Customer Purchase Behaviour for Lubricants in Indore - Insights from Private Players for Oil Marketing Companies in India

Private or Public Sector: A Catalyst for Social and Economic Revolution, 2013, Excellent Publishing House, New Delhi, pp. 1-5

6 Pages Posted: 6 Jul 2013

See all articles by Rekha Attri

Rekha Attri

Jaipuria Institute of Management Indore; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore

Date Written: July 6, 2013

Abstract

Prior to 1991, the four state-owned oil majors — Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Indo Burma Petroleum (IBP) — together controlled 90% of the lubricant market in volume terms. The remaining 10% was shared by the so-called minor (private) oil companies. Since the time the lubricant market was deregulated in 1992/93, privately owned manufacturers have grabbed 42% of the market from their state owned competitors. There is now a perceptible shift toward higher quality lubricants and noticeable success in selling lubricants through channels outside the traditional petrol pumps, which earlier remained controlled only by the state-owned oil companies. When foreign companies were permitted to begin marketing lubricants, the market scenario has changed a lot and each company has to face tough competition to survive and increase their bottom-line. This study is geared towards understanding the lubricant market in Indore with the help of mechanics in garages and sales personnel at various retail outlets and to study the factors which are affecting the buying behaviour of customers for engine-oil. The research work has been an exploratory research and is totally concentrated in Indore region. It involved gathering primary data from the garage mechanics to understand the customers’ perception about various lubricant brands. The study points towards the need for oil marketing companies to focus on attracting the mechanics which would help them in increasing their market share and give a competition to the private lubricant companies.

Keywords: Lubricant market, Castrol, Shell, HPCL, BPCL, IOCL

Suggested Citation

Attri, Rekha and Attri, Rekha, Customer Purchase Behaviour for Lubricants in Indore - Insights from Private Players for Oil Marketing Companies in India (July 6, 2013). Private or Public Sector: A Catalyst for Social and Economic Revolution, 2013, Excellent Publishing House, New Delhi, pp. 1-5, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2290415

Rekha Attri (Contact Author)

Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore ( email )

101 Sapphire Heights
Opposite C21 Mall, AB Road
Indore, Madhya Pradesh 452008
India
+919993066830 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.jaipuria.ac.in/campuses/jaipuria-indore/faculty/

Jaipuria Institute of Management Indore ( email )

Dakachya
Indore Dewas Highway, Near Shipra Naka
Indore, Madhya Pradesh 452010
India

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