MARKET POTENTIAL, BRAND HEALTH, AND RETAILER INSIGHTS: THE CASEOF DECORATIVE PAINTS IN KOLKATA

Abstract

The paint industry in India is broadly divided into two main segments- decorative paints and industrial paints. While decorative paints
primarily serve the construction and housing sectors, industrial paints cater to industries such as automobiles, consumer durables, marine
vessels and industrial machinery. Decorative paints dominate the market, accounting for nearly 95% of total paint volumes. The
organized sector represents about 75% of domestic paint industry by value, reflecting a fairly structured market. This paper aims to
analyze the market potential and brand health of decorative paints in Kolkata. It also examines the key factors influencing retailers’
stocking decisions. A descriptive research design was adopted with a sample size of 50 retailers selected through convenience sampling
over one-year period. Market potential was assessed based on total market size, sales value and sales volume considering both existing
and newly established retailers. Brand health was evaluated through three core parameters- product excellence, delivery excellence and
service excellence- representing the combined strength of product quality, supply chain efficiency and customer relationship
management. The finding highlights that achieving superior brand health requires continuous product improvement, efficient supply
chain management and operational innovation to ensure customer service excellence. Retailers prioritize product demand as the most
significant factor of stocking decisions, followed by promotional offers and pricing. The study contributes to both academic
understanding and managerial practice by offering insights into strategies for expanding market and strengthening brand health of
decorative paints.