A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE CONSUMER’S PREFERENCE TOWARDS BRANDED JEWELLERY OVER NON BRANDED JEWELLERY IN MUMBAI

A PROJECT REPORT ON “A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE CONSUMER’S PREFERENCE TOWARDS BRANDED JEWELLERY OVER NON BRANDED JEWELLERY IN MUMBAI.”

SUBMITTED BY CHETAN N NAKTE (MARKETING) ROLL NO – B-07 Batch 2011 - 2013

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF DR. AMIT AGGRAWAL CORE FACULTY - MARKETING

UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI KOHINOOR BUSINESS SCHOOL, KURLA, MUMBAI. 1

DECLARATION I hereby declare that the project report entitled “A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE CONSUMER’S PREFERENCE TOWARDS BRANDED JEWELLERY OVER NON BRANDED JEWELLERY IN MUMBAI” carried out at S.P.JEWELLERS is my work submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for Degree of MASTER OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES (MMS), UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI from KOHINOOR BUSINESS SCHOOL, KURLA, MUMBAI and not submitted for the award of any degree, diploma, fellowship or any similar titles or prizes.

Date:

Signature: _______________

Place: Mumbai

Student Name: ___________

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CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the project entitled “A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE CONSUMER’S PREFERENCE TOWARDS BRANDED JEWELLERY OVER NON BRANDED JEWELLERY IN MUMBAI” is successfully completed by “Chetan N Nakte” during the second year of her course, in partial fulfillment of the Masters Degree in Management Studies, under the University of Mumbai, through KOHINOOR BUSINESS SCHOOL, Kurla, Mumbai-400070.

Date: “Dr.Amit Aggrawal”

Place: Mumbai

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT It is my privilege to express my gratitude and respect to those who guided and inspired me in the completion of this project.

I am deeply indebted to my project guide of the Kohinoor Business School Dr.Amit Aggrawal for giving me this opportunity to undergo my project in his esteemed organization and for his timely suggestions and valuable guidance.

I also want to give thanks to Mr. Namdev G Nakte He constantly encouraged me and showed me the right path from day one till the completion of my project.

I am also thankful to Mr. Dattaram Pujari for helping me to proceed in conducting the survey and complete it on time.

I am grateful to the Director, Faculties, administrative staff and the librarian of Kohinoor Business School for providing me all the support required for successful completion of my project.

Chetan N Nakte

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INDEX CHAPTER NO 1

2

CHAPTER NAME

PAGE NO

INTRODUCTION EXECUTIVE SUMMERY

1

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

3

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

4

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

6

JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY

7

BACKGROUND OF TOPIC INDUSTRY INTRODUCTION

8

THE EMERGENCE OF BRANDED GOLD JEWELLERY

9

GOLD JEWELLERY MARKET IN INDIA

10

GOLD JEWELLERY BECOMES FASHION ACCESSORY

13

STRATEGIES FOR WOOING CUSTOMERS

14

BRAND APPEAL

15

INDIAN CUSTOMERS SHOWING INTEREST IN

17

BRANDED JEWELLERY

3

TRADITIONAL V/S BRANDED JEWELERS

18

ORGANIZED V/S TRADITIONAL RETAIL

19

CHANGES IN GEMS & JEWELLERY RETAIL

20

PROFILE OF THE ORGANISATION S.P.JEWELLERS

4

22

ANALYSIS OF DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

5

23

5

CONCLUSION CONCLUSION

6

34

APPENDICES QUEST IONNAIRE

36

BIBLIOGRAPHY

38

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Executive Summery Society is a diversified in all aspects. We see this among consumers, marketers, producers and even among consumer behavior from theoretical aspects. The study of consumer behavior enables marketer to predict a consumer behavior in the market; it also produces under standing of the role that consumption has in the lives of individuals. Consumer behavior is defined as a behavior that consumers display while searching for purchase, using, evaluation and disposal of products, services and ideas that they to satisfy their needs. The study o f consumer behavior is concerned not only with what consumers buy, but also with what they buy it, when, from where and how they buy it and how often they buy it. It is concerned with learning the specific meanings that products hold for consumers. Consumer research takes place at every phase of the consumption process; before the purchase, during the purchase and after purchases. Consumer behavior is the study of how people buy, what they buy, when they buy and why they buy. It attempts to understand the buyer decision processes/buyer decision making process, both individually and in groups. It studies characteristics of individual consumers such as demographics, psychographics, and behavioral variables in an attempt to understand people's wants. It also tries to assess influences on the consumer from groups such as family, friends, reference groups, and society in general. What we buy, how we buy, where and when we buy, in how much quantity we buy depends on our perception, self concept, social and cultural background and our age and family cycle, our attitudes, beliefs, values motivation, personality, social class and many other factors that are both internal and external to us. Consumer behavior is interdisciplinary; i.e. it is based on concepts and theories about people that have been developed by scientist in such diverse disciplines as psychology, sociology, social psychology, cultural anthropology and economics. Consumer research is the methodology used to study consumer behavior.

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The study of consumer behavior is the study of ho individuals make decision to spend their available resources on consumption elated items. It includes the study of what, why, when and form where they buy etc. Consumer behavior is a relatively new field of study emerged in late 1960s with no history or body of research of its own unlike branches of economics. Many early theories concerning consumer behavior were based on economic theory on the notion that individuals act to maximize their benefits in the purchase of goods and services. There are number of reasons why the study of consumer behavior developed as a separate marketing discipline. As sum as the marketing researchers began to study the buying behavior of customers, they realized that, despite a something “me too” approach to fashions, many consumer rebelled at using the identical products everyone else used. The primary purpose or studying as part of a marketing curriculum is to understand why and how consumers make their purchase decisions. These insights enable marketer to design more effective marketing strategies. Consumer behavior has become an integral part of strategic market planning. The belief that ethics and responsibility should also be integral components of every marketing concept, which calls on marketer to fulfill the needs of their target market in ways that improve society as a whole.

