A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON

PURCHASING BEHAVIOUR OF
MALE AND FEMALE

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT
RIMT/IMCT, MANDI GOBINDGARH

Abstract:

The project is to study about the buying and purchasing behavior of male and female
customers. The survey is conducted by 4 persons, in 4 different malls i.e. Vishal Mega
Mart, The West end mall, both in Ludhiana, Singla Store, Mandi Gobindgarh, I-Max
Fashions, Shimla. We took the views of people about their purchasing behaviour. Like
from where they prefer to purchase, whether from shops, from malls or from both places.
& we got some interesting results, & those interesting results you will find out as u go
further to read for this study.

Introduction:

Shopping is the examining of goods or services from retailers with the intent to purchase
at that time. Different people have different perceptions while they go for shopping.
Some just love to shop and think that’s the best thing to do, which gives them happiness
also. Some just do shopping just to get the necessary items that is their daily use items
and don’t find shopping that much fun. Gender also influences the buying behaviour of a
particular person a lot .There are certain aspects which influence the purchasing decisions
of male and female like their perception ,decision making, thinking etc .
 Statistical Theory:

SCALING TECHNIQUE:

In measuring the market view-point, the assignments of numbers must be made to the
observation of the object. Thus some form of measurement scale was formed by using
appropriate Scaling Technique.

Scaling technique was often used to collect opinion of respondents about certain issue.
These were the process of measuring or ordering entities with respect to quantitative or
qualitative attributes. A scaling technique might involve estimating individuals' levels of
extraversion, or the perceived quality of products. Scales were tested for reliability,
generalizability, and validity. Generalizability are the ability of scale to make inferences
from a sample about population. Reliability are the extent to which, scale will produce
consistent results. Validation can be, Internal validation which checks the relation
between the individual measures included in the scale, and the composite scale and
external validation checks the relation between the composite scale and other indicators
of the variable, indicators not included in the scale.
Generally, we classify scales into two components – Comparative and Non- comparative
Scales. In Comparative scaling, items are directly In marketing research there were
several types of measurement scales available depending upon the level of measurement
– nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio.

Nominal – level of measurement where numbers were used as labels to classify objects.

Ordinal – provides information about ordered relationship among objects. Ordinal scale
measures whether an object has more or less of a characteristic than some other object,
but not how much more or less. Another use of ordinal scale was to measure rating of a
particular characteristic.

Arbitrary Scales:

Arbitrary scales are developed or designed by the researcher’s own subjective selection
of items. The researcher first collects few statements or items which he believe are
unambiguous & appropriate to a given topic. Some of these are selected for inclusion in
the measuring instrument & then people are asked to check in a list the statements with
which they agree.

Differential Scales (Thurstone-Type Scale)

The name of L.L Thurstone is associated with differential scales which have been
developed using consensus scale approach. Under such an approach the selection of items
is made by a panel of judges who evaluate the items of whether they are relevant to the
topic area & unambiguous in implication. After developing the scale, the respondents are
asked during the administration of the scale to check the statement with which they agree.
The median value of the statements that they check is worked out & this establishes their
score Or quantifies their opinion. It may be noted that in the actual instrument the
statements are arranged in random order of scale value. If the values are valid & if the
opinionnaire deals with only one attitude dimension, the typical respondent will choose
one or several contiguous items (in term of scale values ) to reflect his views. However ,
at times divergence may occur when a statement appears to trap a different attitude
dimension. Such scales are considered most appropriate & reliable when used for
measuring a single attitude.

Comparison between the Arbitrary & Differential Scales

In case of Arbitrary scale the researcher himself collects few statements or items which
he believes are ambiguous & appropriate to a given topic where as in case of Differential
Scales the selection of the items is made by a panel of judges who evaluate the items in
terms of whether they are relevant to the topic area & ambiguous in implication.

Stratified Sampling

In a stratified sample the sampling frame is divided into non-overlapping groups or strata,
e.g. geographical areas. A sample is taken from each stratum, and when this sample is a
simple random sample it is referred to as stratified random sampling. Stratification will
always achieve greater precision provided that the strata have been chosen so that
members of the same stratum are as similar as possible in respect of the characteristic of
interest.

Results and Analysis

In this survey total 71 respondents were analyzed & each geographical location
have certain number of respondents .

