the marketing and consumer behavior of shaving razor in bangladesh

THE MARKING AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

OF

SHAVING RAZORS IN BANGLADESH

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

THE MARKETING AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR OF SHAVING RAZOR IN

BANGLADESH

BY:

ASIF IQBAL SHUVRO

M SAIFUL ISLAM TUSHAR

NAHLEEN TAHSINA

DIPON D. ROZERIO

NAZMUL HAQUE

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

BRAC BUSINESS SCHOOL

BRAC UNIVERSITY

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

EXECUTIVE SUMMERY

This report is done as a part of our study and helped us to understand the real life scenario of

communication. This report also facilitated the understanding of the academic theories

associated with the course of BBA.

This report was conducted for the sole purpose of attaining greater practical knowledge on the

course MKT-421 Consumer Behavior, and at the same time it is an essential part for the

completion of the course. This paper contain data input collected from 50 male respondents for

around 20 issues. And of all these factors seem to have the majority of influence and significance

in terms of marketing information. These variables upon being analyzed further turn out to be

the handful of factors on the decision making process of consumers and their behaviors.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Topic Page

Introduction 7

Background of study 8

The Decision Making Process 9

Problem Recognition 12

Information Search 16

Alternative Evaluation 19

Outlet Selection and Purchase 22

Post Purchase Dissonance 28

Findings and Conclusion 27

References 28

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Origin of the Report:

For the fulfillment of the course MKT-421 Consumer Behavior our respected teacher Ms.

Afasana Akter has assigned us with a job to prepare a report on the marketing and consumer

behavior of shaving razors in Bangladesh.

Objective:

The main objective of the report is to help us to develop an understanding and insights of the

Consumer Behavior and the overall decision making process of consumers when it comes to

purchasing shaving razors.

Scope:

This report works only on the recent data collected from various respondents who uses shaving

razors in Bangladesh.

Methodology:

Data has been collected for the report from mainly primary sources and very few secondary

sources. The methodology we have used here are collecting primary data from 50 individual

male respondents who uses shaving razors, web data and other relevant websites which played

an important role to cover the aspects we have discussed here.

Limitations:

1) As the analysis has been prepared by students so there may be some shortcomings in the

analysis.

2) Tough to collect personal information.

3) Scarcity of availability of data.

4) Time is a limitation that would mostly with stands a comprehensive study on the topic

selected.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Introduction:

Consumer Behavior is considered to be one of the most vital courses to be taken for the

completion of a major in the field of marketing. It will also not be an exaggeration to say that this

course sums up almost all the theories and knowledge gathered during an under graduation

degree. This is also considered to be the door opener for the field itself because marketing is a

game of information and proper use of those information.

Our course on consumer behavior has also generated knowledge about behaviors of consumers

among the students of this course. This will allow us to obtain data in the work field of

marketing and therefore make much informed judgment about the consumer behavior. This

report is an integral part of our consumer behavior course giving us a practical experience,

analysis work of this work and also how that could be used to make informed judgment by a

third party. We hope to thus gather all these learning via the practical use of the tactical learning

we had done throughout the course.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Background of Study:

This report is done on the decision making process of consumer of shaving razor users in

Bangladesh as an integral part of consumer behavior. This report eventually will show the

various factors and their relations that will vividly state the logics behind the consumer behavior

or towards their decision making process on the shaving razors and at the same time how these

consumer behavior will basically make the users continue or discontinue their current brands or

will induce them to take up a new razor brands in the future.

This term paper is also an integral part for the completion of our Marketing major course

“Consumer Behavior”. This is a testament to the specifics of our practical learning from this

course and the experience that make this learning all the more worthwhile and usable in the work

field.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

The Decision Making Process:

It is every marketer’s goal to get inside the head of a consumer. You want to figure out how the consumer makes decisions and how you can get them to make a decision to purchase your product or service. There are 5 steps in a consumer decision making process a need or a want is recognized, search process, comparison, product or service selection, and evaluation of decision.

Problem Recognition

Most decision making starts with some sort of problem. The consumer develops a need or a want that they want to be satisfied. The consumer feel like something is missing and needs to address it to get back to feeling normal. If it can be determined when the target demographic develops these needs or wants, it would be an ideal time to advertise to them.

