|
Dr.Manish Kumar Associate Professor IMCE Shri Ramswaroop Memorial University,Lucknow |
Ms.Swati Yadav Research Scholar,Department of Applied Economics University of Lucknow,Lucknow |
Abstract: Migration of youth from
rural to urban is an indicator of growing market . Today India is undergoing
the urbanization process at a rapid speed. There is no doubt at all in
increasing levels of urbanization and purchasing power among the middle income
group. Growth and development digital
knowledge is increasing among the Indian
kids. It is leading to attracting the digital intensified toys at the
smaller age(6-10). On the other hand parent’s thought patterns are conflicting
with kids. In this scenario, this paper is trying to assess the attributes of
toys and factors influencing to buy the toys
in the Lucknow city area. The primary objective is to find out the attributes
of toys attracting kids , in shopping malls of Lucknow. Five big shopping malls in Lucknow is considered. Weekend
days were selected for the collection of data as huge number of customers visit
malls generally in these days. The sample respondents are selected by using a
convenient sample method. For the purpose of study, the researcher selected 50
targeted sample customers and a pre tested questionnaire (Reliability Cornbach
alpha is = 0.7524) is distributed to the parents to get it filled by their kids
accompanying them. The data collection is pursued from the leading shopping
malls from lucknow city. The study results shows that style and colour, design
and appeal, ICT and digital features are the attractive factors of toys.
Key words: ICT, Feature. safety Toys Etc.
Introduction:
As per Census of India, 2011 children
under 10 years(6-10) of age comprises 27% of our nation’s population. During child’s initial years of life toys occupies an essential
place. Toys holds a vital role in
child’s overall development. Toys not only provide entertainment but also
fulfill some educational role. They enhances observational capacity and
stimulates creativity among little minds. They play a key role in growth of
physical as well as mental skills which are required in later life.
India is also a huge market for non-branded toys which are mainly
imported from other countries especially China, where the regulation and norms
for toys manufacturing are not adhered strictly and bear the risk of potential threat to the children. Effective
steps should be taken by the government to regulate the manufacturing and marketing of
toys as per the formulated norms.
With the growth of technology which leads to immediate increase in the growth and development of ICT and digital knowledge is increasing among the kids which is becoming the reason behind the huge demand of digitally intensified toys even among the kids of a very small age. On the other hand parent’s spending patterns are conflicting with kids. In this context, the present paper is focused on assessing the attracting attributes of toys, the factors influencing to buy toys and parental expectations while buying toys to handle the pester behavior of kids in the sample area.
Review of Literature:
Priya Srinivasan with Rahul Sachitanand and
Archana Skukla (2006) explained that children, particularly tweens, holds the
largest consumers base of media and
entertainment products. Kids are glued to the tube for over four hours a day or
more whereas adults spend just around two hours a day watching television as
per this research.
Damyanti Datta (2008) explained that time has
gone when Indian parents controlled children with an iron rod. Obedience was
expected and no was a household word. But in a world where families spend
“Quality Time” at the mall, those norms are going the way of the dodo. By every
measure, parents are bending over backwards to please their children, over 50
percent want their children to move ahead in life.
Garima Sharma (2008) explained that with the passage of time kids are becoming as fashion conscious as their parents. There is nothing to be surprised that their preferences too are being addressed by top international brands like Reebok, Adidas, United Colors of Benetton (UCB), Kappa etc. which are offering kids wear based on animated characters, that children really admire and consider them as their superhero.
Singh and Khatri (2008) for their scientific investigation adopts a cross-cultural perspective in studying the relationship between parental over-indulgence and perception of parents regarding the persuasion of children in bringing in awareness, creating interest desire and influencing actual purchase decisions (AIDA) of food products.
“Teenagers are tempted to have the products other consumers are possessing and also remain under peer's compulsion to buy the electronic goods like computer, games, gadgets etc.” [Mohanram (2012), Kumar (2013)].They gather information in respect of product features, services, quality, durability, price of competitive products and so on. Factors affecting children's purchase requests to their parents and their parent's subsequent purchases for their children were freedom of a child's movements/behavior, product's visibility, child's gender, child's developmental stage, suitability of the good for consumption, strategy used in child's request, parent's income/family level and price of the good determine the number of purchases following a child's request [Ebster (2009)]. The impact of demographic variables like gender and age of children and parental profession creates a major participation of children in their families buying decisions [Kaur (2006), Ishaque (2014)].
Nicholls and
Cullen (2004) expressed a child‐parent spending
matrix, in which pester power occupies the fourth quadrant; it represents,
according to them, the child’s necessity for self-realization through spending,
overcoming parents’ control. In the first quadrant “Parental Power”, children
try to exert power but parents control their desires, also trying to convince
them to other purchases; in the second quadrant “unresolved conflict” both the
parts attempt to control the purchases: children try to plead but also to
threat, in a persistent way.
Objective
of the study:
The objective of the
study are as follows:
-To study the
attributes of the toys that attracts the kids.
-To study factor
influencing to buy the toys.
Research
Methodology:
The
present study is descriptive in nature and conducted at capital city of Uttar Pradesh
in India, The hyper markets, super
markets and malls culture is extremely associated with the city and to its
customers. In Lucknow the life style of customers is also modern and up-to-the-minute.
