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com 13
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2010, DELHI

mint Technology

VIRTUAL INFLUENCE
R esearch shows Web portals, including company and consumer review websites, have come to
significantly influence purchasing decisions. While friends and family continue to be the most
popular sources for research on durable goods, the Internet helps make an informed choice with
indepth information available from multiple sources.
The consumer durables industry expanded 30% in the January-March quarter and continues to grow. Its
spend share in the overall ad pie is the second largest at R2,122 crore. The Internet, however, received only a
fraction of this ad spend: R54 crore. This is way too little, given the potential of the medium to influence
consumer choice. A report by digital marketing agency webchutney, based on a survey of people who intend
to buy various consumer products, indicates the extent to which the Internet is now being used for product
research vis-à-vis traditional sources.
Graphic by Uttam Sharma/Mint

REFRIGERATOR WASHING MACHINE TELEVISION SET AIR CONDITIONER PERSONAL COMPUTER

Non-owner intender Duration within 48%

Duration within
50%
Break-up which a purchase which a purchase Break-up
of those 43% is intended is intended of those
38%
wanting to wanting to
55% purchase
Owner intender
Non-owner intender
purchase
32%
30% 30% Owner
25% 25% Owner intender intender
Non-owner intender
45%
20%
11%
27%
Owner
intender 4%
Duration
52% Within 6 6-12 12-18 18-24 9%
within which months months months months 6%
a purchase 73% Non-owner
3%
37% is intended 54% intender

30% Break-up Within 6

months
6-12
months
12-18
months
18-24
months
Duration within which of those
25% Owner intender
a purchase is intended wanting to
Non-owner intender purchase 41% Duration
within which
12% 12% 39% 40% 39% 35%
a purchase is
9%
97% 3% Owner 30% intended
4% 33% Non-owner
intender intender
Owner intender Owner intender
Within 6 6-12 12-18 18-24 Non-owner intender
months months months months Non-owner intender
22%

14%
75% Owners Break-up
intending to buy of those 11%
Break-up
wanting to 7%
purchase
7% 33% of those 4% 4%
4% wanting to
67%
purchase 12-18
25% Within 6 6-12 12-18 18-24
Non-owner intender Owner
Within 6
months
6-12
months months
18-24
months
months months months months
Non-owners intender
intending to buy

ONLINE DURABLE INTENDERS’ SOURCE FOR PRODUCT RESEARCH

85% 57% 48% 45% 42%

Friends Magazines/
Internet and family Television newspapers/
NEW
S Dealers DEALER

brochures Daily

Online households which Duration of use of the online medium Media usage (above 1 hour) trends Monthly household income of those intending a purchase
own consumer durables among online durable owners Purchase intention of
Less than R6,250 16% online durable owners
Television set 96% Using internet
for up to two 31% Owner-non intender
Internet 73% R6,250- 12,500 33%
years
Personal computer 83% R12,500- 25,000 29%
TV 60% 24%
Fridge 82% 29% R25,000-40,000 7%
40% Radio 38%
Between 2 and R40,000 - 80,000 7%
Washing machine 61% 5 years 76%
Magazine 20% R80,000- 100,000 6% Current owner
Air conditioner 35% and intender
More than 5 years Newspaper 14% More than 100,000 2%

Medium and content of research Experience sharing and preferred online channels
Consumer magazines Newspapers TV shows and ads Dealer Friends and relatives Internet BEFORE PURCHASE AFTER PURCHASE
7% 8% 4%
7% 7% 10% Type of experience shared Preferred channel to share experience Type of experience shared Preferred channel to share experience
10% 9% 12% 5% 8% Consumer goods Company/
9%
4% Negative experience 6% Negative experience Social platforms Other
12% review website brand website
6% 22%
27%
19%
28% Positive 28% 23% 6%
8% 23% experience
47%
22% 17%
22% 45% 21% 46% 48% Company/
11% brand
Haven’t 51% 43% Social Haven’t Positive
experience website 39%
shared an platforms shared an 32% Consumer
31% 32% 24% 29% 28% experience experience goods review
8% website
Others
Item features Price Brand image Performance Visual appeal
Source: webchutney