A Comparative Study on the Buying Behaviour of Rural and Urban Consumers towards Mobile Phone in Ganjam District, Odisha

Abstract

The present study aims to examine the comparative buying behaviour of rural and urban counterparts towards the purchase of mobile phone. To achieve these objectives an attempt is made to compare and analyze the factors (Price, Quality, Style, Functions and Brand) which act as motivators both for rural and urban people in purchase of mobile phone. A structured questionnaire was prepared  using the 5-point Likert scale that was administered to 400 mobile users /respondents for obtaining primary data from both urban and rural consumer of Ganjam district of the state of Odisha, India. The present study indicates that there is no significant difference of price and style consciousness for purchase of mobile phone between rural and urban consumers but there is significant difference of quality, functions and brand consciousness for purchase of mobile phone between rural and urban consumers. Study indicates that rural consumers are less quality, functions and brand conscious as compared to their urban counterparts. The study indicates that rural consumer mostly use friends (45%), TV(17%) and mobile phone retailer(12%) as the source of information, the purchase decision is taken by self decision(52%) with the help of family (29%) and friends (18%) and most of rural consumers are satisfied (84%) in Ganjam District. Further, the research findings may guide various mobile manufacturing companies about modification required in present marketing strategies applied for tapping urban markets and to decide, if possible, and to what extent these strategies can be moulded and applied successfully to the rural markets.