“To Study Customer Preference Towards Digital Camera and Market Position of the Brand in

Aurangabad City.”

Dr. Kunal L. Gaikwad

Assistant Professor, MGM – Institute of Management, Aurangabad.
Ranjana Gautam
Assistant Professor, R. S. I. M., Aurangabad.

Abstract:

Society is moving at a really fast pace today.Everyday new products with multiple features and
advance technology are introduced.Today’customers areeven more particular about the
upgraded version and competitive features of electronic products.Forward thinking,
acceptability towards new technology and knowledge level of customers pose a big challenge to
electronic market in 21st century.
While digital camera is blend of various features and innovations. This Study focused on
technological aspects with view to understand and espousal of combination of features that are
chosen in a digital camera. The primary objective of the study was to find, the attitude and
buying behavior of customers towards Digital Cameras. The research adopts a survey approach,
where self-administered questionnaire were issued, to gather data from the respondents. This
was to measure their opinion on digital camera’s brand preferences and the factors they feel are
important while buying a digital camera. The study was based on 133 respondents.
The research is prioritized on preference towards choosing Digital Camera by analyzing
the data acquired through questionnaire. After sales services, status symbol, durability, price
and EMI options, mega pixels, low weight, zooming density, easy handling being found to be
important general features preferred, while technical features,lens quality, picture quality,
screen size, image stabilizer, panorama mode, battery backup were preferred in digital camera.
The study also focuses on the brand positions.With the presence of so many players in the
market, branding is even more important than other factors.

Key words: Digital camera, Brand, Preference

Introduction: -
Consumer Durable - In economics, a durable good or a hard good is a good that does not quickly
wear out, or more specifically, one that yields utility over time rather than being
completely consumed in one use. Items like bricks could be considered perfectly durable goods,
because they should theoretically never wear out. Highly durable goods such
as refrigerators, cars, or phones usually continue to be useful for three or more years of use, so
durable goods are typically characterized by long periods between successive purchases.
Examples of consumer durable goods include cars, household goods (home
appliances, consumer electronics, furniture, etc.), sports equipment, firearms, and toys.
(Source: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durable_good)

India is expected to become the fifth largest consumer durables market in the world by
2025. The consumer electronics market is expected to increase to US$ 400 billion by 2020. The
production is expected to reach US$ 104 billion by 2016.
The sector is expected to double at 14.7 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to US$
12.5 billion in FY15 from US$ 6.3 billion in FY10. Urban markets account for the major share
(65 per cent) of total revenues in the consumer durables sector in the country. Demand in urban
markets is expected to increase for non-essential products such as LED TVs, laptops, split ACs
and, beauty and wellness products. In rural markets, durables like refrigerators as well as
consumer electronic goods are likely to witness growing demand in the coming years as the
government plans to invest significantly in rural electrification.
The Government of India has increased liberalization which has favored foreign direct
investments (FDI). Also, policies such as National Electronics Mission and digitization of
television and setting up of Electronic Hardware Technology Parks (EHTPs) is expected to boost
the growth of this sector.
The consumer durables market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 14.8 per cent to US$ 12.5
billion in FY15. Also, the demand from rural and semi-urban areas is projected to expand at a
CAGR of 25 per cent to US$ 6.4 billion in FY15, with rural and semi-urban markets likely
contributing majorly to consumer durables sales. (Source: - http://www.ibef.org/industry/indian-consumer-market.aspx)
Digital Camera - A digital camera or digicam is a camera that encodes digital
images and videos digitally and stores them for later reproduction. Most cameras sold today are
digital, and digital cameras are incorporated into many devices ranging fromPDAs and mobile
phones (called camera phones) to vehicles.
Digital and film cameras share an optical system, typically using a lens with a
variable diaphragm to focus light onto an image pickup device. The diaphragm and shutter admit
the correct amount of light to the imager, just as with film but the image pickup device is
electronic rather than chemical. However, unlike film cameras, digital cameras can display
images on a screen immediately after being recorded, and store and delete images from memory.
Many digital cameras can also record moving videos with sound. Some digital cameras
can crop and stitch pictures and perform other elementary image editing.
(Source: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_camera)

Objectives: -

1. To study customers buying preference while choosing digital camera in Aurangabad city.
2. To know highly preferred digital camera brand in Aurangabad city.

Research Methodology:

I have collected this data using questionnaire, as a primary data. I have also referred
various websites, articles, newspapers for data collection, as a secondary data. The research is
based on close ended questionnaire with a sample size of 133 respondents. The random sampling
technique was utilized in the selection of 133 respondents. Selected area was Aurangabad city,
Maharashtra.

Data Collected & Interpretation:

(Selected questions from the questionnaire.)

Q.1 Which brand are you currently using?

Q.2 Why you chose this brand?
Q.3 What factors persuaded you to buy a digital camera?
Q.4 Which of the following features you kept in the mind, while choosing a digital camera?
Q1. Which brand are you currently using?

Brands Respondents Percentage

Nikon 39 30%

Canon 33 25%
Sony 29 21%
Panasonic 9 7%

Samsung 10 7%

Fujifilm 12 9%

Other 1 1%

Total 133 100%

Table Number - 1

Chart Number - 1
Interpretation: -
In the above mentioned table number 1 and chart number 1 it is denoted that, out of 133 sample
size, 39 respondents are using Nikon brand i.e. 29% out of 100%. Secondly 33 respondents are
using Canon brand in percentage 24.8% out of 100%. And after Nikon and Canon, Sony brand
users are also good in numbers i.e. 21.8% out of 100% and 29 out of 133 respondents.
In a layman language it is interpreted that Nikon is preferred over other digital camera brands in
Aurangabad.
Q2. Why did you choose this brand?