Information Search

Most of us are not experts on everything around us. In the searching phase we research for products or services that can satisfy our needs or wants. Search Engines have become our primary research tool for answers. It is an instant and easy way to find out what you are looking for.

Our friends and families all have had many different experiences and can offer us recommendations. In most cases recommendations from actual people instead of a search engines are preferred. One can have more of a trust factor with people close to you then a computer program.

One may also have had past experiences that assist in solving any problem. One may have had a life experience in the past that helps make the correct purchase decision.

Evaluating Alternatives

Once the consumer has determined what will satisfy their want or need they will begin to begin to seek out the best deal. This may be based on price, quality, or other factors that are important for them. Customers read many reviews and compare prices, ultimately choosing the one that satisfies most of their parameters.

Purchase

After tallying up all the criteria for the decision the customers now decide on what they will purchase and where. They have already taking risk into account and are definite on what they want to purchase. They may have had prior experience with this exact decision or maybe they succumbed to advertising about this product or service and want to give it a try.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Post Purchase

Once the purchase has been made, does it satisfy the need or want? Is it above or below the expectations? The goal for every marketer is not for a one-time customer but a repeating lifetime customer. One bad experience of buyer’s remorse and your brand perception could be tarnished forever. On the other hand, one superb experience can lead to a brand loyal customer who may even become a brand evangelist.

Figure 1: Decision Making Process

Types of Decision Making

The decision process is used each time a good or service is bought, often subconsciously. There are three ways in which the decision process may be used.

Extensive decision-making process: The need recognition is generic and occurs when a consumer makes full use of the process that is the information search is both internal and external and many alternatives as well as attributes are there where complex decision rules are used and also goes through complex evaluation as well as dissonance. It is used for expensive, complex items with which the consumer has little or no experience. Perceived risk is high and time pressure is low.

Limited decision making process: The need recognition is generic and takes place when each step of the process is used, but the consumer does not need to spend a great deal of time on any

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

of them that is the information search is both internal and limited external and few alternatives as well as attributes are there; where simple decision rules are used and also goes through limited evaluation and no dissonance at all. The consumer has some experience. The thoroughness with which the process is used depends on the amount of experience, the importance of the purchase, and time pressure.

Nominal decision-making process: The need recognition is selective and involves habitual behavior and skips steps in the process where the information search is only limited internal. Regularly purchased items are bought in this manner. Information search is omitted and has very limited evaluation and no post-purchase dissonance.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Figure 2: Involvement and types of decision making

Problem Recognition:

Problem Recognition is the acknowledgement and definition of an issue that does or may arise during the performance of a process. Business managers need to be skilled in problem recognition and solution techniques to be of the greatest help in guiding their company toward greater success.

Problem recognition results when a consumer recognizes a difference of sufficient magnitude between what is perceived as the desired state of affairs and what is the actual state of affairs enough to arouse and activate the decision process. The actual state refers to the way in which a

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

need is already being met and the desired sate is the way a person would like for the need to be satisfied.

Problem recognition must also result in the problem being sufficient defined of the consumer is to engage in meaningful behavior aimed at solving it. Sufficient problem definition occurs for the consumers to be able to act on it in many problem recognition situations.

From our practical survey we found that all the respondents’ gets shave at home using razors. The problem is mostly recognized when there is excess facial hair which may cause any types of discomfort and problem in one’s life. From our survey we found that people often get shaved using razors to look good, for comfort and for other personal reasons. We found that maximum respondents use a razor to get shave to look good and a few people use razor to get shave for comfort and lastly only couple of respondents shave using razors for their other personal reasons. Among 50 respondents 25 respondents use razor to get shave only to look good and 17 respondents use razors to get shave for comfort and lastly only 8 respondents use razors to get shave for other personal reasons.

Factor Respondent Amount

To look good 25

For comfort 17

Others 8

Table 1: Shaving Reason Tabular Analysis

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

50%

34%

16%

Shaving Reason Statistics

To Look GoodFor ComfortOthers

Chart 1: Shaving Reason Statistics

Illustration 1: Shaving to Look Good.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Illustration 2: Shaving for Comfort.

