TRANSCRIPT - UMESH JHAWAR  

Shubham:  
Hello. 
Shubham:  
Hello yeah, so tell me something about yourself first before we start of with the interview
Umesh: 
Hi Shubham: so as you know Umesh: jhawar here I am a BMS graduate from Mumbai university
currently pursuing PGDM from goa institute if management
Shubham:  
So where do you live? 
Umesh: 
So I live in thane maharasthra currently
Shubham:  
So Miss A1. Small question before we start with the interview. Do you like shopping or not? 
Umesh: 
Yeah, I do like shopping a lot. 
Shubham:  
So this is around about the shopping experience only, so I'll start off with some questions. So in the
event that you want to take some time, you can take some time, but give some quality answers,
OK? 
Umesh: 
Ok no issues go ahead
Shubham:  
So tell me about your family life like how do you go for shopping? Who from your family goes? What
is the income? 
Umesh: 
OK, uh, so we basically a middle class family.
Now talking about shopping we all love shopping and we go for shopping.
Let's say once or twice a month. OK, so not very often, but whenever we go we make sure like. We
actually get good kind of stuff, so it depends. OK So what kind of shopping if we talk about this, the
grocery shopping, then the frequency would obviously change. But if we talk about like apparel
shopping or something like buying anything else like consumable goods or like durable goods, so the
frequency might change. Yeah, so it depends. Like who am I going for shopping like it's if it's about
grocery then I might go with my mom. And if it's about something which is very valuable then I might
ask my dad to give me a company 'cause like.
 

Shubham:  
OK, so when you go for shopping like? 
Do you like to go to big retail chains like? Because our. 
Umesh: 
Yeah I do. So again, as I said, it depends on the purpose. OK, so let's say if if I just want to need a
packet of bread, then I obviously would go to a nearby Kirana store and would try to get it at
basically convenience matters for me whenever I go for a small product single product. 
Umesh: 
But whenever I go for a Rasion kind of shopping where, like once or twice a month, I go there to get
all my ration, then I will obviously go for a supermarket, something like D Mart so that I can get all
the stuff from one market OK under one roof. 
Shubham:  
OK, so when you go for like big shopping, so do you have any mentalists prepared for you? Go to any
hypermarket. 
Umesh: 
Uh, yeah, uh, I do make a proper list before I actually go to a market. So what happens is whenever I
go for market, I list all the things that I need. OK, so basically I check the stock that I have in the
Kitchen, the things that are, uh, like things that are stocked, stocked out. So I generally list those
things and so that I don't miss out on any of those things and I get what I actually need. OK, so in
order to avoid a extra purchase in order to keep in my spending limit, I list on important things so
that I don't miss out on any of those. Yeah, so I have that habit. 

Shubham:  
So from what I what you said, I can infer that before going to a big Bazaar, you prepare yourself that
I don't need to go there for a longer period of time. So how much time do you take to prepare that
list
Umesh: 
OK, so like are you talking about before I go to the supermarket? 
Shubham:  
Yes, because you said you take time. You want you want to go to big bazar. And you want to ensure
that you have a big amount of stock before going to place again, so that will obviously involve some
mental exercise. 
So How much time do you need to prepare that list? 
Umesh: 
So I think there is no fixed time that is assigned to go so as in when I feel that there is something
which is which is like out of stock in my place. So I usually list that down that whenever I go
for shopping I need to get this. So let's take an example if there's if there's a list of tea powder at my
place and I. 
Umesh: 
I feel that the people that is just about to finish and it will take a week to get it finished. So I will list
that in my shopping list and I need to get the tea powder whenever I go for shopping. So this
happens very often whenever I feel that something is not there in quantity and something is
needed. So I list that down. There's no fixed amount of time that actually gives thinking about it. 
Umesh: 
Yes, if we're going to shopping, I might give an hour or so so actually accumulate all the all all the
products and all the things that I require and make a like make a one proper list.  
