An Investigation into the Elements of Customer Patronage for Khadi Brand: A Study of Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

A study was carried out in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh with 366 randomly collected samples to examine the reason behind the popularity and customer patronage for the Khadi brand. It was found that the khadi branded products gained a strong customer base due to the product quality attributing to simplicity, purity and its roots in Indian values, culture and emotional attachment. Concern for the environment, subjective norms and store propagation were found to have a positive relationship with the customer patronage intention; however, very little evidence was observed regarding the perceived monetary value in attracting customers. Finally, no significant difference in customer patronage was observed across gender, age, education, occupation and income level. The study recommended policy changes focused on the quality of khadi products manufactured and the store owner's rapport with the customers. It directly impacted customer retention, referral behaviour, and overall customer patronage for the brand. Again, keeping the price and quality of the products competitive with the changing market demand can ensure sustainability through increased patronage.