The country is very diverse and has many different languages, cultures, beliefs etc. It is hard to categorize the Indian buyer on basis of this diversity because it is so varied.
The consumers in India can be classified on basis of their economic status to get a better idea about the populations buying behavior.
The affluent group:
The affluent group forms a very small part of the population of the country. They are negligible in percentage. A large manufacturing/marketing business cannot be supported by the consumers from this group alone. (Unless the products are especially designed, high priced luxury products.)
The middle class:
The middle class forms the customer base for most of the business in the country. India has a very large middle class. The population of the middle class exceeds the population of both Germany and France put together. This is the largest economic class in the country. Special attention is to be given to the consumers in this class and so this class will be discussed in detail a little later.
The poor:
The poor class is the second largest class in the country. They have very little purchasing power. However, now as the country is growing, and due to the work of many social, educational and economic programs, a large part of this class is slowly merging into the middle class.