Journal of Marketing and Consumer Research - An Open Access International Journal Vol.

1 2013

A Study on Consumer Awareness about Handloom Products with Special Reference to Erode istrict!
Dr.A.Kumudha Associate Pro essor! Department o "usiness #ana$ement P%&' Krishnammal (olle$e or )omen! (oim*atore + mail, -umuddha./ahoo.co.in 'i01ana. # Assistant Pro essor! Department o #ana$ement studies # .%.'amaiah Institute o 2echnolo$/! "an$alore + mail, ri0umehar.$mail.com Abstract 3andloom Industr/ is the inte$ral part o te4tile industr/ in our countr/. 2his industr/ is placed in the second position in terms o pro5ision o li5elihood and comes ne4t to a$riculture. It is the lar$est cotta$e industries 1hich produce (otton! %il-! Jute and Khadi in lar$e 6uantities. 2he demand and popularit/ o Indian handloom has *een $ro1in$ not onl/ in our countr/! *ut also around the 1orld. 3andloom a*ric has a uni6ue character 1hich other mill made or po1erloom a*ric doesn7t ha5e. 2he distincti5eness o handloom products compared 1ith other mill made cloths is not -no1n to the customer. 3ence the present stud/ is an attempt to understand the customer a1areness a*out handloom products. 2he present stud/ is descripti5e in nature. 2he data re6uired or the present stud/ is collected mainl/ rom primar/ sources. %trati ied 'andom samplin$ techni6ue 1as used to select a sample o 800 customers rom i5e di erent talu-s in +rode District! 2amil 9adu. "eywords, 3andloom! customer! a1areness! handloom mar#$%R& 'C%#&$ (onsumers are indi5iduals 1ho *u/ products or household consumption or or themsel5es. (onsumer a1areness re ers to a *u/er7s -no1led$e o a particular product or ser5ices 1hich he:she is $oin$ to consume. 2he consumer ma/ or ma/ not *e conscious a*out the ori$inalit/ and 6ualit/ o the products 1hich he is $oin$ to consume. In the present stud/ on customer a1areness a*out handloom products an e ort has *een made */ the researcher to understand ho1 ar consumers are a1are a*out the handloom products in the e4istence o other mill made cloths and po1erlooom cloths. 2hou$h the handloom products are a5aila*le in man/ places 1hether the consumers can a*le to *u/ the $enuine handloom cloths is a 6uer/ .3ence the present stud/ is to understand the consumer a1areness a*out the handloom products. &(JEC%#)ES &* %HE S%' + 1. 2o understand the le5el o consumer a1areness a*out di erent t/pes o handloom products. 2. 2o understand the le5el o consumer a1areness a*out re*ates o ered or handloom products. 3. 2o identi / the most po1er ul source o in ormation 1hich in luence the consumers to *u/ handloom products. ;. 2o identi / the important occasion that induces customers to *u/ 3andloom- Products. RE)#E, &* -#%ERA%'RE Malmaraugan . /0012 in his stud/ anal/0ed ho1 1ord o mouth has control in ma-in$ purchase decisions o the product saree. 3e has ta-en 12< sample si0e rom 5arious classes o parties and collected the data throu$h =uestionnaire and anal/0ed the result throu$h chi-s6uare method. It is stated that 1ord o mouth is the most in luential po1er as compared to ma$a0ine! *anner! 2V! ne1spaper. It is t1o times e icient as radio ad5ertisin$! our times as e icient as personal sellin$! and se5en times as e icient as ne1spapers and ma$a0ines. )addi and (alakrishnaiah ./0032 in their stud/ aimed to anal/0e the consumer a1areness and consumer *eha5iour to1ards -hadi and 3andloom products as one o their o*>ecti5es. It 1as ound rom the stud/ that in Andhra Pradesh 8? @ o consumers 1ere a1are a*out Khadi and 3andloom a*rics .Irrespecti5e o the reli$ion! communication and education le5els most o the e4hi*ition! melas and re*ate seasons 1ere popularl/ utili0ed */ all classes o consumers 1ho $et attracted */ pu*licit/ and ad5ertisements! interestd */ ne1 desi$ns and *ri$ht colors. Agarwal and -uniya ./003A in their stud/ made an attempt to identi / the *u/in$ *eha5iour o 1omen consumer re$ardin$ hand 1o5en -ota doria saris. 2he stud/ 1as conducted 1ith 8? 1omen respondent o a$e $roup 30 to ;? /ears! ha5in$ amil/ income not less than 's. 1?000 per month. It 1as ound in the stud/ that consumers are 5er/ much a1are a*out the ori$inalit/ o hand 1o5en doria pattern and the -no1led$e o &eo$raphical Indications patent is 5er/ less. Bloral mode o desi$n! all o5er 1o5en pattern! multicolor com*ination! and hand em*roider/ 1as most pre erred. #ost pre erred *u/in$ 5enues 1ere shops .Kota doria 17

