Women Consumers Buying Behaviour towards Two Wheelers - A Study

Transcription

1 38 Women Consumers Buying Behaviour towards Two Wheelers - A Study T. Lata Sujata Department of Business Management, R.B.V.R.R. Women s College Hyderabad, India Abstract Women play a significant role in the domestic and socio-economic life of the society. The prominent role of women in decision-making is due to increasing literacy, self-confidence, the control on independent income, and a more playing significant role in the family. The increase in urbanization, higher disposal incomes, falling interest rates, and poor public transport lead to increase in the volume of two-wheelers. An individual chooses personalized transport, instead of public transport to a desired location in most of the situations. This paper reports key findings from an interpretative study of women consumers buying behavior towards two-wheelers in Hyderabad and Secundrabad of India. The statistical tools like simple percentage, ANOVA, factor analysis were applied to realize the objectives of the study. Keywords: Two wheelers, purchasing behavior of women, automobile industry, Compound Annual Growth Rate, ANOVA, Factor Analysis. 1. Introduction Women have a strong potential role in many aspects of economic development in relation to their family responsibilities as well as their work culture. They take up an occupation more out of economic necessity to support the family or to support themselves. Women struggle equally with men in all fields such as managing their careers, managing homes, children, and other responsibilities. They are inherently blessed with multi-tasked skills. The two-wheeler industry has seen phenomenal growth in the last 15 years. Not only are domestic manufacturers producing new vehicles for the Indian market, they are also going international. Several international players like Harley have decided to enter the Indian twowheeler market (CNBC-TV18, Report). Two-wheeler is the only segment in the Indian automotive industry which is likely to report 8-10% volume growth in H1FY15 as against a flattish to declining sales for passenger cars and CVs, respectively. It is believed that Hero Motocorp (HMCL) could surprise positively on the volume front. (P Lilladher, 2014) Table 1: Two Wheeler Production Trends and Sales Trends

2 39 Year Two wheelers Production (number of vehicles) ,05,12,903 93,70, ,33,49,349 1,17,68, ,54,27,532 1,34,09, ,57,44,156 1,37,97, ,68,83,049 1,48,06, ,84,99,970 1,60,04,581 CAGR 9.88% 9.35% Source: Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers,(n.d). Automobile production trends. (Retrieved from The automobile industry in general and the two wheeler industry, in particular, have shown a wonderful growth over the recent years. According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the industry grew by 20.6% in the year The two wheeler segment as a whole during the year grew by over 21%. Similarly the sales of two wheelers also grew by 20.3% in the year The Table 1 depicts the production and sales trend of two wheelers in India Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is the average growth rate over a period of several years. It is a geometric average of annual growth rate. The two wheeler industry reported a CAGR of 9.88% for the period from 2009 to The two wheeler industry is expected to report a volume CAGR of 8-9% by This growth is due to the Government s proposal on rural roads and better connectivity with major towns and cities, enhanced agricultural performance, and increasing trend of purchasing power of rural people. 2. Summary of Prior Research Two wheelers Sales (number of vehicles) To form a theoretical base, empirical studies are conducted in India as well as abroad and are presented in this section. In order to find out the gaps in the studies, it is related to review the available literature on the connected aspects of the present study. Feldwick (1996) proposed that a new approach for measuring, analyzing, and predicting a brand s equity in a product market. It was applied to the digital cellular phone market in Korea and it was showed that the proposed approach has good face validity and convergent validity, with brand awareness playing the largest role, followed by non-attribute preference. Sawant (2007) stated in his study that the maintenance and millage were the two important deciding factors in the purchase decision process. A big difference in price, suitability for women, millage, and resale value amongst various models available in the market are the other factors. Sahadev (2010) commented on the marketing strategy of the two wheeler segment in the automobile industry. An attempt was made to understand the satisfaction levels of the customers toward dealer services depending upon their profile, that is, customer s income, demographic factors, such as age, gender, occupation, education and so forth. Soni and Soni (2012) found that friends and spouses play a major role while making a purchase decision regarding the purchase of a two wheeler.