Umesh: 
Hello, show me or not audible hello. 
Shubham:  
Yeah, so am I audible now. 
Umesh: 
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's. 
Shubham:  
Better so I'm asking like so when you compare that list, you ask each and every member of his family
like I'm going to this market. So you list them down or you make that list personally  
Before going to the place
Umesh: 
No, I will take the inputs of everybody. OK, so there are some requirements that I personally have
and there are the requirements of others as well. OK, so my mom might need some things my dad
might need some other things. He might have his personal requirements and when I go for shopping
and I don't know if the place is is something like big Bazaar or a D Mart so I know that I'll get. 
Everything under one roof. So whenever I go and make sure that I ask everybody that do you need
anything or shall I get you something so that so that It's like a one time thing where I can fulfill the
needs of all the family members in just like one round. So yeah I do make it a point to ask all my
family members if they need anything and if they need something we can actually. 
Then with their list and all, let me know I'll include that in my list. 
Shubham:  
So from the answers that you give, I can infer that this is a big exercise and would include a good
time of yours  
So the next question is how long does it take for shopping all these items and come back to your
home? 
Umesh: 
OK, so when you talk about ration shopping, which I usually do once or twice a month, it would
ideally take around 2 hours yeah 2 hours at the place and this is excluding the travel time OK so the
nearest supermarket that were like like big bazar , D Mart from my place is around 2.5 kilometers, so
I'm excluding the traveling time so it also depends on. When do I go there for shopping because if I
go there in the evening time that I might have faced so it it actually extends the overall duration, but
overall. If you talk just about the time I spent at the store at big Bazaar, then it would take around 2
to 2.5 hours on average. 
 
Shubham:  
So this time will definitely depend upon the amount of crowd at that point of time at these retail
outlets now my next question is what perception do you develop when you see this crowd
Are you affected by the crowd or not
Umesh: 
To some extent you might see , so my for my purpose is to get the goods I want. OK, so that's my
primary motive, so I don't actually look at the crowd that's there. Obviously So If it's a like a sober
place, or if it's a posch place , then obviously it would feel better. But the crowd actually doesn't
matter much. So it it's just things are available at the place that's matter to me , because if I if I want
something, and if it's not available so it actually like eliminate the entire purpose of me visiting that
place for me. Availability of the product is the most important thing. Second is your time I spend
there. 
Which part of the store would you look at it to identify the crowd
So the billing thing takes a lot of time

Shubham:  
So, OK, so since crowd doesn't matter next question is now for sure that you will visit because you
are unaffected by the crowd . So what would be the first place you will go at a big bazar? From
where will be the starting point? 
Umesh: 
OK, so just starting. 
Umesh: 
So it doesn't start with anything particular, so whenever I enter the store I'll go and I'll first take the
trolly probably so I have this habit of taking the biggest trolly that's available at the store, because I
know that whenever I go for ration shopping I need a big trolly . Actually, I need to 2 trolleys to
actually store the number of goods that I actually buy. 
Umesh: 
So I usually take the biggest trolly that's there over there, and when you check the layout, I would
definitely go to the nearest one. So so the reason that I like visiting these places are that they have
very systematically they have the asiles and everything located so they have planned
 
In such a way that you can actually go uh, like the nearest the nearest aisle the nearest or like the
corner, would be something that you would would be something related to like personal care or
health products or something like that. As far as I remember that that's the thing. The first thing
that's visible when you enter the first thing that you see are the health care products   
In that section you might get your personalized shampoo and conditioner and you might get those,
so I usually go as per the stores location so there's nothing specific that I want the vegetables first, or
groceries first, or my apparel shopping first. I just go ask for the layout.  
Umesh: 
So I like to interfere. There is an issue with the voice I I'm not able to hear the words clearly thing
again. 
Umesh: 
Now we know it's better so. 
Shubham:  
Yeah, no problem. So what I'm asking is so whenever you go to this place is you don't go to your
favorite place but you go to the place which is just near to you. 