When it comes to the reason of purchasing razors the respondents responded among the factors of necessity, non-necessity and luxury. Consumers purchase razors for shaving purpose as a matter of basic need and requirements. From our survey we found that out of 50 respondents 42 respondents purchase razors for their necessity and only 8 respondents among these 50 respondents purchase razors for luxury. When it comes to luxury it basically relates with the factor of looking good as a matter of shaving using a razor whereas necessity directly relates with the factor of comfort as a matter of shaving using a razor. According to the data found it is found that people have different usage rate of shaving with razors; where 38% of the respondents use razor to shave multiple times a week and 62% respondents use razor to shave once a week.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

84%

16%

Puchase Purpose Statistics

NecessityLuxuryNon-necessity

Chart 2: Purchase Purpose Statistics

Once a week Multiple times a week0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Usage Rate Statistics

Chart 3: Usage Rate Statistics

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Information Search:

Information search is considered the second of five stages that comprise the Consumer Decision Process. During this stage, a consumer who recognizes a specific problem or need will then likely be persuaded to search for information, whether it is internally or externally. This is also when the customer aims to seek the value in a prospective product or service. During this time, the options available to the consumer are identified or further clarified.

Information search can be categorized as internal or external research:

Internal research refers to a consumer's memory or recollection of a product, oftentimes triggered or guided by personal experience. This is when a person tries to search their memory to see whether they recall past experiences with a product, brand, or service. If the product is considered a staple or something that is frequently purchased, internal information search may be enough to trigger a purchase.

External research is conducted when a person has no prior knowledge about a product, which then leads them to seek information from personal sources (e.g. word of mouth from friends/family) and/or public sources (e.g. online forums, consumer reports) or marketer dominated sources (e.g. sales persons, advertising) especially when a person's previous experience is limited or deemed inefficient.

From the survey information search consists of knowing the particular brand of razor from internal memory as an internal search and media, family and friends as well as in store during purchase as an external search factors of main information search mediums followed by the customers. From 50 respondents 8 respondents solely searched information from their internal memory and from in store during purchase whereas 23 respondents searched information in the media and 11 respondents searched information from friends and family.

Factors Respondents amount

From internal memory 8

In store during purchase 8

Media 23

Friends and family 11

Table 2: Information Search Sources

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

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Internal Memory In Store During Purchse

Media Family and Friends

Information Sources Statistics

0.16 0.16 0.46 0.22

2.50%

7.50%

12.50%

17.50%

22.50%

27.50%

32.50%

37.50%

42.50%

47.50%

Information Sources Statistics

Chart 4: Information Sources Statistics

Appropriate Alternatives-after and while searching for appropriate evaluative criteria, one would probably seek Appropriate Alternatives- in this case a possible brands or store etc. Again one would search with an internal search and then comes to decide on some brands as potential solutions, which is known as awareness set. The awareness set is composed of three sub-categories of considerable importance to marketers. First comes: Evoke set- or a consideration set you can say those brands or products one will evaluate for the solution of a particular consumer problem. From our survey findings, we found out: Gillette Mach3 Turbo, Gillette Fusion, Gillette Mach3, and Gillette belongs to the Evoke Set with maximum amount of customer's choice, that means these are the ones consumers think first as a best probable potential solution to their needs. Second comes: Inept Set-Brands in the Inept St are actively disliked or avoided by the consumer. From our survey findings, we figured out that: Gillette Sensor, Gillette Vector, Gillette Guard belongs to Inept Set because they enticed the lowest number of consumer choice. Basically, these are the not so popular brand and people usually try to avoid them. Third comes: Inert Set- Brands to which customers are Indifferent. Through our survey study, we found out that: Persona M5, Dorco, Kool, Matador, Bic, Super Max,Vector Plus, Protect, Schick, Schick Xtreme3, Wilkinson Sword, Gillette Prestobarba, Dorco Pace6, Gillette Turbo belongs to Inert group, to which people are indifferent. Alternative Characteristics: each brand on each pertinent evaluative criterion. Here, it is not required because

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

nominal and limited decisions that involve too little or no external search does not need extensive search.