Table 1
 Number of respondents = 71
Sr. no Male(34) Max. Female(37) Max.
1 How often Once in a 16 Once in a 22
you go for week month
shopping ? Once in a 16
month
2 Where you Malls 16 Malls 19
prefer to Shops 16
purchase?
3 How much 1-2 hrs 19 2-3 hrs 17
time do you
spend on
shopping ?
4 Maximum Rs 1000 19 Rs 2000- 14
purchase -2000 5000
limit range ?
5 Consideration Popular & 14 Popular & 18
of attributes stylish stylish
while buying
a new
product ?
6 Things Friends or 21 Friends or 25
influence to relatives relatives
buy a product suggestions suggestions
?

In table 1 it is given that in 71 respondents most males go for shopping once a week or
once a month they prefer to purchase from both places (Malls as well as Shops) .They
usually spend 1-2 hrs while shopping .While most of females go for shopping once a
month and they prefer to purchase from malls. Most of females usually spend 2-3 hrs
while shopping .One interesting result also comes that mostly both males and females
buys popular and stylish products and friends and relatives suggestion influence their
purchasing decisions .

Table 2
 Number of respondents = 71
Sr. no Male(34) Max. Female(37) Max.
1 M.R.P Yes 31 Yes 34
check?
2 Price check Yes 26 Yes 21
from
alternative
sources ?
3 Will spend Yes 17 No 28
on same No 17
costly
product ?
4 Do u No 22 Yes 19
bargain?
5 If doesn’t Yes 19 No 24
get reduce
price do you
still buy the
product ?
6 Wait for No 20 No 19
festival
season
offers or
sales offers ?

From table 2 we came to know about awareness level, decision making ,extent of
bargaining etc of male and female .from table 2 we found out that most of the male and
females do M.R.P check and also check prices from the alternatives sources. most of
males do not go for bargaining and buy the product but most of females do bargaining
and don’t buy the product if they don’t get the reduce price for that product .while there is
low impact of the festival offers and sales offers on their purchasing .

Table 3
 Number of respondents = 71
Sr. no Male(34) Max. Female(37) Max.
1 Appropriate 10%-20% 19 10%-20% 23
discount rate
2 Who Father 20 Mother 18
influences
the
purchasing
decisions in
your family
3 How often Sometimes 25 Sometimes 28
you go for
replacement
?
4 Whose Male 21 Female 29
purchasing
decision is
superior ?

In table 3 we can see that both male and female feel that 10%-20% discount rate is
appropriate. most of males says that in their family most of the purchasing decisions are
influenced by father and they also admit that male takes superior purchasing decisions
But females says most of the purchasing decisions are influenced by mother and female
makes better purchasing decisions as compared to males

QUESTIONNAIRE
HELLO, WE ARE THE STUDENTS OF RIMT-IMCT (MBA). WE ARE MAKING A
STUDY ON “PURCHASING BEHAVIOUR OF MALE & FEMALE”,WE REQUEST
YOU TO FILL THIS QUESTIONNAIRE WITH BEDT OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Name Age

1. Gender a)Male b)Female

2. How often do you go for shopping?

a) daily b) Once in a week c) Once in a month d) More than that

3. From where you prefer or like to purchase?

a)Malls b) Shops c) Any other, please specify

___________________________

4. How much time do you spend on shopping?

a) 0-1hr b) 1hr-2hrs c)2hrs-3hrs d) more than that

5. What is your maximum purchase limit range in general (per month)?

a)RS 500 to 1000 b) RS 1000-2000 c) RS 2000-5000 d)more than 5000

6. Which of the following attributes do you consider while buying new products?

a)Affordable b)Dependable c) Popular & Stylish d) Any other

7. Which of the below things influences you while buying a new product?

a)Newspapers or magazine advertisements

b) Friends or relatives suggestions
c) Any other , please specify

8. Do you check the M.R.P.(Maximum Retail Prices) before buying the products?

a) Yes b) No

9. Do you check the prices, of goods you buy From alternative sources?
a) Yes b) No

10. If you find the product is more costly than what you usually spend, would you still
buy it?
 a)Yes b) No

11. Do you go for bargaining or you buy the product at the price offered by the shopkeeper?

a) Yes b)No

12. If shopkeeper does not reduce the price would you still buy the peoduct?

a)Yes b) No

13. What percent of discount do you think is appropriate foe buying a new product?

a)10%-20% b) 20&-30% c) Mre than 30

14. Do you wait for festival season offers or sale offers?

a) Yes b) No

15. Who influences the purchasing decision in your family?

a) Father b) Mother c) Children

16. How often you go for replacement if in case the product doesn’t suit you after buying?

a) Sometimes b) Everytime c) Doesn’t bother

17. According to you, whose purchasing decision is superior?

a) Male b) Female

THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION