intercontinental journal of marketing … · provides an idea about the benchmarking of a store and...

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Volume 1, Issue 8 (October, 2013)

INTERCONTINENTAL JOURNAL OF MARKETING RESEARCH REVIEW

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A STUDY ON COMPETITION BENCHMARKING OF SPORTS SECTION

IN JUBILANT RETAIL, TOTAL SUPERSTORE, BANGALORE

*C.P MOHAMMED FAHIM **Dr. L. SURESH MALLYA

*Final year PGDM, SCMS Cochin School of Business, Cochin

**Professor, SCMS Cochin School of Business, Cochin

ABSTRACT

This study is about the competition benchmarking of sports section in Total Superstore. The report

provides an idea about the benchmarking of a store and also about the major players of sports goods in

hyper format in Bangalore. The study also benchmarks the sports section of Total Superstore with its

immediate competitors. The research helps to find and sort out the gap in sport section of the store in

comparison to others; thereby it helps to enhance the sports section of the store and to be the best in the

market. For benchmarking, data from competitors was collected through observation and direct interviews

with sales persons. A structured questionnaire was also constructed to find out customer satisfaction of

sports section in Total superstore. The primary data was collected through observation, questionnaire and

direct interviews. Secondary data was collected from websites and company reports.The study finds that

Total superstore is one of major players in sports goods in terms of the assortment. Customers find the

product price of sports goods cheaper in Total Superstore than other stores. In most of the hypermarket

brand presence in sports section was found less. A new assortment has to be made by sorting out the gaps

in the sports section in order to be the best in the market. Tie ups with some of the brands will be useful to

enhance the feel of the sports section. Branded products have to be included in new assortment.

Marketing in local games and sports fest can attract many sports customers. Findings were substantially

based on information given by the respondents and data collected through observation. However

subjective bias cannot be completely ruled out.

Jubilant Retail

Jubilant Retail is a Bangalore-based retail chain running state-of-the-art hypermarkets and malls. The

company has a significant presence in the Retail segment through five hypermarkets and malls in

Bangalore where it is the second largest chain in the city offering value for money to the customer. The

hypermarkets branded as 'Total' are designed on the lines of international shopping malls. The group's

focus on innovation is also reflected in this segment where its strategy of 'farm to fork' has led them closer

to the farmers who gets better price for their produce through cash and carry system and also results in the

company offering fresh - farm good quality products at an affordable price to the customers.

Objectives of the Research

To identify the major factors in benchmarking the sports section of the Total superstore.

To study the competitors in terms of the major factors identified for benchmarking the sports

section.

To benchmark sports section in order to achieve competitive advantage over the competitors.

To analyse the customer satisfaction of the sports section in Total Superstore.

Scope of the Study

ISSN:2321-0346-Online ISSN:2347-1670-Print

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The study was conducted for the duration of three months at Jubilant Retail, Total Superstore. The project

provides an idea about the benchmarking process of a store. The findings of the project help to benchmark

the quality of the services and products in sports section of Total Superstore with their immediate

competitors. The project helps to find and sort out the gap in sport section of the store in comparison to

the other market players thereby it helps to enhance the sports section of the store and to be the best in the

market.

Type of Research

Descriptive research is done in this study. Descriptive research attempts to describe systematically a

situation, problem, phenomenon, service or program, or provides information about, say, living condition

of a community, or describes attitudes towards an issue.

Research Tools

Observation, Interview and Questionnaire survey methods were adopted for completing the data

collection in this research. The questionnaire was chosen as it provides a more comprehensive view than

any other research tool. A typical five level Likert Scale is also used to mark the responses.

Questionnaires were constructed based on the following types- Open ended questions as well as Close

ended questions.

Sampling Plan

Sample: The sample frame is sports market of Bangalore and customers of sports goods in Total

Superstore.

Sample Size: Four competitors of Total Superstore and hundred customers of sports goods in Total

Superstore, chosen by random sampling method.

Data Collection

Primary Data: Data of competitors were collected by observation and personal interview with sales

persons and satisfaction of customer was found out by direct interaction with the customers with the help

of questionnaire.

Secondary Data: The secondary data have been compiled from the internal and external sources. The

internal source includes the information from the company reports, journals etc. Besides this, a number

of discussions were held with the authorities concerned. The external data are from the websites and

literature on competition benchmarking of a store.

Data Analysis

The primary data and secondary data were analysed using observation, interview and graphical

presentation.

Statistical tools used: Tables, frequency charts and pie charts have been used to analyse the data.

Microsoft Excel was mainly used for analysis.