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Objective of study The objective to study the “A comparative study on the consumer’s preference towards branded jewellery over non branded jewellery in Mumbai.” is to find out 1) The consumer‟s buying preferences 2) The reach of branded jeweler‟s 3) Brand awareness of various brands in the jeweler‟s market

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Research Methodology Research is initiated by examining the secondary data to gain insight into the problem. The primary data is evaluated on the basis of the analysis of the secondary data.

DEVELOPING THE RESEARCH PLAN

The data for this research project would be collected through questionnaire. A structured questionnaire would be framed as it is less time consuming, generates specific and to the point information, easier to tabulate and interpret. Moreover respondents prefer to give direct answers. Both type of questions i.e. Open ended and closed ended, would be used.

COLLECTION OF DATA

a) Secondary Data: It was collected from internal sources. The secondary data was collected from the articles, news papers, management books, and the internet. b) Primary data: They were the main source of Primary data. The method of collection of primary data would be direct personal interview through a structured questionnaire. SAMPLING PLAN

Since it is not possible to study whole population, it is necessary to obtain representative samples from the population to understand its characteristics. 1) Sampling Units: would comprise of men and women.

2) Research Instrument: Structured Questionnaire SAMPLE SIZE  100 respondent

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The primary data would be collected from 1) The population of MUMBAI city The secondary data would be collected from: 1) Books 2) Magazines/ Project report 3) Internet 4) Articles The questionnaire‟s response format for the population would be close ended questions. With a mix of question types varying from ranking, multiple choice to checklist questions. The attitude of the respondents would be measured by itemized category scales, pictorial scale. Hypothesis – The null hypothesis would be: “50% of the consumer prefers buying branded jewellery.” The alternative hypothesis would be: “More than 50% of the consumer prefers buying non branded jewellery.”

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Significance of the study The gems and jewellery industry occupies an important position in the Indian economy and is one of the fastest growing industries in the country. Hence the research conducted would help me 1) Understand the consumers preference while purchasing jewellery 2) How much impact does a brand have on their purchase decision 3) Does price play an important role in guiding their purchase decision

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Justification of the study The previous research done on branded and non branded jewellery markets are 1) Indian Gems and Jewellery Market - Future Prospects to 2011 2) The impact of recession on the jewellery industry 3) The growth of the Branded jewellery market in India No study has been done to find out the preference of consumer‟s between branded and non branded jewelers. The study would also help to find out the consumer preference and their buying behavior towards branded and non branded jeweler‟s, this would help both the retailers to know what are the consumer preference and what strategies should they adapt to grab the market.

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Introduction Till the early 1990s, the average Indian bought jewellery for investment rather than for adornment. Jewellery made of 18-karat gold was not favored as it was considered a poor investment. Confidence in the local jeweler was the hallmark of the gold jewellery trade in India. A jeweler or goldsmith in a local area had a fixed and loyal clientele. The buyer had implicit faith in his jeweler. Additionally, the local jeweler catered to the local taste for traditional jewellery.

However, since the late 1990s, there was a shift in consumer tastes: women were increasingly opting for fashionable and lightweight jewellery instead of traditional chunky jewellery. There was a rise in demand for lightweight jewellery, especially from consumers in the 16 to 25 age group, who regarded jewellery as an accessory and not an investment. The new millennium witnessed a definite change in consumer preferences. Branded jewellery also gained acceptance forcing traditional jewelers to go in for branding. Given the opportunities the branded jewellery market offered; the number of gold retailers in the country increased sharply. Branded players such as Tanishq, Oyzterbay, Kisna and Carbon opened outlets in various parts of the country. Traditional jewelers also began to bring out lightweight jewellery, and some of them even launched their in-house brands. However, the share of branded jewellery in the total jewellery market was still small (about Rs. 10 billion of the Rs. 400 billion per annum jewellery market in 2002), though growing at a pace of 20 to 30 percent annually. The branded jewellery segment occupied only a small share of the total jewellery market because of the mindset of the average Indian buyer who still regarded jewellery as an investment. Moreover, consumers trusted only their family jewelers when buying jewellery. Consequently, the branded jewellery players tried to change the mindset of the people and woo customers with attractive designs at affordable prices. However branded jewellery players will continue to face lot of competition from local jewelers. In order to gain market share, they will have to come up with designs that customers want and 14

win the trust and confidence of consumers by hallmarking and demonstrating the purity of the gold used by them. To compete with traditional players, branded players must also find some way to differentiate themselves. While the success of a particular brand will depend on differentiation, affordability and quality will be a key element in sustaining a brand.

In addition, branded players require focused advertising and astute salesmanship to compete with traditional jewelers. Besides the major brands- Tanishq, Carbon, Oyzterbay, Kisna and Trendsmith - several regional players have opened branches to leverage the trust and reputation that they have built up over the years.

