1

SUMMER INTERNSHIP

On

A Study Of Consumer Perception And Buying Behavior Towards Magazines

By

Shubhi Gupta
A0101916308

MBA Class of 2017

Under the Supervision of

Dr. Smrita Sinha

Head of Department
Department of Business Communication

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Master of Business Administration
At

AMITY BUSINESS SCHOOL

AMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH
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SECTOR 125, NOIDA - 201303, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA

DECLARATION

‘A Study of Consumer Perception and Buying Behavior Towards Magazines’

I declare

(a) That the work presented for assessment in this summer internship Report is my own,

that it has not previously been presented for another assessment and that my debts (for

words, data, arguments and ideas) have been appropriately acknowledged.

(b) That the work conforms to the guidelines for presentation and style set out in the

relevant documentation.

(c) The Plagiarism in the report is 0 % ( permissible limit is 15 % )

Date:

SHUBHI GUPTA

A0101916308

MBA (2016-
18)
3
 4

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Shubhi Gupta student of Masters of Business Administration at

Amity Business School, Amity University Uttar Pradesh has completed the summer
internship Report on “A Study of Consumer Perception and Buying Behavior towards
Magazines”, under my guidance.

The report has been checked for Plagiarism and is within limits of acceptance.

Dr. Smrita Sinha

Head of Department

Department of Business Communication

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

S.No Content PAGE

NO.

1. Introduction 1

1.1 Consumer Behavior 1

1.2 Consumer Perception 2

1.3 Consumer Buying Behavior 3-5

1.4 Company Profile 6-10

1.5 The Times Magazines 11-17

1.6 Competitors 18

1.7 SWOT Analysis 19

2. Literature Review 20-22

3. Research Methods and Procedures 23-24

4. Data Analysis 25-44

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5. Study Findings 45

6. Study Conclusions 46

7. References 47

8. Appendix 48-50

Enclosure 1: Questionnaire
Enclosure 2: TOI Subscription Form 51

LIST OF TABLES

S.NO TABLES Page

. No.

1. TABLE 1.5: Price and Periodicity of Magazines 17

2. TABLE 1.6: COMPETITORS OF TIMES MAGAZINES 18

3. TABLE 1.7: SWOT ANALYSIS OF TOI 19

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LIST OF FIGURES

S.N FIGURES PAGE

O NO.

1. FIGURE 1.1 9

2. FIGURE 1.2 10

3. FIGURE 2.1 20

4. FIGURE 4.1 25

5. FIGURE 4.2 26

6. FIGURE 4.3 27

7. FIGURE 4.4 28

8. FIGURE 4.5 29

9. FIGURE 4.6 30

10. FIGURE 4.7 31

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11. FIGURE 4.8 32

12. FIGURE 4.9 33

13. FIGURE 4.10 34-38

14. FIGURE 4.11 39-43

15. FIGURE 4.12 44

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A Study of Consumer Perception and Buying Behavior Towards Magazines

Student Name: SHUBHI GUPTA

Project Functional Area: Sales and Marketing

Faculty Guide: Dr.Smrita Sinha

Industry Guide: Mr. Sandeep Kumar

Designation: Head, Sales Department

Company Name: The Times Group

Summary: The project ‘Consumer Perception and Buying Behavior towards

magazines’ was a 7 weeks project and was done for partial fulfillment of the post-
graduation degree of MBA at Amity Business School, Amity University. The project was
undertaken in the area of Sales and Marketing.

There are two main objectives of this project. To study the preference and buying
behavior of consumers towards magazines. The second is to identify reasons and issues
related to non- readership of magazines.

The project deals with sales and marketing practices and processes of Times Of India
magazine publications. The consumers were made aware of the promotional schemes of
The Times of India through personal selling. Consumers was studied through interviews
and surveys were carried out to understand the consumer behavior.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank the Almighty for showering his blessings at each stage of this
project work.
I wish to extend my heartful thanks to Mr. Sandeep Kumar (Industry Guide) and Mr.
Sanjay Sharma, Asst. General Manager, Results and Market Development, Times of
India, Daryaganj for assisting in carrying out this internship and encouragement given to
me.
I wish to extend my profound gratitude to Dr. Smrita Sinha for her guidance and valuable
suggestions throughout my internship. I express my sincere thanks to all faculties of ABS
NOIDA for their encouragement to complete the project work within stipulated time.
I wish to extend my special gratitude to all team members of Times Of India for
supporting me in carry out this internship.
My hearty thanks to my friends and parents who were always there with support and
encouragement.
Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who have helped me in
the completion of this humble effort.
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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Print media, for long, has been associated with an exclusive credibility as the trusted
source of news, information and entertainment. It is reliable, tangible and offers the
consumers an unparalleled leisure ‘reading experience’. However, the advent of the
Digital Revolution is altering the course of the print industry and continues to be a threat
to its survival. Tablets, smartphones and PCs have transformed the way we consume our
content. In the hope of surviving the long-term decline of print, most print publications
have already drifted to digital.

This study was conducted to understand the changing consumer perception, and buying
behavior regarding print media, in particular, magazines. Identifying consumer
preferences and the factors influencing their selection of magazines vis a vis the price,
genre, promotional schemes, etc. are crucial for developing a company’s long-term
marketing strategies. Understanding the issues governing the declining readership among
the consumers will aid in adapting the product and the organization’s approach for the
benefit of the consumer.

The study also found out that the changing lifestyle of consumers has led to a relative
unavailability of time to indulge in the premium print reading experience. Their decision
making is influenced by a need for fresh, relevant content at their convenience.

1.1 Consumer Behavior

 Consumer Behavior by definition means the study of individuals, groups, or
organizations and the processes they use to select, secure, use, and dispose of
products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these
processes have on the consumer and society. It blends elements from diverse fields of
psychology, sociology, social anthropology, marketing and economics, especially
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behavioral economics. It attempts to understand the decision-making processes of

buyers, both individually and in groups such as how emotions affect buying behavior.

 Customer Relationship Management (CRM) databases have become an asset for the
analysis of customer behavior. The voluminous data produced by these databases
enables detailed examination of behavioral factors that contribute to customer re-
purchase intentions, consumer retention, loyalty and other behavioral intentions such
as the willingness to provide positive referrals, become brand advocates or engage in
customer citizenship activities.

1.2 Consumer Perception

Consumer perception is the process by which a consumer selects, classifies and
interprets raw stimuli to create coherent image of the product or the brand.
It is a marketing theory that emphasizes that a consumer views/perceives a stimulus
according to his/her own unique needs, experiences, and expectations.
The three stages of perception that a consumer goes through are exposure, attention and
inference.

In other words, it is the overall brand image that a consumer construes from the
information available to him: details and visual appeal of the product/brand,
advertisement, promotions, feedback or opinions.
The consumer perception theory is used to develop advertising and marketing strategies
pertaining to consumer’s thought processes in order attract as well as retain the existing
customers.
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1.3 Consumer Buying Behavior

1.3.1 How does the level of involvement influence buying decisions?

The level of involvement in buying decisions may be considered a continuum from

decisions that are fairly routine (consumers are not very involved) to decisions that
require extensive thought and a high level of involvement. Whether a decision is low,
high, or limited, involvement varies by consumer, not by product, although some
products such as purchasing a house typically require a high-involvement for all
consumers.

1.3.2 High Involvement Buying Decisions

These decisions are closely tied to the consumer’s ego and self-image. By distinction,
high-involvement products carry a high risk to consumers if they fail, or have high-value
tags. This may include financial risk (highly priced items), social risk (products that are
important to the peer group), or psychological risk (the wrong decision may cause the
consumer some concern and anxiety). The full, six-stage, complex process of consumer
decision making is more likely to happen with high-involvement product purchases.
Consumers don’t have interaction in routine response behavior once buying high-
involvement merchandise. In these cases, a buyer gathers extensive information from
multiple sources, evaluates many alternatives, and invests substantial effort in making the
best decision. Cars, homes, engagement rings, pets, computers, etc. constitute high
involvement decisions.
High-involvement merchandise will cause consumers a big deal of post-purchase
dissonance if they’re unsure concerning their purchases. Firms that sell high-
involvement merchandise are aware of the post-purchase dissonance problem.
Frequently, they strive to provide buyers plenty of knowledge concerning their purchase
of the product, as well as why they’re superior to competitive brands and the way they
 14

won’t let the patron down. Sales people generally try to do a plenty of client “hand-
holding.”

1.3.3 Low Involvement Buying Decisions

 Low involvement decisions are more straightforward, require little risk, are repetitive,
and often lead to a habit. In effect, these purchases are not very important to the
consumer and lead to what is termed as ‘impulse buying’. Financial, social, and
psychological risks are not nearly as great. In these cases, it may not be worth the
consumer’s time and effort to search for exhaustive information about different brands or
to consider a wide range of alternatives. A low-involvement purchase usually involves an
abridged decision-making process. In these situations, the buyer typically does little if
any information gathering, and any evaluation of alternatives is relatively simple and
straightforward. Consumers are diligent enough to get a product they want, but they
generally spend no more time or effort than is needed. For instance, buying products like
bread, chewing gum, toothpaste, dishwasher detergent, etc. constitute low involvement
decisions.

1.3.4 Active Buyers

Active buyers are those who are already in awareness stage and have begun the buyer’s
journey. They have a clear-cut preference and know-how about the product they are out
to buy. When a potential customer is aware of your product or business, it's considerably
easier to reach out to him or her. The chances of the process leading to a final purchase is
much higher in this case. A person who is out to buy an SUV, for example, is aware of
his requirements and specific features that he desires. He may even have done his
research, narrowed down his options and have a brand preference as well. The crux of an
efficient sales process is determining which of your prospects have started their
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buyer’s journey, and focusing your time on those prospects. Active buyers are also
more receptive to the various advertising strategies.

