PROJECT REPORT

ON

THE CONSUMER SATISFACTION OF

CUSTOMERS OF
MALABAR GOLD KASARAGOD

Submitted to the Kannur University in partial fulfillment of

the requirements of the award of Bachelor of Business
Management (BBM) Degree Examination
By

MOHAMMED SAABIR
Reg.No: 42947

Under the guidance of

Mr. P.C.MATHEW
(Lecturer in Commerce)

GRADUATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE &

MANAGEMENT STUDIES, MIC ARTS AND SCIENCE
COLLEGE, MAHINABAD, CHATTANCHAL
 2008-2009

Mr. P.C. MATHEW

LECT. IN COMMERCE
DEPT. OF COMMERCE AND MANAGEMENT STUDIES
MIC ARTS AND SCIENCE COLLEGE
MAHINABAD, CHATTANCHAL
KASARAGOD, KERALA.

CERTIFICATE

Certified that this project work entitled “THE CONSUMER

BEHAVIOR OF CUSTOMERS OF MALABAR GOLD PVT
LTD KASARAGOD” has been prepared by MOHAMMED
SAABIR, Reg. No: 42947 under my guidance and supervision in
partial fulfillment of the requirement of his Graduation in Business
Management from Kannur University.

Place : Mr. P.C. Mathew

Date : (Lecturer in Commerce)

DECLARATION

I here by declare that this case study in Consumer Behavior of the

Customers of Malabar Gold Pvt. Ltd. has been prepared by me under the
guidance of Mr. P.C. Mathew (Lecturer in Commerce), Malabar Islamic
Complex Arts & Science College, Mahinabad, Chattanchal, Kasaragod.
I also declare that this case study is the result of my own effort and
has not submitted to any university earlier.

Place : MOHAMMED SAABIR

Date : Reg. No: 42947
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In my endeavor to write this report on Consumer Behavior of
Customers of Malabar Gold Pvt. Ltd. Kasragod. I have been fortunate
enough to receive whole hearted report and aspiration from many. It is
just and proper from me to place my gratitude towards all of them.
First of all I am greatly indebted to our principal Mr. K. Mohammed
Kunhi for permitting me to carry out this study relating to Malabar
Gold Pvt. Ltd. Kasaragod.
I am immensely grateful to my guide Mr. P.C. Mathew faculty,
Department of Commerce for providing me with scholarly achieve,
inspiring commence, stimulating decision and full-fledged support.
I would like to extend gratitude towards Mohammed Kunhi C.I.
Manager of Malabar Gold who granted me to do the project.
In preparing this report, I am indebted to so many persons that it is
difficult to name all of them.
Above all, I am grateful to God, Almighty for the immense wishes
and blessing that gave me motivation and confidence to complete this
work.

MOHAMMED SAABIR
Reg. No:
42947
 CONTENTS

Chapters Page No:

1. DESIGN OF THE STUDY 01

1.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY 02
1.2 OBJECTIVES 04
1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 04
1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 05
1.5 METHODOLOGY OF DATA COLLECTION 05
1.6 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY 07

1.7 CHAPTER SCHEME 07

2. GOLD INDUSTRY 09
2.1 INTRODUCTION 10
2.2 HISTORY 10
2.3 APPLICATIONS 12
2.4 OCCURRENCE 13
2.5 PRODUCTION 14
2.6 PRICE 15
2.7 CURRENT SUPPLY AND DEMAND STATISTICS
GOLD SUPPLY AND DEMAND 16
2.8 FACTORS INFLUENCING GOLD PRICE 17
2.9 INDIAN JEMS JEWELERY INDUSTRY 17
 2.10 OVERVIEW OF GOLD INDUSTRY IN INDIA 18
3. MALABAR GOLD 20
3.1 INTRODUCTION 21
3.2 HISTORY 21
3.3 AREA OF OPERATION 21
3.4 MALABAR GOLD- KASARAGOD UNIT 22
3.5 MANAGEMENT AND STAFF 22
3.6 SPECIAL FEATURES OF MALABAR GOLD 23
3.7 MISSION OF THE ORGANISATION 23
3.8 SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF
MALABAR GOLD 24
3.9 ORGANISATONAL STRUCTURE 25
3.10 SOURCES OF FUND 26
3.11 DETAILS OF MALABAR GOLD COLLECTIONS26

4. CONSUMER BEHAVIOR 27
4.1 INTRODUCTION 28
4.2 CONSUMER BEHAVIOR 28
4.3 BUYER – AN ENIGMA 29
4.4 FACTORS INFLUENCING CONSUMER
BEHAVIOR 29
4.5 MODELS OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOR 30
4.6 TOOLS TO STUDY CONSUMER BEHAVIOR 31
4.7 OUTLET SELECTION AND PURCHASE 31
4.8 PURCHASE BEHAVIOR 32
4.9 POST PURCHASE BEHAVIOR 33
5. CONSUMER BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS OF
CUSTOMERS OF MALABAR GOLD 34
5.1 INTRODUCTION 35
5.2 QUESTIONNAIRE 35
5.3 ANALYSIS OF DATA 39

6. FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS 57

6.1 INTRODUCTION 58
6.2 FINDINGS 58
6.3 SUGGESTIONS 59
6.4 CONCLUSION 60
6.5 REFERENCES 60
 LIST OF TABLES

Table No: Table name Page No:

5.1 SEX WISE CLASSIFICATION OF RESPONDENTS 39

5.2 DIFFERENT INCOME GROUP OF RESPONDENTS 40
5.3 MARITAL STATUS OF THE RESPONDENTS 41
5.4 DIFFERENT AGE GROUP OF THE RESPONDENTS 42
5.5 PRODUCT WISE CLASSIFICATION OF
RESPONDENTS 43
5.6 AWARENESS OF RESPONDENTS ABOUT PRODUCTS
OTHER THAN GOLD 44
5.7 CLASSIFIACTION BASED ON AMOUNT OF
GOLD OWNED 45

5.8 SATISFACTION ON MAKING CHARGES 46

5.9 ADVERTISEMENT OF MALABAR GOLD 47
5.10 FACTORS INFLUENCING PURCHASE 48
5.11 SATISFACTION WITH SHOWROOM FACILITY 49
5.12 RATING OF DESIGNS AVAILABLE 50
5.13 RESPONSE ON COMPLAINTS REGISTERED 51
5.14 SALESMAN RESPONSIVENESS 52
5.15 RATING ON SERVICE FACILITY 53
5.16 RATING ON OVERALL SERVICE 54
5.17 LEVEL SATISFACTION 55
5.18 INSITENCE ON WELL WISHERS TO BUY FROM
MALABAR GOLD 56
 LIST OF CHARTS

Chart No: Chart Name Page No:

