Ayushi Black Book.docx

A PROJECT REPORT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES.

SUBMITED BY : AYUSHI SURESH JOSHI T.Y.B.M.S (SEMESTER- VI) ROLL NO :48

K.J SOMAIYA COLLEGE OF ARTS AND COMMERCE (AUTONOMOUS) VIDYAVIHAR (EAST)

2018-2019

A PROJECT REPORT ON STUDY OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOR TOWARDS APPAREL IN UNCATEGORIZED SEGMENT. A Project report submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the requirement for the Award of the Degree of Bachelor of Management Studies. 2018-19

Submitted by: AYUSHI SURESH JOSHI T.Y.BMS- Semester VI Roll No: 48

Under the guidance of : Mr. SANDEEP GUPTA

K.J. Somaiya of Arts & Commerce (Autonomus) (Affiliated to Mumbai University) Vidyavihar (E) Mumbai- 400077

DECLARATION

I, AYUSHI SURESH JOSHI, of K.J. Somaiya College of Arts & Commerce from T.Y. BMS semester VI, hereby declare that I have completed this project on “Study of Consumer Behavior Towards Apparel in uncategorized segment” in Academic Year 2018-19. This information is true and original to the best of my knowledge.

_________________ Signature of the student (AYUSHI SURESH JOSHI)

CERTIFICATE

I, MS. KSHAMATA SACHIN LAD certify that MS. AYUSHI SURESH JOSHI is a student of K. J. Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce of T.Y. BMS and I hereby declare that she has completed project on “STUDY OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOR TOWARDS APPAREL IN UNCATEGORIZED SEGMENT” in the academic year 2018-19. The information submitted is true and original to the best of my knowledge.

_____________________ Mr. Sandeep Gupta (Project Guide)

_____________________ External Examiner

__________________ Dr. Sudha Vyas (Principal)

______________________ CA Sandeep Gupta (Co-ordinator BMS)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This Project came into reality because of assistance and involvement of many people. And it is my pleasure that I’m getting a chance to humbly oblige all of them here.

First of all, I would like to thank CA Sandeep Gupta for giving me chance to present the topic of my choice and because of his guidance and interest this project came into life. I would also like to thank our principal Dr. Sudha Vyas. And lastly, to all my friends and family for supporting me throughout the work.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT The objective of this research is to study the consumer behavior towards apparel in uncategorized segments.

The summary of the objectives are as follows: 

To study how local markets came into existence.

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To analyze the comparison of unbranded and branded apparel.

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To study consumer nature of buying unbranded clothes.

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Another objective of this research is to know how many percentage of people are indulged in street shopping.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This project is about consumer behavior towards unbranded clothing. Clothing changed through history under the influences of cultures, fashion and wealth. From crude, simple and not too attractive pieces of clothing which only purpose was to protect from weather conditions until today we have a wide spectrum of different clothing items. And different clothing brands have come up in the market. The project gives brief idea about the opinions of different people in buying unbranded clothes from uncategorized segments. We have also analyzed that, the shopping experience may vary, based on a variety of factors including how the customer is treated, convenience, the types of goods being purchased, and mood. The project also puts light on the different shopping hubs within Mumbai.

Index Serial no.

Topics

1

Introduction

2

History

3

Characteristics of clothing

4

Street shopping – an ultimate destination for shopping

5

Places in Mumbai for shopping

6

Brand vs unbrand

7

Research and methodology

8

Data analysis

9

Annexure

10

Recommendations

11

Bibliography

Page no.

INTRODUCTION Clothing is a collective term for items worn on the body. Clothing can be made of textiles, animal skin, or other thin sheets of materials put together. The wearing of clothing is mostly restricted to human beings and is a feature of all human societies. The amount and type of clothing worn depend on body type, social, and geographic considerations. Some clothing can be gender-specific. Physically, clothing serves many purposes: it can serve as protection from the elements and can enhance safety during hazardous activities such as hiking and cooking. It protects the wearer from rough surfaces, rash-causing plants, insect bites, splinters, thorns and prickles by providing a barrier between the skin and the environment. Clothes can insulate against cold or hot conditions, and they can provide a hygienic barrier, keeping infectious and toxic materials away from the body. Clothing also provides protection from ultraviolet radiation. Wearing clothes is also a social norm, and being deprived of clothing in front of others may be embarrassing, or not wearing clothes in public such that genitals, breasts or buttocks are visible could be seen as indecent exposure.

Cultural aspects

In most cultures, gender differentiation of clothing is considered appropriate. The differences are in styles, colors, and fabrics. In Western societies, skirts, dresses and high-heeled shoes are usually seen as women's clothing, while neckties are usually seen as men's clothing. Trousers were once seen as exclusively male clothing, but can nowadays be worn by both genders. Male clothes are often more practical (that is, they can function well under a wide variety of situations), but a wider range of clothing styles are available for females. Males are typically allowed to bare their chests in a greater variety of public places. It is generally acceptable for a woman to wear clothing perceived as masculine, while the opposite is seen as unusual. In some cultures, sumptuary laws regulate what men and women are required to wear. Islam requires women to wear more modest forms of attire, usually hijab. What qualifies as "modest" varies in different Muslim societies. However, women are usually required to cover more of their bodies than men are. Articles of clothing Muslim women wear for modesty range from the head-scarf to the burqa.

Men may sometimes choose to wear men's skirts such as togas or kilts in particular cultures, especially on ceremonial occasions. Such garments were (in previous times) often worn as normal daily clothing by men. Clothing designed to be worn by either sex is called unisex clothing. Unisex clothes, such as T-shirts, tend to be cut straighter to fit a wider variety of bodies. The majority of unisex clothing styles have started out as menswear, but some articles, like the fedora, were originally worn by women.