Journal of Marketing and Consumer Research - An Open Access International Journal Vol.1 2013 and "anarasi saris are e6uall/ pre erred amon$ hand 1o5en saris. Jeyakodi ./0032 studied the 1or-in$ o re*ate scheme schemes in handloom cooperati5es in 2amilnadu.It is stated in the stud/ that the re*ate on sales o handloom products alls in the class o su*sidies. 2he handloom $oods are costlier than the mill made cloth and this is or the reason handloom Industr/7s producti5it/ is lo1 and 1a$e rate is hi$h. It is also said in the stud/ that due to sti competition the e icienc/ o the handloom 1ea5ers societies are comin$ do1n in turn it led the planners to thin- a*out the e5aluation o per ormance o such cooperati5es in the *est interest o the 1ea5er mem*ers. 2his is the reason the $o5ernment has *een supportin$ this industr/ throu$h assistance called re*ate su*sid/. ME%H& &-&4+5 2he present stud/ has *een conducted in +rode District 1hich is one o the most important handloom center in 2amilnadu. 2he present stud/ is descripti5e in nature and is mainl/ *ased on primar/ data. %tructured 6uestionnaire method 1as used as a main tool or collectin$ the primar/ data. 2he 6uestionnaire 1as desi$ned in a methodical 1a/ o co5erin$ ade6uate in ormation in all acets o the stud/. 2he data pertainin$ to demo$raphic pro ile o the consumers! le5el o a1areness o the handloom producrs! source o in ormation o handloom products! a1areness a*out re*ates and handloom mar- are collected throu$h structured 6uestionnaire. 2he re6uired secondar/ data or the stud/ 1as collected rom *oo-s! ma$a0ines! >ournals! ne1spapers and 1e*sites. Bor the present stud/ %trati ied 'andom samplin$ techni6ue 1as used to select a sample o 800 customers rom ? di erent talu-s in +rode District A%A A$A-+S#S A$ #$%ERPRE%A%#&$ S&C#&6EC&$&M#C PR&*#-E &* %HE RESP&$ E$%S %A(-E $&!7 A4E &* %HE RESP&$ E$%S S! $o Age $o! of Respondents Percentage 1. Cpto 20 /ears ?3 <.< 2. 21-30 /ears 17? 2D.2 3. 31-;0 /ears D2 1?.3 ;. A*o5e ;0 /ears 2<0 ;8.7 2he a*o5e ta*le indicates that ma>orit/ o the respondents alls under the a$e $roup a*o5e ;0 /ears E;8.7 @A ollo1ed */ 21-30 /ears E 2D.2@A %A(-E $&!/ 4E$ ER &* %HE RESP&$ E$%S S! $o! 4ender $o! of Respondents Percentage 1. #ale 32< ?;.7 2. Bemale 272 ;?.3 2he a*o5e ta*le indicates that ma>orit/ o the respondents are male. %A(-E $&!8 A,ARE$ESS A(&'% #**ERE$% %+PES &* HA$ -&&M PR& 'C%S S! Products $o! of Respondents Percentage $o! 1. "ed sheets ?;0 D0.0 2. %arees ;D7 <2.< 3. Jama--alam : (arpet 38< 81.3 ;. 2o1els ?07 <;.? ?. "ed spread ;30 71.7 8. %hal1ais 1<; 30.7 7. Duster cloth 200 33.3 <. "ani/an #at 2;8 ;1.0 D. (urtains ;28 71.0 10. Pillo1 co5ers ;2; 70.7 11. Finin$ cloth 211 3?.2 12. Dhotis 3;1 ?8.<

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Journal of Marketing and Consumer Research - An Open Access International Journal Vol.1 2013 CHAR%!7

CONSUMER AWARENESS ABOUT HANDLOOM PRODUCTS

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Ba#i$a# %at Bed sheets (i#i#) "loth Tow els Shalw ais !ster "loth C !rtai#s &illow "o'ers Jamakkalam / C arpet Sarees Bed spread hotis PERCENTA GE

