CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Definition Of Customer Perception

Definition Of Customer Satisfaction

Industry/Company Profile, LANDMARK GROUP

Need/Purpose of study

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INTRODUCTION

As everyone is aware about the prevailing market conditions of all businesses in this recession period, which whole world is going through; we know that almost all businesses has been affected on a large scale. There are some businesses like retail cloth marketing which is suffering from recession but comparatively at a lower rate than other businesses like construction companies, transportation companies, real estates, e.t.c. The topic of our project also relates to the retail cloth marketing under which we are going to study the customer perception and satisfaction towards the two primary retail outlets or brands of LANDMARK GROUP.

1.1 Definition of Customer Perception

Customer Perception- ‘Customer Perception is Your Reality’

According to businessdictionary.com, Customer perception is the process by which people

translate sensory impressions into a coherent

and unified view of the world around them.

Though necessarily based on incomplete and

unverified (or unreliable) information,

perception is 'the reality' and guides human

behavior in general.

Being able to satisfy a customer’s perception

is the biggest challenge faced in any business. The main job of the business is to alter the

perception of prospects to believe that its products or services are the one which are more

valuable than their selling price; they have every reason to buy from you. Customer

perception is something you can work on daily to improve. Exceptional individualized

customer service boosts perceived value higher than right for them and turns them into a

client, when customers perceive the value of anything else.

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The following table shows the positive and negative effects of customer perception:

Positive effects of increasing market share on customer perception:-

Increasing market share can send out positive signals by acting as an indicator

of superior quality that is recognised by more and more other customers. This

effect is particularly strong for premium priced products. Customers normally

assume that a product must be of exceptional quality if it can gain such an

unexpected market success despite its high price.

Many brands offer positive emotional benefits of using a product that is

popular in the markets.

The value of a product or service can rise through increasing number of users

of the same product, e.g. number of members of an online community, better

availability of software for popular computer systems. 

Negative effects of increasing market share on customer perception:-

For premium and luxury products, customers may translate an increasing

market share into a loss of exclusivity and thus perceive it as less valuable.

The quality of services may suffer if they are consumed by increasing numbers

of users. Diseconomies of scales and congestions can be observed with busy

airports and many other services so that customers may look out for other

providers that promise more timely service and convenience. 

1.2 Definition of Customer Satisfaction

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Customer Satisfaction-

Customer satisfaction, a business term, is a measure of how products and services

supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectation. It is seen as a key

performance indicator within business and is part of the four perspectives of a

Balanced Scorecard.

[source:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_satisfaction]

Customer satisfaction is an ambiguous and abstract concept and the actual

manifestation of the state of satisfaction will vary from person to person and

product/service to product/service.

Comparison of expectations versus perception of experience.

[source:www.booksites.net/download/chadwickbeech/Glossary.htm]

It is the fulfillment of customers' requirements or needs.

A customer's perception of the degree to which their requirements have been

fulfilled.

[source:www.merchant-accounts.com/merchant-account-glossary.htm]

Customer satisfaction is the act of just doing enough to be acceptable to a customer. It

is simply meeting basic expectations. Measuring customer satisfaction provides an

indication of how successful the organization is at providing products and/or services

to the marketplace. Customer satisfaction is an abstract concept and the actual

manifestation of the state of satisfaction will vary from person to person and

product/service to product/service. The state of satisfaction depends on a number of

both psychological and physical variables which correlate with satisfaction behaviors

such as return and recommend rate. The level of satisfaction can also vary depending

on other factors the customer, such as other products against which the customer can

compare the organization's products.

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If a customer is satisfied that means that a product of service has met his expectations and

that he was not dissatisfied by it. Customer satisfaction is doubtlessly very important. It is

the precondition for repeat purchases and it prevents the customer from telling others

about his disappointing experiences. A loyal customer, however, is more than a customer

who frequently purchases from a company.

1.3 COMPANY PROFILE

“LANDMARK GROUP”5

As mentioned above the topic of this project is about the two primary outlets

(MAX AND SPLASH) of LANDMARK GROUP, so first we would like to start

with the company profile i.e. about LANDMARK GROUP.

Founded in 1973 in Bahrain, the LANDMARK GROUP has successfully grown

into one of the largest and most successful retail organizations in the Middle East.

An international, diversified retail conglomerate that encourages entrepreneurship

to consistently deliver exceptional value, the Group operates over 900 stores

encompassing a retail presence of over 13 million sq. ft. across Middle East, India,

Egypt, Turkey, Yemen and Pakistan (franchise operation). The Group employs

around 31,000 employees.

The main proposition of the Landmark Group is its product and concept innovation. The

entire retail experience revolves around its “Concept” stores, which have been designed

and engineered to suit evolving customer needs and lifestyles. The foundation of

Landmark Group is built on the philosophy that the 'Customer comes first'.

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The 3 pillars on which the Landmark Group continues to grow exponentially, ventures

into new markets and Captures greater market share are=> Carefully listen- Constantly

adapt- Always deliver.

[,Lifestyle Stores,www.lifestylestores .co.cc]

The Landmark Group provides a value-driven product range for the entire family through

a diverse portfolio of core retail brands. This includes a host of home grown brands in

addition to international franchise offerings. These brands have evolved to be the

preferred choice for consumers and have become category killers.

The various brands of LANDMARK GROUP are:-

Home Centre Centrepoint Babyshop Splash Shoe Mart Lifestyle Beautybay Iconic Q Home Décor Max Shoexpress Emax Lifestyle Department Stores SPAR hypermarkets

Home Center

There's no place like home, and there's no place like Home Centre to transform any

space into your dream home. At over 50 stores spread across the GCC, North Africa,

Jordan and the Indian Subcontinent, Home Centre is the leading retailer of furniture

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and homewares in the region. From its first store in Sharjah, UAE in 1995, Home

Centre today occupies half a million sq. ft. of retail space within its stores in the UAE

and targeting to take this to 750,000 sq. ft. by opening new stores by end of 2010, and

over 2 million sq. ft. of retail space across the Middle East & its markets. Home

Centre product range spans furniture, homeware & accessories for the living,

bedrooms, dining, Kids, Outdoors & Home Office Segments. Home Centre has

recently been awarded the Superbrand Status for 2010 across 2 key markets in the

Middle East: UAE & Kuwait Home Centre has always been responsible towards the

environment and the society it operates in. The recent incident has been an initiative

by Home Centre to raise funds for the Dubai Autism Center to help children with

Autism Spectrum Disorder. Green Initiatives by Home Centre has been to reduce

usage of plastic shopping bags and replace the same with recyclable paper bags.

Centrepoint ‘Single destination shopping experience’

Centrepoint is a one stop shopping destination, with Babyshop, Splash, Lifestyle,

Shoe Mart and more recently Beautybay under one roof. Centrepoint has become the

1st choice shopping destination for the whole family across the Middle East.

The Centrepoint has been designed to reflect the dynamism and diversity of the

brands it represents and leverage their brand equity and appeal. The most visible

benefit of this convergence has been the enhanced design and stimulating shopping

experience for consumers. Centrepoint will offer the same great value for money in a

visually exciting destination for the whole family. It is shaping consumer perceptions,

increasing brand worth and fuelling future growth for the group in the mid market

retail section.

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Babyshop ‘One Stop Shop for all your Children's Needs’

Babyshop is a concept store specializing in toys, fashion clothing, baby basics,

nursery furniture and much more for newborn babies, toddlers and children up to 16

years. Babyshop has revolutionized retailing for children and mothers by

understanding the needs and delivering products and services as per their requirement

in a pleasant and fun filled environment. The chain's international brands includes

Lee cooper, Barbie, Disney, Graco, Ferrari (cycles and car seat), Maclaren (car seats),

Maui & Sons, Fisher Price, Little Tikes, Peg Perego and several others and also has

its own in-house brands named Juniors, Giggles and Gear. Babyshop sources

products from the best manufacturing units from all over the world, making sure at

all times to uphold the quality value of its brand far above competition and

expectation.

