Page 285 - DMGT509_RURAL MARKETING

Rural Marketing

Notes The participants/entrepreneurs come to mela not only to sell their products but also to exhibit
the innovations of the producer. The customers come to the mela only to have the best and rare
products at reasonable price. The perceptions and the expectations of both the parties may be
different but achieve the same goal.
1. The customer represents different sections of the society and background. They have
different reasons to visit the mela. A few come to mela to buy certain products and others
because of their liking for these products and some came out of curiosity. Many customers
have a special flavour for rural products. Many of them are regular visitors to such melas.
There are also a few who are regular buyers of rural products because of the product’s
unique features.
2. It is found that majority of the customers are satisfied with the quality and price of the
products.
3. While identifying a few deficiencies in the present mela the customer felt that organising
these types of melas effectively by itself could be a good strategy for market promotion of
rural products.
4. The participants/entrepreneurs represent all the states and a wide rage of product lines.
5. The investment and production capacities of these entrepreneurs appear to be reasonably
good. The employment potential of all these enterprises is significant. The share of women
employment is more than 50 per cent.

6. The major market channel for these products is the mela for the last few years. However,
there are many that depend on various other channels such as government, direct sale,
merchant middlemen and exports.
7. The expectations of these entrepreneurs on the present mela are varied. A few think that
the exposure to urban and open market would help them in improving their product. A
few others wish to explore new products by attending these melas. There are a few who
want to learn the techniques of good marketing from these melas. Some hope to observe
the new design and packaging in these melas so as to improve their own presentation in
the future marketing of their products.

8. The turnover of these participants during the last mela appears to be reasonable.
9. Their expectations on the present mela could not be realised due to the interior location as
well as lack of proper publicity.

10. The feel that there are a number of advantages that could be derived from these melas for
the marketing of rural products. Of the entire advantages, interaction with their
entrepreneurs and gaining knowledge about new products become important for the
entrepreneurs. By participating in these melas many entrepreneurs appear to have made
a number of improvements to their own products for better marketing.
11. A few express that they are forced to sell their products at throwaway prices. Many other
feel that the actual sale and the profit derived from the sales of these melas are much less
than expected.
12. They also admit that the products many not give satisfaction to all the varied interests of
customers. However, they express that, by and large, the customers go away with a sense
of satisfaction.
13. While explaining the difficulties encountered in the melas, they suggested that the melas
need to be organised monthly at all state capitals so as to expand the market network for
the rural products.

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