1.3.5 Passive Buyers

Passive Buyers are those who are yet unsure of their buying intents. They are only
vaguely aware of their purchase needs and requirements. They have a multitude of
options which are yet to be evaluated. They tend to be indecisive and easily confused. It
is a task to make a passive buyer part with his money. Often, they will only look around,
browse, gather information that will seldom lead to a purchase. Returning to the previous
example, a car dealership selling jeeps will ideally target people in the market for such a
vehicle. With a passive buyer, however, you're starting from square one, with people who
have no clear preference. It is also more difficult to target the passive buyers as they
might be indifferent to the marketing appeals.
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1.4 COMPANY PROFILE

Name of the Company: The Times Of India (TOI)

Type of Organization: Newspaper and Magazine
Frequency: Daily newspaper
Headquarters: 7 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi, Delhi 110002
Circulation: 3,184,727 Daily
Sister Newspapers: The Economic Times , Navbharat Times ,Maharashtra Times ,Ei
Samay ,Mumbai Mirror
Owner and Publisher: The Times Group
OCLC number: 23379369
Chairperson: Indu Jain
Vice-Chairman & MD: Samir Jain
Managing Director: Vineet Jain
Editor-in-Chief: Jaideep Bose
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The Times Group (Also referred as Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.) is the largest company
in media and entertainment industry in India and South Asia. It has completed 175 years
of its journey in media industry from 1838, established in Mumbai. Starting off with The
Times of India – which is now the largest English publication in the world, BCCL and its
subsidiaries (called The Times of India Group), are present in every existing media
platform – Newspapers, Magazines, Books, TV, Radio, Internet, Event Management,
Outdoor Display, Music, Movies and more. Having strength of more than 11,000
employees, its revenue is exceeding $1.5 Billion, it has the support of more than 25000
advertisers and a vast audience spanning across the world.

The Times of India (TOI) is an English-language daily newspaper in India. In the year
2008, the newspaper reported that (with a circulation of over 3.14 million) it was certified
by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (India) as the world's largest selling English-
language daily newspaper, placing as the 8th largest selling newspaper in any language in
the world. According to the Indian Readership Survey (IRS) 2010, the Times of India is
the most widely read English newspaper in India with a readership of 70.35 lakhs (7.035
million). This ranks the Times of India as the top English newspaper in India by
readership. According to ComScore, Indiatimes (and not TOI online) is the world's most-
visited newspaper website with 159 million page views in May 2009, ahead of the New
York Times, The Sun, Washington Post, Daily Mail and USA Today websites

1.4.1 The Key Areas of Business are:

A. Publishing
B. Television
C. Digital
D. Out of Home
E. Other Activities
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1.4.1(A) PUBLISHING:
 Largest publisher in India: 13 newspapers, 18 magazines, 16 publishing
centers, 26 printing centers
 Largest English newspaper in India by circulation (and the world), the Times of
India.
 Largest Business newspaper in India by circulation (2nd largest English
Business daily in the world, behind WSJ), the Economic Times.
 Largest Non‐English newspapers in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore by circulation
(India’s three largest cities).

1.4.1(B) TELEVISION:
 Largest English News TV Channel, No. 2 English Business News TV Channel.
 Largest Bollywood News and Lifestyle TV Channel, No. 2 English Movies TV
Channel.

1.4.1(C) DIGITAL
 Largest Indian network based on traffic and revenue (behind Google,
Facebook, Yahoo).
 Operates 30+ digital businesses, most of which are Top 3 in their competitive
segment.
 Most popular B2C mobile short code in India, across SMS, voice, WAP, and
USSD Radio.
 Largest radio network in India by revenue and listenership, with 32 stations.
 Operates the largest rock radio station in the UK.

1.4.1(D) OUT-OF-HOME
 Largest Out‐of‐home advertising business in India with presence in all major
metros.
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 Owns advertising contracts in most major airports in India.

1.4.1(E) OTHER ACTIVITIES:

 Music
 Movies
 Education
 Syndication
 Financial Services
 Event Management

1.4.2 BRANCHES OF BCCL

Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd

Times Private Times Syndication ■Femina ■

Treaties Service Filmfare ■Other
Magazines

Figure 1.1: Different branches of BCCL

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1.4.3 COMPANY MISSION

‘Create and build brands with differentiated content to capture relevant audiences and
market the value of these to advertisers to help them sell and strengthen their brands’.

Figure 1.2: The Mantra of Company

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1.5 The Times Magazines

The Times of India is a leading English-language broadsheet daily Magazine in India.

Magazines in India are measured on two parameters, circulation and leadership. The
Times magazine has the widest circulation among all English-language broadsheets in the
world. In 2010, the magazine reported that (with a circulation of over 3.14 million
copies) it was certified by the Audit Bureau of Circulations as the world's largest selling
English broadsheet magazine and making them as the 8th largest selling magazine in any
language in the World. According to Indian Readership Survey (IRS) 2010-R2, it has
gained readership by 13.3 million ranking them as the Top English Magazine in India by
readership.