Western dress

The Western dress has changed over the past 500+ years. The mechanization of the textile industry made many varieties of cloth widely available at affordable prices. Styles have changed, and the availability of synthetic fabrics has changed the definition of "stylish". In the latter half of the 20th century, blue jeans became very popular, and are now worn to events that normally demand formal attire. Active wear has also become a large and growing market.

Jeans are worn by both men and women. There are several unique styles of jeans found which include: high rise jeans, mid rise jeans, low rise jeans, bootcut jeans, straight jeans, cropped jeans, skinny jeans, cuffed jeans, boyfriend jeans, and capri jeans.

Spread of western styles

By the early years of the 21st century, western clothing styles had, to some extent, become international styles. This process began hundreds of years earlier, during the periods of European colonialism. The process of cultural dissemination has perpetuated over the centuries as Western media corporations have penetrated markets throughout the world, spreading Western culture and styles. Fast fashion clothing has also become a global phenomenon. These garments are less expensive, mass-produced Western clothing. Donated used clothing from Western countries are also delivered to poor people in countries by charity organizations.

HISTORY It is not known when the first clothes shops were opened .Before the era of readymade clothes, when clothing was made by tailors or artisans, shops may have sold second-hand clothing. Some ready-made clothes may have been made in the sixteenth century. The number of clothes shops appears to have risen steadily long before the beginning of large-scale industrial manufacture of clothing in the second half of the nineteenth century. It is not certain when people first started wearing clothes, however, anthropologists estimate that it was somewhere between 100,000 and 500,000 years ago. The first clothes were made from natural elements: animal skin and furs, grasses and leaves, and bones and shells. Clothing was often draped or tied; however, simple needles made out of animal bone provide evidence of sewn leather and fur garments from at least 30,000 years ago. When settled neolithic cultures discovered the advantages of woven fibers over animal hides, the making of cloth, drawing on basketry techniques, emerged as one of humankind's fundamental technologies. Hand and hand with the history of clothing goes the history of textiles. Humans had to invent weaving, spinning and other techniques and the machines needed to be able to make the fabrics used for clothing. Before sewing machines, nearly all clothing was local and hand-sewn, there were tailors and seamstresses in most towns that could make individual items of clothing for customers. After the sewing machine was invented, the ready-made clothingindustry took off. The wearing of clothing is specifically human characteristic and most human societies wear some form of clothing. There is no information about when we started using clothes but there are ideas why. Anthropologists think that animal skins and vegetation were adapted as protection from weather conditions. Other idea is that clothing may have been invented first for other purposes, such as magic, decoration, cult or prestige, and then later found to be practical as

means of protection. There are archeological findings as well as representation of clothing in art which can help to determine when particular clothing appeared in history. There is a problem of preservation of archeological evidences because some place preserve findings better than other and from some places we don’t have evidence at all. Textiles appeared in the Middle East during the late Stone Age. There is evidence that suggests that humans may have begun wearing clothing somewhere from 100,000 to 500,000 years ago. Primitive sewing needles have been found and are dated to around 40,000 years ago. Dyed flax fibers which have been found in a prehistoric cave in the Republic of Georgia are old some 36,000 years. Some 25,000 years ago the Venus figurines started appearing in Europe, that were depicted with clothing. They had basket hats or caps, belts at the waist and a strap of cloth above the breast. First material used for clothing that was not leather but textile was probably felt. Which is another early textile method - a type of precursor of knitting, appeared somewhere in 6500 BC as some evidence tells. Cotton was used for clothing in Ancient India from 5th millennium BC. Linen cloth was made in Ancient Egypt from the Neolithic period. Flax was grown even earlier. Ancient Egypt also knew about different spinning techniques like the drop spindle, hand-to-hand spinning, and rolling on the thigh as well as about horizontal ground loom and vertical twobeam loom which came from Asia. Ancient Egyptians also used linen for bandages for mummification and for kilts and dresses. The earliest proof of silk production in China dates from between 5000 and 3000 BC and is in the form of cocoon of the domesticated silkworm which was cut in half by a sharp knife. Japan started with weaving in Jōmon period which lasted from 12,000 BC to 300BC. There is evidence of pottery figurines that were depicted with clothing and a piece of cloth made from bark fibers dating from 5500BC. Some primitive needles weer also found as well as hemp fibers and pattern imprints on pottery which proves existence of weaving techniques in Japan at that time. Silk Road was very important for exchange of luxury textiles between East and West. It

helped in the development of the great civilizations of China, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, the Indian subcontinent and Rome that traded along the route.

CHARECTERISTICS OF CLOTHING The most obvious function of clothing is to improve the comfort of the wearer, by protecting the wearer from the elements. In hot climates, clothing provides protection from sunburn or wind damage, while in cold climates its thermal insulation properties are generally more important. Shelter usually reduces the functional need for clothing. For example, coats, hats, gloves and other outer layers are normally removed when entering a warm home, particularly if one is living or sleeping there. Similarly, clothing has seasonal and regional aspects, so that thinner materials and fewer layers of clothing are generally worn in warmer regions and seasons than in colder ones. Clothing performs a range of social and cultural functions, such as individual, occupational and gender differentiation, and social status.[5] In many societies, norms about clothing reflect standards of modesty, religion, gender, and social status. Clothing may also function as a form of adornment and an expression of personal taste or style. Clothing can be and has in the past been made from a very wide variety of materials. Materials have ranged from leather and furs to woven materials, to elaborate and exotic natural and synthetic fabrics. Not all body coverings are regarded as clothing. Articles carried rather than worn (such as purses), worn on a single part of the body and easily removed (scarves), worn purely for adornment (jewelry), or those that serve a function other than protection (eyeglasses), are normally considered accessories rather than clothing, except for shoes. Clothing protects against many things that might injure the uncovered human body. Clothes protect people from the elements, including rain, snow, wind, and other weather, as well as from the sun. However, clothing that is too sheer, thin, small, tight, etc., offers less protection. Appropriate clothes can also reduce risk during activities such as work or sport. Some clothing protects from specific hazards, such as insects, noxious chemicals, weather, weapons, and contact with

