Visual merchandising an impulsive reinforcer of purchases leading to social imbalance: a case study on middle class families in Hyderabad.

Abstract

Retailing in India is one of the pillars of its economy and accounts for 14 to 15 percent of its GDP. The Indian retail market is estimated to be US$ 450 billion and one of the top five retail markets in the world by economic value. India is one of the fastest growing retail markets in the world, with 1.2 billion people. In order to attract the mass market retailers are adopting various promotional strategies, among them pioneer is visual merchandising. Visual merchandising is the activity and profession of developing the floor plans and three-dimensional displays in order to maximize sales , Both goods and services can be displayed to highlight their features and benefits. The purpose of such visual merchandising is to attract, engage and motivate the customer towards making a purchase. The Indian middle class is estimated to be 250 million people, by McKinsey & Company, It will reach 600 million by 2030. According to Deutsche Research the estimates are nearly 300 million people for all Middle Class. India aims to eradicate poverty by 2020. The main purpose of this study is to explain the various consequences occurred in the middleclass families due to impulse purchases made by the family members, who were attracted by the window displays of retailing in the name of visual merchandising