The emergence of branded gold jewellery

In the late 1990s, the Indian jewellery market witnessed a shift in consumer perceptions of jewellery. Instead of being regarded as only an investment option, jewellery was being prized for its aesthetic appeal. In other words, the focus seemed to have shifted from content to design. Trendy, affordable and lightweight jewellery soon gained familiarity. Branded jewellery also gained acceptance forcing traditional jewelers to go in for branding. Given the opportunities the branded jewellery market offered; the number of gold retailers in the country increased sharply. Branded players such as Tanishq, Oyzterbay, Kisna and Carbon opened outlets in various parts of the country. Traditional jewelers also began to bring out lightweight jewellery, and some of them even launched their in-house brands. However, the share of branded jewellery in the total jewellery market was still small (about Rs. 10 billion of the Rs. 400 billion per annum jewellery market in 2002), though growing at a pace of 20 to 30 percent annually The branded jewellery segment occupied only a small share of the total jewellery market because of the mindset of the average Indian buyer who still regarded jewellery as an investment. Moreover, consumers trusted only their family jewelers when buying jewellery. Consequently, the branded jewellery players tried to change the mindset of the people and woo customers with attractive designs at affordable prices.

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Gold Jewellery Market in India

Before the liberalization of the Indian economy in 1991, only the Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation of India (MMTC) and the State Bank of India (SBI) were allowed to import gold. The abolition of the Gold Control Act in 1992, allowed large export houses to import gold freely Exporters in export processing zones were allowed to sell 10 percent of their produce in the domestic market. In 1993, gold and Gold ornaments mining were opened up for private investors and foreign investors were allowed to own half the equity in mining ventures. In 1997, overseas banks and bullion suppliers were also allowed to import gold into India. These measures led to the entry of foreign players like DeBeers, Tiffany and Cartiers into the Indian market. In the 1990s, the number of retail jewellery outlets in India increased greatly due to the abolition of the Gold Control Act. This led to a highly fragmented and unorganized jewellery market with an estimated 100,000 workshops supplying over 350,000 retailers, mostly family-owned, single shop operations. In 2001, India had the highest demand for gold in the world; 855 tons were consumed a year, 95% of which was used for jewellery. The bulk of the jewellery purchased in India was designed in the traditional Indian style. Jewellery was fabricated mainly in 18, 22 and 24-carat gold. As Hallmarking was not very common in India, under-carat age was prevalent. According to a survey done by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), most gold jewellery advertised in India as 22-carat was of a lesser quality. Over 80% of the jewelers sold gold jewellery ranging from 13.5 carats to 18 carats as 22-carat gold jewellery. The late 1990s saw a number of branded jewellery players entering the Indian market. Titan sold gold jewellery under the brand name Tanishq, while S.P.Jewellers Jewels, a Mumbai-based jewellery exporter, sold 18-carat gold jewellery under the brand name Kisna. S.P.Jewellers Jewels also started selling 24-carat gold jewellery in association with a Thai company, Pranda. Su-Raj (India) Ltd. launched its collection of Gold ornaments and 22 -carat gold jewellery in 1997. The Mumbai-based group, Beautiful, which marketed the Tiffany range of products in India, launched its own range of studded 18-carat jewellery, Dagina. Cartiers entered India in 1997 in a franchise agreement with Ravissant. Other players who entered the Indian branded gold

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jewellery market during the 1990s and 2000-01 included Intergold Gem Ltd., Oyzterbay, Carbon and Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri (TBZ). Kisna: In 1994, Kisna Jewellery was established as a distinct brand by S.P.Jewellers Jewels, soon after the abolition of the Gold Control Act by the Indian government. Kisna offered a wide range of 18-carat plain gold and Gold ornaments-studded jewellery, designed for the contemporary Indian woman. The designs combined both the Indian and western styles and motifs. With sales of Rs.0.14 billion for the year 2000-01, Kisna had a 0.03 percent share of the 400 billion jewellery market in India and a 1.4 percent share of the branded jewellery market. Tanishq: In 1984, Questar Investments Limited (a Tata group company) and the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO) jointly promoted Titan Watches Limited (Titan). Initially involved in the watches and clocks business, Titan later ventured into the jewellery businesses. In 1995, Titan changed its name from 'Titan Watches Ltd.' to 'Titan Industries Ltd.' in order to change its image from that of a watch manufacturer to that of a fashion accessories manufacturer. In the same year, it also started its jewellery division under the Tanishq brand. Among the branded jewellery players in the Indian market, Tanishq is considered to be a trendsetter. When it was launched in 1995, Tanishq began with 18-carat jewellery. Realizing that such jewellery did not sell well in the domestic market, the 18-carat jewellery range was expanded to include 22 and 24-carat ornaments as well. When Tanishq was launched, it sold most of its products through multibrand stores. In 1998, Tanishq decided to set up its own chain of retail showrooms to create a distinctive brand image. By 2002, Tanishq retailed its jewellery through 53 exclusive stores across 41 cities. To meet increasing demand, Tanishq planned to open 70 stores by the end of 2003 and offer a range of 'wearable' products with prices starting at Rs. 400. With sales of Rs. 2.66 billion in 2000-01, Tanishq had a 0.66 percent share of the total jewellery market and a 27 percent share of the branded jewellery market. Carbon: In early 1991, the Bangalore based Peakok Jewellery Pvt. Ltd., (Peakok) was incorporated and Mahesh Rao (Rao) was appointed director. Peakok realized that the Indian consumer's relationship with gold jewellery would grow beyond an investment need towards a lifestyle and personality statement. In 1996, within the Peakok fold a new brand of 18-carat goldbased jewellery called Carbon was launched. 17

