 billion during April-November 2019.
 India is the largest cotton producer in the world at 33.7 million bales of 170 kg each.
 Fibre exports of the country in 2018-19 were valued at US$ 2.72 billion. During
April-November 2019, Fibre exports stood at US$ 721.55 million.
 Total value of Yarn, Fabrics and Made-ups exports of the country stood at US$
15.79 billion during 2018-19. During April-November 2019, the exports stood at US$
9.37 billion.
 Main markets for Indian textile and apparel exports are:
o USA
o European Union
o Parts of Asia
o Middle East

EXPORT

RMG
Textile
Cotton
Fibre


In the future, India’s apparel exports are expected to increase considerably. Total
exports of textiles and apparel are expected to touch US$ 82 billion by 2021 with
CAGR of 12.06%

LITERATURE REVIEW:

In this research author describe shopping as a gendered activity can however be an over
simplification. Despite this fact, there are still some general differences between the female
and male shopping behavior. A common stereotype about men and shopping is that men
enter one store, buy what they need, and then quickly leave. Women see clothes as a mean
for self-identity and status symbol, whereas men focus more on functional and financial
benefits. {Dholakia (1999)}
In this study author stated to satisfy the needs and wants of the target customer is the main
objective of marketing. Consumer Behavior is a subject that deals with the factors that
affect the buying behavior of a customer. It gives an idea that how customer select,
purchase and use product and service to satisfy their needs and desires. {Kotler (2008)}

In this author stated in order to discuss female or male shopping behavior some main
notions need to be clarified: The term sex is a biological concept referring to whether a
person is physiologically a man or a woman. Gender is a social concept referring to
psychologically, sociologically, and culturally rooted behavioral tendencies of men and
women. {Moss (2008)}

Author stated that the perception of fashion varies among different generations. Younger
people generally prefer a higher number of low quality, cheap and fashionable clothes,
compared to the older generation which prefers to purchase a fewer number of higher
quality clothes. The older consumers will see fashion as a waste since it means buying
garments of low quality and then throwing away older clothes as soon as the new ones hang
in the cupboard. {Bhardwaj and Fairhurst (2006)}

Leung and Taylor (2002) In this author study on fashion buying criteria of X generation
consumers in Hong Kong found that consumers of this category are attracted by a good
interior store layout; and feel good service is essential when buying fashionable clothing
{Leung and Taylor(2002)}

In the Indian context, a study was done by Sinha et al. (2002) on store choice behavior that
indicated Indian shoppers on an overall basis give importance to proximity of the store,
merchandise and service provided by the store and stores dealing in apparels are also
chosen based on ambience.

In this research author`s studied Buyer-seller relationship for promotional support in the
apparel sector which is critical for success. { Kincade, Doris H, Woodard, Ginger A, Park
Haesun (2002)}

Author stated that several fashion retailers have adopted a concept known as “edited
retailing” whereby the customer is offered a limited though changing choice of
merchandise that is highly coordinated, offering a high degree of product range
compatibility. {Wilans (2002)}

In this author studied the occasion for which an apparel item is bought does influence the
consumer’s importance rating of the store environment and there were higher expectations
for the environment of a store offering formal merchandize than a store offering casual
merchandize. {Moye and Kincade (2003)}

In this author had said that JC Penny a leading retail chain of US looks India for sourcing
its garments in woven and hosiery. He is of opinion that India will be fulfilling its major
need of Hosiery and woven garments in cotton while China will be good for synthetic
fabrics and its garments. {Vivek (2004)}

In this author emphasized that Indian textile Industry has to change to be more
competitive in the long run. This paper emphasizes that merely cost competence is not
enough to maintain the lead while Indian companied has to have a global competitive view.
{Chugan (2005)}

In this author explained that the textile and the apparel business provides employment for
more than any other business segment, directly providing a livelihood for many millions of
people, including 37 million individuals in India alone. {Kunz and Garner (2007)

Dr.Biradar et.al. (2008) In this article they pointed out that the organized retail sector is
registering tremendous growth fuelled by the unleashed spending power of new age
customers who have considerable disposable income and willingness to have new shopping
experience. It is emphasized that India’s top retailers are largely lifestyle, clothing and
apparel stores followed by grocery stores. The paper further mentions that increasing
number of nuclear families, working women, greater work pressure and increased
commuting time; convenience has become a priority for Indian consumers. All these
aspects offer an excellent business opportunity for organized retailers in the country.
Designers have acknowledged that they alone cannot decide what their customers want and
they are offering as more of fashion to consumers‟ attention. {Dr.Biradar et.al. (2008)}

Author focuses on the impact of branding on youth in choice of clothing as it is

hypothesized that they are brand conscious. He suggests that brand conscious is the right
choice. {Fernandez (2009)}