Splash ‘Multi-brand store with International & In-house designed brands’

Splash is a leading high street fashion retailer in the Middle East and showcases

popular collections for men, women and teens with a wide offering of fashion apparel

and accessories to suit its customer's every lifestyle need. Known for its extremely

competitive value and up to date mapping of global trends, Splash has carved a niche

for itself as one of the most successful local players in the Middle East's high-street

fashion category. The core philosophy that drives Splash, and the dynamic team that

makes the brand, is that youth is nothing but a frame of mind. In-house designed

collections include favorites like Ms, Nexus, Retro, Zync, Scarlet and Friday-Kinyobi

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while Splash's international portfolio comprises of international brands like Lee

Cooper (European denim brand), Arrow (American Apparel brand), Bossini (Hong

Kong based leisurewear brand), Kappa (Italian sports brand), Maui & Sons

(Californian surf & lifestyle brand), UMM (Italian Music Inspired Brand) and Zodiac

(the Business shirt & Tie brand) among others.

Shoe Mart ‘One stop shop for fashion footwear and accessories'

Shoe Mart, the largest footwear and accessories retail chain in the Middle East offers

a range of affordable, world - class brands for men, women and children. Shoe Mart,

a home grown and leading footwear brand, offers a plethora of fashion labels for

everyone's feet. Shoe Mart is the largest retailer in footwear and accessories operating

across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Egypt.With the

single minded objective to deliver the best to our valued customers continually, Shoe

Mart retails extensive collections of fashionable casuals, formals, sporty and chic

footwear from over 30 countries across the globe! Along with a spoilt-for-choice

range in trendy footwear for all ages, it also offer an array of alluring accessories

including handbags, belts, jewelry, school bags, and a selection of shoe care products.

Lifestyle ‘The essence of a woman’

Lifestyle, a well-defined retail concept, offers a wide range of exclusive products,

from an exquisite variety of home décor, furnishing and bath décor to home

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fragrance, makeup, perfumes, fashion accessories, bags, spa products and teen gifts.

Since its inception in 1998, Lifestyle has expanded into a chain of over 80 stores

across the Middle East, offering an incredible range of products in home décor, home

furnishing, bath décor, lighting, home fragrances, makeup, perfumes, fashion

accessories, fashion bags, spa and teen gifts. With a range that truly reflects her

feminity, style and passions, at Lifestyle a woman knows that 'It's all about her'.

Beautybay ‘International brand store for beauty, health and wellbeing’

Beautybay offers one stop shopping for value and luxury fragrances, cosmetics,

skincare, hair care, bath and body care and beauty accessories. Beautybay exclusively

carries several beauty brands including A'Kin, Bodycology, Diego Dalla Palma,

Erborian, Pupa, REN, Rouge Bunny Rouge and VMV Hypoallergenics. With an

extensive portfolio of market leading favorites such as Armani, Boss, CK, Dior,

D&G, Givenchy, Gucci, and YSL to name a few, Beautybay also offers

complimentary makeovers and skin consultations in exclusively designed beauty and

treatment rooms. Located at selected Centrepoint destination stores, Beautybay stores

have in-house fragrance consultants, professional make-up artists, and skin-care

specialists for all your beauty advice and care.

SPAR hypermarkets ‘Live Life Better’

Spar is the world's largest independent food retail chain present with 13,785 stores

present in 37 countries. The company, headquartered in Amsterdam, was established

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in 1932 and has annual revenue of USD 42 billion. Spar Hypermarkets and

supermarkets in India is the result of a license agreement between the Landmark

Group's Max Hypermarkets India Pvt. Ltd. and Spar International. Spar currently has

three stores in Bangalore and one each in Hyderabad and Mangalore. Shoppers have

the option to choose from a wide variety of quality products in categories ranging

from grocery, fruit and vegetables, bakery, dairy, take away foods, meat, poultry and

fish, wine, beer and spirits, home textiles, personal care, crockery, utensils and

kitchen appliances, electronics and IT accessories and more.

Q Home Décor ‘Destination store offering fine design inspired furniture at affordable value’

Q Home Décor is a network of luxury furnishings stores in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al

Ain and Bahrain, specializing in classic, contemporary and eclectic furniture and

home accessories. Q Home Décor offers a dynamically different and innovative

selection of showpieces and sets with deluxe styling touches and excellent

craftsmanship. Customers experience peaceful, comfortable and beautiful shopping

environments, featuring individually decorated room settings. For Q Home Décor,

the goal is to offer outstanding shopping experiences and luxury furnishings,

combining beauty of detail, form and function with remarkable value. We search the

world to find superb quality furnishings at reasonable, affordable prices. And we pass

the benefits of our phenomenal sourcing expertise on to our customers. This simply

means we've made living in furnishing luxury highly affordable.

Lifestyle Department Stores ‘Your style. Your store’

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Lifestyle entered in India in 1999 and in a little over a decade has come to be

recognized amongst leading retail companies in the country. Positioned as a trendy,

young, colorful and vibrant store, Lifestyle offers consumers not just the ease of

shopping but also provides for an enjoyable shopping experience. Each Lifestyle

store from Lifestyle International (P) Ltd. brings together five concepts under one

roof - Apparel, Footwear, Children Wear & Toys, Household & Furniture and Health

& Beauty; offering a convenient one-stop shop and a choice of over 250 national &

international brands. The Group has also introduced Home Centre, a one stop

destination for affordable furniture, home décor and soft furnishing that truly

represents style, comfort and individuality.

Emax ‘Think Electronics, Think Emax’

Emax is the fastest growing electronics retail chain in the Middle East and an integral

part of the USD3.2 billion Landmark Group. Emax currently has showrooms across

the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain, with 19 Emax stores spread across

the GCC, where the group has pioneered the 'Big Box' concept, offering customers a

one-stop-shop of innovation and benchmark excellence in customer care,

convenience, product offering and retail distinction. Emax's aggressive expansion

plans will see the group grow to reach over 30 stores by the end of 2010, covering

over 1.1 million sq. ft. and touching a turnover of AED 2 billion. Emax offers its

customers the widest spectrum of products including audio video, appliances, mobile

phones, photography, gaming, IT, CD/DVD, lighting, fitness equipments and all

related accessories. Emax is a vertically integrated full service electronic company,

with an established presence in Retail, Distribution, Service centers, Projects and

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Exports. Emax represents more than 300 brands, with over 100,000 products across

20 plus categories. This, accompanied by unparalleled service and competitive value,

makes Emax the one stop shop for all electronics needs.

Shoexpress ‘Your sign of value’

Shoexpress represents a true value experience, offering a wonderful assortment of

footwear and accessories at truly unbelievable prices. Shoexpress store design &

concept is fresh, attractive and very efficient in its approach. The Shoexpress open

stock concept is known as the rack room system. The attractive and fashionable shoes

are displayed in a very clear and orderly fashion within each of the departments,

allowing customers to easily find their desired choice. Shoexpress provides a huge

collection of fun, fashionable and eye-catching accessories, including costume

jewelry, handbags and purses, as well as socks and belts for the entire family. Overall

the store environment is fun, well merchandised and appeals to a wide spectrum of

customers.

Max ‘Look good, Feel good’

Max, the largest value fashion retailer in the Middle East offers fashion clothing,

footwear, accessories and household products at amazing value, all under one roof.