In 2000-01, with sales of Rs. 0.14 billion, carbon had a 0.03 percent share of the jewellery market and a 1.4 percent share of the branded jewellery market. The company expected Carbon sales to touch Rs. 1.5 billion by 2005-06 and exports to start by 2008. The brand was available at 40 outlets in 16 cities in 2002 and would be made available in 23 cities by 2005. Oyzterbay: Oyzterbay was founded by Vasant Nangia and his team in July 2000. It began operations in March 2001. By November 2002, the company had 41 outlets across the country. Oyzterbay seeks to build a national brand in the jewellery industry in India and aspires to be the largest branded jewellery company in the country with a chain of 100 stores and several hundred-distribution points by 2004. With sales of Rs. 0.17 billion in 2000-01, Oyzterbay had a 0.04 percent share of the Rs.400 billion jewellery market and a 1.7 percent share of the branded jewellery market Trendsmith: Mumbai-based Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri (TBZ), which had been in the jewellery business since 1864, saw tremendous scope in the branded segment and opened its new concept store 'Trendsmith' in Mumbai in December 2001. Encouraged by the response towards its first store, the Zaveris planned to take Trendsmith (India) Pvt. Ltd. all over the nation by opening as many as 50 stores by 2006. Trendsmith offered eight lines of exclusive designer jewellery from well-known export jewellery manufacturers and designers from Mumbai and Delhi. BRANDED GOLD JEWELLERY MARKET (MAJOR PLAYERS) Brand

Market share (2000-01) in %)

Tanishq

27.0

Oyzterbay

1.7

Kisna

1.4

Carbon

1.4

Source: ICFAI Centre for Management Research.

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Gold Jewellery Becomes Fashion Accessory

Till the early 1990s, the average Indian bought jewellery for investment rather than for adornment. Jewellery made of 18-karat gold was not favored as it was considered a poor investment. Confidence in the local jeweler was the hallmark of the gold jewellery trade in India. A jeweler or goldsmith in a local area had a fixed and loyal clientele. The buyer had implicit faith in his jeweler. Additionally, the local jeweler catered to the local taste for traditional jewellery. However, since the late 1990s, there was a shift in consumer tastes: women were increasingly opting for fashionable and lightweight jewellery instead of traditional chunky jewellery. There was a rise in demand for lightweight jewellery, especially from consumers in the 16 to 25 age group, who regarded jewellery as an accessory and not an investment. The new millennium witnessed a definite change in consumer preferences. According to Samrat Zaveri, CEO of Trendsmith, "Research shows that the Indian jewellery sector is in the transition phase with consumers' desire for possession of jewellery for its aesthetic appeal and not as a form of investment."

In October 2002, Trendsmith conducted a survey to understand the shifting needs, motivations and aspirations of consumers in the jewellery market, and to identify new trends and opportunities. The research study arrived at the following conclusions: • The Indian market was witnessing an accelerated shift from viewing jewellery as an investment to regarding it as aesthetically appealing ornaments. The focus had shifted from content to design. • The younger generation was looking at trendy, contemporary jewellery and clearly avoiding heavy, traditional gold jewellery. • The consumer wanted a wider selection at a single convenient location and expected an international shopping experience. • The Indian consumer was willing to experiment with new designs. The late 1990s and early 2000s, with the increase in the number of designers from design schools such as the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), a wide range of new designs. 19

Strategies for Wooing Customers Tanishq

In the late 1990s, players in the branded gold jewellery market formulated strategies for wooing customers. According to Jacob Kurian (Kurian), Chief Operating Officer of Tanishq, the challenges were many. As the jewellery market was highly fragmented, lacked branding, and allowed many unethical practices to flourish, Tanishq worked hard on a two-pronged brandbuilding strategy: cultivate trust by educating customers about the unethical practices in the business and change the perception of jewellery as a high-priced purchase. Said Kurian, "We are changing the attitudes of customers from blind trust to informed trust." To increase its market share, Tanishq formulated a strategy for luring people away from traditional neighborhood jewelers. Tanishq's strategy was to create differentiation and build trust. According to Kurian, the first part of the strategy was "to provide a point of differentiation in a highly commoditized category - which is the whole point of branding." The second part of the strategy was to project Tanishq as an unimpeachable mark of trust. According to Kurian, "If differentiation plays the role of primary attraction, trust takes care of lifelong loyalty.” One way to create differentiation was through design. The emphasis had to be on design because local jewelers could offer to design any pattern according to the customer's specifications. For a national brand a generic design concept with regional variations had to be evolved. For this, Tanishq set up a seven member in-house design team and also outsourced designs from freelance designers. The designers travelled the length and breadth of the country to get feedback on Tanishq's designs and learn about customer preferences. On the basis of this feedback, each showroom could select the designs it would carry. Source:http://www.icmrindia.org/free%20resources/casestudies/branded-gold-jewellery1.htm

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Brand appeal

Branded jewellery has found a niche for itself in the tough Indian market, and its increasing growth rates show that before long it will corner a significant share of the jewellery market. WITH the retail industry in India burgeoning, several companies have made inroads into the traditional jewellery industry, selling the product that was never really "marketed" in "brand" new ways. So much so that branded jewellery is the new mantra in the market, having rapidly acquired a niche over the past few years. Some of the companies have even cleverly played on Indian customs and tradition to advertise and establish their brands. Jewellery is now marketed for every occasion; even Valentine's Day calls for "a special something [Gold ornaments] for a special someone". In spite of pessimism about the marketability of branded jewellery in a country rooted in buying ornaments from the traditional goldsmith, 30 brands were launched in 2004. However, this does not take away from the fact that India is a tough market. According to Mehul Choksi of the D'Damas and S.P.Jewellers Group, branded jewellery has witnessed more than 50 per cent growth in the last three years. The Gold ornaments branded jewellery, he says, is especially impressive with the segment witnessing a 20 per cent rise annually as against 10 per cent a decade ago. Although branded jewellery accounts for less than 10 per cent of the Rs.40,000-crore jewellery market, a study has concluded that it is growing in popularity at a tremendous pace of 20-30 per cent annually. Such is the potential of this industry that the consulting firm McKinsey estimates the branded jewellery market in India to grow at the rate of 40 per cent per annum to touch Rs.10,000 crores by 2010. Big drivers of this kind of jewellery are the numerous malls opening across the country with the emergence of an affluent class following the successful growth of the new economy companies. In the past decade, the country has seen a section of the population gaining exposure to designer wear, fashion accessories and globally branded products. "Why not have accesses to them?" asks Rima Khan, a brand executive. "Of course jewellery is harder to brand but it has done well given the tough competition," she says. One of the reasons branded jewellery is doing well is that now anyone can walk into a mall, window shop and decides at their own what they would like to buy. The entire culture of 21

