The Hindu Business Line : `Market researchers ignoring key consumer segments'

MARKET researchers seem to be missing out on key consumer segments in their eagerness to cater to target audience they perceive as important. The segments include those aged over 49 years and `large' customers — together they form a significant number of overlooked consumers.

Ms Mariana Carvalho, Partner, Whitaker International, addressing the India Shopping Centre and Retail Conference, here said these categories are increasingly being ignored though they represent significant purchasing power.

For instance, those in their late forties and early fifties were still working and keen to enjoy and spend on themselves.

A similar sentiment was echoed by Mr Darshan Mehta, President, Arvind Brands. He said it was a common fallacy in India to categorise consumers according to age groups.

In a survey his company did, it was discovered that the target audience of customers aged 17-22 years were inspired by achievers, most of whom were past their prime, and not, as most companies generally think, by younger stars or personalities.

Another area that marketers needed to address was the needs of plus sized customers.

In a study done in Brazil by Whitaker International, it was noticed that while many plus sized customers visited one of the country's largest malls it had only one clothing store that addressed their needs.

Even then, the clothing styles displayed there only appealed to one category of buyers — the traditionalists who preferred classic styles. Ms Carvalho called them the "forgotten women".

Buyers range from the neo-traditional (a customer who wants new designs, but with a strong traditional flavour), ecothinkers (influenced by clean practices and products) to the contemporary (who go by current fashions) buyer.

Most research companies, she said, did not pay attention to this category of consumers, even though they represented a significant purchasing power and wanted to be stylish.

Interestingly, the mall in question is visited by roughly 1.5 million visitors a month and has about 230 stores.

According to Ms Carvalho, brand owners needed to sustain consistency in their product concept, ensure differentiation in their product profile and maintain a unique identity.

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