Launched in UAE in May 2004, Max is today the largest value fashion retail chain in

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the Middle East. Max caters to the mid market section of the population. With 114

stores across UAE, KSA, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Turkey, Egypt,

Yemen & India, MAX plans to expand its network in more potential markets within

the Middle East & beyond. With stores that typically measures between 18,000 to

30,000 sq. ft., Max retails private label clothing for men, women and children as well

as footwear and home. A good shopping experience with fashionable products at

great value is an assurance that translates into making customers "Look good, Feel

good" with Max.

Iconic ‘One stop wardrobe and lifestyle solutions for trendy men and women’

Iconic is a brand new fashion/lifestyle retail concept of the Landmark Group. Located

at the mouth of the Metro at Deira City Centre, Iconic made its debut to the world on

February 26, 2010. Spanning over 70,000 square feet and two levels of retail space,

Iconic houses everything from fashion to cosmetics, electronics to restaurants, salons

to gifts and novelties, all under one roof. Pioneering the concept of high - street to

Bridge brands, Iconic's fashion section has over 130 brands with over 70 niche and

cult brands available for the first time in the UAE. With an eye firmly on the future,

Iconic is built on the time tested Landmark Group's promise of value.

The Franchise brands of LANDMARK GROUP are:- Landmark International International Footwear

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Landmark International ‘Building Brand Together’

Landmark International was established in 2005 to focus on managing and growing

Landmark Group's portfolio of international brands in the Middle East and North

Africa. The business operates 4 international brands; New Look, Reiss, Koton and

Aftershock across 6 countries.

1) New Look is the UK's third largest Womenswear retailer in the UK offering the

latest fashion trends at great prices with 27 stores across the Middle East in the UAE,

Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

2) Aftershock offers an array of the finest, embellished evening wear to luxurious

daywear as well as stunning accessories across 15 stores in the Middle East including

UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

3) Koton is a Turkish fashion brand that offers a wide range of apparel and

accessories via Koton Women, Men and Ole across 28 stores in the Middle East in the

UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

4) Reiss is UK's leading fashion bridge brand with directional, design-led menswear,

womens wear and accessories across 8 stores in the Middle East including the UAE,

Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.

International Footwear Division ‘The one-stop for popular footwear brands’

With the Group's distinct advantage as the region's leading footwear retailer, the

international franchise division of Shoe Mart has attracted some of the world's best

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brands within a short time. The division is poised to step out with an ever increasing

portfolio of international footwear brands in the near future.

Bata is a franchise of Compar SPA - MBU of Bata in Italy with a truly Italian in its

design. Shoe Mart manages upto 10 Bata stores in U.A.E, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar.

Bianco Footwear's range of footwear and accessories for men and women

redefines European culture, couture and fashion, by taking trends from the catwalk

and converting them into trends on the sidewalk.

Dumond from Paqueta combines Brazilian fashion with international trends for the

urban woman. Shoe Mart operates upto 9 Dumond stores across the Middle East.

Ecco was founded on the belief that shoes should follow the foot and not the other

way around. Since 2002, Shoe Mart has become Ecco's largest franchise partner

operating 14 of their stores in the Middle East.

Foot Solutions is ranked the #1 in health and wellness franchise, focusing on foot

care and proper fit. Foot Solutions has stores at Oasis Centre & Mirdif City Centre in

the U.A.E.

Kurt Geiger is the No.1 luxury shoe retailer in Europe and is the largest retailer of

Gucci and Prada. Shoe Mart operates 13 Kurt Geiger stores in U.A.E, Kuwait, Qatar,

Bahrain & Saudi Arabia.

Pablosky is a specialist in children's footwear of style and comfort. Shoe Mart

operates 12 Pablosky stores in U.A.E, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar & Kuwait.

Via Uno has enjoyed significant growth since 1991 keeping up with new trends at

all times offering quality, beauty and comfort. Via Uno has stores at Ajman & Mirdif

City Centre in the U.A.E.

Valencia Shoes has been operating in the UAE for more than 20 years and in 2005

joined hands with Landmark group to offer their progressive fashion footwear and

accessories for men, women and children.

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FABI Shoes is a boutique store operating since 1965, sporting an exclusive line of

high-end footwear and premium materials for both Men & Women.

Casadei was set up in the late-50s and is now a red carpet accessory with the

creativity and passion born of Italian workshops offered through Shoe Mart in malls

across UAE.

Giuseppe Zanotti Designs offer shoes that shine with detailed construction in each

shoe, making them the preference of celebrities and fashionistas around the globe

alike.

Vinci Camuto Vince Camuto franchised by Valencia Shoes, offers amazing

footwear with exceptional designs at a surprising value without compromising high

standards of quality and craftsmanship.

Kathy Van Zeeland Kathy Van Zeeland offers creative and affordable luxury

handbags in the the classical, trendy, sporty and casual styles in a variety in handbags

are suited to all age groups

The Landmark Group has also diversified into leisure, food and hotels segments

under the division, Landmark Hospitality. Through this division the Group offers

its customers the best in fine and casual dining; educational and recreational

family entertainment centers; grooming and relaxation centers and affordable

budget hotel accommodations.

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The Landmark Hospitality brands are:

Foodmark

Fun City

Gourmet Station

Spaces

Citymax Hotels

Citymax India

Foodmark‘World Class cuisines for food connoisseurs’

Foodmark is the food and beverage division of the Landmark Group operating a

number of internationally franchised restaurants within the UAE, including

Carluccio's, Mango Tree and Mango Tree Bistro. The division also has joint ventures

with The Meat Company in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Kuwait, in addition to Ushna in

Abu Dhabi and La Gaufrette and Bazerkan in Dubai. As one of the region's leading

companies in the food and beverage industry, Foodmark's ambition is to grow

further, bringing additional franchises under its portfolio while adding to its own-

brand restaurants - Wild Ginger, BITE Café and Zafran. Foodmark continues to go

from strength to strength in the UAE and aims to establish excellent international

chic, semi-casual and casual dining venues in strategic locations across the Middle

East, offering fantastic cuisines and consistent levels of service to suit each diner's

distinct taste, a total dining experience.

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Fun City ‘Come, play!’

As one of the best-recognized family entertainment brands across the Middle-East,

Fun City caters to babies and toddlers through to tweens and teenagers as well as

parents, visiting on either a private basis or as a school group or celebration party.

The business ideology is based on putting a smile on everyone's face. Fun City was

first established in 1999 with themes on imaginative play, social and pretend play,

dress up and role play along with fine-motor skills development. Built to ensure the

centres not only entertain, but also creates value based learning experiences. For the

older guests, Fun City offers amusement and gaming arcades. Activities vary by

centre and geography, with many centres offering popular Summer Fun, studio

classes of Martial Arts and Gymnastics, Drama and Antics and Step and Groove

dance classes for children and tweens, Kick Boxing for older visitors, as well as Yoga

and clubs for mothers to get together, as well as Boogie Babies for the under 6's.

Fun City's latest venture is a massive 1.65 million sq. ft. theme park in Egypt. The

theme park, on its completion, will be one of its kinds and bear resemblance with the

Egyptian heritage. The theme park will be home to over 50 major attractions and

rides and will have a host of restaurants as well as a state of the art indoor amusement

centre, Fun City.

Gourmet Station ‘The store for people who love food’

A feast for the eyes - and a delight to the senses - Gourmet Station is a shopping

destination celebrating the authentic food markets of yesteryear in a modern

contemporary way! Here the pleasure of eating, the art of preparation and a true

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market shopping experience come together to create a tantalizing fusion of retail food

product, exotic cuisines and unique eat-in dining offerings. The Gourmet Station

offers a wide range of select gourmet products appealing to lovers of great food. We

offer an extensive range of specialized gourmet food products for eat-in or retail take-

out. Departments include bakery, cakes and confectionery, tea and coffee, meat, deli

and cheese, juice bar, and general groceries.