shopping has changed with attentive and helpful attendants and well-displayed products. "You no longer have the sales staff who look at you and decide whether you are worth serving or not. Everyone is a potential customer in the new market," says Rima Khan. Yet the most important part of branded jewellery is that you can get a piece of jewellery with a Gold ornaments for as little as Rs.1,500. And as branded is equated with quality, you are assured of a good product. "Suddenly jewellery has become accessible and affordable for all income brackets." The shift was visible in 2004 when more than 30 players entered the market. Today there are more than 50 brands, endorsed by models, film actors, sports celebrities and other well-known faces. Some designs of these brands are so popular that local jewelers have begun to copy them. "While it is a compliment to the industry that people like the product, it could also affect the company because the cost may be lower," says Rima Khan. The biggest challenge perhaps is in educating the consumer. Consumers need to understand the four Cs - Cut, Carat, Color and Clarity. Companies that brand their products place a lot of emphasis on educating and therefore helping the customer make his purchase. "Buying jewellery is a very personal thing and we need to understand what we are buying," says Seema Thakur, an attendant in a jewellery store at a mall in Mumbai. "We have an average of 50 people on a week day and at least 100 on a weekend who walk in and look around the shop. If you make the product look special, for instance, appeal to a young gentleman to buy it for a loved one, he is often interested." And the big selling point is: "If you can spend Rs.1,000 on two music CDs, why not spend for that special person in your life." The branded jewellery industry is still in its infancy, but increasing growth rates show that in a short time it will corner a significant chunk of the market. Perhaps the best compliment to the branded segment is that old jewellery showrooms have also begun to design jewellery lines under a brand name.

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Indian Customers Showing Interest in Branded Jewellery As per our recently published research report “Indian Gems and Jewellery Market – Future Prospects to 2011”, gems and jewellery market in India posses tremendous potential for future growth since it has an added advantage of low production cost and highly skilled labor that separate it from its competitors. It is projected that the overall gems and jewellery market will grow at a CAGR of around 14% during 2009-2012. India possesses world‟s most competitive gems and jewellery market due to its low cost of production and availability of skilled labor. As per our new research report “Indian Gems and Jewellery Market - Future Prospects to 2011”, highly skilled and low cost manpower, along with strong government support in the form of incentives and establishment of SEZs, has been the major driver for the Indian gems and jewellery market. The market also plays a vital role in the Indian economy as it is a leading foreign exchange earner and accounts for more than 12% of India‟s total exports. Currently the Indian market remains highly fragmented, but is rapidly transforming into an organized sector. Currently, the industry is facing a slowdown due to global economic turmoil. But due to various government efforts and incentives coupled with private sector initiatives, the Indian gems and jewellery sector is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 14% from 2009 to 2012. At present, the Indian gems and jewellery market is dominated by the unorganized sector; however, the trend is set to change in near future with the branded jewellery market growing at an expected CAGR of more than 41% in the coming four years. As per our research report, with its consumption pegged at nearly 20%, India remains world‟s largest gold consumer and this share is expected to grow further. Given the fact that majority of market share is occupied by family-owned jewelers, the domination of unorganized segment still continues on the Indian gems and jewellery market. However, this scenario is gradually changing with the entrance of organized players who primarily focus on customer satisfaction by giving better and finer quality products. Thus, consumers are now moving towards branded jewellery which is more reliable in terms of quality and design.

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Traditional v/s Branded jewelers

Gems and Jewellery sales and marketing received a facelift with the advent of the supermarket culture. As organized retail in India progresses to the next lap, Sadanand Subramanian checks for Gold ornaments World with some precious Industry players about their preparedness and strategy to achieve maximum mileage. As India reacts to a retail revolution, the hitherto sober gems and jewellery industry seems to have jumped on the bandwagon with a clear plan of action. The industry has already made a mark by capturing 3 per cent of the organized retail space thanks to the leadership shown by a handful of companies prepared to dazzle the world. While organized retail under this segment impressively grows at over 50 per cent annually, deliberations are on to arrive at what the industry in general must do to keep the customer perennially delighted. The gems and jewellery market in India is estimated to be about Rs.80,000 crores and the topmost agenda is to adopt the right strategy to accelerate its growth keeping in mind current global dynamics. For now the industry faces keen competition from other luxury goods such as electronic innovations and other personal accessories. How far is it necessary for the gems and jewellery sector to seriously consider it? There is no doubt that things are a lot more organized in stores inside malls. They also showcase and present products very attractively. But in my opinion, real sales take place through traditional jewellery stores as jewellery is mainly sold on trust. Ghanshyam Dholakia The urgency in the industry indicates rapid changes in the way goods are produced and marketed. The evolution of new formats for sale and the massive technology and to some extent, sizeable infrastructural developments taking place all foretell a prospect of growth way beyond the current overall 10 per cent. The Indian gems and jewellery industry boasts a strength of over 3 lakh jewellery retailers across the length and breadth of this country. The huge number indicates strength in itself but it also indicates a difficult diversity to grapple with when exploring common grounds to formulate united approaches to tackle common concerns.