1.5.1 Worldwide Media

World Wide Media (WWM) is a joint venture between the BCCL and BBC World
Wide. It is the India’s largest producer of lifestyle and special interest magazines. It was
formed in 2004 and in 2011 it became a wholly owned subsidiary of Bennett, Coleman
and Company Limited (BCCL). From just four magazines in 2008, WWM is currently
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producing 13 magazines in India and worldwide. The current CEO of WWM is Tarun
Rai.
The Times of India Group have the selling and distribution right of these magazines for
India. The magazines are: -
 Femina
 Femina (Hindi)
 Femina (Tamil)
 FilmFare
 Filmfare (Hindi)
 BBC Top Gear
 Hello!
 Grazia
 BBC Good Homes
 Lonely Planet
 Home Trends
 BBC Knowledge
 BBC Good Food

1.5.2 FEMINA (English, Hindi, Tamil)

Launched in 1959, Femina is India’s first and to-date India’s largest English women’s
magazine. Femina covers an entire spectrum from women,
fashion, relationships, home-making to food, beauty, health &
fitness, careers, new products, etc. It is a page by page panorama
of the Modern Indian Women.

The fortnightly magazine, owes its success to a level-headed

approach to feminism made rich by writers from all walks of life.
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Femina also gives its name to the annual Femina Miss India awards – a beauty pageant
contest which confers the most beautiful Indian title to women in a nation-wide contest
held each year. The awards are a property of Bennett Coleman with the finalists going on
to represent India in the annual Miss World and Miss Universe beauty pageant.

The advertising for Femina changed and reflected the modern & contemporary Indian
woman. With a circulation of 1.46 lacs, Femina is the largest selling and the largest read
women’s magazine in India. Femina has 9.04 lakh readers all across India. Out of which
Femina has 8.40 lakh readers belong to the urban India. This is, by far, the largest
readership for any women’s magazine.

1.5.3 FILMFARE

Nothing powers popular culture like the Hindi film and nothing more than Bollywood -
the largest film industry in the world – which is captured in all its splendor by Filmfare –
India’s leading film magazine launched in 1952. Filmfare’s average Issue readership is
around 2 million.

Filmfare engages readers with Bollywood / Hollywood

exciting stories, exclusive interviews, sneak previews,
gossips and interactivity.

Filmfare has a cult status amongst its readers and its

popularity catapulted the periodicity of the magazine from
monthly to a fortnightly since 2007.

Spurred by the popularity and insatiable demand for

Bollywood films, Filmfare Awards were instituted within a few years of launch of the
magazine.
Within a short period, the annual Filmfare Awards became the gold standard for
excellence in Hindi and other Bollywood mainstream films and came to be acknowledged
 24

as the Oscars of India, being the most prestigious and most sought after by every cine-
industry professional. Its telecast is watched by around 40 million people around the
world.

1.5.4 BBC TOPGEAR

BBC Top Gear is the world’s leading automobile magazine since 1993. In India, it has a
reputation of straightest talking and most entertaining automobile
magazine. It has now 17 international editions.
It includes an in-depth buying information, with complete reviews
and buyers guide. It gives the readers information (not the jargon)
they need to make an educated car purchase decision.
It also includes a comprehensive listing of every single car and
bike available in the market to give the readers a real experience.

1.5.5 HELLO!

Hello! Is a popular celebrity and lifestyle magazine. It was first launched in Italy in the
year of 1930. It has now 13 international editions.

In India, it was launched in April 2007. It is published monthly

covering A to Z of Indian and global celebrity lifestyle news.
Hello is a melting part of royalty, cineastes, society doyennes,
the NRI diaspora, and the arteritis, lifestyle moguls.

It also includes celebrity’s views on various subjects and issues

in the world. It becomes easier to get acquainted with the inner world of the celebrities.
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Hello India has won over a loyal set of readers, advertisers and celebrities for its
exclusives and dignified portrayal of personalities.

1.5.6 GRAZIA

Over 70 years since its launch in Italy, Grazia has been consistent in
delivering and keeping up with the emerging fashion trends. It has
become the most sought styles interpreter for millions of women
across the globe.
Grazia India was launched in 2008 as the 10th edition of this hugely
popular title. Grazia covers both designer and high-street fashion as
well as current events, health, beauty, fitness and lifestyle issues.

1.5.7 BBC GOOD HOMES

Good Homes is one of the most preferred and leading interior and
home decor magazine that inspires its readers with cutting edge
trends, innovative ideas that fit every space and budget. It is the
ultimate guide to a well style home. It offers its readers an eclectic
mix of decor suggestions and DIY tips.
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1.5.8 LONELY PLANET

Lonely Planet India aims to inspire and enable travelers to connect

with the world. It has been treated as the world’s most trusted
source on travel. It offers an insight into interesting travel stories,
vacation ideas and best travel experiences. Inspiring readers to
sample different cultures first-hand, discover new people, and catch
the travel bug.

