Psychological mapping of customers towards retailing: An empirical study

The retail sector in India is going through a huge revamping exercise as traditional markets make way for new formats such as departmental stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets and specialty stores. Retail is India's largest industry, accounting for over 10 per cent of the country's GDP and around eight per cent of the employment.It has emerged as one of the most dynamic and fast paced industries with several players entering the market. Western-style malls have begun appearing in metros and second-rung cities alike treating the Indian consumer to a shopping experience like never before. India's vast middle class and its almost untapped retail industry are key attractions for global retail giants wanting to enter newer markets. Therefore, it is imperative to study the consumer perception towards various retail formats. The present paper is an attempt to identify the consumer perception and their preference for store image, store patronage & store loyalty in the Garhwal region of Uttrakhand state. With the formation of new state of Uttrakhand, the business opportunities have increased many fold. Research indicates that originality of the product was given highest preference by the respondents and they believe that retail showroom offers a reliable product; it was followed by the availability of the product in large variety. The relationship and services offered by the retailer has emerged as other important factors which are given due consideration and scored better in their preference list. The importance of recognition of consumer value system and the discount offered by the retailer are other important factors which respondents have considered in selecting a particular retail showroom.