3.1 ORGANISATIONAL CHART 25
5.1 SEX WISE CLASSIFICATION OF RESPONDENTS 39
5.2 DIFFERENT INCOMW GROUP OF RESPONDENTS 40
5.3 MARITAL STATUS OF THE RESPONDENTS 41
5.4 DIFFERENT AGE GROUP OF THE RESPONDENTS 42
5.5 PRODUCT WISE CLASSIFICATION 43
5.6 AWARENESS OF RESPONDENTS ABOUT
PRODUCTS OTHER THAN GOLD 44
5.7 CLASSIFIACTION BASED ON AMOUNT OF
GOLD OWNED 45
5.8 SATISFACTION ON MAKING CHARGES 46
5.9 ADVERTISEMENT OF MALABAR GOLD 47
5.10 FACTORS INFLUENCING PURCHASE 48
5.11 SATISFACTION WITH SHOWROOM FACILITY 49
5.12 RATING OF DESIGNS AVAILABLE 50
5.13 RESPONSE ON COMPLAINT REGISTERED 51
5.14 SALESMAN RESPONSIVENESS 52
5.15 RATING ON SERVICE FACILITY 53
5.16 RATING ON OVERALL SERVICE 54
5.17 LEVEL SATISFACTION 55
5.18 INSITENCE ON WELL WISHERS TO BUY FROM
MALABAR GOLD 56
 CHAPTER 1

DESIGN OF THE STUDY

1.1 Introduction to the study

1.2 Objectives
1.3 Statement of the problem
1.4 Scope of the study
1.5 Methodology of data collection
1.6 Limitations of the study
1.7 Chapter scheme
1.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY
Society is a diversified in all aspects. We see this among consumers,
marketers, producers and even among consumer behavior from
theoretical aspects.
The study of consumer behavior enables marketer to predict a
consumer behavior in the market; it also produces under standing of the
role that consumption has in the lives of individuals.
Consumer behavior is defined as a behavior that consumers display
while searching for purchase, using, evaluation and disposal of products,
services and ideas that they to satisfy their needs. The study o f consumer
behavior is concerned not only with what consumers buy, but also with
what they buy it, when, from where and how they buy it and how often
they buy it. It is concerned with learning the specific meanings that
products hold for consumers. Consumer research takes place at every
phase of the consumption process; before the purchase, during the
purchase and after purchases.
Consumer behavior is the study of how people buy, what they buy,
when they buy and why they buy. It attempts to understand the buyer
decision processes/buyer decision making process, both individually and
in groups. It studies characteristics of individual consumers such as
demographics, psychographics, and behavioral variables in an attempt to
understand people's wants. It also tries to assess influences on the
consumer from groups such as family, friends, reference groups, and
society in general.
What we buy, how we buy, where and when we buy, in how much
quantity we buy depends on our perception, self concept, social and
cultural background and our age and family cycle, our attitudes, beliefs,
values motivation, personality, social class and many other factors that
are both internal and external to us.
Consumer behavior is interdisciplinary; i.e. it is based on concepts and
theories about people that have been developed by scientist in such
diverse disciplines as psychology, sociology, social psychology, cultural
anthropology and economics. Consumer research is the methodology
used to study consumer behavior.
The study of consumer behavior is the study of ho individuals make
decision to spend their available resources on consumption elated items.
It includes the study of what, why, when and form where they buy etc.
Consumer behavior is a relatively new field of study emerged in late
1960s with no history or body of research of its own unlike branches of
economics. Many early theories concerning consumer behavior were
based on economic theory on the notion that individuals act to maximize
their benefits in the purchase of goods and services.
There are number of reasons why the study of consumer behavior
developed as a separate marketing discipline. As sum as the marketing
researchers began to study the buying behavior of customers, they
realized that, despite a something “me too” approach to fashions, many
consumer rebelled at using the identical products everyone else used. The
primary purpose or studying as part of a marketing curriculum is to
understand why and how consumers make their purchase decisions.
These insights enable marketer to design more effective marketing
strategies.
Consumer behavior has become an integral part of strategic market
planning. The belief that ethics and responsibility should also be integral
components of every marketing concept, which calls on marketer to
 fulfill the needs of their target market in ways that improve society as a
whole.
In addition to studying consumer uses and purchase and post purchase
evaluations of the product they buy, consumers researchers are also
interested in how individuals dispose the other one’s new purchase.

1.2 OBJECTIVES
• To analyze the behavior of customers of Malabar Gold.
• To know the motivating factors of consumers in purchasing products
of Malabar Gold.
• To know how brand preference is formed in purchasing Malabar
Gold’s ornaments among consumers.
• To analyze marketing strategies of Malabar Gold.
• To ascertain the level of brand loyalty and brand image associated by
consumer with a brand name ‘Malabar Gold’ and the reason for this.
• To measure the level of satisfaction of customers of Malabar Gold.
• To study the consumer perception towards Malabar Gold.

1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The MALABAR GROUP OF COMPANIES has launched its gold
ornaments outlet named MALABAR GOLD with entire package of offers
and with unique collections of designs. So after 15 years of business and
service, it is important to know how the customers’ behavior is against its
competition and how effective has been the product positioning.
After the purchase of specialty goods or shopping goods, the customer
exhibits a post purchase behavior. It may be either cognitive consonance
or cognitive dissonance. The consonance leads to dissatisfaction. But
when it comes to customers going in high value premium segment goods
such as gold, diamond and platinum ornaments, in a high competitive
with too many players in the market, then the customer surely has a wide
range of choice to choose from and carefully evaluates the different
showrooms before making a purchase decision. In such a situation, any
of purchase dissonance will lead to very high degree of dissatisfaction,
which may also lead to spreading negative option to the prospective
buyer of jewelers outlet.

1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study of under standing the behavior of the customers on jewelry
brand, namely MALABAR GOLD, apart from helping to acquire a better
insight and understanding into the vital, but trivial aspects of the jewelry
market, it also helps in assessing the companies strength and weakness
against the competing jewelry brands. Thus helping in finding the loop
holes in the company’s products on in finding logical solutions to the
problems.
This study helps in finding out:
• How the customers rate the various attributes in Malabar Gold as
against other competitors.
• How effective has been the company in positioning Malabar Gold as a
reputed jewelry showroom.
• How effective has the company’s marketing strategy of low making
charge, with offering a whole lot of unique features provided in the
market.
1.5 METHODOLOGY OF DATA COLLECTION
1. Source of data:
There are broadly two types of data available to a researcher. They
are;
(a) Primary data
(b) Secondary data
Primary data:
It refers to the first hand information collected by the researcher,
specific to the research problem. It includes using different primary data
collection tools such as personal interview using questionnaires,
telephone surveys, mail surveys etc.
For the present study, primary data was collected by survey method
using questionnaires.
Secondary data:
It is the information that already exists for another purpose. This
refers to all those data which are collected for some earlier research
work. The secondary data for this work was obtained form company
profile, company magazines, website, newspapers, internet, text books,
reports and form company brochures and other promotional materials.
2. Sampling:
In the consumer market research, there is a problem of selecting a
sample of few hundred respondents from a vast population. The reason
for sampling is that it is not possible to cover the entire population in the
field of research.
SAMPLING DESIGN
Type of sample : Simple random
Sampling : For this study the respondents were customer of
Malabar Gold only were selected.
Research instruments : Structured closed ended questionnaire.
Method : The respondents were contacted personally and
interviewed.

1.6 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The main limitations are:-
• Time limitation for compelling the project.
• The data obtained in some cases may be biased.
• Difficulty in communication within the city while conducting the
survey.
• The information obtained from the consumers based on
questionnaires was assumed to be factual.
• Since the survey is based on sampling method, it does not discloses the
character of the entire customers.