Spaces ‘Spa-salon offering quality grooming and relaxation services for ladies and

gents’

SPACES,a spa - salon in malls, offers a whole range of efficient and quality

grooming and relaxation services for ladies and gents. Established in 2009 in Dubai,

SPACES marks the Landmark Group's foray into the grooming and spa business.

SPACES offers an unrivalled selection of high quality treatments by therapists and

stylists who have a wealth of knowledge and experience. Treatments include

everything from manicures and pedicures, relaxing facials and massages, specialized

eyebrow waxing and threading, body waxing, IPL hair removal and an outstanding

hair salon with highly qualified hair stylists, who specialize in a wide range of hair

types including Afro hair. With specific treatments being offered for both men and

women, Spaces allows customers to enjoy a relaxing massage or a quick grooming

session.

Citymax Hotels: ‘Modern hospitality at an extraordinary value’

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Citymax Hotels offers outstanding comfort and facilities of the highest standards

while providing extraordinary value for money. The first Citymax hotel is now open

in Al Barsha and two further properties in Bur Dubai and Sharjah will be opening

later in the year. The hotels are strategically located in the business and shopping

districts and have a range of dining facilities. The Al Barsha and Bur Dubai

properties are also in close proximity to the Dubai Metro to offer maximum

convenience to all customers. All the rooms have internet connections, 32" LCD

televisions, power showers, in - room refrigerators, safes, hospitality tray and

10"thick mattresses for exceptional comfort.

Citymax India: ‘Fun and food redefined’

Citymax India offers its customers a gamut of choices through Food Courts, Coffee

Outlets, Specialty Restaurants and Fun & Entertainment Centers. The outlets have

carved a niche for themselves by offering quality products, lively ambience and

warm & friendly service which leads to a world class experience. With a vision to

become an integrated hospitality company in the country, Citymax India is striving to

blend luxury with superlative value in all its endeavors.

Chairman’s Views: About the Company

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The Landmark Group firmly believes that, a business entity is responsible for the

wellbeing of the community and society it operates in. By playing an active role in

making positive changes, the Group chooses to repay its debt to society.

The Chairman of LANDMARK GROUP, Micky Jagtiani says that “Our

commitment as a Group to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is not merely

about charity and the likes, but playing a more responsible part in the society, be it

within the organization, towards our stakeholders, environment or society”.

Addressing the most pressing community issues fundamental to the business of the

company, the members of the group are driven by their visionary Chairman,

Micky Jagtiani who spearheads LIFE (Landmark International Foundation for

Empowerment) in India.

The Landmark Group's loyalty programs are a testament to the Group's

commitment in enhancing its relationship with its customers. Landmark customers

across various brands are the focus of these programs as an expression of

appreciation and improved customer experience. With a 'customer first' focus, the

programs have achieved leadership status in the retail segment - confirmed by

member base and redemption of rewards. Landmark Loyalty Programs offer a

world of privileges to its members - from added value, savings, rewards, to an

enriched customer experience with Landmark Group and its brands.

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MAX and SPLASH are part of the Landmark Group, Dubai – based retail

chains. With over 30 years‟ experience in retailing, the Group has become one of the

foremost retailers in the Gulf. These are positioned as a trendy, youthful and vibrant

brands that offer customers a wide variety of merchandise at an exceptional value for

money.

These are the two primary brands of LANDMARK GROUP under our study:

1) MAX

2) SPLASH

Max“Look good, Feel good”

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Max, the largest value fashion retailer in the Middle East offers fashion clothing,

footwear, accessories and household products at amazing value, all under one roof.

Launched in UAE in May 2004, Max is today the largest value fashion retail chain in the

Middle East. Max caters to the mid market section of the population. With 114 stores

across UAE, KSA, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Turkey, Egypt, Yemen &

India, MAX plans to expand its network in more potential markets within the Middle

East & beyond. With stores that typically measures between 18,000 to 30,000 sq. ft., Max

retails private label clothing for men, women and children as well as footwear and home.

A good shopping experience with fashionable products at great value is an assurance that

translates into making customers "Look good, Feel good" with Max.

Due to the success generated by the first Max retail store, opened in May 2006 at Mecca

Mall, the Landmark Group decided to cater to a wider range of customers offering them

the latest in fashion garments, footwear and household accessories at an affordable price

without compromising on quality. Max is considered to be a Family shopping destination,

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as it caters to the needs of the whole family offering them merchandise of in house

designs and planned color palettes for each season, in addition to professional customer

service provided by the store's smart and attentive teams. Max includes a wide range of

both men’s and women’s Casual Wear, Formal Wear, Party Wear, Ethnic Wear,

Innerwear and Sports Wear.

Max retails its own label clothing for men, women and children. A pioneer in the Middle

East of the global trend of delivering quality and value at very attractive prices, Max is

being increasingly recognized as a key player in the value retail format. Currently present

in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar and India, Max plans to

expand further in the GCC and looks forward to building a presence in Egypt and Turkey.

A good shopping experience and a great value at Max translate into making customers

'Look good & Feel good' to the maximum. Max includes a wide range of both men’s and

women’s Casual Wear, Formal Wear, Party Wear, Ethnic Wear, Innerwear and Sports

Wear.

SPLASH“Multi-brand store with International & In-house designed brands”

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Splash is a leading high street fashion retailer in the Middle East and showcases popular

collections for men, women and teens with a wide offering of fashion apparel and

accessories to suit its customer's every lifestyle need. Known for its extremely

competitive value and up to date mapping of global trends, Splash has carved a niche for

itself as one of the most successful local players in the Middle East's high-street fashion

category. The core philosophy that drives Splash, and the dynamic team that makes the

brand, is that youth is nothing but a frame of mind.

In-house designed collections include favorites like Ms, Nexus, Retro, ZYNC,

Scarlet and Friday-Kinyobi while Splash's international portfolio comprises of

international brands like Lee Cooper (European denim brand), Arrow (American Apparel

brand), Bossini (Hong Kong based leisurewear brand), Kappa (Italian sports brand), Maui

& Sons (Californian surf & lifestyle brand), UMM (Italian Music Inspired Brand) and

Zodiac (the Business shirt & Tie brand) among others.

Latest news on Splash :

Darting further, high street fashion brand Splash, added three new yin-yang bar-

code concept stores to its UAE network. With 5000 sq. feet retail space in IBN

Batutta Mall, 11000 sq. feet in Al Ghurair City and 18000 sq. feet in RAK; Splash

now boasts of 24 stores across the UAE.

27

Catering to a niche clientele; IBN Battuta opened doors to customers on 3rd

September. Inaugurated by the Landmark Group Chairman Mr. Micky Jagtiani, this

'boutique' format store at IBN Batutta Mall aims at attracting a younger, more trend

focused crowd. The store located in India Court is loaded with dynamic brands like

Kinyobi, Nexus, MS, Retro and Jaded and also comes equipped with retail denim

legend Lee Cooper in a unique shop-in-shop format.

On the 10th of September, the Al Ghurair City store was inaugurated jointly by Mr.

Suliman Abdullah Al Ghurair and Mr. Micky Jagtiani amidst a big crowd that

gathered in anticipation outside the much awaited launch. The 11,000 sq. feet yin-

yang format store retails all Splash popular favorites like ZYNC, Scarlet, Lee

Cooper, Nexus and Kappa amongst others.

The RAK store which was launched on 17th September, forms a part of the

Centrepoint umbrella and boasts an area of over 16,000 sq. feet. Splash also re-

launched its store at the Centrepoint Mall of the Emirates which has also adopted

the new yin-yang retail design.

Speaking at one of the launch ceremonies Mr. Raza Beig, CEO, Splash said; "We

always strive to achieve as much proximity to our clientele as possible. Splash not

only aims at reaching out to larger audiences but also wants to deliver its customers

a wider choice. Our collection has always attracted the locals and expatriates alike.

