MARKETING OF PERISHABLE GOODS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO FRUITS AND VEGETABELS IN THANJAVUR DISTRICT

QUESTIONNAIRE TO RETAILERS / STREET VENDORS

I. PERSONAL PROFILE OF RETAILERS / STREET VENDORS

Name of the shop (if any) : -----------------------------------------

1. Gender : 1. Male [ ] 2. Female [ ]

2. Age (in years) : 1. Upto 30 [ ] 2. 31 – 40 [ ] 3. 41- 50 [ ] 4. 51 and above [ ]

3. Marital Status : 1.Married [ ] 2. Unmarried [ ]

4. Literacy Level : 1. Upto HSC [ ] 2. Diploma/ ITI [ ]

3. U.G Degree [ ] 3. P.G Degree [ ] 4. Professional Degree [ ]

5. Annual Income (in Rs.) : 1. Upto 1.00,000 [ ] 2. 1,00,001-2,00,000 [ ]

3. 2,00,001-3,00,000 [ ]4. 3,00,001 and above [ ]

6. Are you a member in any traders’ Union?

1. Yes [ ]2. No [ ]

II. BUSINESS PROFILE OF THE RETAILER / STREET VENDORS

7. Are you a first generation businessman?1. Yes [ ]2. No [ ]

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8. How did you conceive the business idea for selling fruits and vegetables?

1. Success of others sellers [ ]2. Self interest [ ]3. Ideas of family members/others [ ]

9. For how long do you deal in this line of business?1. 0-5 years [ ]2. 5-10 year [ ]3. 10-15 years [ ]4. 16 and above [ ]

10. What is your investment?1. Upto 50,000 – 1,00,000 [ ]2. 1,00,000- 1,50,000 [ ] 3. 1,50,000 – 2,00,000 [ ]4. Above 2,00,000 [ ]

11. Do you have own warehouse?1. Yes [ ]2. No [ ]

12. Do you have own building for your shop?1. Yes [ ]2. No [ ]

13. What is the major source of funds?1. Banks / Financial Institutions [ ]2. Private money lenders [ ]3. Relatives / friends [ ]4. Own fund [ ]

14. Have you suffered from loss in your business in the past years?1. Yes [ ]2. No [ ]

15. If Yes, What was the reason for such loss?1. Increase of operating Expenses [ ]2. Decline of Sales [ ]3. Decline in price [ ]4. Heavy Competition [ ]

16. How do you take steps to retain the customers?1. By credit sales [ ]2. By price reduction [ ]3. By offering free door delivery [ ]4. Any other [ ]

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17. Do your customers bargain with you for reduction of price?1. At times [ ]2. Always [ ]3. Never [ ]

18. From whom you usually purchase the vegetables/fruits?1. From farmers [ ]2. From wholesalers [ ]3. From commission agents [ ]4. From all the sources [ ]

19. What type of relationship / contact that you maintain with your neighboring shops?1. Amicable Relationship [ ] 2. No Relationship [ ]

20. Do you purchase from your neighbouring shops in emergency times? 1. Yes [ ]2. No [ ]

21. What is the major problem in the credit purchase?1. Shorter credit period [ ]2. Strict terms & conditions [ ]

22. Who are your regular customers?1. Monthly salary earning persons [ ]2. Daily wages earning labourers [ ]3. Both [ ]

III. SELLING PRACTICES OF THE RETAILERS / STREET VENDORS

23. Which is the most convenient point to sell vegetables and fruits?

1. Vegetable market [ ]2. Selling in street [ ]3. Super market/department stores [ ]4. ‘Uzhavar santhai’ [ ]5. Others [ ]

24. What is the profit margin usually you fix in your business?

1. Upto 15% [ ]2. 16% - 30% [ ]3. 31% - 45% [ ]4. Cannot be pre determined [ ]

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25. What is the major problem in the cash sales?1. Slow movement of goods [ ]2. No repeated purchases by the customers [ ]3. More selling expenses [ ]

26. What is the effect of credit sales?1. Bad debts [ ]2. Loss of customers [ ]

27. What is the maximum period allowed for the credit sales?1. 15 days [ ]2. 30 days [ ]3. Not Applicable [ ]

28. How do you recover the bad debts?1. By reminding repeatedly [ ]2. By sending representatives [ ]

29. What is the benefit to business from the credit sales?1. Business expands [ ]2. More customers available [ ]3. Others [ ]

IV. PERCEPTION TOWARDS THE DIFFICULTIES OF RETAILERS /

STREET VENDORS

1. Strongly disagree 2.Disagree 3.Slighlty Disagree4. Neither Agree Nor Disagree 5.Slightly Agree 6. Agree 7. Strongly Agree

S.No Difficulties 1 2 3 4 5 6 730 Low profit margin31 Promotional cost32 Bad debts33 Competition34 Price level changes35 Non availability of laborers36 Loss due to perishability of goods37 Loss due to time38 Pre-determination of demand39 Increase of operating expenses40 Lack of finance

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41 Govt. Restriction42 Credit sales43 Employee turnover44 Entry of Big players45 Market premises 46 Transportation and distribution cost47 Product quality48 Packaging 49 Attitudes of the customers50 Absence of warehousing

V. ATTITUDES OF RETAILERS / STREET VENDORS TOWARDS

MARKETING OF PERISHABLE GOODS

1. Strongly disagree 2.Disagree 3.Slighlty Disagree4. Neither Agree Nor Disagree 5.Slightly Agree 6. Agree 7. Strongly Agree

Sl. No. Attitude Statement 1 2 3 4 5 6 751 PRODUCT52 Our product quality is good53 We have a very good brand image54 Our customer service is good55 In our shop, availability of goods is at any time56 If our product is not good, we will change the

productsPRICE

57 Price fluctuations affect my business seriously58 Reduction of price is beneficial to my business

because turnover will increase59 Sometimes, enormous price increase will

affect my profitability60 I am willing to reduce price/ offer concessions

for my regular customers61 I wish to grant credit for my regular customers

PROMOTION62 I am willing to maintain always customer

friendliness63 I am sentimentally attached with the

favorite/regular customers64 When my customers bargain for low price I

tolerate it.65 Our business have good promotional strategies

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66 We have Clean & spacious atmosphere67 We have availability of staffs to offer help,

individual attention to loyal customers68 We have good advertisement strategies

PLACE69 We have good channels of distribution70 We have timely service system to the

customers71 Transportation cost is affects the profit of the

business 72 Middlemen earns more profit

GENERAL ATTITUDES73 My business has a bright future74 I am willing to recommend this business to my

sons75 This business has long life76 I treat the ups and down in this business as

equal.77 I observe recent trends in this line of business

carefully

VI. SATISFACTORY DIMENSIONS IN RELATION TO YOUR BUSIENSS

1. Highly dissatisfied 2. Dissatisfied 3. Slightly Dissatisfied 4.neutral5.Slightly satisfied 6.Satisfied 7.Highly satisfied.

Sl.No Sub Dimensions 1 2 3 4 5 6 778 Profitability79 Standard of life80 Financial position81 Market conditions82 Family support83 Bank assistance84 Present price level of product85 Customer relationship86 Overall satisfaction

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