Asia Pacific Journal of Research Vol: I.

Issue XXXVII, March 2016

ISSN: 2320-5504, E-ISSN-2347-4793

CONSUMER PURCHASE DECISION BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS

COSMETICS MARKETING

Dr. S.ANANDARAJAN
Assistant Professor and Research Supervisor, PG & Research Department of Commerce,
Sri Vinayaga College for Arts and Science, Nagar, Ulundurpet- 606 107.

T.SIVAGAMI
M.Phil., Research Scholar, PG & Research Department of Commerce,
Sri Vinayaga College for Arts and Science, Nagar, Ulundurpet- 606 107.

ABSTRACT

Personal care sector is an integral part of the nation’s economy with its huge potential. The personal
care industry is one of the largest consumer sectors in the country. The purchasing power and disposable
incomes of the Indian consumer have considerably increased and it has created a niche for leading
organizations in this segment in the last decade, resulting in phenomenal growth in this sector. Most of the
consumers feel that there were chemicals in cosmetics, which cause many side effects, and started switching over
to ayurvedic based cosmetics. This study highlights the Consumer Purchase Decision Behaviour towards
Cosmetics Marketing.

INTRODUCTION
Consumer behavior encompasses a vast area including consumption pattern, consumer preferences,
consumer motivation, and consumer buying process & shopping behavior. The purchase decision is influenced
by various factors such as social, cultural, demographic, personal, economic etc. So for effective marketing, the
marketer must know the basis of decisions taken by customers.

CONSUMER ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR

As mentioned earlier, consumer buying pattern is directly evolved from the consumer behavior and its
attitude. Many things combine to build up the behavior of any individual. The first thing which influences the

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Asia Pacific Journal of Research Vol: I. Issue XXXVII, March 2016
ISSN: 2320-5504, E-ISSN-2347-4793
consumer behavior and shapes it is his culture. Culture builds the strong perceptions of the products in the mind
of the customers. According to Rai, 2013, there are several national and international brands which people
recognized and have strong perception in their minds. These perceptions are pinched in their mind because of
their culture, life styles and surroundings. Also advertisements have very important role in shaping the consumer
behavior. Advertisements are the source of motivation which forces them to buy a particular product.
Advertisements are also a source of building trust. Consumer is induced significantly if he is looking for the
quality and prices of the products. Purchase attitude can also be build up by product evaluation and brand
recognition.
Consumers in all over the world are attracted towards the brand and products which are emotionally
attached with their behaviors. Studies found that emotional attachments put a huge influence on the customers
and their buying behavior as people tend to associate themselves with the brand.

CONSUMER PURCHASE DECISIONS

Consumer buying behavior is the sum total of a consumer's attitudes, preferences, intentions, and
decisions regarding the consumer's behavior in the marketplace when purchasing a product or service. The study
of consumer behavior draws upon social science disciplines of anthropology, psychology, sociology, and
economics.

CONSUMER MARKET
The consumer market consists of all the individuals and households who buy or acquire goods and
service for personal consumption. The simplest model of consumer buyer behaviour is the stimulus- response
model. According to this model, marketing stimuli (the 4 Ps) and other major forces (economic, technological,
political, and cultural) enter the consumers "black box" and produce certain responses.
The dynamics of consumer behaviour and the consumer market, consumer buying behaviour refers to the
buying behaviour of final consumer individuals and households who buy goods and services for personal
consumption. All these are found in the consumer market.

MARKETING
Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong define "marketing as a social and managerial process by which
individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and value with
others. To explain this definition, we will examine the following important terms; needs, wants, and demands;
products; value, satisfaction, and quality; exchange, transaction, and relationships; and market.

COSMETICS MARKETING
Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish,
eye and facial makeup, novelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and gels,
deodorants, hand sanitizer, baby products, bath oils, bubble baths, bath salts, butters and many other types of
products. A subset of cosmetics is called "make-up," which refers primarily to colored products intended to alter
the user‟s appearance.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Studies on consumer behaviour particularly in the Indian context are limited some of such important
studies are briefly reviewed in the following papers.
Subrahamanyam & others (1982) conducted a study on “Marketing of consumer goods” in
Vishakapatnam. It was found that large number of respondents purchased consumer products from private retail
shop followed by super bazaar & consumer co-operative store and housewife played a vital role in taking