1.5.9 HOME TRENDS

In 1984 TRENDS was launched in New Zealand, with an aim to

fulfill the need for a source of reference on architecture and
design. At present, it has become the most loved and consulted
magazine across 11 countries. Probably,it is the most widely
read architecture and design magazine in the world. In 2010, it
was launched in India as Home TRENDS to meet the demand of
architecture and design reference due to the real estate boom in
India.
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1.5.10 BBC KNOWLEDGE

It has been created as a premium product for young and inquisitive

minds. BBC Knowledge is a bi-monthly magazine, aiming at those,
who are looking for knowledge based on science, history and nature.
The Indian edition of BBC Knowledge follows in the footsteps of the
first edition
launched in the United States in August 2008, which was an instant
success - being voted among the Top 10 newly-launched magazines of
2008 by Library Journal, USA. Besides India and USA, BBC
Knowledge is also available internationally in the United Kingdom, Brazil, Singapore
and Bulgaria.

1.5 (A) Prices and Periodicity of Magazines:

Name of Magazines Price Per Issue Periodicity

1.Femina (English) Rs.60/- Fortnightly
2.Femina (Hindi) Rs.40/- Monthly
3.Filmfare (English) Rs.60/- Fortnightly
4.Hello Rs.120/- Monthly
5.Topgear Rs.150/- Monthly
6.Grazia Rs.120/- Monthly
7.BBC Good Homes Rs.100/- Monthly
8.Lonely Planet Rs.120/- Monthly
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9.BBC Knowledge Rs.125/- Bi-monthly

10.BBC Good Food Rs.100/- Monthly
11.Home Trends Rs.250/- 10 issues per year
Table 1.5: Price and Periodicity of Magazines

1.6 COMPETITORS:

CATEGORY TIMES MAGAZINE COMPETITORS

1.Fashion and celebrity Grazia, Hello! Verve, Vogue etc.

2.Automobiles BBC Top Gear Overdrive, Auto Car etc.

3.Bollywood And Movies Filmfare Stardust, Cineblitz, The Fil

Street Journal etc.

4.Women lifestyle Femina (Hindi & English) Wedding affair, Harper’s

Bazaar etc.

5.Interiors and BBC Good Homes and Ideal Home, Home &
Architectural Homes Trends Garden plus,
Architecture+Design
6.Travel Lonely Planet Travel plus, Outlook
Traveler, National
Geographic Traveler etc.

7.Science and Knowledge BBC Knowledge Popular science India,

Readers Digest etc.

8.Food and Catering BBC Good Food Khana Khazana etc

Table 1.6: Competitors Of Times Magazines

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1.7 SWOT Analysis

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 Highly reputed and widely  TOI is sometimes perceived as
circulated daily across all regions. publishing more
 Strong Brand Recall, useful in a celebrity/entertainment news.
competitive market; high brand
 At times, the language of the
loyalty
articles is very complex which is
 Parent Company’s strong and far
difficult for the masses to
reaching presence in radio,
understand.
television, etc. can be leveraged.
 Delayed circulation in smaller
 Pioneered the concept of Brand
cities.
Capital.
 Tough competition in the industry
 Social initiatives like Teach for
leaves limited scope for increasing
India are valuable for the brand.
market share.

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
 Growing Indian population will  TOI is sometimes perceived as
continue to spur the demand for print publishing more
information. celebrity/entertainment news.
 Increasing literacy levels and demand
 At times, the language of the
for learning English opens a lucrative
articles is very complex which is
market.
difficult for the masses to
 Massive prospects in regional language
understand.
space in India.
 Delayed circulation in smaller
  Better usage, interaction and interface
cities.
with online and mobile mediums
 Tough competition in the industry
 30

leaves limited scope for increasing

market share.

Table 1.7: SWOT Analysis

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

2.1 Lucas & Brit (2004) deal with four theories of Consumer Behavior in connection
with Advertising. Fig 2.1 shows a model of Anatomy of Purchase Decision. When
making even the simplest purchase, a consumer goes through this complicated mental
process.

Fig 2.1: Anatomy of Purchase Decision

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This model shows how external stimuli such as the company's marketing efforts as well
as various noncommercial sources of information (Family, Friend, Teachers etc.) join to
activate the decision-making process. At the same time, this process is also filtered by
many personal influences on Consumer Behavior such as Motivation, Personality,
learned Attitudes and Perception. At any time, the decision process may be terminated if
the consumer loses interest or, after evaluating the product, decides not to buy. If he does
make a purchase, he has the opportunity to evaluate whether the product satisfies his
needs. If it does not, then he will probably discontinue using that product. Therefore, in
order to fully understand the complexity of the consumers' buying decision, one need to
be aware of variety of personal Influences on Consumer Behavior like Needs and
Motives, Individual Perception, Consumer Learning and Habit development and
Environmental influences like Family, Social class, Reference group, Opinion leaders
and Culture.

2.2 O'Brien (1971) has tried to develop an operational model which could integrate
various stages of decision making by buyers, as shown below.

Cognitive Activity (Non-Evaluative thinking)

Affective Activity (Evaluative mental activity)

Co native Activity (Plans for actions)

2.3 Christopher (1989) studied the shopping habits of consumers to form an idea of
whether or not the store concepts, product ranges and strategies of the companies are
appropriate towards consumer requirements. He believed that consumer behaviors are
 32

unpredictable and changing continuously; while trying to understand how individual or

group make their decision to spend their available resources on consumption-related
items. These are factors that influence the consumer before, during, and after a purchase
(Schiff man and Kanuk, 1997), for example, feedback, from other customers, packing,
advertising, product appearance, and price (Peter & Olson etc., 2005).

