Even as Indians clamour to buy and promote locally-made products, fewer consumers consider the country of origin while making a purchasing decision.
Only three in 10 urban Indians would give serious thought to where the product was manufactured before buying it, according to a recent survey by market research firm YouGov. In contrast, more than half of the respondents say that price is important and over three-quarters consider quality to be a higher priority.
YouGov surveyed 1,024 Indian respondents between June 23 and 26 for this survey.
The sentiment to purchase locally-manufactured goods follows the recent border tensions between India and China. The incident has shed a light on India’s economic dependence on China and the power its companies wield over Indian consumers.
Smartphones calling
Among all other products, the survey found that the most – eight in 10 – respondents are likely to consider where a smartphone was manufactured before buying it.
Over 80% of the smartphones sold in India are made in China today. The affordability of these smartphones and the strong distribution channels these brands have built over the years continue to defy the sentiment that has gripped Indians.
But research shows things could be changing. Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, RealMe, have also seen a dip in terms of popularity due to the geopolitical tensions between the two countries, according to YouGov.
The survey suggests that “negative sentiment is likely to affect their future choices as well, with a quarter of Chinese smartphone users indicating their intent to boycott Chinese products in the future.”
This article first appeared on Quartz.