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Organized V/s Traditional Retail

Comparisons have always been drawn between organized retail and traditional retail. Attempts have always been made to define them. Rooting for organized retail, Navneet Goenka, ViceChairman of Goenka Gold ornaments and Jewels says, “Right now organized retail seems to have wrested an edge over traditional retail.” Goenka argues that the indications to this effect are seen in the manner large proportions of the society are becoming lifestyle oriented, especially the younger generation. When considering India‟s statistic of having the highest percentage of youth in the world, this observation cannot be taken lightly. Goenka says that the gems and jewellery sector is one of the fastest growing segments. He adds, “The young generation today has more disposable income and they are willing to spend it on luxuries of choice.” Ghanshyam Dholakia, partner, Harikrisha Exports holds a different view with regard to the tussle for supremacy over the two formats. “There is no doubt that things are a lot more organized in stores inside malls,” he concedes. “They also showcase and present products very attractively. But in my opinion, real sales take place through traditional jewellery stores as jewellery is mainly sold on trust.” While explaining his point of view, he adds, “To the credit of traditional jewellery stores they also have upgraded themselves in various ways including the overall ambience in the last five to ten years. They are also changing themselves in the matters of presentation and the customer approach.” Dholakia says that in promotions and awareness creation, traditional retailers have realized its importance thereof and have started allocating sizeable budgets for them. Consequently this section has already started reaping the benefits of quality promotions by creating awareness about their products and services. Dholakia is some what emphatic with regard to modern day organized retail citadels, “In my personal opinion malls mainly serve the purpose of promotion and show of products. I don‟t think a lot of gems and jewellery sale takes place in malls.” Ashwin Shah, Head of Retail at C. Mahendra Exports holds a similar view with regard to jewellery sales at modern shopping malls. He opines, “The sales that take place in a mall are of a very different kind. You can call it window shopping if you like.” Shah elucidates his point, “The young generation often resorts to some impulse buying.” He stresses that serious buyers who are looking for high value purchases for occasions such as weddings prefer to plan their jewellery shopping and eventually purchase from known reputed jewelers. 25

Changes in Gems & Jewellery Retail

Whilst organized retailers are ahead when it comes to taking care of the different aspects in the marketing and sales value chain, those in traditional retail are also changing or adapting to the needs of the modern customer in the areas of service and customer care. They too are improving their style of presenting and dealing with customers. “In the past, jewelers didn‟t have much modern education. Today, there are a number of MBA‟s in these families and amongst key personnel employed by them,” points out Ghanshyam Dholakia.

Retailing the Organized Way

While complementing the planned approach by organized retail, Mahesh Gandani-Head Retail, Hari Krishna Exports says, “We can see that times have changed and somewhere along the way, the whole approach to marketing has also undergone transformation.” Gandani says that for branded Gold ornaments jewellery there is much planning involved. He says meticulous strategy is charted out, and there is systematic presentation of the product. All this goes on even as a product portfolio is made and promotions are carried out. Gandani says creating brand awareness in the minds of the consumers is all about adopting a few strategic steps. “One might say the difference between traditional and organized is just doing and doing by planning.” Recent developments have been both a boon as well as a bane. Actually, this has spurred us on to become innovative with our offerings to suit the market. We have actually managed to reduce cost by adopting the strategy of reducing the volume of gold in some of our products to make it affordable. Ashwin Shah Speaking about organized retail, V. Muraleedharan, gems and jewellery professional and visiting faculty at well known management institutes in Mumbai says, “The number of foreign brands coming into India is simply amazing. Brands that were only heard of a few years ago are today very much within anyone‟s reach here. Muraleedharan goes on to explain, “So far people who had only seen traditional offerings have started making intelligent international comparisons with Indian products and this has brought about real room for retail to grow a number of times.” Well known brands have always insisted that when they talk about a particular grade, they are certified. Moreover the quality standard is confirmed and authorized and remains the same in any 26

laboratory in the world. Muraleedharan says, “In my opinion the quality a brand expresses, and the certification make it easy for a customer to confidently buy the product.” The Value Proposition: “Today everyone is looking for value for money, a new design, a new concept, something very creative and that is the concept of retail today. It is not like yesterday where the shopkeeper or the manufacturer used to dominate. Today, the customer is going for customized designs; the whole concept is changing,” says Muralidharan. “The consumer is looking for value for money, when they buy Gold ornamentss. They like to buy from reputed players like example Tanishq, S.P.Jewellers, Goenka, Nakshatra, Kiah and Nirvana. All of whom have achieved very organized presence in the market today. Each one of them has a standard quality certification internationally and that is what is going in the minds of the customer when they talk about buying from the organized sector.”

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Company Profile S.P. JEWELLERS

Founded as a single company cutting and polishing Gold ornaments for the jewellery trade at Mumbai, in 1995, the S.P.Jewellers became, many times over, a pioneer among major Gold ornaments and jewellery houses. First major Gold ornaments and jewellery house to be launched and run by modern entrepreneurs rather than dynastic jewellers. An authorised DTC Sightholder and loyal customer – and a modern multinational business run on innovative insights.

At the forefront of the global breakthrough in Gold ornaments jewellery design and production brought about by India‟s ability to cut Gold ornamentss considered unworkable for jewellery till then. Has the distinction of producing the world‟s smallest heart shaped Gold ornaments (0.03 carat), and developing some 25 patented facet patterns. Besides changing the face of manufacture, broke the mould of traditional jewellery marketing: it abandoned jewellery trade convention by launching multiple brands for multiple markets and price segments.

