The Hindu Business Line : Research agency Ormax floats new division to study consumers

QUALITATIVE Research Agency, Ormax, has launched a new division, which specialises in ethnography research. This method of research, according to Mr Vispy Doctor, Managing Director, Ormax, is an observational method, in which consumers are observed in their natural environment.

"We observe and not intrude into consumers' life. For instance, we observe consumers' shopping pattern in a retail store — whether they are shopping for readymades or fabrics, whether they are price conscious or they are particular about the quality of the fabric and so on."

Mr Doctor said that the agency is currently offering this service as a value-add to its existing clients, but would soon start marketing the concept as a specialised division.

Ormax, which has been into qualitative research since the last 20 years, has three divisions — Cognito, which generates names for brands; Young Minds, which is targeted at kids, and Teen Thing which focuses on teenagers.

Apart from this, the agency, said Mr Doctor, would also look at offering marketing inputs to upcoming entrepreneurs with a large business vision.

He said that with retail evolving in India, the role of entrepreneurs would become strong. "It is this segment which would need strategic inputs and we are going to focus on them."

Mr Doctor said that the attitude of consumers towards shopping has undergone a massive change, which the retailers have to look into seriously.

"From an activity of necessity, shopping has become a lifestyle experience. A housewife today, may go to Big Bazaar for buying a frying pan, after which she would like to either browse through the other merchandise in the store, have dinner and then get back. Shopping has become a sub-set of a larger activity, and the companies need to look at retail from this aspect."

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