Introduction

Apple,Inc.isanelectronicsandsoftwarecompanybasedin
California,USA.OriginallyknownasAppleComputer,thecompany
isfamiliartomostpeopleasinnovatorsofthepersonalcomputerasit
isknowntoday.AppleComputerhadintroducedmanyofthenow
commonplacefeaturesofpersonalcomputers,includingtheGUI,the
mouse,thefloppydiskdrive,andcolorgraphics.AppleComputer's
MacintoshlineofPC'shadbroughtnumeroussoftwareand
softwarecomponentswithinreachoftheaveragehomeconsumer,
ofteninastylishcaseandwithanemphasisonusability.The
restructuredcompany,nowcalledsimplyApple,designs,markets,and
sellsnotonlypersonalcomputersbutalsoconsumerelectronicsinthe
formofportablemediaplayersandsmartphones.Applealsosells
intangiblegoodsintheformofsoftware,music,andvideo.TheApple
Storechainoperatesover150branchesworldwide,wherethedevices
andsoftwareandsoldandserviced.Imaginestoreslocatedin
BangalorearetheauthorizedresellersofAppleproducts.

ResearchObjective

Thisresearchisintendedtodescribeandanalyzecustomer
PreferenceofImaginestorewhencomparedtoothermultibrand
Outlet(Croma,Sangeethaetc.,)
Agoodknowledgeofcustomerspreferencewhilechoosingan
Outletwhilebuyinganappleproductwouldhelpin
Understandingthereasonsthatshapebuyingdecisionand
Preferences.

Theconclusionswilldealwithcustomerpreferencebetween
ImagineandOtheroutletsandhowcustomersareinfluencedby
brandname,theroleDifferentcomponentofbrandequityand
brandidentityplaysinBrandpreference.

ReviewofLiterature
BrianThomashasmentionedthatbrandawarenessplaysanimportant
roleinconsumerpreferences.MohantyandBhaskerhaveproposeda
differentmethodologytotheconsumersbasedonthedecisionsupport
toolforshopping.Thistoolgenerallycomprisesofmultiplenumberof
attributesoftheproductswhicharegenerallyconflicting,ambiguous
andnoncommensurableinnature.
ArjunChowdhrihasremarkedthatbrandcommitmentisanimportant
determinantinbuyingbehaviorforconsumers.AliNasrEsfahairhas
analyzedthepsychologicalfactorsonconsumersbuyingpreference.
SorenW.Scholzethavestimulatedandexpandedonthesubstantial
discussiononthepreferencemeasurementforcomplexattributes
productswhichareimpreciseinnatureandvaguetopredictwhichis
suitableandwheretousewhichisbasedonpairedcomparisonbased
preferencemeasurement.
Brandpreferenceismeasureofbrandloyaltyinwhichconsumerswill
chooseaparticularbrandinpresenceofcompetingbrandsAlsoitcan
bedefinedthatthedegreetowhichconsumerspreferonebrandover
anotherBrandhasagreatimportanceinthecompetingworld.Allour
factoriesandfacilitiescouldburndowntomorrowbutyoudhardly
touchthevalueofthecompany;allthatactuallyliesinthegoodwillof
ourbrandfranchiseandthecollectiveknowledgeinthecompany

(RobertoGoizueta,thelateCEOofCocaCola).Abrandsavespeople
time,andthisisworthmoney.Abrandisastorehouseoftrustthat
mattersmoreandmoreaschoicesmultiply.Agreaterbrandloyalty
amongconsumersleadstogreatersalesofthebrand(Howardand
Sheth,1969).Brandloyaltyleadstocertainmarketingadvantages
suchasreducedmarketingcosts,morenewcustomersandgreater
tradeleverage(Aaker,1991).Qualityandpersonalhabitsthus
influencethissituationbecauseconsumerspreferriskreductionin
familiarproductsnotasinatrial(Nilsson,1998).Henceanalyzingthe
brandpreferenceofconsumersisaninterestingareaforthemarketers
todevelopthemarketingstrategiesfortheirbrands.

ResearchMethodology
TypeofStudy
Thetypeofresearchfollowedisdescriptiveinnatureasitis
determiningtheconsumerpreferenceaswellassatisfactionwhenit
comestochoosinganoutlettobuyanAppleproduct.
SourceofData
PrimaryDataThisdataisgenerallyarawdatathatiscollectedfirst
handanddonothaveanypreviousmeaningfulinterpretation.The
sourcesofprimarydataincludeQuestionnaire,PersonalInterviewand
Observation.

SecondaryDataSecondarydataisusedtofindinformationthat
alreadyexists.ThesourcesincludeInternetandTextbooks.
Forourstudy,thetypeofresearchusedincludesbothPrimaryaswell
assecondarydata.
DataCollectionMethod
Thedatahasbeencollectedthroughawellstructured
questionnairecontainingrelevantquestionspertainingtoour
study.
Thequestionnaireincludesclosedendquestionsinwhich
multiplechoicesaregiven.

Theanalysisandconclusionsdrawnarebasedonmyperception
ofthequestionnaireandoninteractionwithpotentialconsumers.

SamplingSize
Thesizeofsamplecollectedis250respondentsthroughanonline
questionnaireform.

MethodsofSampling
Themethodofsamplingusedbyusisrandomconveniencesampling.
Inthistypeofsamplingrespondentsarepickedonthebasisof
convenienceoftheresearcheri.e.,takingsamplesfrompeoplewhom
aresearchermeetsorareavailable.Randomsamplingissimple,low
budgetanddonotrequirealistofpopulation.Alsonostatistical
expertisewasrequiredforthesampling.