This unique store-in-store format at IBN Batutta Mall is a testimony of our strife to

continuously breathe innovation and novelty."

"Splash is proud to showcase its collection at three of the UAE's finest community

centered locations. With its presence at Ibn Battuta Mall, Al Ghurair City and RAK

it will cater to diverse communities that reside in their catchment area. The motive

28

is to make them soon be addicted to the mix of high fashion & great value that

Splash has to offer."

Being continued, "With the launch of these stores, it has definitely put more

responsibility on its members shoulders to offer a superior retail environment, even

better customer service and quality products. With more store launches in the

pipeline, Splash sure is heading towards robust growth in the coming future".

Splash includes a wide range of both men’s and women’s Casual Wear, Formal Wear,

Party Wear, Ethnic Wear, Innerwear and Sports Wear.

Some of the brands kept under Women’s wear are:

Madame, MS, Levi’s, Lee, Pepe Jeans, Lee Cooper, Expozay, Melange, Biba, W,

Enamor, Sweet dreams, Triumph, Lady Care, Vanity Fair, Jockey, Zync, Numero

Uno, Lovable, Allen Solly etc.[Source:12th December,2007,Lifestyle

Stores,www.lifestylestores .com/pages/store_locator.htm]

Some of the brands kept under Men’s wear are:

Nexus, Provogue, Black Berry’s, Numero Uno, Louis Philippe, Pepe Jeans, Allen

Solly, Van Heusen, Zync, Jockey, Nike, Shapes, Reebok, Levi’s, Arrow, Adidas,

Tycoon, Wills, Colour Plus, Indian Terrain, Chromozome, Tommy Hilfiger etc.

[Source:12thDecember,2007,LifestyleStores,www.lifestylestores.com/pages/

store_locator.htm]

29

Max and Splash in RAK

“Splash and Max are the leading high street fashion retail brands of Landmark

Group in the U.A.E, RAK.” These showcases the popular collections for men, women

and teens with a wide offering of fashion apparel and accessories to suit its customer's

every lifestyle need. Known for its extremely competitive value and up to date mapping

of global trends, Splash and Max has carved a niche for itself as one of the most

30

successful local players in the U.A.E high-street fashion category. The core philosophy

that drives the two retail outlets and the dynamic team that makes the brand, is that youth

is nothing but a frame of mind.

These two retail outlets involve all activities incidental to selling to ultimate consumer for

their personnel family and household use. They do this by organizing their availability on

a relatively large scale and supplying them to customers on a relatively small scale. These

two retail stores are having the potential market share in retail marketing in RAK. There

is a large number of customers who visit these two stores every day, some out of them go

for pre planned buying, some just walk-in if they get attracted by something they tend to

purchase that particular item, some just roam around and come out without purchasing.

So there is different type of people visiting these two retail outlets. Families, children,

youth, aged, couples all are equally attracted by them.

1.4 Need/Purpose of Study:

Max and Splash are the two retail brands of Landmark Group, taken under study

basis the semester project. These two retail outlets involve all activities incidental

to selling to ultimate consumer for their personnel family and household use. They

do this by organizing their availability on a relatively large scale and supplying

them to customers on a relatively small scale. These two retail stores are having

31

the potential market share in retail marketing in RAK. There is a large number of

customers who visit these two stores every day, some out of them go for pre

planned buying, some just walk-in if they get attracted by something they tend to

purchase that particular item, some just roam around and come out without

purchasing. So there is different type of people visiting these two retail outlets.

Families, children, youth, aged, couples all are equally attracted by them.

The motive of our research is the study of customer satisfaction and perception

towards these two retail outlets of Landmark Group in UAE, RAK. The customer

perception includes their attitude and behavior towards max and splash whereas

customer satisfaction means how much they are satisfied with the service,

purchase and price of these two retail outlets.

CHAPTER 2

32

RESEARCH

METHODOLOGY

Statement of Problem

Scope of Study

Objectives

Methodology

Limitations

For the research purpose, firstly we went to the two stores (Max and Splash) for a

week’s time to analyze the stores completely. We studied our concept thoroughly

and then to conduct the survey and to compile our report on Consumer Perception

and Satisfaction for two Landmark Group brands, Max and Splash, products in

Ras-Al-Khaimah, we have used the questionnaire method.

Then, we prepared a questionnaire on comparative analysis for the survey of both

the stores (Max and Splash). Sample size used for the survey is 50.

33

We have included each possible question in questionnaire and made a data analysis

sheet for each question.

Statement of Problem

The purpose of the study is to determine the comparative analysis of two primary

brands; Max and Splash, of Landmark Group. The motive is to know which of the

two (Max or Splash) is more preferred by the customers. Data related to the study

will be collected through observational research method and through a survey

(questionnaires) distributed to potential customers.

Scope of the Study

The topic of our study is about the retail outlets or stores, so the scope of the study

relates to the retail industry only. The scope of conducting this study includes the

perception, attitude, behavior and satisfaction of the customers towards the above

mentioned two retail outlets of Landmark Group in UAE, RAK, in order to

know which is preferred more by the customers and the approximate number of

preferences for both the retail outlets. The methods or ways used by both of them

for marketing their products and people towards them. This can also help us in

34

knowing that which one of these two retail stores is able to attract the more

consumers.

As it is mentioned above that the study of this project is about the two retail brands

of Landmark Group, so the study is limited only to the two retail outlets (Max and

Splash) only. Further the scope of study limits to only two main retail outlets (i.e.

Max and Splash) in RAK which are taken into account for the research purpose.

Therefore the limit of study is only up to the survey of customers, who visit these

two retail outlets, Max and Splash in UAE, RAK.

The target universe of the study includes 50 people. Here, people of all age groups

and all salary groups are included.

Objectives of the study

To study the customer perception and attitude towards the two retail brands of

Landmark Group.

To know the customer satisfaction level towards both the retail outlets.

To determine the effectiveness of the various customer services and products

provided by the two retail outlets.

To find out the customer preferences about retail brands (Max and Splash) of

Landmark Group in UAE, RAK.

35

Methodology

Data Collection

The methodology of data collection is through the process of gathering data from

various primary sources and secondary sources of collecting data.

1. Primary Data:

Primary data is the first hand information collected from parents, College/

School going Students, Professionals to understand their views towards “What

are the Factors in selection of retail outlets”. Also the sales Executive at the Retail

Outlets were interviewed to know what a normal consumer is looking at. Primary

data collection method also includes direct personal interview and questionnaire

method,which we have used in our research.

2. Secondary Data:

The secondary sources of data collection which we used include: the

various past records of the company like sales data and reports, books,

newspapers, individuals, websites, magazines, e.t.c.

Sampling

36

Probability Sampling

Techniques

Snow ball Sampling

Judgemental Sampling

Quota Sampling

Sampling Techniques

Non probability Sampling Techniques

Convenience Sampling

SAMPLING TECHNIQUES

Sample is a subgroup of the elements of the population selected for participation in

the study. Sampling design begins by specifying the target population. The target

population is the collection of elements or objects that possess the information

sought by the researcher and about which inferences are to be made.

To conduct our survey, we have used:

Non-Probability Sampling:

Any sampling procedure that does not satisfy the chance of selecting any universe

element is a non-probability sampling method no matter what else is included in the

specification. In this method of sampling we have used Judgemental Sampling

Technique. In this method, the population elements are purposively selected based on the

judgement of the researcher.

37

[Source: Philip Kotler-Marketing Management]

Under this method a set of people are selected randomly who will be surveyed for the

study. The set of people consists of male and females who will be given the

questionnaires to fill in for the purpose of the study or research. In the Max and Splash

Concept, the target population is the people of almost all age groups visiting the two

stores (Max and Splash), so the questionnaire we got filled was from all age group

people.

