1. CONSUMERS AWARENESS OF THE RETAIL PHARMACEUTICALS
IN TIRUNELVELI DISTRICT
Dr. C. PARAMASIVAN
Assistant Professor & Research Supervisor,
P. MARI SELVAM
Ph.D (F.T) Research Scholar,
Department of Commerce, Periyar EVR College,
Tiruchirappalli 620 023. Tamilnadu.
Email: pmariselvam1986@gmail.com Cell: 99760 37879
ABSTRACT
______________________________________________________________________________
The “consumers awareness about the retail pharmaceuticals”, convey the following
information as the gist. Customer behavior is the major influencing factor in the purchasing
pattern of pharmaceutical products. The customers have spent the sizable amount of medical
expenditure. This article focused on consumers awareness of the retail pharmaceuticals in
Tirunelveli district.
____________________________________________________________________________
Key words: Consumer Awareness , problems, Pharmaceutical products, Industry
Introduction
The Indian pharmaceutical industry is highly fragmented there are now more than 20,000
domestic manufactures of end-use pharmaceuticals, particularly because of the industry’s low
capital requirement and the lack of product patents. Only about 300 of these are in the organized
sector. This structure causes intense competition, especially in the bulk drug markets, with
profitability falling as demand expands. For value purposes, drugs in India are generally
classified into two categories – bulk drugs and formulations. Due to India’s low overhead costs,
bulk drugs comprise the largest sector in the country’s pharmaceutical market. India’s bulk drug
sector also makes up about 6% of the international bulk drug market. Drug intermediates are
used as raw materials for the production of bulk drugs, which are either sold directly or retained
by companies for the production of formulations. Formulations can be subdivided into generic
drugs and branded or “ethical” drugs, the latter of which are made under process patent and sold

2. under a separate brand name. Expected short-term growth for the two types of drugs has been
20% for bulk drugs and 15% for formulations.
Statement of the Problem
The “consumers awareness about the retail pharmaceuticals”, convey the following
information as the gist. Customer behavior is the major influencing factor in the purchasing
pattern of pharmaceutical products. The customers have spent the sizable amount of medical
expenditure. They are using the disease wise allopahty medicines like fever and cold cough,
stomach pain and heat-diseases. Most of the customers purchase medicines on the basis of the
doctor’s prescriptions are not used. They purchase medicines mostly in regular shops in the oral
speech to collect medicine.
For a pharmaceutical retailer, it is very difficult to retain the
potential buyers. Because, the buyers are scattered according to their convenience of purchasing.
In order to keep possession of their sales volume, the retailer has to face a stiff competition in the
pharmaceutical sector.
Objective of the study
The main objective of the study, to identify the consumer awareness
to the retail
marketing of pharmaceutical products.
Methodology
This study is an empirical one. The data and other information required for the study
were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were collected from the
retailers directly, using a structured interview schedule and the secondary data were collected
from various sources of books, journal, articles, magazines and related web sites information
from retailers other information pertinent to the study has been collected by means of interviews
and discussions with the government officials and Pharmaceutical industries. The Primary data
were collected from the wholesale, retail pharmaceuticals and consumer in Tirunelveli district
through interview schedules. The secondary data were collected from encyclopedia, retail
pharmaceutical merchants. Association reports, and standard books.
Scope of the Study
The present study covers Tirunelveli district. For the purpose of study, the areas are
divided in to rural, semi urban and urban areas. The researcher has interested to study consumer
awareness of the retail pharmaceutical products. Regarding marketing of pharmaceutical
products, the marketing mix namely 4P’s like Product, Price, Place and Promotion have been

