Abstract
The market for FMCGs has been growing steadily over the years and has been a disparity in the consumption patterns. The FMCG sector is the fourth largest in the Indian economy .Growing awareness, easier access, and changing lifestyles have been the key growth drivers for the sector. With the increasing disposable income, the mid, high income group consumers have shifted their purchasing trend from essential to premium products. Consumers brand preferences represent a fundamental step in understanding consumer behavior which would help marketers’ in designing marketing program for creating long term relationship with consumers. Brand awareness is the degree of familiarity among consumers about the life and availability of the products and Brand preference is the individual tastes, measured utility, likeness and willingness to accept. Hence a study has been made on five FMCG products-Tooth paste, Toilet Soap, Tea, Cooking Oil and washing Soap in Thiruvannamalai district .The result of the study showed that there is a close relationship between Loyalty of customers to the products and demographic variables; close relationship between influencing persons and all influencing factors in respect five FMCGs.; relationship between Brands switching and schemes offered. Artificial Neural Network showed that Quality, Attractive Features, Long Lasting brands Dignity and package are the top five factors that influence the preferences of select FMCG products. The weighted scores showed that order of awareness and preferences among the FMCGs. Creating awareness of the products thorough effective advertising use of mobile apps for sharing offers and schemes and latest arrivals prices, product features schemes with on line order and grievance facilities would facilitate consumers to make timely buying decisions which would enhance the sales of the shoppers. For a win-win situation shoppers should understand the pattern of consumer behavour and their expectations and consumers should understand the product profiles and its availability.
Keywords: Brand preferences, Brand Switching, Influencing Factors, Awareness and preference scores
References
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Research in Management and IT, pp-464-473, ,E-ISSN-2320-0065.