A Managerial and Consumer Perspective

Mid Term MM I 22 September 2021

Let us imagine our neighborhood store Vijay Sales on Baner Road. The store is part of a leading chain of ‘Home Shopping
items’ from Mumbai Pune area. You would find items ranging from Cloth Irons, Home Theatres, Washing Machines to
latest gizmos for the geeks!

In one corner of the showroom there are five invisible spirits; they also observe the people who come to the store at
their home, at their office etc. Before death, one was Psychologist, one a Sociologist, one an Anthropologist, one an
Economist and fifth is the Marketing Manager of one TV & Home Appliances Manufacturing company whose various
models are on display in the showroom.

Mr. Sunil Kulkarni walks in who has visited the showroom earlier. Today he is accompanied by his wife, a teenaged
daughter and a son who is studying in standard 4th. Mr. Kulkarni talks to the same salesman whom he has met 3 days
back. Mrs. Kulkarni takes a look at various brands on display , makes some quick mental notes, compares the quality ,
focus, visibility, colours on screen, touches side panels to feel the finish, colour etc. The daughter asks questions about
remote control, shapes available in one brand and compares it with other brands and accessory options available there
in. The father notices the kinds of people in store and the brands in which those people exhibit interest. He then pulls
out a couple of brochures and news paper cuttings from his pocket, shows them to the salesman and discusses further
about the product. He refers to the discount being offered by another shop in Aundh Area (belonging to a very big and
most trusted Company of India). He also tells him that the very Brand has it’s own showroom in the neighbourhood
which is ready to give a better discount. The salesman then discusses something with the Manager of the showroom.
Meanwhile his son was checking various gaming options available and wanted to know if he can use the TV monitor
for being used as a play station. The salesman comes over and suggests some promotional offer to Mr. Kulkarni. After
some discussions within the family, the kid (boy) of the family, indicates a particular brand as final to the salesman.

The salesman while praising the choice of the wife of a particular brand of TV, hands the cash memo to Mr. Sunil and
asks if the payment was to be done by cash or by card? Though apparently not certain that he is doing the right thing,
the man takes out his credit card and gives the card to the salesman. Mr. Sunil is told that the option of EMI is available
for only a particular bank’s credit card. He then asks some more questions about delivery and promotional offer of a
holiday at Goa. The salesman approves to their choice while the customer takes back the credit card , Holiday @ Goa
coupon and warranty cards from him.

Mr. Kulkarni, his wife, daughter and his son leave the showroom having been promised that the TV set would be
delivered to their home and installed by showroom service engineer that very evening.

The spirits began to discuss why and how the customer bought particular TV set.

Answer the following two question : Each question for 15 marks

1. Discuss your observations on The Buying Decision Process that is happening here. Discuss the five-stage
model with the help of Vijay Sales example.
2. Think and discuss how each spirit would view the situation and state a cause for buying decision from it’s
perspective. You can use your creative imagination.

MM – I Mid Term - 22 Sep 2021

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