Business model now integrates all operations, from rough Gold ornaments sourcing, cutting, polishing and distribution, and jewellery manufacture, to jewellery branding and retail, as well as global lifestyle brands, in India and abroad. Offers jewellery in diverse styles: traditional, international classic, and casual. For consumers of all age groups, tastes and budgets. With a growing hamper of brands, some already global, and each targeted to specific consumer and market segments.

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Analysis and Findings The objectives of the study was to understand the consumer‟s buying preferences, the reach of branded jeweler‟s, brand awareness of various brands in the jeweler‟s market. Hence the first question was to find out the factors that guide a customer while purchasing jewellery which dealt with nine attributes. The respondents where just asked to tick on the attribute that guided that purchase decision. The result is as follows

1) Factors that guide you while purchasing jewellery?

Design

85

Price

92

Purity

87

Image

65

Variety

67

Display

Promotion and Offers

5

10

Family Service

and Friends

2

12

From the above results an observation can be drawn that out of the 100 respondents 92 of them feel that price is a major factor that guides their purchase decision. Apart from price purity also is considered important by 87 respondents, followed by design with 85 respondents feel it is an important factor. Variety and image are the other important attributes that are considered while making a purchase decision. Attributes like family and friends, promotions and offers are still not very popular among the respondents selected for this research. The attributes like service and display have been selected only by 2 and 5 respondents respectively showing that these are the least important thing that guide an individual to purchase jewellery. The diagram below shows the guiding factor of the respondents while purchasing jewellery in an ascending manner.

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100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

85 65

2

5

10

87

92

67

12

Question two dealt with the awareness of various brands of jewellery available in the market. This question would help find out the percentage of the respondents who are aware about branded jewellery.

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2) Are you aware of the various jewellery brands available in the market? Yes

No

95

5

5%

Yes No 95%

From the above result it can be observed that there is 95% awareness about branded jewellery. Out of the 95 respondents there is not a single respondent who is not aware about branded jewellery.

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3) Tick against the brands that you are aware about in the jewellery market

The third question was to find out the popularity of 5 brands. The respondents were asked to tick against the brands that they are aware about. The 5 brands considered here are Kisna, Tanishq, Ddamas, Oyzterbay, and Trendsmith. These are the prominent brands for gold jewellery there are many other players but the research is limited to gold jewellery.

Brands

Kisna

Tanishq

70

80

No of Respondents’

Zaveri bazar

Bafna

100

100

120 100 80 60

East

40 20 0 1st Qtr

2nd Qtr

3rd Qtr

4th Qtr

From the above table and figure inference can be drawn that brands like Kisna, Tanishq are known but the traditional MUMBAI outlets of Zaveri bazar and Bafna our preferred The fourth question was to find out the reason why the respondent purchases jewellery that is the reason for purchasing. Is it purchased as an investment option or on occasions, festivals or as a fashion statement?

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4) You buy jewellery for…

Investment Fashion Occasions Festivals No of

34

Respondents

39

11

16

No of Respondents 16

Investment

34

Fashion

11

Occasions Festivals 39

34 respondents buy jewellery for investment purpose, 39 respondents look out for fashion or the latest trends while purchasing jewellery. 11 respondents buy jewellery during occasions like weddings, anniversary, birthday‟s etc. and 16 respondents buy jewellery during festivals.

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5) Which jewellery do you prefer?

Preference No of Respondents

Branded

Family

Jewellery Jeweler 69

31

Family Jeweler, 31 Branded Jewellery, 69

From the above table it can be observed that 69 respondents prefer branded jewellery and 31 respondents prefer family jewelers. This makes branded jewellery more popular among the respondents.

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6) Have you bought any branded jewellery?

Branded Jewellery

Bought

Not bought

No of Respondents

78

22

No of Respondents purchasing branded jewellery Not bought 22%

Bought 78%

Out of the 100 respondents 78 have bought branded jewellery and 22 have not bought branded jewellery. However even if these 22 respondents have not bought branded jewellery they are aware of branded jewellery being sold and also know the brands by their names. Since the sample consist of females and males the next set of question deals with whether jewellery is bought for gifting purpose

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7) Do you buy jewellery for gifting purpose? Buy jewellery for gifting No of Respondents

Yes

No

30

70

No of Respondents 30% Yes 70%

No

30 respondents of the 100 buy jewellery for gifting purpose among these 30 12 are men. 70% of the respondents do not buy jewellery for gifting purpose.

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8) Where do you prefer to buy the jewellery from (for gifting)?

No of Respondents

Branded

Family jeweler

14

16

14 respondents out of 30 buy branded jewellery for gifting and 16 out of 30 buy jewellery from their family jeweler for gifting. Percentage wise 46% buy branded jewellery for gifts and 54% buy jewellery for gifting from their family jeweler.

Percentage of Respondents

Family jeweler 54%

Branded 46%

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9) Given below are few characteristics of traditional family jeweler’s (or local jewellery retail stores). Please give each characteristic some points based on your assessment, such that the points range from 1 to 10. (1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest). Characteristics of Family Jeweler’s Number of points

Convenient

Trustworthy

660

895

Good Investment 775

Price

870

Traditional design 745

Number of points 17%

19%

Convenient 23%

22%

Trustworthy Good Investment Price

19%

Traditional design

The respondents were asked to give points on a scale of 1 to 10 where 10 was the highest hence the total figures are arrived by adding the points given by all the 100 respondents. Hence if the „convenience‟ characteristic was to be taken then it scored 660 out of the grand total of 1000. The respondents have rated trust aspect of family jewelers high hence it has scored 895. The respondents also feel that the price charged by the family jewelers is reasonable and hence have given it decent point‟s i.e. 870. While purchasing jewellery from family jewelers the respondents consider it to be a good investment. Family jewelers are popular for traditional designs and the respondents have given it points that add up to 745.