1.7 CHAPTER SCHEME

The whole study is prospered to be present in six chapters as follows:
The first chapter deals with a brief introduction, objectives and
methodology of research problems.
The second chapter describes about the gold industry. It gives a clear idea
about history, occurrence, and production of gold and current gold
market in both India and world.
The third chapter gives a clear vision about the company Malabar Gold,
its origin, history, area of operations, management & staff and promoters.
The fourth chapter explains about the consumer behavior, factors
influencing it, models, and tools used to study it etc.
The fourth chapter consists of analysis of consumer behavior of
customers of Malabar Gold. Accepted tools of analysis such as tables,
charts and diagrams were used.
The last chapter gives a summary of the investigation. The investigator
gives his view on regarding consumer behavior towards Malabar Gold
and attempts to list out some suggestions for future actions.
 CHAPTER: 2

GOLD INDUSTRY

2.1 Introduction
2.2 History
2.3 Applications
2.4 Occurrence
2.5 Production
2.6 Price
2.7 Current supply and demand statistics
2.8 Factors influencing the gold price
2.9 Indian gems and jewelry industry
2.10 Over view of Gold industry in India

2.1 INTRODUCTION
Gold has long been considered the most desirable of precious metals, and
its value has been used as the standard for many currencies in history.
Gold has been used as a symbol for purity, value, royalty. One of the
salient features about the gold is that a single gram of weight is not at all
wasted since its exploration. It has been rounding in different hands in
one or the other way.
The history of gold starts from 2600BC. A huge description is available
in the Egyptian Hieroglyphs. It may be the first metal used by humans
and was valued for ornamentation and rituals. Important locations famous
in the name of gold are Red sea in Saudi Arabia, Lydia, Romania, Las
medullas, in Spain, Rosia Montana in Transylvania, Central America,
Peru and Columbia.
Today, gold has emerged as an important mean for investments also.
Volatile markets and unstable economic conditions have also added to it.
China is largest producer followed by South Africa. But India is the
largest consumer of gold, where it is largely used for jewelry together
with investment. India’s diversified religious customs and rituals have
helped to the high demand for gold.
2.2 HISTORY
The symbol for the Sun has been used since ancient times to represent
gold. The Turin mining papyrus Gold has been known and highly-valued
since prehistoric times. It may have been the first metal used by humans
and was valued for ornamentation and rituals. Egyptian hieroglyphs from
as early as 2600 BC describe gold, which king Tushratta of the Mitanni
claimed was "more plentiful than dirt" in Egypt.

The south-east corner of the Black Sea was famed for its gold.
Exploitation is said to date from the time of Midas, and this gold was
important in the establishment of what is probably the world's earliest
coinage in Lydia between 643 and 630 BC.

The Romans developed new methods for extracting gold on a large scale
using hydraulic mining methods, especially in Spain from 25 BC
onwards and in Romania from 150 AD onwards.
The Mali Empire in Africa was famed throughout the old world for its
large amounts of gold. Mansa Musa, ruler of the empire (1312–1337)
became famous throughout the old world for his great hajj to Mecca in
1324. When he passed through Cairo in July of 1324, he was reportedly
accompanied by a camel train that included thousands of people and
nearly a hundred camels. He gave away so much gold that it took over a
decade for the economy across North Africa to recover, due to the rapid
inflation that it initiated.
During the 19th century, gold rushes occurred whenever large gold
deposits were discovered. The first documented discovery of gold in the
United States was at the Reed Gold Mine near George Ville, North
Carolina in 1803. The first major gold strike in the United States
occurred in a small north Georgia town called Dahlonega. Further gold
rushes occurred in California, Colorado, Otago, Australia,
Witwatersrand, Black Hills, and Klondike.

Because of its historically high value, much of the gold mined throughout
history is still in circulation in one form or another.

2.3 APPLICATIONS
In various countries, gold is used as a standard for
monetary exchange, in coinage and in jewelry. Pure gold
is too soft for ordinary use and is typically hardened by
alloying with copper or other base metals. The gold
content of gold alloys is measured in carats (k), pure gold
being designated as 24k.

2.3.1 As a medium of monetary exchange

Gold coins intended for circulation from 1526 into the

1930s were typically a standard 22k alloy called crown
gold, for hardness. Modern collector/investment bullion
coins are typically 24k, although the American Gold Eagle
and British gold sovereign continue to be made at 22k, on
historical tradition. The world wide used coins are
American Gold Eagle, British Gold Sovereign, Canadian
Gold Maple Leaf, Gold Kangaroos, Australian Gold Nugget,
Australian Lunar Calendar Series, Austrian Philharmonic
and American Buffalo.

2.3.2 Jewelry

Because of the softness of pure (24k) gold, it is usually alloyed with base
metals for use in jewelry, altering its hardness and ductility, melting
point, color and other properties. Alloys with lower cartage, typically
22k, 18k, 14k or 10k, contain higher percentages of copper, or other base
metals or silver or palladium in the alloy. Copper is the most commonly
used base metal, yielding a redder color. 18k gold containing 25% copper
is found in antique and Russian jewellery and has a distinct, though not
dominant, copper cast, creating rose gold. Fourteen carat gold-copper
alloy is nearly identical in color to certain bronze alloys, and both may be
used to produce police and other badges. Blue gold can be made by
alloying with iron and purple gold can be made by alloying with
aluminum, although rarely done except in specialize jewelry. Blue gold is
more brittle and therefore more difficult to work with when making
jewelry. Fourteen and eighteen carat gold alloys with silver alone appear
greenish-yellow and are referred to as green gold. White gold alloys can
be made with palladium or nickel. White 18 carat gold containing 17.3%
nickel, 5.5% zinc and 2.2% copper is silver in appearance

2.3.3 Other uses

• Salts and radio scopes of gold are used in pharmacology.
• Gold leaf, flakes or dust is used in some gourmet foodstuffs, sweets
and drinks as decorative ingredient.
• Gold is used in dentistry as crowns and permanent bridges.
• Gold threads are used in embroidery
• Gold has been used for electrical wiring in some high energy
applications, atomic experiment and other electrical equipments.
• Olympics, Nobel Prize and other competitions and honors award a
gold medal to the winner.

2.4 OCCURRENCE

In nature, gold most often occurs in its native state (that is, as a metal),
though usually alloyed with silver. Native gold contains usually eight to
ten percent silver, but often much more - alloys with a silver content over
20% are called electrum. As the amount of silver increases, the color
becomes whiter and the specific gravity becomes lower.

Ores bearing native gold consist of grains or microscopic particles of

metallic gold embedded in rock, often in association with veins of quartz
or sulfide minerals like pyrite. These are called "lode" deposits. Native
gold is also found in the form of free flakes, grains or larger nuggets that
have been eroded from rocks and end up in alluvial deposits (called
placer deposits). Such free gold is always richer at the surface of gold-
bearing veins owing to the oxidation of accompanying minerals followed
by weathering, and washing of the dust into streams and rivers, where it
collects and can be welded by water action to form nuggets.