3 40 Keeping in view the ever increasing growth rate of population, prevailing standards of living and cost of vehicles, financial support from banks, two-wheeler bikes would continue to dominate the automobile industry in India. Based on the previous studies, it can be concluded that some studies have been conducted with respect to customer s satisfaction levels with their two wheelers, but there is no detailed and comprehensive study on working women s perception towards two wheelers. Hence the present study focuses on the attributes that influence women to fill the gap of previous studies. 3. Main Drivers Industrialization has brought vast changes in the automobile Industry, because growth and development of any area requires appropriate transportation facilities. Automobile industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in our country. The rapid growth of middle class section is the primary reason for the growth of two-wheeler Industry. People in rural and semi urban areas are trying to elevate their life styles and people in metropolitan cities are completely disappointed with the public transport system. India is the third largest manufacturer and second largest consumer of two wheelers in the world. It has been achieved due to variety of reasons like restrictive policy of the Government of India and rising demand for personal transport. In an interview to CNBC- TV-18, Kevin D sa said that the two-wheeler industry is going through some pain and that will last for another six months while 2014 maybe a bit of a challenge. According to an ICRA study, product positioning has undergone a change with all original equipment makers (OEMs) relinquishing geared scooter designs and introducing gearless scooters with low-kerb weight and self-start features. Pramanik (2011) mentioned in his study that Jitin Makkar, a two-wheeler industry analyst with ICRA said that the focus of the OEMs has largely shifted to gearless scooters. Their target segment is increasingly leaning towards women customers. All the ads are also positioned for this particular consumer segment. According to Laldinliana (2012), it is found that in recent years, Indian automobile industry has seen a dynamic growth especially in two-wheeler segment. India is the second largest producer of two-wheelers in the whole world. The younger generation of India is crazy about two-wheelers and hence prefers two-wheelers over four-wheelers. The two-wheeler segment of Indian automobile industry is increasing day by day. In the current scenario, many automobile giants are eyeing Indian two-wheeler segment and competing with each other by providing cult looks, advanced technology, and great engineering designs. Another major segment in the two-wheeler section is the scooter/scooterettes and mopeds. With the increase in working women population, more and more women are looking for easy commuting options and want to be self-dependent. Many companies are now targeting women to boost their two-wheeler sales. They are coming up with latest models, new designs, new features, and cutting-edge technology. According to Kameswari et al. (2005), vehicles are identified as a means of logistic and conveyance, a dynamic of livelihood, and even an insignia of wealth and luxury. Whatever the perception be, vehicles, whether two-wheelers or four-wheelers, are expensive and need constant care and maintenance. In their study they mentioned about the factors considered in buying twowheelers and four-wheelers in Mizoram, a remote and rugged state in the north-east corner of India having a total road length of 4, kms, out of which 2, kms were surfaced road

4 41 (Census of India, 2001) and only 18 petrol pumps all over the state (Economic and Statistics, 2008). Given the various infrastructural constraints and backwardness of the state, the study tries to identify which of the ancillary attributes play prominence in the buying behaviour of the rural and urban Mizoram consumers with respect to two-wheelers and four-wheelers. According to Amsaveni and Kokila (2014), the two wheeler section in India has witnessed one of the most imposing levels of growth in the automobile industry. The Indian two wheeler market has undergone significant renovation in recent times and stylish, fuel-efficient, and eco-friendly two wheelers are gaining popularity. In addition, the markets in Asia, Africa, Middle East, South America, and even parts of Europe are progressively emerging as new markets for the Indian two wheelers that indicate their enhanced stature and technological prowess. Vehicles are identified as means of logistics and conveyance, a dynamic of livelihood, and even an insignia of wealth and luxury. Women play a significant role in the domestic and social economic life of the society. The prominent role of women in decision making is due to increasing literacy, ability to be assertive, possession of independent income, and a more significant role in the family. The study tries to identify the attributes playing prominent role in the buying behavior of the working women while purchasing two wheelers. In the study it was also mentioned that the respondents were facing tribulations like frequent breakdown and low mileage. 4. Objectives of the Study 1. To know the influence of various demographic factors while purchasing two wheelers 2. To ascertain consumer s awareness about various brands and models of two wheelers. 3. To analyze the factors influencing women in purchase of two wheelers. 5. Methodology To fulfill the above objectives, a structured form of questionnaire was distributed to 200 women respondents in Hyderabad city, and deliberate attempt was made to give a fair representation to various attributes of the consumer viz., age group, occupation and income of the consumers. Secondary data were collected from books, magazines and from various published articles through internet and journals. Tool Used for Analysis: The collected data were processed both manually and with the help of SPSS. The following tools were used for the study: 1. Simple percentage analysis, 2. ANOVA, 3. Factor Analysis. 6. Scope of the Study The two wheeler market has undergone significant transformation in recent times, and stylish, fuel-efficient, and eco-friendly two wheelers are gaining popularity. Various factors