abrasive substances. Conversely, clothing may protect the environment from the clothing wearer: for instance doctors wear medical scrubs. Humans have been ingenious in devising clothing solutions to environmental or other hazards: such as space suits, air conditioned clothing, armor, diving suits, swimsuits, bee-keeper gear, motorcycle leathers, high-visibility clothing, and other pieces of protective clothing. Meanwhile, the distinction between clothing and protective equipment is not always clear-cut, since clothes designed to be fashionable often have protective value and clothes designed for function often consider fashion in their design. The choice of clothes also has social implications. They cover parts of the body that social norms require to be covered, act as a form of adornment, and serve other social purposes. Someone who lacks the means to procure reasonable clothing due to poverty or affordability, or simply lack of inclination, is sometimes said to be scruffy, ragged, or shabby. The primary function of clothing is the covering of the body as protection against the elements. In cold regions, it is to keep the body warm. In warm regions, clothes serve as protection from sunburn or wind damage. Early humans may have saved the skins of the animals they hunted and used them as clothes to keep warm or gathered leaves and grass to cover their bodies. The social aspect of the wearing of clothes is another function. Clothing is used to serve as class distinction. In American Indian tribes, their chief or leader wore elaborate headgear. In Ancient Rome, the wearing garments dyed with Syrian Purple were limited to senators. Another function of clothing is the maintenance of decency. In the Bible, Adam and Eve covered their bodies when they realized that they were naked after eating the fruit from the forbidden tree. In some Islamic countries, women were required to cover the whole of their bodies except the face. In most societies, it is indecent for men and women to mingle with others without wearing clothes. With more relaxed standards in modern times, this function is being undermined as some clothes tend to be provocative that the distinction of decency is becoming blurred.

Another use for clothing is for uniforms for occupations, affiliations, etc. Judges and magistrate wear robes in courts. The members of team sports wear identical jerseys to distinguish themselves from other teams. Even in the military, each unit (army, navy, air force) have their distinct uniforms. Self-expression is another function of clothes. In general, wearing clothes with the color of black is a sign of mourning. Also, modern times have seen the influence of fashion to pop culture. Elaborate and artistic pieces of clothing for every occasions and moods are almost always available to most. Several types of clothing are available to match the occasion or event we are going to attend. Dresses for women and formal wears for both sexes are suitable for use in offices unless the company provided a uniform for their employees. People wearing formal outfits can also be seen on wedding celebrations and prom. For institutions like school and hospital, it is typical to see the students, practitioners and employees there wearing uniforms. The primary reason why school regulates the use of uniform is to keep the kids safe and create a school atmosphere. On the other hand, hospitality and food service industry personnel are provided with specially designed outfit to create branding for the company. It allows the employees to be easily recognized by the customers. Another advantage of wearing uniform is the feeling of equality and sense of belongingness among colleagues. The way people dress up also reflects a person’s social status and cultural belongings. There is a stipulation of dress for different religion. The head of religious groups has special clothing requirement to distinguish them from the layman. During the ancient times, the nobles or rulers’ attires are distinct and recognizable. Today, we can distinguish the wealthy by how luxurious their clothes are. There are clothing designed to use in certain tasks like apron which is used when cooking and protective gears used by construction staffs. We get to wear unusual clothes or costumes on events like festivals and masquerade parties.

To sum it all up, clothing have different functions and significance. What we wear creates an initial impression of who we are but it should not be used as a basis of our personality.

STREET SHOPPING – AN ULTIMATE SHOPPING DESTINATION

It is much cheaper to shop than pay a fee to the psychiatrists. It is rightly said that the retail therapy definitely helps boost mood from any depression or disposition. Actually, women just need a reason to shop! And when it comes to Street Shopping In Mumbai, Delhi or Kolkata, no other therapy can do the same as these places. Shopping is definitely fun, but it becomes even more interesting when it comes cheaper. That’s where the most enjoyable “street shopping” comes into the picture. It would be quite unfair if I only keep writing about designer collections, luxury labels, some hit or miss fashion tips which may or may not have helped all my readers to get fashionable, practically. Hence, I have decided to help you shop

smart and look stunning in a very interesting way. So let’s start with the most favourite – Shopping in Mumbai.

GETTING STARTED WITH SHOPPING PLACES IN MUMBAI While it’s of no surprise that woman and shopping go hand in hand, so does Mumbai street shopping. Let us just focus on one city per post, to help you easily go on a complete shopping spree whenever you visit Mumbai or any other city. A visit to Mumbai is incomplete without shopping. Be it luxury or thrifty, you just can’t escape from this kind of mania. Street shopping, being the best part of a gal’s buying experience, let’s just focus on this. While you have plenty branded stores, including Louis Vuitton, Burberry and plenty more, street shopping in Mumbai is the most cheapest, fun, entertaining, and everything you could think of. The streets are flooded with vendors bringing their collection at wholesale prices from manufacturing units and are sold at throwaway prices. Although the prices may already seem reasonable, shopping here requires you to bargain and get it at even better prices.

Street shopping is a gambling, you either win or you don’t!

The street markets in Mumbai are some of the best spots to look for export rejects. No need to slip on thin ice with the term “export rejects”, because there are some fashionista’s who take this as a blessing. From branded haute couture to dirt-cheap seasonal wonders, Byzantine jewelry and elegant antiques to fashionable dresses and tawdry gifts, Mumbai’s shopping arcades such as Fashion Street or Linking Road, Bandra are a shopper’s paradise. Where To Shop In Mumbai 

Hill Road, Bandra

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Linking Road, Bandra

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Fashion Street, Colaba

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Colaba Causeway

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Mangaldas market

The Shopping Scenario The Linking road streets in Bandra are always bustling with energy. Hordes of shoppers, especially teenage girls and young ladies are found looking for perfect pairs of shoes, trying to find matching dupattas or even a quirky anklets and other accessories amongst an array of outlets selling everything from corporate fashion to a cocktail ring. Fashion is absolutely high here with prices dramatically low.

Fashionlady’s Tour To Mumbai Fashionlady’s correspondents took a street shopping tour around the bustling flea markets of this city to find out almost everything is available under 500 bucks.

Make sure you utilize every possible moment and try to look at as many shops as possible to find the most beautiful stuff that would accentuate your personality. You will never run out of shopping places in Mumbai. As it is truly said, “Whoever said money can’t buy happiness didn’t know where to shop.”

Places in Mumbai for street shopping 1. Fashion Street

Fashion Street is one of the most widespread shopping destinations in Mumbai. With over a varied array of 150 shops, Fashion Street promises the ardent shopper a lot more junk and knick-knacks than any large mall or fashionable stores can offer. Located opposite the VSNL office building on M.G. Road, the street is famous for the latest and the trendiest clothing lines in Mumbai. Even designer brands are available here at off-the-cuff prices. A variety of denims, shirts, accessories, hats, footwear and minirestaurants can be found on this street. Export quality garments in a variety of sizes are unceremoniously dumped in petty shops that attract tourists all the more. The muddle of color, combined with the aroma of delicious street food and unbelievable fashion is what sets this market

apart. If you want to enjoy street side shopping in Mumbai, then there is nothing better than heading out to Fashion Street that promises a plethora of clothing and accessories and off-the-cuff prices. If you are a smart buyer and you know how to bargain, then Fashion Street might just be your 'Shangri-La'. Read on for more information. Latest trends, a variety of clothes and the delicious aroma of street food is what Fashion Street in Mumbai is all about. One of the favourite shopping hubs for the people of Mumbai, especially the students, the place offers some of the trendiest and latest fashion clothes. An array of about 150 shops which sell an inconceivable assortment of accessories and clothing makes Fashion Street a paradise for a shopaholic. With a myriad variety of clothes, junk and bric-a-brac than any other corresponding shopping place, Fashion Street is a mind-boggling experience. You can even find the designer brands available here at a slashed price. Export quality garments are the highlight of the place attracting tourists as well, being sold at throw away price. Apart from clothes, this place located opposite the VSNL office building on M.G. Road sells a variety of accessories, hats and footwear. If you know how to bargain, this vibrant flea market is just the right kind of a place for you to shop.

What To Expect Once you get into Fashion Street, don't be surprised if you are surrounded by a horde of stomping students and teenagers. A vibrant flea market, Fashion Street is a shopper's Eden. Tourists will often find themselves surrounded by over 100, small shops, where chic, export surplus clothing and fashion accessories are available for offbeat prices. Fashion conscious collegians and enthusiastic shoppers are almost always enthralled by the collection of readymade garments and trinkets available here. From traditional dresses to colorful bangles and state-of-the-art gadgets, Fashion Street is more than just a regular market. Jewelery can also be found

abundantly here. Be prepared for the wariness of shopkeepers who quote higher-prices to people who are visibly new to the place. Use your intuition and shopping knowledge and bargain! If you are good at bargaining, then you might be able to get yourself some really good deals at inexpensive rates.

What to Buy at Fashion Street Although there is no dearth of items you can buy from Fashion Street, you should definitely check out a few of the essentials. Clothing, readymade garments, Accessories such as jewellery, hats, sunglasses, watches, bangles, earrings, and bracelets, gadgets and electronics, ethnic wear, sportswear and footwear sell like hotcakes here. Jeans, track pants, capris, shirts, skirts, tops, nightwear and toddler's clothes are available here as well. Sizes varying from XS to XXL are quite easily available which makes your shopping experience a lot easier. What's more, you can also placate the foodie in you with delicious food and snacks that are readily available here.

Architecture of Fashion Street Most of the shops are dilapidated buildings with a slight hint of Gothic architecture. One of the oldest markets in Mumbai, the place is a cluster of about 100 - 150 shops set in two rows with the feel of a flea market. However, keeping this market's popuarity in mind, a revamp is on the government's charts as well.

Best time to visit Fashion Street The best time to visit the Fashion Street is between 12:00 PM to 4:30 PM when the street is less crowded.

2. Linking Road

Linking Road was one of the first arterial roads "linking" the far-flung suburbs of Bandra and Juhu during the 1940s. The oldest name of the road was Dadabhai Navroji Road. Linking Road and Hill Road were two of the main shopping hubs in the suburbs of Mumbai. Over the years this shopping hub has stretched beyond its original length. The road starts from S.V Road in Bandra and continues to Khar, and extends beyond this towards Santacruz and Juhu in the north of the city. R.D National College is situated on Linking Road. It is a shopping hub for every pocket size with everything from street stalls selling products for a bargain to niche stores and boutiques for specialized products to high end international brands. Over past decade linking road has gained popularity because its night life. Trendy Bandra, in Mumbai's western suburbs, is a well known shopping haven. Locals flock to Linking Road to spend their cash on the latest clothes and

accessories. It's a fusion of modern and traditional, and East meets West, where streets stalls contrast with brand name shops. Stalls are grouped according to the goods they sell. Entering from Bandra Station, you'll find traditional Indian garb first, followed by shoes, bags, accessories and then branded wear. Old meets new in this bustling arterial road where traditional food stands sit alongside fast food giants and racks of handmade sandals contrast with shiny new lines by Adidas and Nike. While you'll be lucky to get a discount at established stores, bargain hard at the street stalls - feign indifference if you really want something and never pay more than half the asking price. Don't give up: lazy bargaining only drives prices up. Plenty of bags, belts, shoes, traditional attire and western garb can be found along the main 200-metre stretch of Linking Road. Quality is dubious, but for gifts and throwaway fashion, this is where it's at.

Where to Shop The street stalls tend to be grouped together according to the type of goods they sell. You'll come across Indian traditional clothes first, followed by shoes, then bags and belts. Further along Linking Road is the territory of the brand name stores. The sheer variety of merchandise and styles on offer can be bewildering. Therefore, it's recommended that you first take a good look around before buying anything.

What to Keep in Mind It's a busy area. Expect crowds and chaos as stall holders compete for shoppers, and shoppers compete for discounted items. Bargain hard. As a rule, don't pay any more than half the quoted price, and its often possible pay less than this. The best method is to feign indifference about your desire for the item and even walk away if necessary. In most cases this will result in an immediate drop in the asking price.

3. Hill Road

Bandra is one of Mumbai’s popular and posh localities. One of the major attractions that makes Bandra popular is the Hill Road Shopping Market. This shopping market is similar to the Janpath and Sarojini Nagar street shopping markets in Delhi. Hill Road in Mumbai is a shopper’s delight. Located in Bandra, the place is full of life and ever bustling with moving sellers and excited buyers. The vendors of the shops line up the footpath in the area to sell a variety of accessories and apparels. Hill Road dons a different picture altogether during the end of the year. That is the time, when it is more apt to visit the place to shop your favorite items as you get exciting deals and offers. If you are a crazy shopaholic and love to rove around the colorful markets to buy the latest in apparels, footwears, fashionable items etc., then Hill Road is definitely a place that you should visit.

Hill Road (officially renamed as Ramdas Nayak Road) is an arterial road in Bandra.It stretches from the Bandra Railway Station road and S.V(Swami Vivekanand) Road to the Mehboob Studios, leading to the Bandstand Promenade, the Bandra Fort & the Mount Mary church. There are hardware shops and few small restaurants as you enter Hill road. Lucky restaurant known for its biryani and Happy Book Store are important landmarks. Starting from the Marks and Spencer store building to the St. Peter’s Church are some of the best shops on Hill Road. Hill Road can be divided into three prominent areas, namely, the Sona Shopping Centre, the Elco Market, and the standalone shops.

Sona Shopping Centre The Sona Shopping Centre has readymade garment shops and tailoring establishments. Shops in the back lane stock tunics and casual wear dresses that are primarily export rejects.

Elco Arcade The Elco Arcade Center has ethnic wear shops. They have restaurants and food stalls in between the shopping markets and these are always crowded. The area is famous for its paani puri and chaat shops. Like any other street market, Hill Road reflects the local culture of Mumbai and its people. What to expect in the Hill Road Shopping Market – International retail stores, mini shopping markets and tiny street shops. All shops, markets and street vendors sell readymade garments for both formal and casual wear, fancy party dresses, imitation jewellery and footwear at very reasonable prices.

How to shop in Hill Road Bargaining is allowed in many shops. No trial room is available in several of the shops. So know your sizes before you go shopping. Check the refund policy before you buy. There is no exchange or refund policy in many shops.

4. Colaba causeway

Colaba Causeway, officially known as Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, is a commercial street,[1] and a major causeway or land link between Colaba and the Old Woman's Island in the city of Mumbai, India. It lies close to the Fort area, and to the east of Cuffe Parade, an upmarket neighbourhood in South Mumbai, and close by are Mumbai's famous landmarks, the Gateway of India and Taj Mahal Palace & Tower.Causeway,as it is known to the locals, was constructed by the British East India Company, during the tenure of Sir Robert Grant (1779–1838) as the governor of Bombay (1835–1838), and its construction completed in 1838, which used the Old Woman's Island as a part of it; with this the last two islands of Colaba and Old Woman's Island (out of the Seven islands of Bombay), which were first taken in 1675, got connected with the mainland of Bombay. Until 1839, Colaba was accessible only during the low tide, though soon it saw rapid development in the area, especially after the construction the Cotton Exchange at Cotton Green in 1844. The Causeway was later further widened in 1861 and 1863.

Visiting the area around Colaba Causeway requires that you take the day off to do it. Right from morning until late evening, you will find a bunch of activities around the area. Colaba Causeway is close to the Gateway of India, a popular tourist spot in Mumbai where you can just hang around. You will never know how minutes become hours here as you watch the crowds swell during vacations and weekends. Come rain or shine, you will always find people here coming to catch a glimpse of the sea. Besides, there are also ferry rides available if the sea isn’t too choppy and the weather is calm. Shopping is the first and foremost reason to visit Colaba Causeway. The street greets you with stall-after-stalls of stockpiled things. While stuff like shawls, tshirts with popular superheroes, slogans and logos, bags, bangles, earrings, hair accessories, sunglasses, amusing toys, useful domestic items and decorative pieces are found on the road at steal-worthy prices; there are exquisite galleries, boutiques and outlets also to lend you a taste of some fine and sophisticated shopping. There is Le Mill for posh designer wear, Good Earth for offbeat home décor and apparels with a rustic feel and for unique costume jewellery, there is Curio Cottage. There is also a lovely trinket shop Parvati Villa, beach fashion store Oak Tree and souvenir shop - The Bombay Store. If you are an impulsive shopper, you need someone to keep an eye on you. The very paradise of a shopaholic, Colaba Causeway literally sells everything you can think of buying.

5. Mangaldas market

Mangal das market is every fabric lover’s heaven, once here you are bound to fall in love with the colours and vast variety of styles available in Indian wear. Situated near Crawford market, this place is always abuzz with people in hunt of the most stylish ethnic wear at affordable prices. So Mangaldas market! Quite the adventure to go there on your lonesome self. “Hi mam”, “Eek minute mam”, “Mam, what you need?”, “Mam please look”, mam, mam, mam. You feel about 20 years older after a good 5 minutes and start to develop a slight headache. It actually becomes fun when you start to imagine everyone saying these words on a Bollywood tune with the appropriate amount of dancing involved. But this market is not about the vendors, it’s about what they sell. As lonely planet puts it “Mangaldas Market, traditionally home to traders from Gujarat, is a great place to browse for Indian textiles and traditional clothes, such as duppatas (the long scarfs atop the salwar kameez .)” This description is pretty

useless for everyone who has never set foot in India so I’ll try and provide you with some Indian culture! Gujarat is one of the famous Indian dry states. (Read where they are NEVER EVER alowed to drink alcohol, but end up drinking a lot!) It is located right above Maharastra, of which Mumbai is the capital, following the Indian coastline. A duppata is a long scarf that is essential to a traditional Indian outfit and according to lonely planet and wikipedia it is often worn with the salwar kameez. This intimidating notion is a combination of a dress with a pair of trousers/leggings. I hope this is true and that none of my Indian friends will come and lecture me on traditional Indian wear afterwards. They might even tempt me to try on one of these gorgeous outfits that scare and intrigue me at the same time. So I arrived at Mangaldas Market on a Thursday morning. I already know my way around the area so I walked right into this labyrinth that is called a fabric market. I can always walk in and out but can never orient myself once I’ve entered so by walking around for an hour or two I make sure I see everything once, or twice, or thrice?

Brand vs unbrand

As without words, language doesn’t exist Without clothes life doesn’t too. Unfortunately, I am wondering wrong, in the real world, in various places, it does. Yes, In fact, we commonly see people roaming on roads barefoot, naked in search of ‘Roti’, ‘Kapda’, and ‘Makaan’. Keeping in the mind the pictures of these people, how can one forget that clothes are very essential part of everyone’s life? Brand! Does it really matter? Indeed it does. A friend of mine once expressed his wish of buying ‘Branded’ clothes to me, to which I asked him to explain me the reason for desiring that. “Branded clothes increase yourstandard in the society”– He answered. That was disgusting to me as I don’t believe in the philosophy of becoming more standardized just because of the “’TAG” of extravagance. His answer added a thought in my consciousness which, up to some extent, altered my perception of looking at people and I later I dived into profound astonishment when I discovered that “Yes” it’s a fact that

“NAME” mattA brand, even if it is not beautiful, makes you look adorable. In my opinion, it is like putting a fake mask on face. Your clothes construct your image in the mind of others. And, of course, the better the brand is, the better you influence people. It corrupts one’s mentality in such a fashion that before questioning anything that can also be asked about clothes, or before appreciating the colour, print, style of the clothes s/he asks for the brand as if that is the ground to judge person’s character. It’d be really good if we start to love people and not their obAs we all know that the world is full of competitions. Competitions in academics, career, etcetera. I feel that brand is, in one way or the other, introducing another competition of being branded. Folks leave no stone unturned to grab the best brand. No doubt that teenagers and college Students are mostly attracted by their alluring advertisements, exaggerated and renowned popularity these brands have earned. Boys and girls wish to show themselves superior to each other in many things, clothing is one among those. A person’s clothes should be branded and fashionable, that’s the only thing which makes him so called “MAN”.

Being in the world as like everyone I am also surrounded by “Tags” or say human bodies having a big brand name pasted on them from toe to head. A person can also be multi-branded. For instance, when a person fits himself or herself into different outfits of different brands, and there is no doubt that that make him or her feel at the top of the world.

I really don’t have any problem with people wearing branded clothes, but I really hate when the discrimination in perceptions occurs. Persons with a brand tag are considered to be standardized while one with no name or not a brand name on his /her outfit considered to be of lower class, poor, illiterate, uncivilized, etc. Is this civilization or literacy? – I thought.When the point of clothing and brand comes to my mind, I think of those who can’t keep themselves away from being stripped. I don’t say to boycott Brand but just to stop showing off and judging other people for their clothes. It’s completely fine when someone wears branded and expensive clothes, but the way of looking should be changed. A person in local clothes should be considered to be equal to the one who is living the life in opulence.

Think once before you show

Yourself to be superior.

Does really your heart glow

By making others inferior?

If you have ever watched any football match, you will just observe that their jerseys bear a unique logo on the top left (most times it’s ADIDAS or NIKE!). These jerseys are called branded clothes. You would have observed some have a particular logo which distinguishes them from the others while some are just plain or don’t have any unique symbol to strike the difference. Those ones without any unique symbol are grouped as non branded clothes. You can tell the difference between branded and non branded items by sight or by touching them. There is a quality difference, design difference and of course price difference.

The branded clothes are more expensive when compared to the non branded clothes, this is because of their level of quality both in the material used, the processes and finishes, packaging and others. 

Price: As we all know there is a lot different in a price between a branded and non-branded. Most of the time you can purchase the first copy of the original brand at 1/3 price of the actual brand.

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Quality: You can be assured of the quality of the branded clothes and can rely on, whereas non branded clothes do not work on quality as their aim is to deliver cheap clothes in the market.

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Testing and Research: Brands not only provide quality, they research on every single detail to make it comfortable and attractive also they test the fabric on different parameters for long-lasting use whereas non -branded clothes are not the results of any research nor undergone with any tests.

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Return and Exchange Policy: No return or exchange policy is provided for nonbranded whereas in branded clothing you can exchange or return any cloth if it has a defect or some are worn-out. When it makes sense to buy the brand Whether branded or non-branded, all serve the basic purpose to cover our body but oftentimes we go for more, that is;



When quality is very vital (avoiding disappointment).

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To look unique. Did you know that buying brand helps us save money? Good! Now you know. Brand helps us get value; it is true branded products are more expensive still they reflect that value. You buy them and they last longer, and are durable. But for non-branded you are not sure of getting such value, you may buy and re-buy or repair within a short range of time and that continues, creating unnecessary expenses.

RESEARCH AND METHDOLOGY Primary data was collected through observation, questionnaire and surveys. Filling up of questionnaire, survey was done online. The data is selected as a major primary data collection method, since the aim of the research is to study consumer behavior towards apparel in uncategorized segment.

Data analysis and interpretation 1. Do you wear unbranded clothes?

YES (80%) NO (20%)

Interpretation According to the survey, majority of the people wear unbranded clothes i.e. (80%) of the people are more likely to choose unbranded clothes over branded clothes. When asked, some of them said that they really enjoy street shopping and strolling through the local markets. And unbranded apparels are actually pocket friendly. The other (20%) of the respondents said that branded clothes lasts long and it’s the quality that matters to them the most. And but obvious, it’s the affordability and status.

2.Do you like street shopping?

YES (81%) NO (19%)

Interpretation – When asked respondents about the street shopping, (81%) of the people like street shopping. They said it is actually fun to visit different places and explore, to showcase your communication skills through bargaining. The other thing is, one can buy a variety of clothes, jewelry, shoes, etc. It’s the market that has everything to offer from head to toe. One can get all sorts of stuffs for all sorts of age group for all sort of price range. So make a wise decision. There are chances you might get good stuff for a cheaper rate. The other (19%) of the respondent are not likely to indulge in street shopping its because some of them finds it chaotic and crowded. And some like it to wear as symbol of status and comfortability.

3.How often do you shop from street or local shops?

ALWAYS (16%) OCCASIONALLY (26%) SOMETIMES (43%) RARELY (10%) NEVER (6%)

Interpretation – According to the survey, we found out that (16%) of the people always shops from streets or local shops. Some of them are shopping freaks, who likes to shop every now and then. And they prefer to buy their clothes from local shops. (26%) of the people occasionally shops, when asked they said they like to shop from different platforms such as online ,malls, etc. (42%) of the people shops sometimes. Rest (16%) of the people rarely or never shops from the local streets or shops, as they buy their stuffs preferably from malls or are likely to order online.

4. Do you easily find the clothes you were looking for?

YES (26%) NO (35%) MAYBE (39%)

Interpretation – According to the survey and research we got to know that (26%) of the people find the clothes they were looking for, some of them said they easily find the casuals, joggers, treks, etc. and they buy clothes for daily wear or a small gathering. (35%) of them said they don’t find the clothes according to their preference ,one of the reason is some of them are really choosy when it comes to fashion.

5.Are you satisfied with the quality provided?

ALWAYS (23%) SOMETIMES (72%) RARELY (5%)

Interpretation – From this research, we found out that (23%) of the people are always satisfied with the quality provided, as they buy apparels from the trusted shops or seller whom they have visited number of times. Getting clothes of good quality is one of the main reasons why customers are satisfied. The other (72%) of people are sometimes satisfied with the quality. When asked they said, fabrics are sometimes not of good quality and that makes less interested in buying from street. The others i.e. (5%) rarely shops from locals.

6. How often do you bargain?

ALWAYS (38%) SOMETIMES (37%) RARELY (19%) NEVER (8%)

Interpretation – Street shopping or shopping from locals has always been fun for bargaining. Majority of people i.e. (38%) of the respondents always bargains and its actually more about fun when the shoppers can enjoy the real fun of bargaining with the shopkeepers. And its best when you can showcase your communication skills. And for an instance it’s a win situation when shopkeeper agrees to the price you just demanded. The other respondents, rarely or never actually bargain, some of them said they really have weak communication skills when it comes to barginning.

7. Street shopping is fun.

STRONGLY AGREE (24%) AGREE (44%) NEUTRAL (29%) DISAGREE (2%) STRONGLY DISAGREE (2%)

Interpretation – Who doesn’t loves street shopping. (44%) people agrees to the statement. Street shopping is one word that brings smile on everyone’s face. It is all about the independent shops where shoppers can find unique and innovative stuffs. The stuff found at street shops is not expensive. They offer the affordable product range that can be bought by all classes and it is more about roaming carelessly having a drink or coffee and enjoying.The other sets of people disagree to the statement because they don’t like crowded and chaotic places. They just go with the motive of buying clothes and nothing else.

8. Are you influenced by someone?

FRIENDS (60%) RELATIVES (16%) SOCIAL MEDIA (27%) OTHERS (15%)

Interpretation – Friends play a major role in the life. Many a times, we get used to certain things just because of our friends. Shopping has also been the same. After conducting the survey, we found that majority of the people are influenced by their friends. According to the survey, (60%) of the people are influenced by friends for shopping from streets or locals. Cause its actually fun when you are out with your friends for shopping. The other respondents (16%) are influenced by relatives. As said cousins are second best friends, its always fun to shop around with them. Social media also plays a important role in lives. (27%) of the people are actually influenced by it. When asked they said, nowadays bloggers are the main reason behind it. They tend to upload videos on youtube, instagram, facebook, etc. and that makes them to visit streets for shopping.

9.How likely are you to recommend street shopping over online shopping?

35%

30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 1

2

3

4

5

Interpretation – According to the survey, (33%) of the people are likely to recommend street shopping. They responded that street shopping is actually fun. We can see the clothes quality and choose from different varieties of stuffs. Whereas, we can even try clothes in some shops and choose accordingly. Street shopping is perfect for girls when you can bargain and buy a product at a cheap price. We can find cool stuffs other than apparels. Some people prefer online shopping over street shopping its because to avoid communication and chaos.

10.Rate according to your preference. Which place do you prefer the most? 

Fashion street

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Linking road

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Hill road

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Colaba causeway

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Mangaldas market According to the survey, it was found that most of the people visit fashion street, linking road, hill road, colaba causeway for western clothes such as poncho, kimono, ripped jeans, etc Fashion street is one of the biggest shopping destination with over 150 shops on the street. This is the typically vibrant flea market filled with people all the time, it is more than just a regular market. Linking road is a heaven for shoppers with every kind of budget, ranging from bargain worthy street shops to niche fashion shops. Hill road is a long stretch of road. It has almost every type of fashionable clothes one can think of. The everyday carnival of the colaba causeway market is a shopping experience like no other in Mumbai. Geared especially towards tourists, that infamous Indian saying of “sab kuch milega” certainly applies to each and every market in Mumbai. If you’re after cloth by the meter or un-stitched dress material to make Indian outfits, Mangaldas Market is where one should head. Sprawling wholesale market is among the largest textile markets in Asia. Rows and rows of stalls are filled to the brim with a diverse assortment of fabrics, from bling to block prints.

11. Any suggestions/experiences regarding street shopping? This is a personal response question, so the different responses received are as follows : 

For some, street shopping is actual fun.

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It is always satisfactory and unbranded clothes are cheaper and affordable as compared to branded clothes.

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For some, comfort is important. Just prefer simple and beautiful.

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You can find various and latest trendy types of clothes but disadvantage is that sometimes they don’t last long.

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And main advantage of shopping is you can bargain.

Annexure “Study of consumer behavior towards apparel in uncategorized segment’ K. J. Somaiya college of Arts and CommerceTYBMS Name – ___________________________________ Age – _____________________________________ Gender : Male ( ) Female ( ) Occupation – ______________________________ 1. Do you wear unbranded clothes? Yes ( ) No ( ) 2. Do you like street shopping? Yes ( ) No ( ) 3. How often do you shop from streets or local shops? Always ( ) Occasionally ( ) Sometimes ( ) Rarely ( ) Never ( )

4. Do you easily find the clothes you were looking for? Yes ( ) No ( ) Maybe ( ) 5. Is it easy to find the clothes of your size? Yes ( ) No ( ) 6. Are you satisfied with the quality provided? Always ( ) Sometimes ( ) Rarely ( ) Never ( ) 7. How often do you bargain? Always ( ) Sometimes ( ) Rarely ( ) Never ( )

8. Street shopping is fun. Strongly agree ( ) Agree ( ) Neutral ( ) Disagree ( ) Strongly disagree ( ) 9. It caters for everyone’s need. Strongly agree ( ) Agree ( ) Neutral ( ) Disagree ( ) Strongly disagree ( ) 10. Are you influenced by someone? Friends ( ) Relatives ( ) Social media ( ) Others ( ) 11. How likely are you to recommend street shopping over online shopping?

12. Rate according to the preference where 1st being the least place visited by you and 5th being the most place visited by you. 1

2

3

4

5

Fashion street Colaba causeway Linking road Hill road Mangaldas market

13. Any suggestion/experiences regarding street shopping? _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

Recommendations 1. The Golden rule DO NOT SHOW EXCITEMENT on ANYTHING, mind you, ANYTHING you like! Pretend it is just another pair of shirt you want to buy. If you show your love towards the shirt, the shopkeeper wouldn’t bargain a penny beyond.

2. Bargain Start from Rs. 100 (whatever the product may be), then gradually increase the price agreeing on the price you thought you would pay. (Max 300 should be the budget)

3. Stick to your word Keep your Budget final and stick to it. If you’ve come with Rs.2000 to shop – Assume you’ve only got Rs. 1000 (Saving Money brings in glee, isn’t it?)

4. Export rejects

Look for loop ‘holes’ in the product. It’s a known fact that the products in the market are usually export rejects! Pick up a lesser flawed piece.

5. Keep Calm If the first shopkeeper did not bargain enough, the next will . Move on ! All of them sell almost similar products

6. Befriend the shopkeeper They not only give you the best bargain, but also text you when something new comes in the store – (The newest trend includes images of the new products sent to you on Whatsapp!!! What else do you want? )

7. What to carry? Carry your own Large shopping bag (avoid polythene bags – these bags usually tear and your stuffs might just fall off without you noticing. “Worst feeling!”)

8. Only before 3.00 PM Enter the market only after 1.30 PM (anytime before, would be a waste – Perfect time would be 3.00! That’s the time you’ll find people selling chic products on the street). If you love shopping in peace, avoid evenings! It’s a chaos then! Moreover, all products are already sold by the time it’s 6.00 PM.

INSIDE SCOOPS 1. Tell the shopkeeper, you buy from him every time . He feels Popular and may offer a good bargain – “Mein aapse hi leti hu humesha, Thoda toh price kam karo!” 2. Avoid addressing them as Bhaiya (brother) or Uncle – Nothing annoys them more.

3. Do not travel in a car, walk your way through the shopping street(Remember, show it to the seller that you are shopping on a tight budget, If the shopkeepers see you getting off a car they wouldn’t bargain AT ALL)

4. If the shopkeeper isn't dropping the price enough, walk away. Usually this will result in an immediate reduction in the asking price. If it doesn't, it's an indication that your price is too low. You can either go back and keep negotiating, or try and find the item cheaper somewhere else.

5. Don't be too petty by haggling over small amounts. A few rupees is probably worth more to an Indian shopkeeper than to you.

6.Lastly, keep in mind that bargaining is meant to be fun. Do it with a smile! In addition, using some of the local language may fetch you a better deal, as well as break the ice.

Spotting a Good Buy! 

Needless to say but I’ll say it anyway- Keep your eyes open at all times it will not only help you spot something you like from a street vendor, but also prevent you from stepping into a puddle, man-hole, rubbish or a land mine left by a cow on Mumbai’s Streets.

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Spotting the real from the fakes, yes there are ‘reals’ out there! Many of the vendors sell export surplus stocks of real brands or defective stock of the brands. But Beware- There are fakes too. Examine the logo carefully and look closely at the writing if any. Usually it’s just the shabbily copied logo that gives it away but the easier to miss signs are the simple spelling mistakes on the box or label.

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Look for irregularities and defects. Sometimes it’s pretty minor like in clothing a crooked stitch or a small stain that can be washed, but other times you have to watch out for things like a t-shirt that looks ok but when you try it on at home one sleeve is noticeably shorter than the other or too narrower to put your arms through. Holes in garments, stitching come loose, odd smells (yes…odd smells), cracks, runny dyes, glued products and so on are things to look out for.

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