2.4.1 Gold minerals

Gold usually occurs in nature as the native element or as the gold silver
alloy electrum. Gold does occur combined with tellurium as the minerals
calaverite, krennerite, nagyagite, petzite and sylvanite. Gold also occurs
as the rare bismuthide maldonite (Au2Bi) and the antimonide aurostibite
(AuSb2). Gold also occurs as rare alloys with copper, lead, and mercury:
the minerals auricupride (Cu3Au), novodneprite (AuPb3) and weishanite
(AuAg) 3 Hg2).

2.5 PRODUCTION
Since the 1880s, South Africa has been the source for a large proportion
of the world’s gold supply, with about 50% of all gold ever produced
having come from South Africa. Production in 1970 accounted for 79%
of the world supply, producing about 1,000 tones. However by 2007
production was just 272 tones. This sharp decline was due to the
increasing difficulty of extraction, changing economic factors affecting
the industry, and tightened safety auditing. In 2007 China (with 276
tones) overtook South Africa as the world's largest gold producer, the
first time since 1905 that South Africa has not been the largest.

Other major producers are United States, Australia, China, Russia and
Peru. Mines in South Dakota and Nevada supply two-thirds of gold used
in the United States. In South America, the controversial project Pascua
Lama aims at exploitation of rich fields in the high mountains of
Atacama Desert, at the border between Chile and Argentina. Today about
one-quarter of the world gold output is estimated to originate from
artisanal or small scale mining.

After initial production, gold is often subsequently refined industrially

by the Wohlwill process or the Miller process. Other methods of assaying
and purifying smaller amounts of gold include parting and inquartation as
well as cupellation, or refining methods based on the dissolution of gold
in aqua regia.

The world's oceans hold a vast amount of gold, but in very low
concentrations (perhaps 1–2 parts per 10 billion).

2.6 PRICE

Like other precious metals, gold is measured by troy weight and by

grams. When it is alloyed with other metals the term carat or karat is used
to indicate the amount of gold present, with 24 karats being pure gold and
lower ratings proportionally less. The purity of a gold bar can also be
expressed as a decimal figure ranging from 0 to 1, known as the
millesimal fineness, such as 0.995 being very pure.

The price of gold is determined on the open market, but a procedure

known as the Gold Fixing in London, originating in September 1919,
provides a daily benchmark figure to the industry. The afternoon fixing
appeared in 1968 to fix a price when US markets are open.

2.6.1 Price records

Since 1968 the price of gold on the open market has ranged widely, from
a high of $850/oz ($27,300/kg) on January 21, 1980, to a low of
$252.90/oz ($8,131/kg) on June 21, 1999 (London Gold Fixing). The
1980 high was not overtaken until January 3, 2008 when a new
maximum of $865.35 per troy ounce was set (a.m. London Gold Fixing).
The current record price was set on March 17, 2008 at $1023.50 (am.
London Gold Fixing).

2.7 CURRENT SUPPLY AND DEMAND STATISTICS

GOLD SUPPLY AND DEMAND- Q2 2008

At US$21.2bn, global dollar demand for gold reached new heights in the
second quarter of 2008, rising 9% on year earlier levels. Global
investment demand for gold showed the strongest surge, reaching $3.5
billion in Q2 2008, 29% higher than Q2 2007, with particular strength in
the US, China, Egypt and Vietnam.
Despite a number of markets turning to gold due to its investment
attributes as a safe haven in times of rising inflation and unstable equity
markets, identifiable global investment demand in tonnage terms was
down by 4% over Q2 2007 to 119.8, as some investors took profits. This
decline represents a 9% decrease in net retail investment, which was
partly offset by a move to positive net investment in Exchange Traded
Funds (ETFs) and similar products.

2.8 FACTORS INFLUENCING GOLD PRICE

Today, like all investments and commodities, the price of gold is
ultimately driven by supply and demand, including hoarding and
disposal. Unlike most other commodities, the hoarding and disposal plays
a much bigger role in affecting the price, because most of the gold ever
mined still exists and is potentially able to come on to the market for the
right price.
2.8.1 Bank failures
When dollars were fully convertible into gold, both were regarded as
money. However, most people preferred to carry around paper banknotes
rather than the somewhat heavier and less divisible gold coins.
2.8.2 Low or negative real interest rates
If the return on bonds, equities and real estate is not adequately
compensating for risk and inflation then the demand for gold and other
alternative investments such as commodities increases.
2.8.3 War, invasion, looting, crisis
In times of national crisis, people fear that their assets may be seized and
that the currency may become worthless. They see gold as a solid asset
 which will always buy food or transportation. Thus in times of great
uncertainty, particularly when war is feared, the demand for gold rises.

2.9 INDIAN JEMS JEWELERY INDUSTRY

The exports of gems and jewelry registered an upbeat growth of percent
in dollar terms during April-September 2007-2008. In 2007-2008 the
exports of this sector increased by 16.8% and crossed a level of US$10.5.
This is a particularly interesting industry from an Indian stand point,
since it involves imported raw materials, domestic value added and
global markets and provides skilled employment. Indian gems firms are
tightly integrated into global production chains. In order to give a boost
to exports of gems and jewelry, Government took major policy initiative
during the same year.

2.10 OVERVIEW OF GOLD INDUSTRY IN INDIA

• India is the largest consumer of gold in the world followed by China
and Japan.
• India is emerging as world’s largest trading centre of gold with a target
of US$16 bn set for 2010.
• India dominates the world’s cut and polished diamonds (CPD) market.
In value terms, the country accounts for approximately 55% of global
polished diamond market and nearly 9% of the jewelry market.
• Surat contributes 90% of India’s total diamond exports.
• India’s domestics branded jewelry market is estimated at Rs 600-700
crores.
• There are 13 bullion importing bank in India.
• India’s gem and Jewelry Exports Promotion Council (GJEPC) is
aiming at turning India into an international diamond trading centre.
• Since India is already enjoying 80-85% of the world CPD market,
scope for further growth in diamond exports is limited. Hence, if
India’s gems and jewelry sector is to substantially increase exports, the
best lies in the jeweler sub sector.
• India’s imports an average of 18000 bars a day, about 70% of the total
demand and the balance is being sourced to indigenous output and
metal recycled from old jewelries.

The main reason why India has not made a dent in jeweler
exports market is the existence of government restrictions in their
domestic jewelry industry in the pre-economic liberalization era. If the
gold jewelry exports are to be encouraged, it would be necessary to allow
bulk imports of gold which would have to be converted to jewelry and
then exported.
 CHAPTER: 3

MALABAR GOLD

3.1 Introduction
3.2 History
3.3 Areas of operation
3.4 Malabar Gold- Kasaragod unit
3.5 Management and staff
3.6 Mission of the organization
3.7 Special features of Malabar Gold
3.8 Organizational structure
3.9 Sources of fund
3.10 Details of Malabar Gold collections

3.1 INTRODUCTION
Malabar Gold Pvt. Ltd is a unit of a corporative setup called Malabar
Group of Companies. It is one among the 26 units or firms under Malabar
Group of Companies. Today Malabar Gold is a leading jeweler in south
India and Middle East. It has not only retail outlets but also runs
wholesale outlets too. Malabar Gold is reputed jeweler maker and has
millions of customers across India and outside.