5 42 such as the availability of two wheelers at reasonable rates, auto loans, and higher disposable incomes have contributed to an evidence upsurge in the demand for two wheelers. There is a marked change in the preferences of the buyers every day. The main objective of the study is to analyze the features that are given importance while buying two wheelers. 7. Results and Discussion Percentage Analysis: Percentage analysis deals with the demographic factors such as marital status, age, educational qualification, and annual income, of the respondents. It can be inferred from Table 2 that a majority of the respondents 59% of the respondents were married, 46% of the respondents belonged to the age group of years, 41% respondents were postgraduate level, 81% of the respondents were employed, and 29% of the respondents earned an annual income between Rs. 2,00,000 and Rs. 2,50,000. Table 3 shows that out of 500 respondents, 20% of the respondents owned Kinetic Flyte, 11% of the respondents owned Figo, 60% of the respondents owned Honda Activa, and 9% of the respondents owned Scooty Pep. From the Table 4 it can be inferred that a majority, that is, 40% of the respondents owned the vehicle for a period of 1 5 years. 56% of the respondents use the vehicle daily, 38% of the respondents covered a distance of km per month on their vehicles, 59% of the respondents purchased the vehicle by paying cash, 64% of the respondents spent above Rs per month and 62% of the respondents were initiated by family members to purchase the vehicle. Table 5 shows that majority of the respondents gave number one rank to good mileage. New model was ranked second, Good pickup and speed was ranked third, easy maintenance was ranked fourth, price factor was ranked fifth, after sales service was ranked as sixth, offers and schemes was ranked as seventh and reputed brand name was ranked as eighth. Table 2 : Demographic Variables of the Respondents Factors Options No. of Percentage (%) Respondents Married Marital Status Unmarried 82 41

6 43 Age Educational Qualification Occupation Income (Annual) Years Years Years and above Years 13 7 Inter 16 8 Graduate Post Graduate Others Student Office Persons Call Center Executives Teachers Lecturers Below Rs.55, Rs.55,000-Rs,1,00, Rs.1,00,000-Rs.1,50, Rs.1,50.00-Rs.2,00, Rs.2,00,000-Rs.2,50, More than and equal to Rs. 2,50,000 Table 3: Vehicle Owned by the Respondents S.No Vehicle No. of Percentage (%) Respondents 1 Kinetic Fiytr Figo Honda Activa Scooty Pep 18 9 Table 4: Respondent s Behaviour towards Various Features of the Two Wheelers

7 44 Factors Options No. of Percentage (%) Respondents Period of Usage 1-6 Months Months-1 year year-5 years More than 5 years Use of Vehicle Very Often 12 6 Daily Weekly Once Based on needs km Kilometers Covered km Per Month km More than 500 km Mode of Purchase Cash Loan Less than Rs 500 per month Amount spent on fuel Rs 500- Rs 1000 per month Above Rs1000 per month Source of Family Information Friends 16 8 Self comfort Advertisement and display Dealers approach 10 5 Table 5: Ranking of the Features by the Respondents S.No Factors Rank Number of Respondents Percentage (%) 1 New Model After sales service Easy Maintenance Price Offers and Schemes Good Millage Good pickup & speed Reputed Brand Name Analysis of Variance: When there are more than two groups are to be compared, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) technique is the appropriate one. The results of ANOVA will show whether or not the means of various groups are significantly different from one another as indicated by F- statistics. ANOVA is adopted to examine the relationship problems related to age, educational qualification, occupation and annual income of the respondents.