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Asia Pacific Journal of Research Vol: I. Issue XXXVII, March 2016
ISSN: 2320-5504, E-ISSN-2347-4793
purchase decision.
Debiprasd Mukherjee (2012) conducted a study entitled „Impact of celebrity endorsement on Brand
Image‟. This study shows that consumers report higher self-brand connection for brands with images that are
consistent with the image of a celebrity that they aspire to be like, particularly in the case when the image of the
celebrity and the brand match.
Kisan Shivajirao Desai (2014) stated that “A study on Consumer Buying Behaviour of Cosmetic
Products in Kolhapur”, The research attempts to study the consumer buying behavior of cosmetic products in an
Indian settings , specifically with reference to Kolhapur .The purpose of this paper is to investigate the various
factors that has impact on buying decision of consumers. In this paper, respondents were selected by convenient
sampling method and data was analyzed and interpreted with the help of statistical techniques. The study reveals
that different factors have significant influence on buying behavior. This study also contributes to the knowledge
of how cosmetic companies will be able to understand buying habits of the consumers.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The cosmetics industries are providing employment to the people directly or indirectly. Some of the
people depend on the cosmetics for their livelihood itself. Also the cosmetics has been exported to the various
part of the world especially herbal based cosmetics are exported to the western countries. So the cosmetic
industries are contributing export revenues to India as well as it contributes the economic development in turn
realizing the significance of the above points an attempt is i.e., A study of Consumer Purchase Decision
Behaviour in Cosmetics Marketing in Ulundurpet Town.

OBJECTIVES
The researcher has following objectives for pursuing this study.
1. To study the consumer behaviour marketing of cosmetic products.
2. To know the influence of various Medias in motivating the consumers on a particular brand of
cosmetics.
3. To know how the marketing strategy influences the behaviour of the consumers.

SAMPLING
The sampling technique employed for the purpose of this study is “Random sampling Technique”. The
samples are chosen from Ulundurpet Town. 200 samples were selected at random, so the sample size for this
study is 200. Best judgment sampling is adopted while randomizing the sample.

DATA COLLECTION
This study is mainly based on the primary data collected by the researcher her. A schedule has been
employed to collection of data. Direct interview method was adopted for administrating the schedule. The
collected information was properly tabulated by means of a transcription sheet. Both the simple and bi - variate
tables were prepared from the information collected. The tables were interpreted suitably with the help of simple
statistical tools, such as percentages analysis.

COSMETIC INDUSTRY IN INDIA

The Indian cosmetics industry is growing in terms of product development and marketing. The preference
of Indian consumers is changing from the „merely functional‟ products to more „advanced and specialized‟
cosmetic items. The average annual spending of Indian consumers on cosmetics in 2011 is just over US$3. India
in cosmetics, which saw its value share rising from 27% in 2005 to 31% in 2014 and are likely to continue to
surge ahead over the forecast period. The entry of many multinationals into the Indian cosmetics from 2011 has

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Asia Pacific Journal of Research Vol: I. Issue XXXVII, March 2016
ISSN: 2320-5504, E-ISSN-2347-4793
made it an extremely challenging and dynamic market. Foreign players have focused more on product
innovation; re-launches and brand extensions spread across multiple price points, and enhanced product
penetration by extending their distribution networks. The leading players have streamlined their ad spend to
effect savings that has allowed them revamp their pricing strategies as well as offer free gifts to retain consumers.

CONSUMER PURCHASE DECISION BEHAVIOUR- ANANALYSIS

The study of the buyer behaviour is essential to understand what marketing is the success or failure in
marketing depends up on individuals reactions expressed in the form of buying pattern. Mainly the buyer
behaviour has many approaches the economic, the psychological the socio cultural etc. A buyer is subjected to
many influences before the actual: purchase. Aroused needs are forces which activate goal oriented behaviour to
bring satisfaction.
Table -1 Awareness of the Brand
S. No Awareness of the brand No. of sample Respondents Percentage
1. Family Member 4 02
2. Friends & Neighbours 8 04
3. Television 148 74
4. Radio 12 06
5. Window Display 24 12
6. Newspapers & Magazines 4 02
Total 200 100
Source: Primary data