The current study is focused on assessing the impact of kids buying behavior on
the parents purchase decision towards toys among the selected customers from Lucknow
city. The primary objective is to find out the characteristics of toys
attracting children, factors influencing to buy, parental expectations , etc
For the purpose of
study, Lucknow city is considered as a sample unit and to select the sample
respondents, all big shopping malls in the lucknow city are taken into
consideration. It is due to huge number of customers visits , the shopping
malls during weekends and selection of the right blend of sample becomes easy.
The sample respondents are chosen by using a convenient sample method. The
co-operation from the sample is significant in the data collection, convenient
sample helps the investigator to choose the co-operated customers and to
collect the deep insight feelings.
The researcher preferred
50 targeted sample customers and a pre- tested questionnaire (Reliability
Cornbach alpha is = 0.7524) is disseminated to the parents and collected back. The
top shopping malls in Lucknow were considered for the purpose of data collection.
Analysis
For
the purpose of the study, the significant difference of the mean values of the
perceptions relating to various dimensions of the study.
Hypothesis:
H0: There is no significant difference between the mean scores of the
attributes of toys attracting kids considered while buying toys in the sample.
H1: There is significant difference between the mean
scores of the attributes of toys attracting kids considered while buying toys
in the sample.
Table 1: Mean value of
the attribute of the toys(Friedman Test)
|
Toys Attribute |
Mean Rank |
Chi square |
Sig.Value |
|
Feature
of Toy |
1.89 |
|
|
|
Size
of Toy |
2.85 |
21.620 |
.000 |
|
Color
of Toy |
2.86 |
|
|
|
Low
maintenance |
2.40 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Significant at 1%
level.
Since p value is less than 0.01, the null hypothesis, There is no significant difference between the mean scores of the attributes of toys attracting kids considered while buying toys in the sample is rejected at 1% level of significance. Based on the same, it is concluded that, there is a significant difference between the mean scores of the attributes of toys attracting kids considered while buying toys in the sample. Based on the mean scores, it is noted that, the primary attributes attracting kids in toys are appearance and color with the mean score of 2.86, Observed Size of the toy with the mean score of 2.85, Low maintenance of the Toys with the mean score of 2.40, Feature of toys with the mean score of 1.89 respectively. Hence, the ICT usage, digital effects and flexibility and connectivity features of the toy are most attractive features of the toys in the recent times.
Hence,
parents should have an eye on the buying and usage of toys along with ICT
facilities and the limits of the usage should be rational and controlled.
H0: There is no significant difference
between the mean scores of the Factors influencing to buy toys in the sample.
H1:
There is significant difference between the mean scores of the factors
influencing to buy toys in the sample.
Table 2: Friedman test result showing the mean score values of the Factors influencing to
buy toys along
with the test result
|
|
|
|
||
|
Factor Influence to buy Toys |
Mean Rank |
Chi Square |
P-Value |
|
|
Comfort
Handling |
3.15 |
|
|
|
|
Technical
Advancement |
3.42 |
41.557 |
.000 |
|
|
Unique
Design |
3.77 |
|
|
|
|
Durability |
4.39 |
|
|
|
|
Recommendation
from friend |
3.64 |
|
|
|
|
Advertising
Influence |
5.15 |
|
|
|
|
Toxic
free material |
4.48 |
|
|
|
The p value for
the hypothesis test is observed at less than 0.01, hence, the null hypothesis;
there is no significant difference between the mean scores of the Factors influencing
to buy toys in the sample is rejected at 1% level of significance. Hence, it is
inferred that, there exist a highly significant difference between the mean
scores of the Factors influencing to buy toys in the sample. Based on the mean
scores, it is noted that, Promotional and advertisement influence is with the
mean score of 5.15 . Toxic freeness of the material used with the mean score of
4.48, Durability with the mean score of 4.39, Unique design of the Toys with
mean score of 3.77. Recommendation from friend with the mean score of 3.64. ,
respectively. Hence, it is noted that, Advertising and promotional influence,
Toxic free material, and durability are the prime factors of influence while
buying the toys in the shopping malls. Hence, the companies need to consider
the customer expectations while designing the toys that can help them in acquiring more market share.
Findings
1. The prominent characteristic in toys attracting kids are appearance and color having the mean score of 2.86, Observed size of the toys with the mean score of 2.85, Low maintenance of the toys with the mean score of 2.40, Features of the toys with the mean score of 1.89, respectively. Thus the ICT usage, digital effects color, flexibility and connectivity features are the most attractive features of the toys in the recent times.
2. The two observations that can be observed from the above analysis are :
(a) Increased level of digital and technology knowledge through the promotional activity among the kids along with time is appreciable.
(b) Another observation is that kids attention towards awareness is increasing which is leading to lower levels of personal and interpersonal interactions that may have behavioral issues in the long run.
3. Advertising, Features, Toxic free material , Durability are the key factors of influence while buying the toys in the shopping malls. Hence, the companies need to consider customer expectations while designing the toys that can help in capturing the market.
It is concluded that
there are no specific strategies ,only some factors should be considered while launching the toys in the market because
Indian kids are much aware about the new arrivals of toys and the parents are
also satisfied when the marketer give value product to the kids.
Summary
and Conclusion
Attractive design
,color and style, digital attributes attracting more number of kids to buy
toys. The economy price and lower usage cost and eco-friendly materials usage
can attract the parents to buy the toys for the kids and help the marketers to
improve the sales and revenue along with improved customer loyalty. Based on
the results, it is concluded that, there is no specific strategy to handle the
Consumer behavior and the value for money could be the best option for point of
sale and the developing rational and ecofriendly and need based purchase
culture among the family and kids can be the long run solution to attract the kids in the sample.
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