Shubham:  
Is that what I can infer from that? 
Umesh: 
So as I told you, this happens when I know that I would need something from all of the like
store. So when I know that I need something for health care, I need something for my grocery. I
need something for my apparel. I need a oh, let's say. 
This is some kind of medicines or something to play for my niece. So I I toy or something. So I when I
know that I need a lot of stuff I will go according to the layout. Otherwise if I'm going just for a single
purpose thing that I just want to, let's say get the get two or three bottles of cold drink so I will just
go to the cold drink section . and I'll get those drinks an I like to my basketand directly go to the
billing counter. So it depends on the purpose 
Shubham:  
So my next question is, although you don't seem to be blown away from the crowd, expect. But
when you see a crowded store for less examples and it's a Wednesday sale at big Bazaar, so one is
your emotion when you see the crowd now I get it that you want to take that a good set you have in
the list at at any cost but still. 
Shubham:  
Seing at the crowd. What emotions do you get? 
Shubham:  
Like do you get excited like what is happening or do you get frustrated then we need? 
Umesh: 
OK, so there are my multiple emotions that actually erupt when I see a place which is very
crowded. So one thing would be that there might there is something special about today. OK so
it it it might be a weekend that actually led to that crowd. It might be or like a sale or something like
that, let's say a 15 August sale or a ganesh chaturti sale or something also like whenever there's a
festival or something that a lot of offers which should be stated before like they give a lot of special
offers 1 + 1 some kind of bundle product or something like that. So there they have a lot of offers.
Whenever there are some offers. People actually trying to crowd the place, so I'm I have that
perception that the place is crowded for valid due to a reason to let's say today is ganesh chaturti
OK, so now if I go to a big Bazaar and if I see a place crowded, I might get a perception that yes,it
because  cause of the festive season. It's because of the festival

Umesh: 
So that's the second thing, one thought that can also come to my mind is. 
Umesh: 
Probably. 
Umesh: 
The forces weekend in fact, impressive. 
Umesh: 
Probably is just a like a place which is like. 
Umesh: 
This is a lot of stores. Whenever there is a particular store that is actually located at a premium,
please let's a place where where there there's a lot of crowd over there where the interviewer
population is absolutely height, so that place will obviously be crowded. 
Umesh: 
So there are multiple emotions like that. OK, when you talk about the emotions I when I see the
place. If it's about the sale that I might obviously would like to go and check that place 'cause you
never know I might get a very good deal out of that. OK, so sometimes you get a very good thing
again. Terms of electronics or something like that. In fact I have had such experiences. 
Umesh: 
Where I have got a very good deal in terms of, uh, the the product that I buy at these places like big
bazar or dmart sometimes it's quite a good scene over there so I might need to go and check out the
place if if there's a particular scale, but at times what happens is see when I know that there's a
limited amount of time that I have. 
Umesh: 
Let's say if I've gone to a mall for a movie OK, and then I know that this is just half an hour or one
hour left with me, and probably then I might have some other plans. Let's say I I might have to visit
some other place and then I know that there's just one hour left for me to actually do some
shopping, and when I know that the place is crowded and when I know that. 
Umesh: 
When I enter, this place might actually take a lot of time for me to actually get the product and , do
the billing. So what happens is whenever I see a place which is very crowded, the first thing that
comes to my mind is it would take a lot of time for me to actually do the billing part, so that's the
most irritating thing that I've seen is there is a supermarket because there's a big queue that is, for
that is actually. Formed
Umesh: 
Once you are done with the purchase. 
Umesh: 
So the billing thing takes a lot of time. So, uh, see if I don't have that much amount of time that I'm
quite probably change my plan and postpone my shopping. OK, if I find a lot of things. But if if I
if if it's a Sunday, if I don't have much thing to do and I my relative and I'm relatively free, but I'm I
might go and in turn. 