Opinion Leaders are special term given to a group of people we will go to ask for suggestion about the product or who actively keeps selective information about specific products via media or other information sources. In our survey case, The "Friends and Family" group is the opinion leaders, based on whom consumers vary or take their purchase decision. For the product razor, we can see both multi step flow of communication and two step flow of communication. The two step communication, where the mass media is playing the major role to make the product known. Here, Opinion Leaders are less required because, a very limited judgments is required during the purchase of a simple razor. Hence, mass media plays the vital role to catch more users.

Respondents seeking information from their internal memory and family and friends are more reliable than wide spread memory from the perspective of the Bangladeshi perspective.

Illustration 3: Newspaper Information

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Alternative Evaluation:

Decision making process is a very important issue of consumer behavior. Consumers firstly

gather information, evaluate different alternatives and then finally take the purchase decision.

Razor is daily necessary equipment, and we had found out at our survey that most of the

consumers do very limited evaluation before purchasing a razor. Some of them also hardly

evaluate the alternatives in taking the purchase decision. They generally consider some factors

during their evaluation process including the durability & performance of the razor, brand value,

style, convenience, price and availability. Among these evaluation criterions Performance,

convenience & price are tangible criteria, and brand value & style belongs to intangible criteria

in nature. As most of our respondents were from affluent family they put more emphasis on

brand value, performance, convenience and style in the time of selecting their razors. But price

also have significant importance according to Bangladesh’s context. According to our survey the

consumers may follow Conjunctive Decision Rules, because they are giving minimum level of

importance on price & putting more emphasis on some other factors. Here the consumers

preferred some brands like Gillette Marc 3 Turbo, Gillette Fusion, Dorco, Gillete Guard, Adoro

Shaver, Bic, Schick Xtreme 3 etc.

Durability Brand Value Convenience Look/style Price Availability0

5

10

15

20

25

30

3529.729729729729

727.027027027027

18.9189189189189

10.8108108108108 8.1081081081081

1 5.40540540540541

Series1

Chart 5: Important Factors of Making Purchase Decision

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

We found high influence of different marketing activities, and significant amount of group

influence on purchase decisions of any razor brand. Most of them have high influence of family

members in the time of purchasing razor for the first time. Later they are significantly influenced

by their friends, relatives, colleagues or other desired group of people.

62%

38%

The of influence of groups with other marketing activities on consumer

behavior:

Different marketing activi-tiesGroup influence

Chart 6: Influence Statistics

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

The tendency of evaluation of other alternatives

No EvaluationVery limited evatuation

Chart 7: The tendency of evaluation of other alternatives

Illustrations 4: Different Alternatives

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Outlet Selection and Purchase:

Outlet selection is important issue. Everything that we use for our daily life use or personal use or luxury use it might be from chain store or local shop or might be the company showroom. So, what we buy and from where to buy, it is essential and as well the selection place are also an important issue for every customer that is the selection of outlets.

Buying Decision:

A buying decision process describes the process a customer goes through when buying a product and also it decode the acts of people involved in buying and using products. This buying decision model has gone through lots of interpretation by scholars.

For men’s get shaved is necessary thing. Some may shave daily; some may once in a week, or may be multiple times in a month. For each of the person who gets shaved in home they might use different kinds of razors. So, for everyone, buying place is a vital issue that where to buy.

As our fingers are not in the same height, so every man is not the same type. They might have use different kinds of place for their buying decision, as some may buy from chain store or local shop or might be the company showroom.

Firstly, we did a survey on the marketing consumer of saving razor in Bangladesh. What we did is in a constructive way that is on Google Docs and randomly 51 people are filled up our survey report. On that survey everyone has their different kinds of buying decision. That’s how we found out that the result:

1) Local Shop: 312) Chain Store: 193) Company Showroom: 01

Maximum are goes into the local shop to get their desire product, and then comes the chain store and only one shows up that he buys from the company showroom. And thus we can find out the choice of the customer and for the marketer they have to follow or give ad on that particular to get the attention of the customers.

The most important thing is that, outlet play a crucial role in our society. Not only for the razors but also for the other necessary items outlet plays a different role.

Below there is a graph on buying place that we come up from the survey.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Local Shop Chain Store Company Showroom

31

19

1

Buying Place

Chart 8: Buying Place

From that survey we can easily give the percentage of buying place from where consumers buys razors.