2.1.4 Kotler, Amstrong (2001) Consumer Markets: Influences on Consumer Behavior

The essence of this approach is critical for organizational success, so that they can have a
better understanding of their customer behaviors (Solomon et al., 2006). The physical
action or behavior of consumer and their buying decision every day can be measured
directly by marketers (Papanastassiu and Rouhani, 2006). For that reason, many
organizations these days are spending a lot of their resources to research how consumer
makes their buying decision, what they buy, how much they buy, when they buy, and
where they buy (Kotler, Amstrong, 2001).  To get a well coherent result, organizations
normally looked at these behaviors base their analysis on difference conceptions; whether
customers buying behavior were measured from different perspectives, such as product
quality and better service, lower price structured etc. (Papanastassiu and Rouhani, 2006)

2.1.5 More recently, different researchers and author have given their definition and
meaning of consumer behavior. For Michael R. Solomon (2001) consumer behaviors
typically analyze the processes of group selected or individual purchases/dispose of
product, service, concept or experiences to satisfy their need and desires. Additionally,
Kotler (1996) suggested that consumer behaviors have a huge impact in a firm’s
marketing decision making process every year. There is a risk that what a consumer does
will inflict on his or her behavior and generate consequences. The user and the purchaser
can be different person, in some cases; another person may be an influencer providing
recommendations for or against certain products without actually buying or using them
(Solomon 1999; Solomon et al. 1999).
 33

2.1.6 Tulin Erdan and Joffre Swait (2004) The paper looks at the role of brand
credibility (Trustworthiness and Expertise) on brand choice and consideration across
multiple product characteristics that vary with potential uncertainty about attributes,
information acquisition costs and perceived risk of consumption. Amongst other findings,
it is suggested that trustworthiness has a greater impact on consumer choice than
expertise.

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES

3.1 OBJECTIVE/GOAL

1. To study the preference and buying behavior of consumers.

2. To identify reasons and issues for non-readership of magazines

3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN

Descriptive research design was undertaken for the purpose of the study. The data
collected for the study was a mix style of both primary and secondary data. Primary data
was collected through structured questionnaire and the respondents were asked to rate the
statement on a 5-point Likert scale. The sampling method used was simple random
sampling and convenience sampling.

3.3 NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS

For the survey, there were about 100 participants hailing from different
backgrounds.

3.4 DATA COLLECTION

 34

Survey data was collected through online questionnaires. Personal Interviews were
conducted in the areas of Delhi NCR. Observations were taken during Field visits, on
the basis of the customer interaction.

Secondary data was collected by visiting company’s official website, journals and
previous works.

3.5 INSTRUMENTS USED

 Excel was used to analyze the primary and secondary data collected.
 Google forms were used to collect surveys.
 Field visits were made to get important information.

3.6 LIMITATIONS
 Time duration of the study was not adequate to do an in-depth analysis of the
study.

 The sample size is limited to 100 respondents, hence it may not be representative
of the entire population

 The study was confined to Delhi NCR, so the findings may not be generalized to
other regions or parts of the country.

 The study is chiefly based on primary data, and the biasness of respondents may
mislead the findings.
 35

CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS

Question 1) Please specify your gender.

Fig 4.1: Gender of Participants

 36

Inference: The pie chart depicts that out of the 100 participants, 54% respondents were
female and 46% respondents were male.

Question 2) What is your occupation?

Fig 4.2: Occupation of Participants

Inference: The above bar graph shows that 41% of respondents are students while 36%
are in service. 15 % of the respondents are self-employed and 9% are housewives.
 37

Question 3) What is your age?

Fig 4.3: Age of Participants

Inference: The graph shows that 63% of respondents are within the age group of 20-30
while around 13% are in the age group 30-40. 12% respondents are below the age of 20.
 38

Question 4) Do you read magazines?

Fig 4.4: Readership Graph

Inference: The chart depicts that a majority of respondents (71%) read magazines and
only 29% respondents do not read magazines. This shows that contrary to popular
assumption, readership of magazines is still substantial.
 39

Question 5) Have you subscribed to any magazine?

Fig 4.5: Percentage of subscription

 40

Inference: The pie-chart shows that 40% of the respondents have subscribed to
magazines. The other 60% do not have any magazine subscriptions. This implies that
despite greater readership, people subscribing to magazines is not very high.

Question 6) If no, then why?

Fig 4.6: Reasons for non-subscription

 41

Inference: The graph shows that the major factor for not subscribing to a
magazine is lack of interest followed by an inclination towards the digital version.
Further, unavailability of time is another crucial factor. Affordability is the least
important influencer on the purchase decision.

Question 7) Which genre do you read the most?

Fig 4.7: Genre Preference Graph

 42

Inference: The above graph establishes that the most widely preferred genre of magazines
is Fashion and Lifestyle with 55% of the respondents reading it. It is then followed by
Travel (38%) and Automobile (32%). One-fourth of the respondents (25%) also read
Design, Sports and Bollywood related content.

Question 8) Which of the following magazines have you purchased?

 43

Fig 4.8: TOI readership

Inference: The above graph shows that Femina is the most read magazine with 44%
respondents opting for it. The popular automobile magazine Top Gear is the second most
read with 37% of respondents choosing for it. Bollywood based Filmfare is chosen by
35% of respondents.

Question 9) How frequently do you purchase magazines?

 44

Fig 4.9: Frequency of Purchase

Inference: The pie chart depicts that a substantial amount of purchases take place
randomly (36%), while 31% respondents claim that they have never bought a magazine.
18% respondents go for yearly subscriptions while a total of 15% respondents buy them
weekly or monthly.

Question 10) On a scale of 1-5, rate the factors important for subscribing to a magazine.
(1-Least important, 5-Most Important)
 45

Fig 4.10: Factors influencing purchase

Inference: The graph shows that out of all the factors, information carries the highest
weightage when purchasing a magazine. Language is the second most important factor,
followed closely by Entertainment. As evident, Price is of the least importance during
decision making.

Question 10) On a scale of 1-5, rate the factors important for subscribing to a magazine.
(1-Least important, 5-Most Important)
 46

A. Price

(Fig 4.10 A)

Inference: The graph shows that for 33% respondents, price is of least importance
when purchasing a magazine while for 16% respondents price is of utmost
importance. Overall, only 24% respondents consider price as an important factor
when buying a magazine who have given it an importance rating above 3.

Question 10) On a scale of 1-5, rate the factors important for subscribing to a magazine.
(1-Least important, 5-Most Important)
 47

B. Language

(Fig 4.10 B)

Inference: According to the graph, 76% respondents consider language as an

important factor for purchasing a magazine. Only 7% of respondents have rated
language below 3 in importance.

Question 10) On a scale of 1-5, rate the factors important for subscribing to a magazine.
(1-Least important, 5-Most Important)
 48

C. Information

(Fig 4.10 C)

Inference: The chart depicts that 48% respondents consider Information as one
of the most important factors in selection of magazines. Only 22% of total
respondents have attributed an importance rating of 3 or less to information as
a factor.

Question 10) On a scale of 1-5, rate the factors important for subscribing to a magazine.
(1-Least important, 5-Most Important)
 49

D. Entertainment

(Fig 4.10 D)

Inference: According to the graph, 67% of respondents consider entertainment an

important factor. Further, 17% of consumers are neutral towards it while 18 % have given
it a rating of less than 3.

Question 11) Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following
statements.
 50

(Fig 4.11)

Inference: The above graph shows that most of the respondents consider magazines a
good source of information. It is also inferred that readership is dependent on availability
of the magazines. E-magazines are also gradually gaining popularity.
 51

Question 11) Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following
statements.

A. I usually read magazines based on availability.

(Fig 4.11 A)

Inference: The graph shows that 50% respondents agree to reading magazines based on
availability and at convenience. While 32% respondents are Neutral about the statement,
only 21% disagree to it. This means that most people will not actively look for a
magazine to read if not available easily.
 52

Question 11) Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following
statements.

B. I prefer E-magazines to print magazines.

(Fig 4.11 B)

Inference: The bar graph depicts that 38% of respondents are neutral with respect to their
preference for E-magazines and print magazines. 35% of respondents agree that they
prefer the digital versions of a magazine, while 31% of respondents disagree with the
given statement. This implies that there has been a gradual inclination towards online
magazines among the masses.
 53

Question 11) Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following
statements.

C. Promotional/advertising schemes are an important factor to buy magazines.

(Fig 4.11 C)

Inference: According to the graph, 44% respondents agree that promotional offers
are an incentive to buy a magazine. Out of the total surveyed, 30% disagree to the
relevance of such advertising efforts while 30% are neutral about the promotional
schemes by companies.
 54

Question 11) Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following
statements.

D. Magazines are a good source of information.

(Fig 4.11 D)

Inference: As depicted in the graph, 68% of the respondents agree to the statement
that magazines are informative with more than half of them (51%) strongly
agreeing to it. Only 13% of respondents do not consider magazines a good source
of information.
 55

Question 12) Whom have you purchased the magazines from?