3.2 HISTORY
The name “Malabar” itself gives a clear idea of its origin, it was born on
5th July 1993 at Kozhikode, which is known as heart of Malabar i.e.,
northern Kerala. The founder of Malabar Gold is Mr. M.P Ahamed, who
is the present chairman.
Earlier Malabar Gold was known as “Malabar Jewelers”. The present
corporate office is at Kozhikode. Within 15 years Malabar Gold is
successful in spreading its wings throughout Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra
Pradesh, and Gulf countries.

3.3 AREA OF OPERATION

Malabar Gold has opened its outlets throughout South India and Gulf
countries. In total it has 26 outlets including wholesale outlets. They are
listed as below:
Kerala: Calicut, Kannur, Thalassery, Kasaragod, Palakad, Manjeri,
Trissur, Perinthalmannna, Vadakara, Kochi, Edappal, Kodungalloor,
Kanhagad, Thodupuzha, Sulthan Bathery.
Karnataka: Mangalore, Bangalore (2 outlets).
Tamilnadu: Tirur, Erode.
Andhra Pradesh: Hyderabad.
UAE: Sharjah, Ajman, Al-Ain, Bur-Dubai.
They are also planning to extend their business in Payyannur,
Coimbatore, Mysore and Tiruvananthapuram.

3.4 MALABAR GOLD- KASARAGOD UNIT

Malabar Gold opened its franchise in kasaragod on 7th December 2003. It
was inaugurated by Panakad Hyderali Shihab Thangal. It is located in the
Century Park shopping complex, near municipal new bustand. The
showroom is fully air conditioned and has a good parking facility too.

3.5 MANAGEMENT AND STAFF

Management is concerned with the accomplishment of objectives by
utilizing physical and financial resources through the efforts of
manpower. Staff refers to the human resources within an organization.
The kasaragodunit is lead by a very good team headed by Mr. P.A.
Ibrahim Haji who is the General Manager. Altogether it has 64
employees. Persons with their destinations are listed below:

Sales Manager: Mr. Chandra Shekaran Nair.

Purchase Manager: Mr. Shahid P.C.
Accountant: Mr. Thomas.
Packing Manager: Mr. Shaji K

3.6 SPECIAL FEATURES OF MALABAR GOLD

1. Exclusive showroom for 100% BIS hallmarked 916 gold
collections.
2. A vast array of modern designer collections from India, Singapore,
Europe, Middle East etc.
3. Pure value for money guaranteed while buying and selling.
4. Lifelong guarantee and free maintenance for gold ornaments.
5. German made gold check carat analyzer to check the purity of gold
while buying and selling gold.
6. Exclusive collections of MG diamonds.
7. IGI certificate of authenticity and buy back guarantee for diamond
ornaments.
8. Special counter for world class branded watches like Omega, Rado,
Mont Blanc, Seiko, Foce, Tissot, Espirit, Continental, Police, Tag Heuer,
Caterpillar, D4 swiss, Accurate and Citizen.
9. 2 years international warranty and after sale service for Swiss made
watches.
10. International Gemological Institute’s certificate for diamond
ornaments.
11. PGI certificate for platinum ornaments.
12. Availability of well trained professional sales executives.
13. Certain percentage of profit is reserved for charity.

3.7 MISSION OF THE ORGANISATION

Vision of the organization is as follows:
1 To provide employment opportunity to educated people.
2 To training to unskilled persons.
3 To provide employment to persons from rural area.
4 To provide good quality products at reasonable price.
5 To give customers the best value for their money.
6 To provide good working conditions.
7 To earn reasonable profit.

3.8 SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF MALABAR GOLD

Social responsibility means the obligation of a business to act in
manner, which will serve the best interest of the society.
3.8.1 Towards the employees
Workers are, indeed the pillars of the organization. They are the
important part of the organization. It is therefore very necessary to keep
them satisfied and give them in due. According to modern philosophy,
labour is a human being and worker next.
Malabar Gold has to ensure job security for their workers and has to pay
reasonable salaries for their effort. It also creates good working
conditions like good lighting, ventilation, air conditioning etc to its
employees. The company also provides ESI to their staff. They are
provided with accommodation, insurance coverage and uniforms to the
staff. The firm also ensures selection and recruitment is being done
without any discrimination like caste, colour, religion, and state.
3.8.2 Towards the customers
The satisfaction of the customers should be the primary concern of every
business concern. Malabar Gold ensures marketing of such goods which
are demanded by the customers based on their taste and preferences. it
also ensures adequate supply of good quality products at reasonable
price. After all their punch line is “beauty meets quality”.
3.8.3 Towards the society
Every organization has responsibility not only towards employees and
customers but also towards the society also. Malabar Gold ensures
maximum utilization of nation’s rich resources. They try to dispose less
wastage. Together with this they also create more employment
opportunities. Provide jobs for unemployed youths of rural area. It also
maintains good relation with local area.

3.9 ORGANISATONAL STRUCTURE

An organizational structure explains how authority and responsibility
flows from one head to other. In Malabar Gold Managing Director is at
the top level. He sets the plans and policies. He controls each and every
corner of the showroom. Malabar Gold follows the centralized form of
 structure. It means that all powers are vested with the op level
management. The organization mainly has 4 departments and each
department its own departmental heads and trainees.
Chart No: 3.1 Organizational Chart

General Manager

Sales Purchase Accounts Packaging

Senior Sales Senior Purchase Chief

Manager Manager Accountant Packing head

Accounting Packaging
Sales Manager Purchase Manager Staff Trainees

Sales Purchase Accounting

Executives Executives Trainees
3.10 SOURCES OF FUND
The main
Sales Executive sources of theExecutive
Purchase funds are bank loans and from other financial
Computer
Trainees Trainees Operators
institutions. Almost half of the capital are owned fund.
3.11 DETAILS OF MALABAR GOLD COLLECTIONS
The exclusive collections of Malabar Gold include:
1 World class designer jewelry from Italy, Turkey, Korea, Bahrain
and Singapore.
2 Traditional jewelleries from Karnataka and Kerala.
3 Royal Mughal collections
4 Karachi bangles.
5 Calcutta collections.
6 Rajkot collections.
7 Zara collections.
8 Antique collections.
9 Hansa collections.
10 Bombay and Bombay special collections.
11 Signity studded jewelry.
12 Daily wear bangles and chains.
13 Formal or work wear jewelry.
14 Navrathna, birthstones, lucky stones studded with gold.
15 Platinum ornaments with “950 Purity Assurance Card”.
16. Wide range world class branded watches like Omega, Rado, Mont
Blanc, Seiko, Foce, Tissot, Espirit, Continental, Police, Tag Heuer,
Caterpillar, D4 swiss, Accurate and Citizen.
17. Varied collections of their own brand diamond collection called MG
diamonds.