PRODUCTS

Brom the a*o5e anal/sis it can *e in erred that ma>orit/ o the respondents are a1are a*out *ed sheets ED0 @A ollo1ed */ to1els E<;.?@A! sarees E<2.<@A and *ed spread E71.7 @A.2he respondents are not that much a1are a*out shal1ais )hich is one o the inte$ral product item in 3andloom product mi4. %A(-E $&!9 PER#& &* A,ARE$ESS A(&'% HA$ -&&M PR& 'C%S Period $o! of Respondents Percentage S! $o! 1. Cp to ? /ears 2;2 ;0.3 2. 8-10 /ears 100 18.7 3. A*o5e 10 /ears 2?< ;3.0 %otal :00 700!0 CHAR% !/
PERIOD OF AWARENESS

-.o'e 10 $ears 43+

*p to 5 $ears 40+

6,10 $ears 17+

Brom the a*o5e anal/sis it can *e in erred that ma>orit/ o the respondents are a1are a*out the handloom products or more than 10 /ears E ;3 @A ollo1ed */ up to ? /ears E ;0.3@ A and *et1een 8-10 /ears E18.7A %A(-E $&!; S&'RCES &* #$*&RMA%#&$ A(&'% %HE HA$ -&&M PR& 'C%S S!$o! Sources $o! of Respondents Percentage 1. Briends G relati5es 3?2 ?<.7 2. Ad5ertisement 21D 38.? 3. 3andloom societ/ 1D; 32.3 ;. 3andloom e4hi*ition 3?8 ?D.3 ?. +4clusi5e handloom outlet 181 28.<

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Journal of Marketing and Consumer Research - An Open Access International Journal Vol.1 2013 CHAR%!$&!8
-/-0121SS -B3*T T41 4-2 (33% &03 *CTS

&10C12T-81

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 -d'ertiseme#t 4a#dloom so"iet$ 4a#dloom e7hi.itio# 5rie#ds 6 relati'es 17"l!si'e ha#dloom o!tlet

S3*0C1S

Brom the a*o5e anal/sis it can *e in erred that handloom e4hi*ition is the main source o a1areness or 3andloom Products E?D.3 @A ollo1ed */ riends and relati5es E?<.7 @A. %A(-E!: #S%#$4'#SH#$4 HA$ -&&M MA%ER#A-S *R&M &%HER MA%ER#A-S &pinion $o! of Respondents Percentage S!$o! 1. Hes ;;0 73.3 2. 9o 180 28.7 %otal :00 700!0 Brom the a*o5e anal/sis it can *e in erred that ma>orit/ o the respondents can a*le to distin$uish 3andloom material rom other material. %A(-E $&!< A)A#-A(#-#%+ &* HA$ -&&M PR& 'C%S ,#%H =RE(A%E> #$ %HE MAR"E% &pinion $o! of Respondents Percentage S!$o! 1. Hes ?07 <;.? 2. 9o D3 1?.? %otal :00 700!0 Brom the a*o5e anal/sis it can *e in erred that ma>orit/ o the respondents ha5e stron$l/ a$reed or a5aila*ilit/ o 3andloom products 1ith 'e*ate in the mar-et. %A(-E $&!1 A,ARE$ESS A(&'% HA$ -&&M MAR" ,H#CH #$ #CA%ES %HE ?'A-##%+ &* %HE HA$ -&&M PR& 'C%S S!$o! Mark $o! of Respondents Percentage 1. 9o 181 28.< 2. Hes ;3D 73.2 2otal :00 700!0 Brom the a*o5e anal/sis it can *e in erred that ma>orit/ o the respondents are a1are a*out 3andloom mar- a lo$o to identi / $enuine handloom $oods %A(-E $&!3 A)A#-A(#-#%+ &* RE(A%E S+S%EM S!$o! &pinion $o! of Respondents Percentage 1. 3andloom societ/ 208 ;0.8 2. 3andloom e4hi*ition 308 80.; 3. +4clusi5e handloom outlet 18; 32.3 ;. Others 33 8.? Brom the a*o5e anal/sis it can *e in erred that re*ate s/stem is 1idel/ a5aila*le in 3andloom +4hi*ition E80.;@A ollo1ed */ 3andloom %ociet/E ;0.8 @A

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Journal of Marketing and Consumer Research - An Open Access International Journal Vol.1 2013 %A(-E $&!70 &CCAS#&$ #$ 'CE %& P'RCHASE %HE HA$ -&&M PR& 'C%S