Fig 4.12: Source of purchase

Inference: According to the pie-chart, 37.5% respondents have purchased the

magazines through the traditional route, i.e., newspaper vendors. With the
convenience of digitization and attractive offers available online, 34% of
respondents have bought magazines online. Personal selling or door to door
executives account for almost 28% of the respondents.
 56

CHAPTER 5: FINDINGS

 Readership of magazines is good, with 70% of the respondents engaging in the

activity. However, subscriptions of magazines is relatively less, with only 40% of
those surveyed agreed to have magazine subscriptions.
 The major issue for low subscriptions is lack of interest on part of the consumers.
Information can be conveniently consumed from alternate mediums such as
television, radio, etc.
 The next key reason is the growing popularity and preference for the digital
medium.
 Another reason for non-subscription is the busy lifestyle, leading to unavailability
of time for engaging in leisure reading.
 36% respondents said that they buy magazines randomly. Only 18% respondents
have bought yearly subscriptions. Being a low price and low involvement
product, magazines are usually impulse purchases for most consumers.
 The most popular genre among the masses is Fashion and Lifestyle (55%). It is
followed by Travel (37%) and Automobile (32%).
 Femina at 45%, is the most popular and read magazine of TOI. It is followed by
Top Gear (36%) and Filmfare (35%).
 Information and quality content is the most important factor for the selection of
magazines by consumers. The second most important factor is language of the
magazine, followed by entertainment.
 Many respondents believe that the various marketing and promotional efforts and
schemes of the companies are an important influencer on buying decision.
 57

 37% of respondents buy magazines from newspaper vendors and 33% buy them
online. 28% of respondents buy them from Sales Executives.
 Consumers were also found to hold negative brand reputation on account of non-
delivery of publications.

CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION

The Times Group is a brand of international repute which has dominated print media
since its inception. Its publications are amongst the most credible and widely read in the
country.
In the present times, content is the new currency. For a generation that speaks the
language of emoticons and expresses itself in one forty characters, it must surely be
pressed for time. In such a scenario, a business’s ability to provide fresh, relevant and
well curated content to its consumers is of utmost importance. The company needs to
make concerted efforts to adapt to the changing consumption patterns of the consumers.

Further, a strong and efficient distribution network which can outreach its competitors is
the backbone of a company. The Times Group should consistently expand and evaluate
its distribution channels and ensure quality service.

The company offers various incentives/freebies to consumers that have led to increased
sales. Consumers were found to be receptive to the promotional and marketing schemes
offered by the company and the company should now formulate targeted strategies to
reach the untapped market.

With the exponential growth of the Digital, TOI has been among the first ones to adapt to
the change. But for its long-term sustenance, it needs to continually improvise and
explore new avenues. Youngsters, whose current consumption of content is majorly
through the internet are a lucrative potential market. The joy of sifting through the glossy
 58

pages of a magazine, making for a leisurely reading experience is perhaps, a concept

alien to them. Through the right content, and by leveraging the strong brand value, TOI
can capture this huge, relatively untapped segment.

CHAPTER 7: REFERENCES

References:

 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

 http://www.wan-ifra. org/
 http://www.wptdatabase.org/world-press-trends-2016-facts-and-figures
 http ://www. auditbureau. org/
 http://www.articlebase.com
 http://www.pib.nic.in/archieve/factsheet/fs2000/i&b.html
 http://www.aaaindia.org/

 http://www.indiatimes.com/

Citation:

 Kothari C.R., "Business Research Methodology" ; New Age International

Publishers, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi.
 Donald R. Cooper and Pamela S. Schindler, "Business Research Methodology" ;
Tata McGraw Hill Publishing Company Limited, New Delhi.
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APPENDICES

Appendix A: Copy of questionnaire to study the ‘Consumer Perception and Buying

Behavior towards magazines.’

Q1) Please specify your gender.

 Female
 Male

Q2) What is your occupation? 

 Self Employed
 Service
 Housewife
 Student
 Other

Q3) What is your occupation? 

 Self Employed
 Service
 Housewife
 Student
 Other

Q4) Do you read magazines? 

 Yes
 No

Q5) Have you subscribed to any magazine? 

 Yes
 No

Q6) If no, then why?

 60

 Non-availability of time
 Affordability
 Non- interest
 Online preference

Q7) Which genre do you read the most? 

 Fashion and Lifestyle
 Interior and Design
 Automobile
 Travel
 Bollywood
 Sports
 Other

Q8) Which of the following magazines have you purchased? 

 Femina
 Filmfare
 Hello!
 Top Gear
 Good Homes
 Home Trends
 Grazia
 BBC Knowledge
 Femina Salon and Spa
 Other

Q9) How frequently do you purchase magazines? 

 Weekly
 Once a month
 Yearly Subscriptions
 Randomly
 Never

Q10) On a scale of 1 to 5, rate the factors important for subscribing to a magazine.

1 2 3 4 5
(Least Important) ( Most Important)
A. Price
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B. Language
C. Information
D. Entertainment

Q11) Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the statements.

Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree

Strongly
Disagree
Agree

A. I usually read magazines based on availability

B. I prefer E-magazines to print magazines
C. Promotional schemes are an important factor to buy magazines
D. Magazines are a good source of information

Q12) Whom have you purchased the magazines from? 

 Newspaper Vendor
 Online
 Door to Door Sales Executive
 Other
 62

Appendix B: Copy of the TOI Subscription Form

 63

Report_shubhi_gupta.docx
ORIGINALITY REPORT

0 %
SIMILARITY INDEX
%
INTERNET SOURCES
0%
PUBLICATIONS
%
STUDENT PAPERS
Exclude quotes On Exclude matches < 3%
Exclude bibliography On
PRIMARY SOURCES