3. covered. Its main objective is to create a professional standard and ethical code of conduct.
Further its aim is to increase the market share by influencing prescriber behavior, increasing
script yield and ensuring formulary acceptance.
Profile of Consumers Awareness
Profile
Sex wise
classification of
respondents
Educational
Qualification
Occupation of the
respondents
Types of disease
wise allopathy
medicines
Way of purchasing
Medicines
Preference of Retail
shops
Opinion about price
in regular shop
Mode of purchase
Source : Primary data
Particulars
Male
Female
Total
Primary school level
High School level
Undergraduate
Post Graduate
Diploma
Total
Businessmen
Professionalist
Employee
House wife
Student
Total
Fever and cold cough
Stomach pain and wounds
Diahorrea
Heart & specified diseases
Total
Prescribed by doctors
Prescribed by retailers
Own induce
Total
Dispensaries
Convenient shop
Regular shop
Total
High
Low
Reasonable
Total
Cash
Credit
Both
Total
No. of Respondent
72
48
Percentage
60.00
40.00
120
32
30
40
10
8
120
15
8
37
25
35
120
60
40
13
7
120
76
29
15
120
42
24
54
120
16
15
89
120
83
20
17
120
100.00
26.67
25.00
33.33
8.33
6.67
100.00
12.50
6.67
30.83
20.83
29.17
100.00
50.00
33.34
10.83
5.83
100.00
63.33
24.17
12.50
100.00
35.00
20.00
45.00
100.00
13.33
12.50
74.17
100.00
69.17
16.67
14.16
100.00

4. It is evident that a majority of respondents belong to male category, their share being
60% of the total respondents. Female occupy only 40% of the total respondents. It is inferred
that majority (60%) of the respondents belong to male category. They are the dominating
category which influence more in buying decision than female category in the study area.
It clear that 33.33% of the respondents have studied up to graduation level 26.67% primary school level; 25% - High school level; 8.33% - post graduates and the remaining 6.67%
of them are diploma holders. It is inferred that majority of the respondents (33.33%) are
graduates. It accounts for 1/3 of the total respondents.
It shows that all the respondents are
basically educated.
It is understood that 30.84% of the informants are employees; 29.17% - House wife;
12.5% - Businessmen and the remaining 6.67% of the respondents are Professionalist.
It is
observed that the retail pharmaceuticals have in fold the different categories of to customers and
a majority of them belongs to the categories of employees (30.83%) and students (29.17%).
It is clear the fact that all the respondents are purchased disease wise allopathy medicines.
It is found that 50% of them are purchasing the allopathy medicines for fever, cold, cough and
head ache; 33-34% are for stomach pain wounds, cuts and burns; 10.83% - for diahorrea and the
remaining 5.83% of them are purchasing the medicines for specified diseases, like heart, ulzar,
kidney stone and the like.
It is focused that 63.33% of the respondents are found to purchase drugs on the
prescription of doctor’s; 24.17% - prescribed by retailers and the remaining 12.50% of the
informants purchase medicines by means of own inducement.
It reveals the fact that 45% if the respondents are purchasing drugs from their regular
shops 35% retail shops within the dispensaries and the remaining 20% of them are purchasing
drugs in any shops.
It clear that 74.17% of the respondents have opined that the price fixed by the retailers of
the regular shops is reasonable; 13.33% said that it is – high and the remaining 12.50% of them
have opined that price fixed by the retailers is low. It is inferred that most (74.17%) of the
respondents feel that the price fixed by the retailers for drugs is reasonable.
It reveals that 69.17% of the respondents are interested in cash purchase; 16.67% - credit
purchase and the remaining 14.16% of the respondents are found to prefer both cash and credit

5. purchase. It is inferred that the domination (69.17%) of cash purchase is a healthy trend as for as
the pharmaceutical product is concerned it has been proved with the help of the following
hypothesis.
Hypothesis
The formulated hypothesis is that the modes of purchase medicines do not influence the
price. For 2 degree freedom @ 5% level is 5.99 the calculated value is more than the table value.
Hence the hypothesis is rejected.
Result
The modes of purchase of medicines influence the price.
Findings and Suggestions:
As sex is an important element to make the person purchase, the researcher has taken
sex wise classification for this study. Out of 120 respondents contacted, 72 of the are
males and 48 of them are females.
Educational qualification of the respondents analysis reveals that majority of them
have studied at the graduate level.
The study of occupation of respondents analysis shows that majority (30.83%) of
them are employees followed by 29.17% - students, 20.83% housewives, 12.5% business men and 6.67% - Professionalist.
Way of purchasing medicines analysis narrates that most of them (63.33%) purchase
medicines by means of doctor’s prescription.
An analysis of opinion of about the service of retailers depicts that majority (74.17%)
of the respondents are satisfied with the service rendered by the retailers.
Conclusion
The “Consumers awareness about the retail pharmaceuticals”, convey the following
information as the gist. Customer behavior is the major influencing factor in the purchasing
pattern of pharmaceutical products. The customers have spent the sizable amount of medical
expenditure. They are using the disease wise allopahty medicines like fever and cold cough,
stomach pain and heat-diseases. Most of the customers purchase medicines on the basis of the
doctor’s prescriptions. They purchase medicines mostly in regular shops. The opinion about

6. price fixed by the retailers is reasonable. Most of the customers are purchasing medicines on
cash basis.
References:
1. Gandhi, J. C., Marketing 2001, Tata McGraw Hill Company, New Delhi.
2. Gupta S.P. (2001). Statistical Methods. Sultan Chand & Sons, New Delhi.
3. Kothari C.R. (1998). Research Methods. Wishwa Prakasham, Second Edition.
4. Mamoria, C.B., Marketing Management, 1984, Kitab Maha, Allahabad.
5. Nageswara Rao, D., Indian Journal of marketing, pp2-4.
6. Nageswara Rao, D., Indian Journal of marketing, pp 2-4.
7. Paramasivan C. Research Methodology for Commerce and Management. Regal
Publication, New Delhi.
8. Philip Kotler, Marketing Management, 1999, Prentice Hall of India Private
Limited, New Delhi.
9. Tamil Nadu Chemist, Vol.2, Nov. 2005, p.15-18.
10. Veerappan P.P.L. Tamil Nadu chemist vol.3 June 2002.
11. www.indianfoline.com
12. www.pharmaceutical-manufacturers.com/ pharmaceutical industry
13. www.pharmacutical-manufacturersrs.com /pharmaceutical industry

7. CONSUMERS AWARENESS OF THE RETAIL PHARMACEUTICALS
IN TIRUNELVELI DISTRICT
Dr. C. PARAMASIVAN
Assistant Professor & Research Supervisor,
P. MARI SELVAM
Ph.D (F.T) Research Scholar,
Department of Commerce, Periyar EVR College,
Tiruchirappalli 620 023. Tamilnadu.
Email: pmariselvam1986@gmail.com Cell: 99760 37879
ABSTRACT
______________________________________________________________________________
The “consumers awareness about the retail pharmaceuticals”, convey the following
information as the gist. Customer behavior is the major influencing factor in the purchasing
pattern of pharmaceutical products. The customers have spent the sizable amount of medical
expenditure. This article focused on consumers awareness of the retail pharmaceuticals in
Tirunelveli district.
____________________________________________________________________________
Key words: Consumer Awareness , problems, Pharmaceutical products, Industry
Introduction
The Indian pharmaceutical industry is highly fragmented there are now more than 20,000
domestic manufactures of end-use pharmaceuticals, particularly because of the industry’s low
capital requirement and the lack of product patents. Only about 300 of these are in the organized
sector. This structure causes intense competition, especially in the bulk drug markets, with
profitability falling as demand expands. For value purposes, drugs in India are generally
classified into two categories – bulk drugs and formulations. Due to India’s low overhead costs,
bulk drugs comprise the largest sector in the country’s pharmaceutical market. India’s bulk drug
sector also makes up about 6% of the international bulk drug market. Drug intermediates are
used as raw materials for the production of bulk drugs, which are either sold directly or retained
by companies for the production of formulations. Formulations can be subdivided into generic
drugs and branded or “ethical” drugs, the latter of which are made under process patent and sold

8. under a separate brand name. Expected short-term growth for the two types of drugs has been
20% for bulk drugs and 15% for formulations.
Statement of the Problem
The “consumers awareness about the retail pharmaceuticals”, convey the following
information as the gist. Customer behavior is the major influencing factor in the purchasing
pattern of pharmaceutical products. The customers have spent the sizable amount of medical
expenditure. They are using the disease wise allopahty medicines like fever and cold cough,
stomach pain and heat-diseases. Most of the customers purchase medicines on the basis of the
doctor’s prescriptions are not used. They purchase medicines mostly in regular shops in the oral
speech to collect medicine.
For a pharmaceutical retailer, it is very difficult to retain the
potential buyers. Because, the buyers are scattered according to their convenience of purchasing.
In order to keep possession of their sales volume, the retailer has to face a stiff competition in the
pharmaceutical sector.
Objective of the study
The main objective of the study, to identify the consumer awareness
to the retail
marketing of pharmaceutical products.
Methodology
This study is an empirical one. The data and other information required for the study
were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were collected from the
retailers directly, using a structured interview schedule and the secondary data were collected
from various sources of books, journal, articles, magazines and related web sites information
from retailers other information pertinent to the study has been collected by means of interviews
and discussions with the government officials and Pharmaceutical industries. The Primary data
were collected from the wholesale, retail pharmaceuticals and consumer in Tirunelveli district
through interview schedules. The secondary data were collected from encyclopedia, retail
pharmaceutical merchants. Association reports, and standard books.
Scope of the Study
The present study covers Tirunelveli district. For the purpose of study, the areas are
divided in to rural, semi urban and urban areas. The researcher has interested to study consumer
awareness of the retail pharmaceutical products. Regarding marketing of pharmaceutical
products, the marketing mix namely 4P’s like Product, Price, Place and Promotion have been

9. covered. Its main objective is to create a professional standard and ethical code of conduct.
Further its aim is to increase the market share by influencing prescriber behavior, increasing
script yield and ensuring formulary acceptance.
Profile of Consumers Awareness
Profile
Sex wise
classification of
respondents
Educational
Qualification
Occupation of the
respondents
Types of disease
wise allopathy
medicines
Way of purchasing
Medicines
Preference of Retail
shops
Opinion about price
in regular shop
Mode of purchase
Source : Primary data
Particulars
Male
Female
Total
Primary school level
High School level
Undergraduate
Post Graduate
Diploma
Total
Businessmen
Professionalist
Employee
House wife
Student
Total
Fever and cold cough
Stomach pain and wounds
Diahorrea
Heart & specified diseases
Total
Prescribed by doctors
Prescribed by retailers
Own induce
Total
Dispensaries
Convenient shop
Regular shop
Total
High
Low
Reasonable
Total
Cash
Credit
Both
Total
No. of Respondent
72
48
Percentage
60.00
40.00
120
32
30
40
10
8
120
15
8
37
25
35
120
60
40
13
7
120
76
29
15
120
42
24
54
120
16
15
89
120
83
20
17
120
100.00
26.67
25.00
33.33
8.33
6.67
100.00
12.50
6.67
30.83
20.83
29.17
100.00
50.00
33.34
10.83
5.83
100.00
63.33
24.17
12.50
100.00
35.00
20.00
45.00
100.00
13.33
12.50
74.17
100.00
69.17
16.67
14.16
100.00

10. It is evident that a majority of respondents belong to male category, their share being
60% of the total respondents. Female occupy only 40% of the total respondents. It is inferred
that majority (60%) of the respondents belong to male category. They are the dominating
category which influence more in buying decision than female category in the study area.
It clear that 33.33% of the respondents have studied up to graduation level 26.67% primary school level; 25% - High school level; 8.33% - post graduates and the remaining 6.67%
of them are diploma holders. It is inferred that majority of the respondents (33.33%) are
graduates. It accounts for 1/3 of the total respondents.
It shows that all the respondents are
basically educated.
It is understood that 30.84% of the informants are employees; 29.17% - House wife;
12.5% - Businessmen and the remaining 6.67% of the respondents are Professionalist.
It is
observed that the retail pharmaceuticals have in fold the different categories of to customers and
a majority of them belongs to the categories of employees (30.83%) and students (29.17%).
It is clear the fact that all the respondents are purchased disease wise allopathy medicines.
It is found that 50% of them are purchasing the allopathy medicines for fever, cold, cough and
head ache; 33-34% are for stomach pain wounds, cuts and burns; 10.83% - for diahorrea and the
remaining 5.83% of them are purchasing the medicines for specified diseases, like heart, ulzar,
kidney stone and the like.
It is focused that 63.33% of the respondents are found to purchase drugs on the
prescription of doctor’s; 24.17% - prescribed by retailers and the remaining 12.50% of the
informants purchase medicines by means of own inducement.
It reveals the fact that 45% if the respondents are purchasing drugs from their regular
shops 35% retail shops within the dispensaries and the remaining 20% of them are purchasing
drugs in any shops.
It clear that 74.17% of the respondents have opined that the price fixed by the retailers of
the regular shops is reasonable; 13.33% said that it is – high and the remaining 12.50% of them
have opined that price fixed by the retailers is low. It is inferred that most (74.17%) of the
respondents feel that the price fixed by the retailers for drugs is reasonable.
It reveals that 69.17% of the respondents are interested in cash purchase; 16.67% - credit
purchase and the remaining 14.16% of the respondents are found to prefer both cash and credit

11. purchase. It is inferred that the domination (69.17%) of cash purchase is a healthy trend as for as
the pharmaceutical product is concerned it has been proved with the help of the following
hypothesis.
Hypothesis
The formulated hypothesis is that the modes of purchase medicines do not influence the
price. For 2 degree freedom @ 5% level is 5.99 the calculated value is more than the table value.
Hence the hypothesis is rejected.
Result
The modes of purchase of medicines influence the price.
Findings and Suggestions:
As sex is an important element to make the person purchase, the researcher has taken
sex wise classification for this study. Out of 120 respondents contacted, 72 of the are
males and 48 of them are females.
Educational qualification of the respondents analysis reveals that majority of them
have studied at the graduate level.
The study of occupation of respondents analysis shows that majority (30.83%) of
them are employees followed by 29.17% - students, 20.83% housewives, 12.5% business men and 6.67% - Professionalist.
Way of purchasing medicines analysis narrates that most of them (63.33%) purchase
medicines by means of doctor’s prescription.
An analysis of opinion of about the service of retailers depicts that majority (74.17%)
of the respondents are satisfied with the service rendered by the retailers.
Conclusion
The “Consumers awareness about the retail pharmaceuticals”, convey the following
information as the gist. Customer behavior is the major influencing factor in the purchasing
pattern of pharmaceutical products. The customers have spent the sizable amount of medical
expenditure. They are using the disease wise allopahty medicines like fever and cold cough,
stomach pain and heat-diseases. Most of the customers purchase medicines on the basis of the
doctor’s prescriptions. They purchase medicines mostly in regular shops. The opinion about

12. price fixed by the retailers is reasonable. Most of the customers are purchasing medicines on
cash basis.
References:
1. Gandhi, J. C., Marketing 2001, Tata McGraw Hill Company, New Delhi.
2. Gupta S.P. (2001). Statistical Methods. Sultan Chand & Sons, New Delhi.
3. Kothari C.R. (1998). Research Methods. Wishwa Prakasham, Second Edition.
4. Mamoria, C.B., Marketing Management, 1984, Kitab Maha, Allahabad.
5. Nageswara Rao, D., Indian Journal of marketing, pp2-4.
6. Nageswara Rao, D., Indian Journal of marketing, pp 2-4.
7. Paramasivan C. Research Methodology for Commerce and Management. Regal
Publication, New Delhi.
8. Philip Kotler, Marketing Management, 1999, Prentice Hall of India Private
Limited, New Delhi.
9. Tamil Nadu Chemist, Vol.2, Nov. 2005, p.15-18.
10. Veerappan P.P.L. Tamil Nadu chemist vol.3 June 2002.
11. www.indianfoline.com
12. www.pharmaceutical-manufacturers.com/ pharmaceutical industry
13. www.pharmacutical-manufacturersrs.com /pharmaceutical industry