Limitations of the Study

The questionnaire method of collecting data is used for investigation therefore

there is a possibility that biased information may get collected since the people can

be biased about the two retail outlets.

The size of selected sample for the study is quite small so it may not be enough for

deciding the viewpoints of all customers.

There was limited time period for the research purpose.

38

CHAPTER 3

ANALYSIS

AND

39

INTERPRETATION

Analysis

1. In which retail store you shop the most?

Out of 50 respondents,

19(38%) respondents said Max 31(62%) respondents said Splash

Store No. of Responses Percentage

Max 19 38%

Splash 31 62%

Total 50 100%

The findings are summarized in following graph:

40

38%

62%

Stores

MaxSplash

From the above graph, we got to know that most of the respondents shop from Splash i.e. 62% of the respondents shop from Splash and rest 38% respondents shop from Max.

2. How often do you visit your selected store?

Out of 31 respondents who selected Splash:

8(26%) said once in 15 days 4(13%) said once in 2 months 14(45%) said once a month 5(16%) said more than 2 months

Visit Interval No. of Responses PercentageOnce in 15 days 8 26%

Once in 2 months 4 13%Once a month 14 45%

More than 2 months 5 16%Total 31 100%

The findings are summarized in following graph:

41

Once in 15 days

Once in 2 months

Once a month

More than 2 months

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Visit Interval

Visit Interval

From the above graph, we got to know that nearly half i.e. 45% of the respondents who shop from Splash they visit once a month, 26% once in 15 days, 13% once in 2 months and 16% more than 2 months.

Out of 19 respondents who selected Max:

4(21%) said once in 15 days 4(21%) said once in 2 months 8(42%) said once a month 3(16%) said more than 2 months

Visit Interval No. of Responses PercentageOnce in 15 days 4 21%

Once in 2 months 4 21%Once a month 8 42%

More than 2 months 3 16%Total 19 100%

The findings are summarized in following graph:

42

Once in 15 days

Once in 2 months

Once a month

More than 2 months

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Visit Interval

Visit Interval

From the above graph, we got to know that nearly half i.e. 42% of respondents who selected Max visit there once in a month, 21% once in 15 days, 21% once in two months and 16% more than 2 months.

3. How frequently do you purchase garments?

Out of 31 respondents who selected Splash:

3(10%) said Weekly 19(61%) said Monthly 1(3%) said Yearly 8(26%) said Occasionally

Frequency of purchasing No. of Respondents PercentageWeekly 3 10%Monthly 19 61%Yearly 1 3%Occasionally 8 26%

43

Total 31 100

The findings are summarized in following graph:

Weekly Monthly Yearly Occasionally0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Frequency of Purchasing

Frequency of Purchasing

Out of 19 respondents who selected Max:

2(11%) said Weekly 8(42%) said Monthly 9(47%) said Occasionally

Frequency of purchasing No. of Respondents PercentageWeekly 2 11%Monthly 8 42%Occasionally 9 47%Total 19 100

The findings are summarized in following graph:

44

Weekly Monthly Occasionally0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Frequency of purchasing

Frequency of purchasing

4. When you enter the store, what is the first thing that you look for?

Respondents who selected Splash, out of those:

3% -Look for signboards 47%-Look for promotional offers 21%-Look for your brand 26%-Look for the section which you want to enter 3%-Others like Look for trolley or basket

Respondents who selected Max, out of those:

5% -Look for signboards 32%-Look for promotional offers 14%-Look for your brand 45%-Look for the section which you want to enter 5%-Others like Look for trolley or basket

45

The findings are summarized below:

Look for signboards

Look for promotional

offers

Look for your brand

Look for the sections

which you want to enter

Others

05101520253035404550

Splash

Max

5. How much do you spend on garments?

Respondents who selected Splash, out of those:

6% said weekly, average amount spend by the respondents Dhs275. 87% said monthly, average amount spend by the respondents Dhs450. 6%said yearly, average amount spend by the respondents Dhs2000.

Respondents who selected Max, out of those:

11% said weekly, average amount spend by the respondents Dhs65. 79% said monthly, average amount spend by the respondents Dhs407. 11%said yearly, average amount spend by the respondents Dhs2700.

Table representing number and corresponding percentages of responses for time interval of spending on garments:

Time Interval No. of No. of Percentage Percentage

46

Responses, Max

Responses, Splash

Max Splash

Weekly 2 2 10.5% 6.5%Monthly 15 27 79% 87%Yearly 2 2 10.5% 6.5%Total 19 31 100% 100%

The findings are summarized below:

Weekly Monthly Yearly0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

10.5

79

10.56.5

87

6.5

Percantage,MaxPercentage,Splash

Table representing average amount spent on garments at two stores:

Time Interval Splash, Average Amount(Dhs)

Max, Average Amount(Dhs)

Weekly 275 65Monthly 450 407Yearly 2000 2700Total 2725 3172

The findings are summarized below:

47

Weekly Montly Yearly0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

275450

2000

65

407

2700

Splash, Avg amountMax, Avg amount

6. Which of the factors are most important to you while making a purchase?

Out of those who selected Splash:

12(18%) responded for variety/collection 14(21%) responded for brand 13(19%) responded for price 18(26%) responded for quality 11(16%) responded for style

Factors No. of responses PercentageVariety/Collection 12 18%Brand 14 21%Price 13 19%

48

Quality 18 26%Style 11 16%

18%

21%

19%

26%

16%

Important factors while purchasing from Splash

Variety/CollectionBrandPriceQualityStyle

Out of those who selected Max:

8(20%) responded for variety/collection 5(12% )responded for brand 10(24%) responded for price 9(22%) responded for quality 9(22%) responded for style

Factors No. of responses PercentageVariety/Collection 8 20%Brand 5 12%Price 10 24%Quality 9 22%Style 9 22%

49

20%

12%

24%22%

22%

Important factors while purchasing from Max

Variety/CollectionBrandPriceQualityStyle

7. Which is your favorite brand in the selected store?

Out of those who selected Max:

93% said max brand. 7% said other brand.

50

Max Others0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Brands

Brands

Out of those who selected Splash:

Brands No. of Responses PercentageNexus 3 9%Kappa 8 25%Lee Cooper 11 34%2extremes 1 3.5%Levis 2 7%Retro 3 9%Zync 3 9%

51

M/S 1 3.5%Total 100%

Nexus

Kappa

Lee Cooper

2extremes

Levis

Retro

Zync

M/S

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Preferred brands

Percentage of preferred brand

8. Which are the factors that influence you to enter into the garments section in your selected store?

Out of the respondents who selected Splash:

Influence Rate

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Visual Display

1 0 5 2 0 4 4 4

Display of Merchandise

1 2 4 3 1 2 2 3

Varieties Available

2 0 5 5 1 2 3 2

52

Brands Available

4 2 1 2 5 2 2 2

Customer Service

2 3 3 1 3 4 2 2

Ambience 5 1 0 2 3 2 4 1

Promotions 1 6 0 1 7 2 1 5Discounts 3 5 0 2 5 1 1 0

Out of those who selected Max:

Influence Rate

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Visual Display

2 3 2 3 4 2 6 5

Display of Merchandise

2 3 4 1 2 6 4 5

Varieties Available

5 5 3 5 3 0 2 2

Brands Available

7 9 3 1 1 1 1 3

Customer Service

0 1 2 7 7 4 3 2

Ambience 3 3 0 4 3 5 2 5

Promotions 4 4 3 5 3 5 1 1

Discounts 2 3 9 2 3 2 4 1

9. Are you satisfied with the different brands available at the store?

Out of 31 respondents of Splash:

30(i.e. 97%) respondents said Yes. 1(i.e. 3%) respondents said No.

Out of 19 respondents of Max:

53

17(i.e.89%) respondents said Yes. 2(i.e.11%) respondents said No.

Splash Max

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

YesNo

10. What attracts you to a particular brand or section?

Out of the respondents who selected Splash:

28% said Promotional Offers 7% said Attractive display 14% said Price 21% said Season’s Collection 30% said Latest Fashion Trends

Out of the respondents who selected Max:

54

19% said Promotional Offers 9% said Attractive display 16% said Price 31% said Season’s Collection 25% said Latest Fashion Trends

Attraction Point %age Responses for Splash

%age Responses for Max

Promotional Offers 28 19Attractive display 7 9

Price 14 16Season’s Collection 21 31

Latest Fashion Trends 30 25Total 100

Pro

motional

Offers

Attracti

ve d

isplay

Price

Seas

on’s Colle

ction

Late

st Fa

shio

n Tren

ds0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

%age Responses for Splash%age Responses for Max

11. How does the store layout makes it for you to move around?

Out of the respondents who selected Splash:

16% responded Very Easy 45% responded Easy 39% responded Manageable

Out of the respondents who selected Max:

16% responded Very Easy 32% responded Easy

55

52% responded Manageable

Layout view %age responses for Splash %age responses for MaxVery Easy 16 16Easy 45 32Manageable 39 52Total 100 100

Very EasyEasy

Managable

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

16

453916

32

52

%ageResponses,Splash%age Responses,Max

12. Are you satisfied with the different garment prices in the store?

Out of 31 respondents of Splash:

26(i.e.84%) respondents said Yes. 5(i.e.16%) respondents said No.

Out of 19 respondents of Max:

56

18(i.e.95%) respondents said Yes. 1(i.e.5%) respondents said No.

Yes No

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

%age level for Splash%age level for Max

13. What kind of advertising affects or helps you the most in knowing about the products?

Out of the respondents who selected Splash:

30% respondents said Word of Mouth. 11% respondents said Hoardings. 16% respondents said Magazines. 17% respondents said Newspaper. 12% respondents said Television.

57

9% respondents said Radio. 5% respondents said Online.

The findings are summarized below in a graph:

Word of M

outh

Hoardings

Magazin

es

Newspaper

Televi

sion

RadioOnline

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Effective Advertisement Responses(%),Splash

Effective Advertisement Responses(%)

Out of the respondents who selected Max:

24% respondents said Word of Mouth. 14% respondents said Hoardings. 26% respondents said Magazines. 6% respondents said Newspaper. 12% respondents said Television. 9% respondents said Radio. 6% respondents said Online. 3% respondents said Others.

58

The findings are summarized below:

Word of M

outh

Hoardings

Magazin

es

Newspaper

Televi

sion

RadioOnline

Others0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Effective advertisement Responses(%),Max

Effective advertisement Responses(%)

14. Did you feel comfortable while shopping at your selected store?

Out of those who selected Splash, almost all the respondents (i.e.98%) said they felt comfortable while shopping at Splash and those who selected Max; out of them 97% of respondents said they felt comfortable while shopping at Max.

The findings are summarized in the graph below:

59

Splash Max

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

YesNo

15. Would you suggest others to shop at your selected store?

Out of those who selected Splash:

90% respondents said they suggest others to shop at their selected store. 10% respondents said they don’t suggest others to shop at their selected store.

Out of those who selected Max:

74% respondents said they suggest others to shop at their selected store. 26% respondents said they don’t suggest others to shop at their selected store.

60

Suggest others to shop at Splash (Responses in %) Max (Responses in %)Yes 90% 74%No 10% 26%Total 100% 100%

The findings of above are summarized below:

Splash Max0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Yes

No

90% 74%

10%

26%

YesNo

16. Respondents were asked to rate Splash and Max on the scale of 1-10.

The responses of respondents are presented in the following table:

Rating Splash (Responses in %) Max (Responses in %)1 8 162 18 143 10 64 12 45 6 166 14 67 14 148 8 189 6 4

61

10 4 2Total 100 100

Above findings are summarized in the following graph:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

20%

Splash ratings(%)Max ratings(%)

62

CHAPTER 4

FINDINGS &

SUGGESTIONS

FINDINGS

All the conclusions are drawn based on the analysis and interpretation of the primary

data regarding the customer perception and satisfaction towards the two primary

brands i.e. Max & Splash of Landmark Group, UAE, RAK

From the analysis it is concluded that very large number of respondents i.e. 62%

mostly shop at Splash. The number of respondents for Max is comparatively low

i.e.38%. From this percentage figure we conclude that Splash is preferred more

than Max.

63

According to the analysis, respondents who selected Splash, among them 26%

respondents visit the store once in 15 days, 13% once in 2 months, 45% once in

month, 16% more than 2 months. Respondents who selected Max, among them

21% visit the store once in 15 days, 21% once in 2 months, 42% once in month,

16% more than 2 months. From these figures it is clear that the figure of people

visiting monthly in Splash is more than Max.

The analysis shows the figures of occurrence of purchase i.e. how frequently

purchase take place. From Splash responses were 10% for weekly, 61% monthly,

3% yearly, 26% occasionally whereas Max among respondents, 11% purchase

weekly, 42% monthly, 47% occasionally.

Analysis has shown that when respondents enter Splash, 47% look for promotional

offers, 3% look for signboards, 21% look for their brand, 26% look for the

sections which they want to enter and 3% said others whereas among respondents

of Max, 5% look for signboards, 32% look for promotional offers, 14% look for

their brand, 45% look for the sections which they want to enter and 5% said

others. For others option, respondents have given the very true answer i.e. when

they enter the store they look for a trolley or basket.

From the analysis and interpretation the average figures of money spent by

respondents have been drawn. Average amount spent on garments purchase by

respondents of Splash is: Dhs 275 for those who visit weekly, Dhs 450 for those

who visit monthly and Dhs 2000 for those who visit yearly at the store. For

respondents of Max the average amount spent on garments purchase is: Dhs 65 for

those who visit weekly, Dhs 407 for those who visit monthly and Dhs 2700 for

64

those who visit yearly at the store. It can be clearly seen that the average amount

figures of garments purchase of Splash are large.

The study shows that important factors to respondents while making a purchase at

Splash are variety/collection (18%), brand (21%), price (19%), quality (26%),

style (16%). Among the respondents of max 20% said variety/collection, 12%

brand, 24% price, 22% quality and 22% style.

The analysis study shows that there is mainly one brand at the Max store i.e. max,

97% respondents of Max like this brand and 3% said other. Among the

respondents Splash, 34% said Lee Cooper as their favorite brand, 9% Nexus, 25%

Kappa, 3.5% 2extremes, 6% Levis, 9% Retro, 3.5% M/S and 9% Zync.

From the analysis it is understood that factors such as ambience, promotions,

discounts, customer service, varieties available, visual appeal, brands available,

and display of merchandise are very important factors for any garments store to

attract customers and make them to purchase from garments section.

According to the study 97% of the respondents of splash are satisfied with the

different brands available at the store and only 3% are not satisfied, reason these

respondents gave was that the price of some brands is quite high. 89% of the

respondents of Max are satisfied with the brands available and 11% are

dissatisfied and the reason for their dissatisfaction is that Max caters only one

primary brand (i.e. max), it should keep other brands of the company as well for

its better run.

From the analysis we can conclude that among the respondents of Splash, 28% of

respondents are attracted by promotional offers, 7% by attractive display, 14% by

price, 21% by season’s collection and 30% by latest fashion trends whereas among

65

respondents of Max, 19% are attracted by promotional offers, 9% by attractive

display, 16% by price, 31% by season’s collection and 25% by the latest fashion

trends. From the analysis it is clear that Splash is able to attract more customers

by its various activities.

The analysis of store layout was also done by asking the respondents that does the

store layout make it easy for respondents to move around. Among the respondents

of Splash, 16% said very easy, 45% said easy, 39% said manageable and none said

it is difficult. Among the respondents of Max, 16% said it’s very easy for moving

around, 32% said easy and 52% said manageable.

According to the analysis, among the respondents of Splash, 84% of the

respondents are satisfied with the different garment prices in the store and 16% are

not satisfied and they gave the reason as: high prices and expensive material.

Among the respondents of Max almost all i.e. 95% are satisfied with the different

garment prices in the store.

Analysis and interpretations has shown what kind of advertising affects or helps

the respondents the most in knowing about the products at their selected store. Out

of the respondents of Splash, 30% are affected by word of mouth, 11% said

hoardings, 16% said magazines, 17% said newspaper, 12% said television, 9%

said radio and 5% said online. Out of the respondents on Max, 24% of respondents

said word of mouth, 14% hoardings, 26% magazines, 6% newspaper, 12%

television, 9% radio, 6% online and 3% said others (for example banners,e.tc.)

From the survey conducted it can be concluded that 98% of the respondents felt

comfortable while shopping at Splash and 2% didn’t feel comfortable. Also 97%

of the respondents of Max felt comfortable while shopping at the store and only

3% didn’t feel comfortable.

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The analysis of the study also shows would respondents suggest others to shop at

their selected store. Among the respondents of Splash, 90% of the respondents

said that they would suggest others to shop at the Splash store due to the available

variety, collection, brand availability, quality, latest fashion wear, nice ambience,

wide variety of choice and brands. 10% of the respondents said they won’t suggest

others to shop at Splash store because of the price which is little high. Among the

respondents of Max, 74% of respondents said that they would suggest others to

shop at Max store due to affordable and low prices, collection is good with respect

to price, cheaper garments. Also 26% of the respondents said that they won’t

suggest others to shop at Max because even though the prices are low but there is

only one primary brand at Max, garments are cheap but no brand availability, not

that good ambience and variety is repetitive.

From the analysis and interpretation it is understood that respondents have ranked

Splash higher than Max. When respondents were asked to rank Splash and Max on

the scale of 1 to 10, then the higher rating came for Splash. Even some of the

respondents of Max has rated Splash more than Max. From this the conclusion

can be drawn that Splash is highly rated.

From all the above analysis the final conclusion which can be drawn is that

customer prefer Splash more than Max. This shows that customer satisfaction and

perception level is high towards Splash. The number of consumers which are

satisfied fully that comes out of Splash. Therefore it can be concluded that the

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customer services and products provided at Splash are more effective than Max.

Therefore the preference level of consumers is more towards Splash.

SUGGESTIONS

The suggestions are drawn from the analysis and interpretation. Few suggestions are

given under:

Splash, being the highly preferred, company should look at its pricing strategy for

Splash, since some customers want to purchase but they don’t purchase due to

only high price, of certain brands.

Suggestion for Max is that the company should try to keep more choice of brands

at Max stores so that it can cater to brand loving customers.

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Even though the price of garments at Max is cheaper than Splash still more people

prefer to shop at Splash because of the good quality of garments. So Max should

come up with better quality of garments.

The brands whose visibility is hidden behind the pillar should be brought to light.

Hence, logistically visible & consumer friendly layout.

The needs to be more frequent advertising of both the brands.

Introduce an Automatic Vending Machine for Tea/Coffee at the Splash and Max.

The company should sponsor college events as its main target is youth, especially

students. Example, college festivals could be leveraged.

The company should arrange its promotional offers, season’s collection and latest

fashion trends more accurately to attract more and more customers.

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CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

There are number of reasons which contribute jointly to enhance retail culture in UAE

like rise in young population, handsome salary packages, nuclear families and increase in

working female population all these factors will enhance the shopping capacity of normal

public too. Now-a-days nobody is interested to do shopping from conventional markets

due to limited variety, stale stock and heavy price tags at the same time retail outlets have

wide range of products like apparels and accessories, cosmetics and toiletries, bag and

baggage, travel and leisure under one roof and public enjoys low cost quality goods with

very little chances of duplicity, no problem of bargaining and most important in crowded

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metro city retail stores are having good parking place. Now days all type of public with

no difference of caste, creed and income levels moves towards retail stores.

Landmark Group’s retail brands, Max and Splash provide the required shopping facilities

to the visiting set of customers. They both are able to create their market by using their

pricing strategies, customer services, promotional activities and different market

strategies. If we look at both they are able to enhance the customers by providing

seasonal offers, discounts and this helps in creating a good sale and better customer

satisfaction level, also a vital behavior towards them. Also from the study we can know

the approximate percentage level of customers who prefer these two i.e. Max and Splash.

Thus this project will help us in comparing the retail outlets and most importantly, the

customer perception, preferences and satisfaction level.

From the study we came to know that most of the respondents have preferred Splash over

Max. This shows that the satisfaction level of respondents is more towards the Splash.

They are satisfied highly with the Splash products and services. This means that the

consumer perception is higher for Splash than Max.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

www.halo3.co.in/retailer_list.htm

www.sebi.gov.in

www.megamalls.in

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Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Website: http: //en. wikipedia. org/ wiki

www.realestate.indiatimes.com

www.lifestylestores.com

www.indbazaar.com

www.indiainfoline.com

http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails

Philip Kotlar- Marketing Management

Retail Images

APPENDIX

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QUESTIONNAIRE

QUESTIONNAIRE :

Name: _________________________________

Gender: Male Female

Age: (15-25) (26-35)

(36-45) (Above 45)

Marital status: Married Unmarried

1) In which retail store do you shop the most?

Max Splash

2) How often do you visit your selected retail store?

Once in 15 Days

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Once in 2 months

Once a month

More than 2 months

First time

3) How frequently do you purchase garments?

Weekly Monthly

Yearly Occasionally

4) When you enter the store what is the first thing that you look for?

Look for signboards Look for promotional offers

Look for your brand Look for the sections which you want to enter

Others (please specify) __________________________________________

5) How much do you spend on garments? (Please answer to any one of the following options)

Period Approx. amount ( in DHS)

Weekly --------------

Monthly --------------

Yearly --------------

6) Which of the following factors are most important to you while making a purchase? (Tick one or more)

Variety/ Collection Brand

Price Quality

Style

7) Which is your favorite brand in the above selected store? _____________________________________________

8) Which are the factors that influence you to enter into the garments section? Rank them: (1 being the most preferred and 8 being the least preferred).

Visual Appeal

Display of Merchandise

Varieties Available

Brands Available

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Customer Service

Ambience

Promotions

Discounts

9) Are you satisfied with the different brands available at the retail store? If No, give reasons why?

Yes

No

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10) What attracts you to a particular brand or section?

Promotional Offers Attractive display

Price Season’s Collection

Latest Fashion Trends

Others (please specify) ____________

11) Does the store layout make it easy for you to move around?

Very easy Easy

Manageable Difficult

Complicated

12) Are you satisfied with the different garment prices in the store? If No, give reasons why?

Yes

No

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

13) What kind of advertising affects or helps you the most in knowing about the products?

Word of Mouth Hoardings

Magazines Newspaper

Television Radio

Online Others

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14) Did you feel comfortable while shopping at the store? If No, Give reasons why?

Yes

No -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------15) Would you suggest others to shop at your selected store?

Yes No

If, yes-why

_______________________________________________________

If, No-why

_______________________________________________________

16) On a scale of 1 – 10, how would you rate Splash & Max? (1 being the highly rated & 10 being least rated)

Splash

Max

THANK YOU !!!

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