Influence of Consumer Demographics on Attitude Towards Branded Products: An Exploratory Study on Consumer Durables in Rural Markets

India is emerging as an attractive market for consumer durables. But the vibrant environmental factors and fierce competition are making it imperative to understand the dynamics of consumer profiles. The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of consumer demographics in rural markets on brand management of consumer durables. A self-designed questionnaire containing 14 statements related to the brand/product features was administered face to face to 224 prospective buyers of consumer durables, randomly selected during the months of May and June 2011, while they were approaching retail outlets in Warangal district. The responses were analyzed through chi-square test and reliability analysis with the help of SPSS-19. The findings indicate that out of the five demographic factors tested, occupation and income emerged as the strongest determinants, followed by age and education, whereas gender did not yield a strong significance. Since this research has established empirical evidences in determining the attitude towards brands, consumer goods marketers may formulate their strategies accordingly. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]