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Limitations of the Study

Accuracy of this report is restricted and limited by the degree of authenticity of data collected and

sincerity and honesty of respondents.

The study was conducted with a limited number of samples.

The findings were substantially based on information given by the respondents and in many cases,

subjective bias cannot be completely ruled out.

Findings

Benchmarking with competitors

From the competitors’ data which were collected through observation and personal interview with the

sales persons, the Total Superstore can be considered as one of the major players in hyper format in sports

goods business in Bangalore. From the study conducted the following findings are made.

As the study was focused only on hypermarket, most of the hypermarkets kept only basic

products in sports section with more focus on cricket section.

Sports section in hypermarkets focus more on middle class range products.

In most of the hypermarkets the brand presence in sports section was found low.

Hyper city and More are considered as the major competitors for Total Superstore in sports

section.

Total Superstore is a major player in hyper format in sports section in terms of assortment.

Big bazaar and Auchan have very less assortment in sports section.

Display and layout of sports section in Hypercity can be considered as one of the best in the

market.

Customer satisfaction of sports section

The satisfaction of customer of sports section was found out through questionnaire and personal

interviews. Some of the interesting findings were:

Customers find the product price in sports section cheaper in Total Superstore than the other

stores.

Most of the customers find it easy to reach the product with the help of signage boards and most

of them find offer board helpful in their purchase.

The product availability has to be increased in sports section of Total Superstore as less number

of customers find their desired products.

Majority of the customers rate the behaviour as satisfactory which has to be improved.

Suggestions and recommendations

After conducting competitor survey and customer satisfaction survey in sports section of Total

Superstore, following suggestions and recommendations are made:

New assortment in sports section has to be made with more number of SKUs and wide range of

products.


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More branded products have to be included in the sports section. Products from brands like Nivia

and Yonex can be introduced more.

Good tie ups with well known sports suppliers could enhance the sports category.

The display and layout of sports have to be improved in order to enhance the aesthetics and feel

of the sports section.

Branding of different brands in sports section will help to improve the look and feel of the

section.

Marketing has to be more aggressive for the sports section in order to compete with local players.

Marketing in some local sports and games fest will be a good idea to attract more sports lovers to

the store.

Wide range of sub categories can be added to make the store a sports destination.

Conclusion

From the study of competitors of Total Superstore in sports section, Hypercity and More Mega store can

be considered as the major competitors in sports section. Total Superstore is also a major player in sports

section in Bangalore. The local kirana sports shops pose major competition to the hyper markets. As a

department store Total Superstore has a good range of products in sports section. The display and layout

of sports section has to be improved in order to enhance the category.

Total Superstore has a competitive pricing of sports products. More brand and quality products have to be

introduced into the sports section. Total Superstore has to allocate trained sales persons to the sports

section.

Total Superstore can become the leader in the sports section in hyper format by including more range and

variety of products as they have a large customer base in Bangalore. The location of Total Superstores is

also a major advantage.

Bibliography

Books

Kothari, C. R.. Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques. New Delhi: New Age International,

2008.

Kotler, Philip. Marketing Management. India: Pearson Education, Dorling Kindersley Pvt. Ltd., 2007.

Saxena, Rajan. Marketing Management. New Delhi: Tata McGraw –Hill, 2009.

Websites

Decathlon sets off with 100 fdi in sports retail. (n.d.). Retrieved from Forbes india:

:http://forbesindia.com/blog/business-strategy/ decathalon-sets-off-with-100-fdi-in-sports-

retail/#ixzz2fkGJkyzi Indian sports industry. (n.d.). Retrieved from bharathividyapeeth:

http://akfdc.bharatividyapeeth.edu/About/Indian-Sports-Industry/default.aspx

KIT:sports goods market in india. (2013, march 28). Retrieved from Business standards:

http://www.business-standard.com/article/management/kit-the-sports-goods-market-in-india-

111032800074_1.html

Mukherjee, A., goswami, R, & Goyal, T. M. (N.D.). Sports retailing in india: oppportunities,constraints

and way forward. Retrieved from eaber: http://www.eaber.org/node/23032


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Appendix

Questionnaire

Name:

Age:

Place:

1. Is the price of products in the sports section cheaper in comparison to other stores?

Yes No

2. Is it easy to reach or find the products?

Yes No

3. Is the desired product available? Yes No

4. Is the signage board or offer board helping you for the purchase in sports section?

Yes No

5. Rate the behaviour of our Sales persons/ promoters –

Excellent Good Satisfactory Poor

6. Rate the functioning of Billing Counter

Excellent Good Satisfactory Poor

7. Any suggestion to enhance the sports category ----------------

Thank you for your valuable Time and kind cooperation


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