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10)If you purchase branded jewellery then given below are a few characteristics. Please give each characteristic some points based on your assessment, such that the points range from 1 to 10. (1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest). Wide range Characteristics of

of products

Shopping

branded jewellery

under one

experience

Trendy and fashionable jewellery

roof Number of points

663

Price

590

727

673

Number of points 25%

Wide range of products under one roof

25%

Shopping experience 28%

22%

Trendy and fashionable jewellery Price

Respondents rate trendy and fashionable jewellery highest when it comes to branded jewellery. It scores 727 out of 780. Price also according to the respondents is justified hence it scores 673. Shopping experience wise branded showroom scores least among the other characteristics. This could also be because when a customer goes to buy jewellery he may not be looking for the experience but wanting good trendy jewellery which is priced appropriately.

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Conclusion The conclusions that can be drawn from the study are: 1. The guiding factor behind purchasing jewellery is price, purity and design which score the maximum. Other factors are variety, the brand image, influence of family and friends. The least guiding factor for purchasing jewellery is the service and display. Hence when a customer goes to buy jewellery they do keep the price in mind followed by the purity and the design. Factors like service given the shop or by the jeweler and the display do not have a very big impact on the customers. 2. Branded jewellery is extremely popular since it has 100% awareness. This may be due to the wide spread publicity taken up by the various brands. Brands like Kisna, Ddamas, and Tanishq are again the most popular brands. Trendsmith is a brand by Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri (TBZ) which is not very popular. 3. As stated in the literature review that „there was a shift in consumer tastes: women were increasingly opting for fashionable and lightweight jewellery instead of traditional chunky jewellery.‟ Is proved to be correct by this research as respondents have selected fashion over investment while purchasing jewellery. Now jewellery is regarded as more of an accessory and less of an investment. 4. Branded jewellery is bought by more than 3/4th of the population. Hence it can be said that the population is aware and has also tried these brands. 5. When jewellery is bought for gifting purpose the population still wants to buy it from their family jewelers. 6. When it comes to family jewelers the level of satisfaction that the population has on a scale of 1 to 10 is a little more than 7. These jewelers are also popular because of the trust that they have with their customers and also because they charge reasonable prices. These family jewelers are also popular for traditional designs hence when a customer is specifically looking out for traditional jewellery they approach these jewelers. The jewellery bought from these jewelers is considered to be pure and a good investment. 7. The level of satisfaction that the population has towards branded jewellery is a little higher than 8. These branded jewelers have become popular for latest and trendy

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jewellery. Also the prices that the branded jewelers charge is justified and they provide a wide range of products under one roof. 8. The level of satisfaction that the population has for branded jewellery is higher then that for non branded jewellery making branded jewellery more popular. 9. The consumers prefer buying branded jewellery over non branded jewellery. This has also been proved by using the sign test. Hence to conclude branded jewellery is preferred over non branded jewellery.

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QUESTIONNAIRE Name: Telephone number:

Age:

10) Factors that guide you while purchasing jewellery?  Design

Price

Purity

Brand Image

Variety

Display

Promotions and offers

Service

Family and friends influence

11) Are you aware of the various jewellery brands available in the market?  Yes

 No

12) Tick against the brands that you are aware about in the jewellery market  Kisna

 Tanishq

Zaveri bazar  Bafna

13) You buy jewellery for…  Investment

Fashion

Occasions

14) Which jewellery do you prefer?  Branded

 Family Jeweler

15) Have you bought any branded jewellery?  Yes

 No

16) Do you buy jewellery for gifting purpose?  Yes

 No

17) Where do you prefer to buy the jewellery from (for gifting)?  Branded

 Family Jeweler

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Festivals

18) Given below are few characteristics of traditional family jeweler‟s (or local jewellery retail stores). Please give each characteristic some points based on your assessment, such that the points range from 1 to 10. (1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest). Characteristics of Family Jeweler’s

Number of points

Convenient Trustworthy Good Investment Price Traditional design

19) If you purchase branded jewellery then given below are a few characteristics. Please give each characteristic some points based on your assessment, such that the points range from 1 to 10. (1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest). Characteristics of Branded Jeweler’s Wide range of products under one roof Shopping experience Trendy and fashionable jewellery Price

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Number of points

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Secondary data collected from the internet. The web sites are: 1) http://www.icmrindia.org/free%20resources/casestudies/branded-gold-jewellery1.htm 2) http://www.flonnet.com/fl2223/stories/20051118003809800.htm 3) Source: http://www.rncos.com/Report/IM148.htm 4) http://www.pressabout.com/indian-customers-showing-internet-in-branded-jewellery24860/ 5) http://www.scribd.com/doc/19901085/Jewellery-Companies-Comparison 6) http://www.commodityonline.com/news/Branded-gold-jewellery-shops-lure-Indians23837-3-1.html 7) http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=266902 8) http://www.Gold ornamentsworld.net/contentview.aspx?item=2465 9) http://travelersindia.com/archive/v5n2/v5n2-indian_jewelry.html 10) http://www.icmrindia.org/casestudies/catalogue/Business%20Strategy1/BSTR041.htm 11) http://www.rncos.com/Market-Analysis-Reports/Indian-Gems-and-Jewellery-MarketFuture-Prospects-to-2011-IM148.htm 12) http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7017272531 Newspapers: 1) The Times of India 2) The Economic Times

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