The table-1exhibits that awareness of the brand-viz classification of the sample respondents. Out of the
total sample respondents, 2% of the respondents come under the Family member, 4% of the sample respondents
come under the Friends & Neighbours, 74% of the respondents come under the Television, 6% of the
respondents come under the Radio, 12% of the respondents come under the Window display, and 2% of the
respondents come under the Newspapers and Magazines. It is also observed that, the majority of the
respondents viz 74% belongs to Television and 12% belong to Window display.
Table - 2 Habit of Buying Cosmetics
S. No Usually buy the Cosmetics No. of sample Respondents Percentage
1. Small retail shop 72 36
2. Departmental Store 64 32
3. Medical shop 64 32
4. Beauty shop - -
Total 200 100
Source: Primary data
It is observed from the table-2, that 36% of the respondents buy their cosmetics in small retail shop only.
They never buy from Departmental store or Medical shop. 32% of the respondents buy their cosmetics only at
Departmental store for their reasonable price structure. 32% of the respondents buy their cosmetics only from
Medical shop. It is also observed that, the majority of the respondents viz 36% buy from small retail shop.
Table - 3 Purchases of Cosmetics
S. No Purchases No. of Respondents Percentage
1. Spot decision 76 38
2. Pre planned 124 62
Total 200 100
Source: Primary data

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Asia Pacific Journal of Research Vol: I. Issue XXXVII, March 2016
ISSN: 2320-5504, E-ISSN-2347-4793
The table-3 displaced that 38% of the respondents buy their cosmetics under spot decision and 62% of the
respondents buy their cosmetics through their pre planning. It is also observed that majority of the cosmetics
buyers buy their cosmetics only through their pre planning.
Table - 4 Purchase Through Bargain
S. No Purchase bargaining No. of Respondents Percentage

1. Yes 104 52
2. No 96 48
Total 200 100
Source: Primary data

The table-4 reveals that 52% of the respondents buy their cosmetics item through bargaining, and nearly
48% of the respondents buy their cosmetics without any bargaining. They simply buy the cosmetics in the stated
price. It is also observed that, the majority of the respondents buy their cosmetics only through bargaining.
Table - 5 Preferred Factors While Purchasing Cosmetics
S. No Amount Spent No. of Respondents Percentage
1. Brand Name 20 10
2. Quality 170 85
3. Price 6 3
4. Any Other 4 2
Total 200 100
Source: Primary data

It is nearly observed that above data shows the factors that influenced respondents on choice of particular
brand. Advertisement & doctor/beauticians suggestions were most influenced factors whereas shop display &
impulse buy were the least important factors for choice of particular brand of cosmetics.
Table 6-Frequency of Buying Cosmetic Products

S. No No. of sample Respondents Percentage

1. Daily 06 03
2. Weekly 66 33
3. Monthly 122 61
4. Yearly 04 01
5. Festivals 02 04
Total 200 100
Source: Primary data

The Table 6 reveals that 61% of the respondents buy cosmetics once in a month, 33% of the respondents
buy every week, whereas very few respondents buy daily, yearly & during festivals.
Table 7- Type of Product Preferred by Respondents.

S. No No. of sample Respondents Percentage

1. Ayurvedic 56 28
2. Chemical 28 14
3. Both 116 58
Total 200 100
Source: Primary data

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 Asia Pacific Journal of Research Vol: I. Issue XXXVII, March 2016
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From the table 7 indicates 28% of the respondents preferred ayurvedic products, 14% of the respondents‟
preferred chemical based products and 58% of the respondents preferred both type of products. It means that
today‟s consumers are changing their attitude towards more healthier & natural cosmetic products as a whole.

POLICY IMPLICATIONS
 Cosmetics product is a coverage of all shops are comparatively lesser and unattractive in Ulundurpet
Town. Through special efforts more numbers of shops to be covered. More over the sales quantity may
be gradually increase in the feature.
 The price of cosmetic products can be reduced, which would attract more customers.
 The cosmetic manufacturing company can make attractive sales promotional activities.
 The manufactures can manufacture all quantities of cosmetics in sachet cover, which is preferred by
customers.
 There was a time when it was strongly believed that good salesman are “born” then “made”. That is
training was considered a futile exercise.
 The frequency of distribution and numbers of shops covered is somewhat moderate. The frequencies
may be multiple of each and every year by using effective advertisement through Newspapers, Radio,
Wallpapers, and Television by using attractive slogans in the advertisements.
 Advertising colour is sensation produced by the ways of decomposed light on the eye of eyes. It adds
attractiveness, warmth, coolness, formality, spirit and life to the things we see and consume.
 Marketer should include your attitude and personal appeal in their advertising communication as the
consumer buy cosmetic products on their own.

CONCLUSION
From this article concludes that, the most of the respondents are aware about the cosmetic products. The
people now are not considering the cosmetics as luxury. Most of the consumers feel that there were chemicals in
cosmetics, which cause many side effects, and started switching over to ayurvedic based cosmetics. The
cosmetic manufacturing company after realizing the need of the customers‟ started ayurvedic based cosmetics.
This study enabled the manufactures to know the need and preference of the customers‟, which can be
implemented by the manufactures to improve their products.

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