Page 75 - DMGT509_RURAL MARKETING

Rural Marketing

Notes 1. Problems Recognition: Problem recognition is defined by obvious or inherent need of the
consumer. The major aim of rural marketing research rests upon in trying to find out
which are the key products of basic needs that the rural consumers are willing to purchase
but facing problems to buy it.
2. Information search: The marketing information search process is almost the same as for
the urban markets as for the rural markets. It includes:
Personal sources: Family, friends, neighbours
Commercial sources: Advertisements, Salespersons, Dealers, Packages, Displays

Public Sources: Mass media, Consumer rating organizations
Experiments self: Handling the product, experiments, using samples of products like
shampoo sachets.

3. Evaluation of Alternatives
Problem: purchase of a tractor
The decision criteria could be identified as follows:
(a) Price

(b) Manufacture/Model
(c) Support
(d) Repair record
(e) Warranties

(f) Reliability
(g) Multiple uses
Weightage to criteria allotted by consumer: Price 70, Manufacture/Model 60, Support 40, Repair
record 75, Warranties 50, Reliability 70.
Alternate choices: Escorts, Same, Ferguson, Local Assembly.
Now for each of these tractor put weight.
Escorts: Price 30, manufacture/model 50, support 40, repair record 60, warranty 40,
reliability 60.
As can be seen price weightage is inversely proportional to price. In other words higher
the price, lower the weightage.
Usually the customer selects the one where the numbers add up to highest total. Then the
decision is made and the purchase done.

4. Purchase Decision: Generally rests upon a number of factors including motivation and
nature of their needs. The purchase decision of a consumer is also affected by changing
nature of his goals and needs. When a particular goal or need cannot be fulfilled, a substitute
goal emerges.
Purchase Behaviour of Customers: Motivation is the inner urge, which propels people to
act. Seeing and smelling food gets people motivated to eat even if they may not be
hungry. Graphically this process can be shown as on below.

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