CHAPTER 4

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

4.1 Introduction
4.2 Consumer behavior
4.3 Buyer–An Enigma
4.4 Factors influencing consumer behavior
4.5 Models of consumer behavior
4.6 Tools to study consumer behavior
4.7 Outlet selection and purchase
4.8 Purchase behavior
4.9 Post purchase behavior

4.1 INTRODUCTION
All of us are consumers. We consume things of daily use; we also
consume and buy these products according to our needs, preferences and
buying power. These can be consumable goods, durable goods, specialty
goods or industrial goods.
What we buy, how we buy, where and when we buy, in how much
quantity we buy depends on our perception, self concept, social and
cultural background and our age and family cycle, our attitudes, beliefs,
values motivation, personality, social class and many other factors that
are both internal and external to us.

4.2 CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

 Consumer behavior is the study of how people buy, what they buy,
when they buy and why they buy. It blends elements from psychology,
sociology, sociopsychology, anthropology and economics. It attempts to
understand the buyer decision processes/buyer decision making process,
both individually and in groups. It studies characteristics of individual
consumers such as demographics, psychographics, and behavioral
variables in an attempt to understand people's wants. It also tries to assess
influences on the consumer from groups such as family, friends,
reference groups, and society in general.
Belch and Belch define consumer behavior as 'the process and
activities people engage in when searching for, selecting, purchasing,
using, evaluating, and disposing of products and services so as to satisfy
their needs and desires'.

4.3 BUYER – AN ENIGMA

Although it is important for the firm to understand the buyer and

accordingly evolve it marketing strategy, the buyer or consumer
continues to be an enigma – sometimes responding the way the marketer
wants and on other occasions just refusing to buy the product from the
same marketer. For this reason, ht buyers’ mind has been termed as a
black box, the marketer provides stimuli but he is uncertain of the
buyer’s response. This stimulus is a combination of product, brand name,
colour, style, packaging, intangible services, merchandizing, shelf
display, advertising, distribution, publicity and so forth.
Further today’s customer is being greatly influenced by the media
especially electronic. Technological developments in the field of
information, biotechnology and genetics, and intensive competitions in
all products and services are also impacting consumer choices.

4.4 FACTORS INFLUENCIG CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

The factors that influence consumer behavior can be classified into

internal factors and external environmental factors. External factors do
not affect the decision process directly, but percolate or filter through the
individual determinants, to influence the decision process.
The individual determinants that affect consumer behavior are:
• Motivation and involvement
• Attitudes
• Personality and self concept
• Learning and memory
• Information processing
The external influences or factors are:
• Cultural influences
• Sub-cultural influences
• Social class influences
• Social group influences
• Family influences
• Personal influences
• Other influences

4.5 MODELS OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

We have already seen that there are many factors which influence the
decision making of consumers. There are various consumer models
which help in the under standing of consumer behavior. They are
formulated by different economist and management scientist based on
various ideas. They are:

• Economic Model
• Psychological Model
• Input process output Model
• Sociological Model
• Hawrath Sheth Model
• Sociological Model
• Engel-Blackwell-Kollath Model
• Model of family decision making
• Nicosia Model
• A model of industrial buying behavior

4.6 TOOLS TO STUDY CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

It is important to marketer to regularly study buyer behavior. The

different tools available to him or her are:

4.6.1 Surveys
This is the most common technique used in studying consumer behavior.
It involves the use of questionnaires. Different scaling techniques like
Likert and Thurstone are used to measure consumer attitudes. The
problem with survey methodology is that it gives to marketer only
conscious response of the customer.

4.6.2 Projective Techniques

To throw the customer off his or her conscious level and to get know sub-
conscious-level responses, projective techniques like word association,
picture association and thematic appreciation tests have been used. This
provides valuable information on his or her product or brand and about
the customer’s lifestyle and self concept.
4.6.3 Focus Group Discussions
This is another qualitative technique used to assess how customers
perceive the product and use situations. It also provides the marketer with
valuable information on the target market.

4.7 OUTLET SELECTION AND PURCHASE

As the number of product and brands are increasing in the market, so
are the retail outlets and it becomes very confusing for the customers to
choose the retail stores. The selecting of a retail store also involves
almost the same process as selecting a brand. A retail outlet relates to a
service or a product which caters to the consumer. The retail trade occurs
from the stores but, it also occurs from catalogues, direct mail via print
media, television and radio. Retailing is also done in weekly markets
which are put up in different areas of a city on different days. It is also
done from consumer, by means of various media. It has become very
challenging and exciting, both for consumers and marketers. The
consumer may give first preference to the store or the product or, he may
give equal importance to both. Sometimes one prefers a store first, where
he can get friendly and logical advice to buy the product or brand of
second priority, if he is assured of proper service and proper guidance,
rather than buying a product of his choice on first priority and missing
out on other important aspects of purchase.

4.8 PURCHASE BEHAVIOR

We have seen that in many products, decision-making is a very
lengthy process, and takes a very long time. The problem is recognized
and a lot of information is gathered. After this is done, the last two stages
of decision-making, that is, the purchase and post purchase come into
play. Purchase is very important as it generates revenue, and post
purchase gives us an idea of the likes and dislikes of the consumer. Post
purchase behavior also establishes s link between the marketer and the
target market segment.
Purchase is important to the marketer as the product was planned,
produced, priced, promoted and distributed after a lot of effort. If
purchase does not take place, the marketer has failed in his marketing
effort. He then needs to change the marketing mix. He has to change
entire strategy, as the ultimate aim of the marketer is to float a product
which will generate revenue and bring satisfaction to the customers.
Purchase is important for his success, for achieving his objectives and for
formulating competitive strategies against the competitors. It marks the
end of his search, end of his efforts and chooses the brand of his choice
for expected benefits.
4.9 POST PURCHASE BEHAVIOR
It is important for the marketer to know whether his product is liked
by the consumer or not. He wants the feedback about his product so that
corrective action, if necessary, can be taken, and the marketing mix be
modified accordingly. Post purchase behavior is the reaction of the
consumers; it gives an idea of his likes and dislikes, preferences and
attitudes and satisfaction towards the product. It indicates whether or not
the purchase motives have been achieved. Purchase is the means and post
purchase is the end. Post purchase behavior indicates whether or not
repeat purchase will be made. Whether the customer will recommend the
product to others or not. It indicates whether long term profits can or
cannot be expected. All this can be found out by the post purchase
behavior or the customers. Post purchase is the last phase in the decision-
making process.

CHAPTER 5
CONSUMER BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS
OF CUSTOMERS OF MALABAR
GOLD

5.1 Introduction
5.2 Questionnaire
5.3 Analysis of data
5.1 INTRODUCTION
In this chapter an attempt is made to study about behavior of
consumers of consumers in Kasaragod district about Malabar gold.

5.2 QUESTIONNAIRE
1. Name : ________________________________
Address : ________________________________
Ph. No : ________________________________

2. Sex : Male [ ] Female [ ]

3. Income group (Rs /Month): Below 12000 [ ]

12000-16000 [ ]
16000-20000 [ ]
Above 20000 [ ]

4. Marital status : Married [ ] Unmarried [ ]

5. Age (in years) : Below 18 [ ]

19 - 28 [ ]
29 - 38 [ ]
Above 38 [ ]

6. What product did you buy from Malabar Gold?

Gold ornaments [ ]
Watch [ ]
Platinum [ ]
Diamond [ ]

7. Are you aware of products other than gold available in Malabar Gold?

(Like diamond, watch, platinum etc.)

Yes [ ] No [ ]

8. Amount of gold you own( in grams ): Below 56 [ ]

56 - 120 [ ]
120 - 200 [ ]
Above 200 [ ]

9. Are you satisfied with making charges of Malabar Gold?

Yes [ ] No [ ]

10.Media through which you came to know about Malabar Gold?

Newspaper [ ]
Television [ ]
Yellow pages [ ]
Friends and relatives [ ]

11.Which factor influenced your purchase?

Company image [ ]
Quality [ ]
Advertisement [ ]
Selection available [ ]
12.Are you satisfied with the showroom facility of Malabar Gold?
Yes [ ] No [ ]

13.How would you rate the designs of gold ornaments available in

Malabar Gold?
Excellent [ ]
Good [ ]
Average [ ]
Poor [ ]

14.Are you able to get immediate response for the complaints registered?
Yes [ ] No [ ]

15.How would you rate the salesman responsiveness of Malabar Gold?

Excellent [ ]
Good [ ]
Average [ ]
Poor [ ]

16.How would you rate the service facilities available in Malabar Gold?
Excellent[ ]
Good [ ]
Average [ ]
Poor [ ]
17.How would you rate overall performance of Malabar Gold with
respect to other jewelers?
Excellent [ ]
Good [ ]
Average [ ]
Poor [ ]
18.What is your level of satisfaction?
Excellent [ ]
Good [ ]
Average [ ]
Poor [ ]

19.Will you insist your well wishers, friends and relatives to purchase
from Malabar Gold?
Yes [ ] No [ ]

20. Suggestions, if any:

______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
5.3 ANALYSIS OF DATA

Table No. 1
Showing the no. of customers in sex classes.

Category No. of Percentage

Respondents
Male 5 10%
Female 45 90%
Total 50 100%

Chart No. 1
Sex wise classification of the respondents

Male: 10%

Female: 90%

Out of the 50 respondents surveyed:-

• 5 were male.
• 45 were female.
Table No. 2
 Showing the no. of respondents belonging to different income level
Income Group (in No. of Percentage
Rs) respondents
Below 12000 5 10%
12000-16000 15 30%
16000-20000 20 40%
Above 20000 10 20%
TOTAL 50 100%

Chart No. 2
Different income groups of respondents

0.45
16000-20000, 40%
0.4

0.35
12000-16000, 30%
0.3
Percentage

0.25
Above 20000, 20%
0.2

0.15
Below 12000, 10%
0.1

0.05

0
Out of the 50 respondents surveyed:-
Income
• 5 respondents were in the group below 12000.
• 15 respondents were in the group 12000-16000.
• 20 respondents were in the group 16000-20000.
• 10 respondents were in the group above 20000.
Table No. 3
Showing the marital status of the customers
 Status No. of Percentage
Respondents
Unmarried 6 12%
Married 44 88%
Total 50 100%

Chart No. 3
Marital status of the respondents.

Unmarried: 12%

Married: 88%

Out of the 50 respondents surveyed:-

• 6 respondents are unmarried.
• 44 respondents are married.

Table No. 4
Showing the no. of respondents belonging to different age groups.
Age No. of Percentage
Respondents
Below 18 08 16%
 18-28 22 44%
29-38 14 28%
Above 38 06 12%
Total 50 100%

Chart No. 4
Different age group of the respondents

50%
18-28, 44%
45%
40%
35%
Percentage

30% 29-38, 28%

25%
20% Below 18, 16%
15% Above 38, 12%
10%
5%

Out of the
0% 50 respondents surveyed:-
Age group (in yrs)
• 8 respondents were in the group below 18 yrs.
• 22 respondents were in the group 18-28 yrs.
• 14 respondents were in the group 29-38yrs.
• 6 respondents were in the group above 38 yrs.
Table No. 5
Showing the no. of customers under different product they consumed.
Product No. of Percentage
respondents
Gold 35 70%
Watch 05 10%
Platinum 05 10%
Diamond 05 10%
 TOTAL 50 100%

Chart No. 5
Product wise classification of customers.

40
gold , 35
35

30
No.of respondents

25

20

15

10
watch, 5 platinum , 5 diamond , 5
5

0
Out of the 50 respondents surveyed:- Product

• 35 respondents bought gold ornaments.

• 5 respondents bought watch.
• 5 respondents bought diamond ornaments.
• 5 respondents bought platinum ornaments.
Table No. 6
Showing no. of customers aware of products other than gold available in
Malabar Gold.
Status No. of Percentage
Respondents
Yes 44 88%
No 06 12%
Total 50 100%
 Chart No. 6
Awareness of customers about products other than gold.

no
12%

yes 88%

Out of 50 respondents surveyed:-

• 6 respondents are not aware about the products other than gold
available in Malabar Gold.
• 44 respondents are aware about the products other than gold available
in Malabar Gold.
Table No. 7
Showing the no. of respondents belonging to different groups of the
amount of gold they own.
Amount of gold (in grams) No. of Percentage
respondents
Below 56 04 11.43%
56-120 11 31.43%
120-200 13 37.14%
Above 200 07 20%
TOTAL 35 100%
Chart No. 7
 Classification based on the amount of gold available with customers.
40.00% 120-200, 37.14%

35.00%
56-120, 31.43%

Percentage 30.00%

25.00%
Above 200, 20%
20.00%

15.00%
Below 56, 11.43%

10.00%

5.00%

0.00%
Out of the 50 respondents surveyed, 35 were gold (in
Amount ornaments
grams) customers.
Among them:-
• 4 respondents were in the group below 56.
• 11 respondents were in the group 56-120.
• 13 respondents were in the group 120-200.
• 7 respondents were in the group above 200.
Table No. 8
Showing no. of customers satisfied with making charges of ornaments in
Malabar Gold.
Status No. of Percentage
Respondents
Yes 40 88.88%
No 05 12.12%
Total 45 100%

Chart No. 8
Satisfaction on making charges.
 No: 11.12%

Yes: 88.88%

Out of the 50 respondents surveyed, 45 respondents were ornaments

customer. Among them:-
• 5 respondents were unsatisfied with the making charges.
• 40 respondents were satisfied with making charges.
Table No. 9
Showing the media through which the customers came to know about
Malabar Gold.
Media No. of Percentage
respondents
Newspaper 10 20%
Television 20 40%
Yellow pages 5 10%
Friend & relatives 15 30%
TOTAL 50 100%
Chart No. 9
Advertisement of Malabar Gold.
 45%
Television, 40%
40%

35% Friend & relatives,

30%
30%
Percentage

25%
Series1
Newspaper, 20%
20%

15% Yellow pages,

10%
10%

5%

0%
Out of 50 respondents surveyed;-
Media
• 10 respondents came to know through newspaper.
• 20 respondents came to know through television.
• 5 respondents came to know through yellow pages.
• 15 respondents came to know through friends & relatives.
Table No. 10
Showing the factors which influenced the customers in purchasing from
Malabar Gold.
Factors No. of Percentage
respondents
Company image 11 22%
Quality 14 28%
Advertisement 12 24%
Collections 13 26%
TOTAL 50 100%
Chart No. 10
Factors influencing purchase.
 30% Quality, 28%
Collections, 26%
Company image, Advertisement, 24%
25%
22%
Percentage
20%

15%

10%

5%

0%

Factors
Out of the 50 respondents surveyed:-
• 11 respondents were influenced by company image.
• 14 respondents were influenced by quality.
• 12 respondents were influenced by advertisement.
• 13 respondents were influenced by collections.
Table No.11
Showing the no. of customers satisfied with showroom facility.

Status No. of Percentage

Respondents
Yes 43 86%
No 07 14%
Total 50 100%

Chart No. 11
Satisfaction with showroom facility.
 No: 14%

Yes: 86%

Out of the 50 respondents surveyed:-

• 43 respondents were satisfied with showroom facility.
• 7 respondents were satisfied with showroom facility.

Table No. 12
Showing how the customers rate the designs of ornaments.
Rating No. of Percentage
respondents
Excellent 06 12%
Good 29 58%
Average 15 30%
Poor 0 0%
TOTAL 50 100%

Chart No. 12
Rating of designs available.
 70%

Good, 58%
60%

50%
Percentage

40%
Average, 30%
30%

20%
Excellent, 12%
10%
poor, 0%
0%

Out of the 50 respondents surveyed;- Rating

• 6 respondents rates as excellent.
• 29 respondents rates as good.
• 15 respondents rates as average.
• No respondents rates as poor.
Table No. 13
Showing the no. of customers who got immediate response on complaints
registered.
Status No. of Percentage
Respondents
Yes 46 92%
No 04 8%
Total 50 100%

Chart No. 13
Immediate response on complaints registered.
 Yes: 92%

No:8%
Out of the 50 respondents surveyed;-
• 46 respondents got immediate response for complaints registered.
• 4 respondents did not got immediate response for complaints
registered.

Table No. 14
Showing the customers rating on the salesman relationship.
Rating No. of Percentage
respondents
Excellent 05 10%
Good 23 46%
Average 22 44%
Poor 0 0%
TOTAL 50 100%
Chart No. 14
Salesman responsiveness.
 50%
Good, 46%
Average, 44%
45%

40%

35%
Percentage

30%

25%

20%

15%
Excellent, 10%
10%

5%
poor, 0%
0%
Out of the 50 respondents surveyed:-
Rating
• 5 respondents rates as excellent.
• 23 respondents rates as good.
• 22 respondents rates as average.
• No respondents rates as poor.
Table No. 15
Showing the customers rating on the service facility available.
Rating No. of Percentage
respondents
Excellent 06 12%
Good 24 48%
Average 20 40%
Poor 0 0%
TOTAL 50 100%
Chart No. 15
Rating on service facility.
 60%

50% Good, 48%

Average, 40%
40%
Percentage

30%

20%
Excellent, 12%
10%

poor, 0%
0%
Out of the 50 respondents surveyed:-
Rating
• 6 respondents rates as excellent.
• 24 respondents rates as good.
• 20 respondents rates as average.
• No respondents rates as poor.

Table No. 16
Showing the customers rating on overall service of Malabar Gold with
respect to other jewelers in town.
Rating No. of Percentage
respondents
Excellent 07 14%
Good 24 48%
Average 19 38%
Poor 0 0%
TOTAL 50 100%
Chart No. 16
Rating on overall service.
 60%

50% Good, 48%

40% Average, 38%

Percentage

30%

20%
Excellent, 14%

10%

poor, 0%
Out of the0%50 customers surveyed:-
Rating
• 7 respondents rates as excellent.
• 24 respondents rates as good.
• 19 respondents rates as average.
• No respondents rates as poor.
Table No. 17
Showing the customers rating on their level of satisfaction.
Rating No. of Percentage
respondents
Excellent 06 12%
Good 26 52%
Average 18 36%
Poor 0 0%
TOTAL 50 100%
Chart No. 17
Level of satisfaction.
 60%

Good, 52%
50%

40%
Average, 36%
Percentage

30%

20%

Excellent, 12%

10%

poor, 0%
0%
Rating
Out of the 50 respondents surveyed:-
• 6 respondents rates as excellent.
• 26 respondents rates as good.
• 18 respondents rates as average.
• No respondents rates as poor.
Table No. 18
Showing whether the respondents will insist their well wishers, friends
and relatives to buy from Malabar Gold.
Status No. of Percentage
respondents
Yes 33 66%
No 0 0%
No answer 17 34%
TOTAL 50 100%

Chart No. 18
Insistence on well wishers to buy from Malabar Gold.
 70% Yes, 66%

60%

50%
Percentage

40%
No answer, 34%

30%

20%

10%
No, 0%
0%
Status
Out of the 50 respondents surveyed:-
• 33 respondents will insist their well wishers to buy from Malabar
Gold.
• 17 respondents have no answer.
• No will against their well wishers to buy from Malabar Gold.

CHAPTER 6

FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS

6.1 Introduction
6.2 Findings
6.3 Suggestions
6.4 Conclusions
6.5 References

6.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter gives overall information about the consumer
behavior of Malabar Gold customers. It also includes findings,
suggestions and conclusions about the study.

6.2 FINDINGS
• Most of the respondents are females.
• Customers of Malabar Gold are mainly from upper class and
upper middle class families.
• Most of the purchasers of Malabar Gold are mainly
youngsters.
• Malabar Gold has got large no. of gold ornaments customers.
• Only a few customers are not aware of products other then
gold available in Malabar Gold.
• The making charges of Malabar Gold are satisfactory
according to the respondents.
• Television is the advertising media through which large no.
of customers came to know about Malabar Gold.
• Factors like company image, quality, advertisement,
collections have equally influenced the purchase.
• Major no. of respondents is satisfied with the showroom
facility.
• Designs of ornaments are rated as good.
• Respondents got immediate response for the complaints
registered.
• Salesman responsiveness is rated as somewhat good and
average.
• Malabar Gold provides good service facility.
• The overall performance of Malabar Gold is good.
• Level of satisfaction of customers is good.
• Respondents are ready to insist their well wishers to purchase
from Malabar Gold.
• The consumer behavior of Malabar Gold is good.

6.3 SUGGESTIONS
• Malabar Gold customers are business people and have high
income, so it should be better to frame promotion programs
targeting the lower class people.
• With regard to advertising, the company should focus on
persuasive advertising highlighting the unique feature and
benefits of their products.
• Only a few customers had purchased watch, diamonds and
platinum ornaments, so a special attention should be paid in
these areas.
• Among the service facilities, respondents suggest to improve
parking facility.
• More advertisement should be made in media other than
television.
• Steps should be taken to attract more male customers.

6.4 CONCLUSION
 To conclude the overall responses of the customers of
Malabar Gold is good. The overall performances in all areas are
satisfactory.
During the study it was found that the following factors such
as making charges, salesman responsiveness, ornaments
designs, price etc has satisfactorily influenced consumer
behavior.
Further, there is some kind of promotion activities required to
hold the present customers and make new customers.

6.5 REFERENCES
• Consumer Behavior.
- Matin Khan
• Marketing Management
- A. Vinod
• Company profile and company magazines.
• www.wikipedia.com
• www.google.com
• www.malabargoldindia.com