Umesh: 
Try to find a good deal so it all depends on the situation, the day and the time that is available with
me. 
Shubham:  
So my next question is now, since you've answered in detail, so when you enter this stores you have
that list in your mind that you have prepared in your mind  
Shubham:  
So while shopping, do you strictly follow that list or you add items? Looking at just at the various
options available? 
Umesh: 
So the list that I have prepared is my primary Motive OK, so I make sure that I at least get those
because those are the things that I need. But if I actually find something a lot of times what happens
is you find a particular product and you see that this is something which will help me to ease. 
Umesh: 

Umesh: 
So the new kind of broom and the thing that's available at these markets. So which will actually ease
out the work? We don't need to actually bend and do the cleaning. You can actually stand and do
that, so sometimes you find this innovative products and you feel that you should actually buy those
because it would make a lot of your easy. So whenever I find something like this which wasn't
expected, which wasn't mentally prepared
So if I find those things then
So I might go and try. 
Umesh: 
So those are some things which are not there in the list, but I may end up buying those or seeing the
utility thing in mind. 
Shubham:  
Yeah. 
Shubham: so when you go for shopping  
So does it happen like you have prepared a list of say 5000 and you end up with a shopping of 10000
Shubham:  
So does that. 
Umesh: 
I I again I again lost in between. I didn't hear half of the sentence. 
Shubham:  
So I'm asking you, when we go with that budget in your mind, I suppose I'm going for pays 5000. For
shopping and then you end up having 6 to 7000of something. So does it happen every time or you
strictly follow the limit? 
Shubham:  
How often does it happen? 
Umesh: 
OK so I I I really do have a budget in mind whenever I go for shopping. 
Umesh: 
But I I know that there are times when, uh, I might end up buying something more than I require, so
there might be some instant purchase. Like I said, the the example before. So they this happens, so I
usually keep a buffer with me. So let's say if I have a budget of 5000, I might have 7000 with me just
for the safety purposes. Not that I have to do the shopping or 7000, but just for safety purpose. Like
if I find. 
Umesh: 
Something that is actually worthy enough for me to buy, so a lot of times there are short time deals.
OK, so if we don't buy those things at that particular moment, we might end up those these. OK so a
lot of times this happens so I keep a buffer with me. Let's say 20% of the amount that I carried, 20 or
30%. 
Umesh: 
So I get that before with me, but obviously if its like the shopping amount goes about 7000 that I
would obviously remove the stuff that I don't need. So I do it a lot of times at the billing
counter. So this usually happens at the big encounter when I end up realize realizing that there's a
lot of good that I have bought. 
Umesh: 
But I might not need this at the moment. 
Umesh: 
So yeah, I removed the stuff from my cart at the end like at the billing counter. I do that. 
Shubham:  
Let's take a hypothetical situation like which part of the shopping like suppose you like apparel part
OK and then you see a crowd gathering over there. So say there's a sale of Levis jeans over there and
you like that product. So originally your intention was not to buy that. So since you have inclination
towards buying that product, so would you buy it or not? 
Umesh: 
Uh, I I would go and I would obviously try so I know that I didn't have the sequence. So it depends on
person to person talking about my personal experience. I would definitely say its levis and if it's if it's
a brand that I am loyal to an if there's a brand that I use a lot of products off, I might go and end up
trying with that product. 
Shubham:  
So what's the fun? You know? If it's a new brand, but still the crowd is gathered over, then there's
a lots of shopping going on there. So will you go and have a look and purchase it? 
Umesh: 
Uh, I might go and have a look at it. There's a lot of crowd at that place, but I might not buy that
product as long as I feel see. So when you talk about a new bug, it's kind of an experiment. OK, so at
times I do like to experiment as well, but I'm not. I'm not sure whether I'll be buying that product or
not. 
Umesh: 
I might go and check because see what happens is a lot of times if a product is very good or if
something is very appealing or attractive. People tend to gather at that place and a lot of times
there's a demo that takes place, just not about apparel, just also about food or something like that.