Particular Respondents Percentage

Features 47 35%
After Sales Services 23 17%
Status Symbol 32 24%
Durability 21 16%
Easy Handling 10 8%
Total 133 100%
Table Number - 2

Q2

8%
Features
16% 35% After Sales Services
Status Symbol
Durability
24%
Easy Handling
17%

Chart Number– 2
Interpretation: -
Above sited table number 2 and chart number 2 says that, out of 133 respondents 47 respondents
chose brand because ofdigital camera’sfeatures, means out 100 percent 35% respondents give
first preference to the features of digital camera, and after that 24% respondents out of
100%consider that the brand is a status symbol, and 17% respondents said, they have chosen this
brand because of after sales service availability.
To make it simple a digital camera features were the most preferred technical reason for
choosing it. This was followed by brand after sales services and durability.
Q3. What factors persuaded you to buy a digital camera?

Factors Respondents Percentage

Advertisement 17 13%
Fashion 14 11%
Friend's Recommendation 11 8%
Price & EMI options 27 20%
Product Feature 32 24%
Family 16 12%
Professional's Reviews 14 11%
Other 2 2%
Total 133 100%
Table Number – 3

Q3
1%
11% 13%
Advertisement
Fashion
11%
12% Friend's Recommendation
Price & EMI options
Product Feature
8%
Family
Professional's Reviews
24%
Other
20%

Chart Number – 3
Interpretation: -
Table Number 3 indicates that out of 100 percent 24% respondents said they were convinced to
buy due to available product’s features. 20% respondents were influenced by price and available
EMI options. 13% respondents were persuaded due to advertisements.
This table suggests that product features was the major influencing factor while buying a digital
camera. The other two major factors were price and EMI options. The other few factors like
fashion, friend’s recommendation, family, professional reviews and others were not considered
very important by the respondents.

Q4. Which of the following features you kept in the mind, while choosing a digital camera?
Note: - This question was multi choice question so I have analyzed the same feature wise.
Features Respondents Percentage
Mega Pixel 114 85.7%
Low Weight 54 40.6%
Stylish Design 57 42.9%
Lens Quality 80 60.2%
Picture Quality 101 75.9%
Zooming Density 75 56.4%
Screen Size 35 26.3%
Image Stabilizer 61 45.9%
Interchangeable Lens 26 19.5%
Manual Control Options 30 22.6%
Panorama Mode 25 18.8%
Battery Backup 82 61.7%
Other 2 1.5%
Table Number – 4
 Q4
Respondents Percentage

133
114

101
82

80

75
61

57
54

35
30
26

25

100%
86%

76%
62%

60%

56%
46%

43%
41%

26%
23%
20%

19%
15%
2

Chart Number – 4
Interpretation: -
In the above stated table number 4 and chart number 4 it is denoted that out of 133(100%)
respondents 114(86%) respondents keep Mega Pixel feature in their mind while choosing digital
camera. After Mega Pixel 101(76%) respondents give second preference to Picture Quality while
choosing digital camera.82(62%) respondents keep Battery Backup into the consideration while
choosing digital camera out of 133(100%) respondents.

Conclusion: -
The aim of the study was to examine the customers buying preference towards digital camera
and brand position in the Aurangabad city:
 To study customers buying preference while choosing digital camera in Aurangabad city.
 To know highly preferred digital camera brand in Aurangabad city.

The findings revealed that a customer chooses technical features over after sales services status
symbol and durability. This finding also gives clue to the manufacturers that continue
innovations and upgraded technology in-case of digital camera, would give them a competitive
edge over other competitors.

The research revealed that the majority of that Nikon is the most preferred brand as far as Brand
preference is concerned. Other brands like Canon,Sony,Panasonic,Samsung, Fujifilm and others
are though having their unique features,but they could not surpass Nikon as far as brand
preference is concerned.

Bibliography: -
Articles and published research papers:
Aaker, David A. 1996. Building strong brands, New York: The Free Press.
Aaker, Jennifer L. 1997. “Dimensions of Brand Personality.” Journal of Marketing Research 34
(August): 347 – 357.
Jacoby, Jacob & Chestnut, Robert. 1978. Brand Loyalty: Measures and Management. New York:
Wiley.
Joshua Lockhart. 2013. “8 Tips You Should Know Before Buying Your Next Digital
Camera.”Makeuseof.com.
Mela, Carl F., Sunil Gupta, and Donald R. Lehmann. 1997. “The Long-Term Impact of
Promotion and Advertising on Consumer Brand Choice.” Journal of Marketing Research 34 (2):
248-261.
Sarang Shankar Bhola, Agawane Rajendra Jagannath. 2013. “Demographic Impact on
Customer’s in Buying Digital Cameras in Satara.” International Journal of Marketing and
Management Research, Volume 4, Issue 3-4.

Websites:
http://www.ibef.org/industry/indian-consumer-
http://www.ijbarr.com/downloads/050320159.pdfmarket.aspx
http://www.makeuseof.com
http://www.personal.umich.edu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_camera