S! %otal Mean Reasons Rank $o! Score Score 1 Durin$ Besti5al 3217; ?3.8 II 2 %pecial re*ate and o er 3137D ?2.3 III 3 )hen need arises 3;?3? ?7.8 I ; Durin$ handloom +4po 2<1?; ;8.D IV ? )hen salesman approach 2;3;< ;0.8 V It is ound rom the a*o5e ta*le that need is the most important occasion 1hich encoura$e the customers to *u/ 3andloom products and the same 1as ran-ed in the irst position 1ith the total score o E3;?3?A points! esti5al is ran-ed in the second position 1ith the total score o E3217;A points! %pecial re*ate and o er is ran-ed in the third position 1ith the total score o E3137DA points! handloom +4po is ran-ed in the ourth position 1ith the total score o E2<1?;A points and salesman7s approach is ran-ed in the i th position 1ith the total score o E2;3;<A points. S'44ES%#&$S5 1. 2he stud/ re5eals that 5er/ limited customers are a1are a*out shal1ai as a product item in handloom product mi4. 3ence su icient Point o %ale displa/ has to *e made or %hal1ais to pro>ect it as a product o ered */ 3andloom )ea5ers (ooperati5e %ocieties. 2. 2hou$h handloom industr/ is mainl/ in the (o-operati5e %ector as more than ?0@ o the handloom 1ea5ers ha5e *een *rou$ht under the co-operati5e old 3andloom societies are not actin$ as a pre erred source o in ormation in creatin$ a1areness a*out handloom products. 3ence 3andloom 1ea5ers cooperati5e %ocieties should ta-e initiati5e in creatin$ a1areness a*out handloom products. 3. 2hou$h it is a 1ell -no1n in ormation that all the handloom products are sold 1ith cash re*ate still the respondents are not a1are a*out re*ate schemes o ered or handloom products. 3ence su icient promotion has to $i5en */ &o5ernment a*out the re$ular re*ate schemes and special re*ate schemes 1hich are o ered durin$ esti5al times. ;. #ore a1areness pro$rammes has to conducted to increase the reach o handloom mar- la*el. ?. 2he stud/ re5eals that ma>orit/ o the customers 1ere male and there is more scope to attract emale population. 3ence it is su$$ested that emale se$ment o the mar-et also has to *e paid attention */ o erin$ more 5ariet/ and emale speci ic products li-e sarees !dress materials etc. 8. 2he stud/ re5eals that ne4t to indi5idual need customers pre er to *u/ durin$ esti5als hence it is su$$ested to o er more promotions li-e special o ers! re*ates! ree $i ts etc durin$ esti5al times. C&$C-'S#&$ 2he a*o5e stud/ re5eals that consumers are not 5er/ much a1are a*out the handloom products .3ence su icient measures ha5e to *e ta-en place in order to increase the a1areness o handloom products. All recommendations are to increase the customer a1areness a*out the handloom Products and in turn to ma-e it as a sustaina*le Industr/. 2he stud/ can *e urther e4tended to understand consumer *u/in$ *eha5iour o handloom products! customer satis action a*out handloom products etc. RE*ERE$CES 1. A$ar1al !% G Funi/a!V. E200DA.A %tud/ On A1areness! Pre erences G"u/in$ "eha5iour O )omen (onsumer 'e$ardin$ 3and )o5en Kota Doria %ari! International Referred Research Journal! Vol.E1 A!pp 11?-117. 2. Je/a-odi !K E200D!Be*rauar/ A. )or-in$ o re*ate scheme schemes in handloom cooperati5es in 2amilnadu., Tamilnadu Journal of cooperation,,pp55-59 3. Kumar! P.#! %ultana! % and Pillai! #! K E2010A. %trate$ies to Impro5e %ales o 3andloom Products 1ith %pecial 'e erence to Punducherr/! Tecnia Journal of Management Studies ,Vol. ; ! 9o.2 ! pp. 182? ;. #almaru$an! D E200<A In luential po1er o 1ord o mouth or purchase o sarees! Indian Journal of Marketing! Volume .3<! Issue. 8 !pp ?0-?< ?. Vaddi!% and "ala-rishnaiah!".E200DA. %tud/ O Khadi And 3andloom Industr/ o Andhra Pradesh! India-Bocus on mar-etin$ strate$ies and (onsumerism! retrie5ed rom http,::111.scri*d.com:doc:188<<<73:Ap-hadi-3andlooms

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