A lot of time, a lot of companies give some demo of the product, like let's say. 
Umesh: 
Some chips or something like that. They ask you to test that particular chip or something like
that. So whenever this happens, I might go and try that product. I might check I might have a look,
but yeah, it's not a compulsion that I end up buying that. 
OK. 
Shubham:  
So, uh, my next question is so when you go for like any of these outlets? Or would you prefer going
at outlet that is bigger in size? So what is your perception about the size of the store? 
Umesh: 
OK, so whenever I talk on the size, so obviously the bigger store, the better I feel becausw whenever
a store is big it is much more spacious. Yeah so as you said, when a lot of people gather there on a
weekend or something like that. So whenever a store is big things are actually spreaded. 
Umesh: 
There's a lot of space to walk. It's more convenient, so it's more. 
Umesh: 
Like it's less of claustrophobic, so basically you might end up spending a lot of time because of the
comfort that you get there. OK, so yes, uh, feel of the store is obviously very important, because if
it's like a crampled storm kind of thing or very small store I might just buy the product and leave the
place immediately, but if the if the store offers me that convenience. 
Umesh: 
That space that comfort I make spend good amount of time over there. OK, so yes, obviously it's
better and the size of the store matters, but I will see the primary thing is obviously the availability
part. See if you just big like make a big store and you don't have enough products and the racks are
empty. You kind of think so that would obviously disappointment. 
Umesh: 
But yes, if you have big store you are utilizing that properly. In hook and corner who can corner the
storage utilized properly, an enough space is given for the customer to walk and stuff like that, then
obviously it would the like attract me. 
Shubham:  
So would you like to go an extra mile for that particular store just because of its size element? 
Umesh: 
Uh, yeah, so it depends like like if the nearby store 2 kilometer away, and if this store is like 3.5
kilometers away, I might go there. But again, it depends on the purpose of the visit. So as I said, If I
just need a packet of bread then I won't even go to the two kilometer far supermarket I might buy. It
doesn't nearby. 
Umesh: 
Kirana store which is just 100 meters on my place here, so convenience is obviously important. OK,
but whenever we need a lot of stuff for Ration shopping, then obviously you can go an extra mile or
kilometer or so with your vehicle and get those products, because in in just one round you get
everything. 
Umesh: 
This this is also convenient. That's the reason convenience is the prime component. 
Shubham:  
So wherever you go to this big retail outlets, so there is a particular type of smell and oodourr that
we get connected to so whenever you go. Let's say you go to big bazar without this is some sort of a
smell that you like a lot, so does this ordour does that smile have a impact on your buying pattern? 
So tell me about that, tell me about the smell that you get at the these retail store. Does
it effect your buying decision or not? 
Umesh: 
Oh, see honestly talking about my opinion. I have not actually observed the kind of melody ordour
that we give get at that place. 
Umesh: 
So let's say I'm. 
Shubham:  
Using, let's say music lesson music. 
Umesh: 
Yes, music obviously helps. OK so. 
Umesh: 
Uh, whenever I go to a place and if there's a smoothing music that is played in the background, it
would obviously enhance my experience of buying. 
Umesh: 
It would obviously make me feel more calm. OK, so whenever I shop, let's say I I show up for 1 1/2 or
two hours and I am a bit tired so a soothing using in the background would help me to feel better. 
Umesh: 
So definitely it adds value. I might not end up buying more, but, uh, I might actually end up spending
more time over there. Definitely, this might be a possibility and then stuff towards I spend like 2.5
hours. But it does add value when it is soothing music, soothing lights and everything. The interiors
and everything does matter. 
Shubham:  
So my next question is now you have selected all y our things things that you want and now your
cart is ready for the checkout counter. Now let's say at that checkout counter you see a big queue
for payment. Now what is your reaction to this? 
Umesh: 
OK, so. 