1) Local Shop: 60.78%2) Chain Store: 37.26%3) Company Showroom: 01.96%

Local Shop,

60.78%

Chain Store,

37.26%

Company Showroom,1.96%

Chart 9: Buying Place Percentage.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Purchase Pal:

Friends and Family is an essential part of our life. When we goes for shopping then sometimes we go with our friends or sometimes we go with our family and also sometimes we go alone. Not only this but also we do share and care with our family and friends. Below a number of images has been shown that how important they are in one’s life.

Illustration 5: Purchase Pal

Now let’s move on to our main part which is purchasing razors whether to go with the pal or not go with the pal.

It is a general common scenes that razor is our personal use of product, which a friend is not needed to go with for buying that particular product. Yes, friends or family member might give the suggestion that what type of razor that you would buy, but it is not necessary to go with a friend or call a friend to buy that product. One can easily buy that product from the local shop, retailer shop, and chain shop or company showroom.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Post Purchase Dissonance:

Dissonance occurs when a consumer holds differing thoughts about a belief an attitude toward a product. This is also a consumer reaction after making a difficult decision that involves doubt and anxiety. As the consumer decision for razor is limited decision making process, there is no or very little post purchase dissonance. Another reason for very little post purchase dissonance is that; these kinds of decision do not consider attractive features in a unchosen brand that do not also exist in the chosen brand. The importance of the decision to the consumers of razor is also very low so dissonance probability is also low.

In our practical survey we also found the same result. Consumers are having very little post purchase dissonance for the razor. We asked consumers about their discomfort after purchasing the product they. 52% consumers do not have any dissonance at all and 38% have very limited dissonance where only 10% are having very much dissonance after they purchased the product. It shows that limited decision making has very little post purchased dissonance as we discused at class.

Chart 10: Post Purchase Dissonance

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

38%

52%

10%

Post Purchase Dissonance

Very limitedNoneVery much

Approaches to Reduce Dissonance:

To reduce the dissonance, different action can be taken by consumers. After the purchase is made, the consumer may use one or more of the following approach to reduce dissonance;

• Increase the desirability of the brand purchased

• Decrease the desirability of rejected brand

• Decrease the importance of the purchase

• Reverse the purchase decision (return before use)

Here in our survey we found that razor consumers are reversing the purchase decision by changing the brand or increasing the desirability of the brand purchased. According to the result of our survey, 62% consumers change the brand and they think this is the best way to get the best product from other brands and 30% increase the desirability of the brand purchased by considering the brand value. As they use a particular brand for razor product for long time they try to increase the desirability of that that brand.

Chart 11: Approaches to reduce dissonance

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

62%

30%

8%

Approaches to Reduce DissonanceChange Increase desirability and keep using.Ignore

Findings and Conclusion:

From the survey by doing extensive analysis it is found that shaving razors in Bangladesh fall under the Limited Decision Making as the problem recognition is Generic as it involves a discrepancy that a variety of brands within a product category can reduce as we see there are various brands like Gillette, Bic, Schick etc. brands within the razor product category are there which can reduce the discrepancy.

Moreover, the information search done by the consumer of razors in Bangladesh are mostly internal and limited external and consumer seek information from their internal memory, media, in store during purchase and from family and friends; also the consumer do no spend too much time on seeking information about razors.

Furthermore, there are few attributes in evaluating alternatives and simple decision rules are used while evaluating for the alternatives among different razor brands which can be found in the marketplace of Bangladesh.

Additionally, the consumers purchase razors from local shops; chain stores and very few from company showrooms in Bangladesh.

Lastly, a huge proportion of razor users face limited or no dissonance and some consumers do face much dissonance but the proportion is very low.

To conclude, by analyzing all the different aspect of decision making of the shaving razor consumers and users it can be deduced that the type of decision making of the consumers of shaving razors is Limited Decision Making and the fact behind this deduction has been analyzed throughout the report.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

References:

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steps-of-decision-making-process-0480178#!DKfFi>.

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<http://www.marketing91.com/types-of-decision-process/>.

3) Rao, Sree Rama. "Problem Recognition." Citeman Network RSS. N.p., 27 Sept. 2010.

Web. 12 Apr. 2014. <http://www.citeman.com/10745-problem-recognition.html>.

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Irwin, 2010. 496+. Print.

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the marketing and consumer behavior of shaving razor in bangladesh

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