IOSR Journal of Business and Management (IOSR-JBM) e-ISSN: 2278-487X, p-ISSN: 2319-7668. PP 20-27 www.iosrjournals.org 8th International Business Research Conference 20 | Page IES Management College and Research Centre, Mumbai, India A Study on Promotional Strategies Adopted by Apparel Street Vendors Influencing Customers shopping Decision Ms. Mamta Rupolia*, Dr. Richa Choudhary**, Dr. Harsh Purohit*** (Assistant Professor, Chetna’s Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai) (Associate Professor, IES Management College and Research Centre, Mumbai) (Chair: ICICI Bank Chair for BFSI, Banasthali Vidyapith) Abstract: As the informal sector has experienced rapid growth in developing countries and also developed countries, it has consequently attracted the increasing attention and there has been a growing body of literature focusing on its different aspects. However the study of Promotional Strategies adopted by the Street Vending Business has received little attention in the informal sector literature. The aim of the study is to identify the various Promotional Strategies adopted by the Apparel Street vendors for promoting their products and also particularly bring out the most effective technique in promoting their Street wares that influence customersshopping decision. The study uses primary data collected through in depth quantitative analysis to represent street markets in Mumbai. The sample included 129 active street shoppers. The relevant data collected by using a pretested questionnaire is further analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques. The analysis has produced several important implications; since the study covers only limited area the findings cannot be generalized. Research propositions and recommendations for further research are presented. Keywords: Informal Sector, Promotional Strategies, Street Vendors. INTRODUCTION Streets are spaces that allow us to engage with the city as its citizen‟s travel, work, play and meet. Streets can be perceived as the bloodlines of the city; the necessary avenues that carry all urban life from one place to another and everywhere in between. In the same way, the street is a space of invisibility. It is a place in which the homeless can be absorbed, the „informal‟ transactions can be embraced, and the faceless individual can roam about as an urban nomad. And yet, there is a coherent arrangement of actors who, though sometimes invisibly, dominate the streetscape of our cities. These are individuals who experience the street in its simplest form and who hold a greater understanding of the day to day struggles of the city‟s users. They are invaluable economic heartbeat of Mumbai‟s streets; the “Street Vendors”. Walking on the streets of Mumbai, one may just couldn‟t help but notice the huge amount of business transactions that Mumbai‟s street vendors conduct every day. From „Chaat‟ (Snacks) to „Limbu Paani‟ (lime juice), from snazzy electronic gadgets to gaudy perfumes, from ‘Neke’ shoes to ‘Van Hussain’ shirts, one can find almost everything for sale on Mumbai‟s streets. Of course, one might have seen this kind of „street business‟ in other Indian cities too, but nothing can compare to the sheer volume of business that Mumbai‟s streets conduct every day. These vendors are „street-smart‟ and know how to make their money. The concept of shopping is one of the oldest activities that the human race has been performing with high level of regularity and involvement. Over the years, unorganized retail shoppers' orientation towards this routine activity has been changing with the inception of organized retail. The innovations brought by retailers and marketers in the practice of retailing have been providing new paradigms for shopping. This has also led to a body of knowledge that aims to understand orientation of unorganized retail shoppers towards shopping. According to an article Flea Markets in India; people in India love to dress up for any occasion, even if it means going to the school to pick up their kid. One can find the hippest and the most traditional attires being worn in the same age group. The current generation is brand conscious yet values money. The solution to this lies in the flea markets. These popular flea markets in India sell the most stylish and comfortable clothes and casuals that are preferred by the people. Youngsters can easily be spotted in these flea markets, striking a good deal with the salespersons. The products found in these markets are as per the expectation of the youth in terms of price, innovation, variety, comfort, styling, brand image. The products also have the added benefit of belonging to international brands, where some of them have the exclusivity of not being available in India. The ones with the talent of bargaining skills can get a very good deal as low as 20-30% lower than the quoted cost. The problems of unorganized retailers are mainly in terms of absence of many factors, such as proper supply chain management, superior vendor relationships, infrastructural facilities, quality customer services and