8 45 Hypothesis: There is no significant relationship between the demographic factors (viz, age, occupation, educational qualification, annual income) and performance of their two wheelers. Table 6 shows the ANOVA results. The results indicate that at 1% level of significance, with the significance values of 0.086, and , the hypothesis may be accepted and concluded that there is no significant relationship between age, annual income, qualification where as the significance value for occupation is 0.000, it is clear that there is a significant relationship between occupation and performance of the two wheelers. Hence the hypothesis is rejected. Table 6: ANOVA Results Relationship Between Demographic Factors and the Performance of the Two wheeler Age Income Qualification Occupation Sum of Df Mean Square F Sig. Squares Between Groups Within Groups Total Between Groups Within Groups Total Between Groups Within Groups Total Between Groups Within Groups Total Factor Analysis: Factor analysis is a very useful method for reducing data complexity by reducing the number of variables being studied. It was used to identify the various factors for purchasing two wheelers by women consumers. Table 7: Total Variance Explained Compone nts Initial Eigen Values Extraction Sums of Squared Loading Rotation Sums of Squares

9 46 Total % of Variance Cumulativ e % Tota l % of Varian ce Cumulati ve % Tota l E 1.016E E 1.004E E 1.003E E E E E Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. % of Varian ce Cumulati ve % Table 7 shows the Eigen values, percentage of variance, cumulative percentage, and the total variance of the variables identified for the study. The results show that the Eigen value of the first four factors alone was greater than 1, indicating that these factors alone were appropriate for inclusion in the analysis. The same one is also shown in the Figure 1 Scree Plot. The point where the slope of the curve is clearly leveling off (the elbow) indicates the number of factors that should be generated by the analysis. The four factors together accounted for nearly 88% of the total variance. This was considered to be good, because the number of variable could be economized. Table 8 represented the rotated component matrix. The variables - Weight, Colour, Millage, and Insurance have a high loading of 0.928, 0.927, and respectively on factor 1 representation. Thus, Factor 1 can be named as Quality attributes. On Factor 2, it is evident that the variables- Loan, Brand, Price, Advertisement and Comfort have loaded as , 0.828, 0.822, and Thus the Factor 2 is named as Buying Motives. On Factor 3, the variables Style and Self Starter have loadings and 0.954, and therefore, the factor is named as Product features. The variables Maintenance cost and Overall Performance have loadings and respectively.

10 47 Figure 1: Scree Plot of Factor Analysis. Table 8: Rotated Component Matrix a Weight Colour Millage Insurance Loan Brand Price Component Advt Comfort Style Self Starter Maintaince cost Overall Performance Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization. a. Rotation converged in 5 iterations. References

11 48 Amsaveni,R. and Kokila, R. (2014), A Study on Satisfaction Levels of Working Women Towards Two Wheelers in Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, Indian Journal of Marketing,44(5), pp Ayan Pramanik (2011), Two-wheeler makers focus on working women to drive sales, Indial Today, November 28, Feldwick, P (1996), What is brand equity anyway and how do you measure it?, Journal of the Market Research Society, 38(2), pp Kameswari, M.L, Santosh Kumari A, Raghunatha Reddy, D. (2005), Consumer Buying Behaviour in Two-wheeler Industry-with Special Reference to Hero Honda Motorbikes, Indian Journal of Marketing, 35(10), pp Laldinliana (2012), Consumer Behaviour towards Two Wheelers and Four Wheelers: A Study on Rural and Urban Mizoram, 42(10), pp Lilladher, P. (2014), Auto: Prefer Hero Motocorp over Bajaj Auto, May 12, Sahadev, C. (2010), Marketing strategy of two wheeler segment in automobile industry- A Study on Bajaj and Hero Honda. Retrieved from Sawant, S.V. (2007), Buying two wheeler : A changing senerio, The ICFAI Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 2(3), pp Soni, S. and Soni, A,(2012), Consumer behavior towards two-wheeler bikes A comparative study of rural and urban consumers of Jodhpur District of Rajastan, Global Research Analysis, 1(7), pp Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, (n.d). Automobile production trends. Retrieved from Two-wheelers-indian-women, Retrieved from Overdrive rewinds back to 15 yrs of two-wheeler industry, Dec 24, 2014, Source: CNBC-TV18 women users.