Umesh: 
So how with me I'll so I, I'll be back, dejected. OK, so see, The thing is that again I I know that I I'm
mentally prepared when I go to a store I know that I'll be I'll have to wait at the billing counter so
that's one of the most irritating thing that's there is a supermarket but you can't help it. OK, it's
there. 
Umesh: 
OK, so a lot of times what they  do they actually go for creating more number of billing counters so
that they can actually cater to each of there customers faster? Like in a speedy manner? But yes,
I'm I'm kind of mentally prepared for for like waiting over there, but if it goes above the limit then
obviously it will. 
Umesh: 
spoil my mood and kind of creates a meditation. 
Shubham:  
What could be the limit? Can we please specify? 
Umesh: 
OK, so. 
Umesh: 
See I, I'll just give you an example. OK, so in past I had a shopping experience where I I didn't have
time. I bought my products and then. 
Umesh: 
So I think it was to think of August $15 sale. OK so I I bought some product so at reliance trends. OK
so it is OK again are very big Department store so I bought this product over there and when I
actually went out the billing counter there was a long queue. OK it was a long queue an
I I understood that it will obviously take me. 
Umesh: 
At least an hour, just do the billing part OK, so then I actually checked that the things that I have
bought OK so I had bought goods worth 2500 rupees so actually thoughed actually thought that are
those good that valuable to me for me to actually waste and are on this. So then I realized that these
things are not important. 
Umesh: 
I just want those because I was getting a good deal but it is not that worth for me to actually spend
time at the billing counter so I decided to actually leave those goods over there and just leave the
store instead of wasting my time at the counter, yeah? 
Shubham:  
So what I can infer is we're kind of adjusted to this thing that yes, there will be a few. 
Shubham:  
And if you have something that is very important, then you will wait for that. 
Umesh: 
Right, right, right? So seeing if I'm if I'm buying something that is valuable to me. Let's say if I'm
buying an electronic product. 
Umesh: 
You say, Oh? 
Umesh: 
Fridge or kind of something. A television or a speaker kind of thing. So when I know that something
is valuable to me and if I leave that particular product, I might lose a good deal. So I bear for that
And I actually be patient for the patient at the billing counter because I know that. 
Umesh: 
That graph is worth the amount of time I read. 
Shubham:  
OK, so my next question is like when you go for these shopping experiences. Tell me something
about these extra services like parking like loyalty programs, purchase offers. What is your? 
Shubham:  
Input on this. 
Umesh: 
OK, so yeah. So obviously whenever you get something for something for free or somehow it does
matter, a lot of things. So whenever I I go to the shopping or obviously get my car along and I, uh, so
if you say that you give me a free parking service, or if you say that you give me loyalty offers like a
5% discount on overall bill. 
Umesh: 
It does make me happy. OK, so he doesn't make a loyal. So, uh, The thing is this thing is there ar star
bazar remember this thing so I have the card with me so every time I go there I get some loyalty
points and because of that I go get some discount. OK, so some monetary benefit on that. 
Umesh: 
So yes, it does make a difference because it gives you that little happiness. But there, OK, so
primarily, it's not that important, but it does make a difference. OK, because it gives me that little
happiness this is the differentiating factor which is nit available at the local kirana store which is
Near to my place, but they don't give that kind of offer or that kind of extra extra happiness or they
don't go extra mile in order to make sure that the customer is happy so that little wow experience is
definitely missing here, but these stores do take care of some things and it does matter 
Umesh: 
Like it, it's easy better. 
Shubham:  
OK, So what I can infer is we have adjusted to something like a standing on the queues,
but overall you experience because as of all moment and you enjoy shopping over there. 
Umesh: 
Right, yeah I I I like shopping over there. Yeah definitely. I like shopping. 
Shubham:  
So cool Mr. Umesh:, we had a very good discussion with you. Thank you for your time. 
Umesh: 
Alright, it was nice to interact with their. 
Shubham:  
Yeah thank you. Bye bye.