Author quoted “clothing” which helps them create an image and identity for themselves.
Peer influence plays a crucial role in their choice of brands as it aids in their socialization
process. In addition, advertising is an important variable in conferring brand values and
establishing an image for the brand. Celebrity endorsements have a huge impact on
branded clothing too as they promote certain attributes like image, quality and status. The
researcher recommends that to retain loyalty of youth, brand managers need to build an
emotional attachment to make the brand special and bring lasting competitive advantage.
Additionally, advertising should be used to not only create awareness but influence brand
image and preference. {Sonika Mishra (2017)}

In this author covered that the medium to high potential consumers that international and
national brand can target in the Indian context. This study measures the segment values of
some brands those have achieve success in the Indian market. Study shows that people are
becoming mere brand conscious with the increase in income level. Brands and individuals
would do well to understand the finer aspects of the scenario, and venture out to capitalize
on the opportunities. {Verma, A.P. and Tiwari (2011)}
 Yin, H.S. and Susan, S. (2012) this study examine the purchase preferences towards
foreign and domestic branded apparels. It was found that preferences towards foreign
branded apparels are related to the level of purchasing power and is not related to the
demographics variables. 58% of the students surveyed preferred foreign branded apparel.
There is a positive relationship between media influence and preferences towards
foreign/domestic branded apparel. The more a person is exposed to the media, the stronger
will be the influence of the media in “persuading” the individual to purchase the apparel.
{Yin, H.S. And Susan (2002)}

Author defines “Clothing is an important part of women’s life and plays a major role in
building the female identity and status. Cloths help the women to enhance their confidence
and strengthen their self esteem. Clothing is referred to as specialty good since consumers
often make an effort for seeking out the garment that they require. Most of the female
focus on product attributes, fashion trends and other factors related to social or
psychological needs of the customer. These characteristics help them to choose their cloths
according to their preference and it also suits with tradition and culture. {Nirbhan Singh
(2013)}

In this author explained that in spite of the apparel consumer’s increasing demand and
their active role in the diffusion of innovation, the study highlights the importance of
research in the domain of apparel industry to tap this increasing potential. Apparel
retailers and suppliers also have a decisive role to play in order to understand the
consumer behavior for buying the fashion apparel so that they may cater to this segment
more profitably. {Namrata Anand, Vandana Khetarpal (2014)}

The objectives of this research are to ascertain the branded apparel most preferred by
respondents and to examine customer’s perception towards retail garments showrooms
and factor they Considered to choose a particular retail garments showroom for their
shopping in Tirunelveli Hub. The study reveals that Raymond, Peter England, and John
player remains the top three branded apparels preferred by the respondents. It is clear
that most of the shoppers on branded apparel were highly influenced by the factors such as
durability, reference groups, wider choice of colour and design, attractiveness, price range
and celebrity endorser. Most of the customers are expecting reduced price and wider
choice of colour and design. The manufacturers of branded apparel must focus on all these
factors to formulate branding strategies effectively and to sustain their growth. Convenient
shop hours and the offer & discounts are the two factors that contribute more to prefer a
particular retail garment showroom. The retailers need to give more attention to these
factors in order to attract and retain their customers. {Meeran Sheek, Ranjitham (2016)}
In this study one can understand that the consumer and his behavior is the cornerstone of
success in marketing. It includes all the physical, mental and emotional processes and
concerned behavior which are observable before, during and after each and every
purchase of goods and services. This make us compelling to understand, observe, record
and react to such behavior, in case we want to have win-win strategy that matter for
marketer and the customer both. The research report presented is based on the Consumer
Perception towards Branded Garments. Through this study an attempt has been made to
practically understand those emotional or rational appeals, which drive the purchase
decision toward the branded garments. Also certain demographic and psychographic
profiles have been studied and certain relation has been developed. {Mittal, P. and
Aggarwal, S (2012)}

This article defines that the Modern era provides high quality materials and lot of variety
in Indian garment market to satisfy the desire of customers. The customers are utilizing the
opportunity too. The results confirm that Indian people have become highly brand
conscious presently. Hence, brand image is a not a significant factor in choosing the
product or brand to buy. There are other aspects like, quality, comfort, expectations and
demographic characteristics are also influence to the purchasing decision that dominate the
purchase decision of males and females. The gender differences do exist with respect to
build attitude towards fashionable apparels and brands. The study gives us the information
males are equally interested to go for shopping as females along with they spend excess
money during shopping than their female counterparts. Frequency of males going for
shopping with their companions has increased over times and has reached almost at par
with that of females. Attitude of males towards clothing varies from that of females.
{Rajput, N and Kesharwani, S (2012)}