A study on Customer's Perception towards Mutual Funds as a Tool of Investment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm2025.v05.n02.015Keywords:
Perception, Mutual Fund, Investment Awareness, Investment Behavior, Systematic Investment Plan, Financial LiteracyAbstract
The objective of this research is the perception of customers' perception towards mutual funds as a tool of investment in the Indian market with factors such as awareness levels, demographic aspects, the role of financial advisors, and online investment platforms. The study is based on Descriptive method and data is collected through an online survey. The sample size for the present study has been selected on the criteria and are standardized to 177, considering age, profession, income, and regional categories. From the current investigation, it is observed that in spite of awareness levels, there is a lack of awareness to some extent among the investors, which hinders making any investment. This particular investigation highlights the critical role of financial advisors, internet facilities, and the transparency provided by the AMC in instilling confidence among investors to invest in mutual funds. The present research contributes to existing knowledge on retail investment behavior. It provides an important piece of knowledge for mutual fund houses, investment advisory firms, and regulatory bodies with respect to structuring an education and ethics advisory plan for increasing the participation of retail investors in mutual funds.
References
Agarwal, R., & Singhal, S. (2020). A study on demographic factors affecting mutual fund investment. Journal of Finance and Management, 6(2), 45–51.
Aggarwal, D., & Gupta, A. (2020). The role of perceived risk and return on mutual fund investment decisions. International Journal of Finance & Economics, 14(4), 67–76.
Ansari, S., & Moid, S. (2021). Impact of fund manager reputation on mutual fund perception. Indian Journal of Finance, 15(3), 23–30.
Bhatia, S., & Jain, M. (2017). Awareness and perception of mutual fund investors. Research Journal of Business and Management, 4(1), 12–19.
Bhatnagar, A., & Singh, H. (2022). Customer trust and transparency in mutual fund advisory services. Indian Journal of Financial Services, 13(3), 78–88.
Bhalla, V., & Kaur, R. (2008). Influence of branding and advertising on mutual fund investment decisions. Financial Markets & Investment Studies, 8(3), 90–95.
Bhatt, S., & Chitle, R. (2020). Convenience and fund performance in mutual fund selection. International Journal of Financial Studies, 10(2), 67–73.
Bose, M., & Anand, P. (2023). Comparative perception of lump-sum versus SIP investment routes among retail investors. Indian Journal of Investment Research, 6(1), 19–32.
Chatterjee, P., & Khanna, S. (2020). SIPs as a disciplined investment strategy: Perceptions from young Indian investors. Asia-Pacific Finance Review, 9(1), 33–47.
Desigan, G., Kalaiselvi, S., & Anusuya, R. (2006). Women investors and mutual fund preferences. Indian Journal of Economics, 14(2), 33–41.
Dubey, R., & Saxena, T. (2023). Perception and behavioral intentions of investors toward mutual fund schemes. South Asian Journal of Business Research, 7(2), 60–71.
Dwivedi, A., & Thomas, G. (2020). Factors influencing investor satisfaction with SIPs in mutual funds. Global Journal of Finance and Economics, 12(4), 93–107.
Ghosh, R., & Tiwari, A. (2020). Investor psychology and mutual fund decision-making in India. International Journal of Behavioural Finance, 7(4), 38–52.
Gupta, R., & Jain, A. (2020). Digital advisory platforms and customer trust in mutual fund investing. Fintech and Finance Review, 5(4), 55–62.
Gupta, V., & Chawla, D. (2023). Peer influence and perception in retail investment. Journal of Investment Strategies, 11(1), 20–34.
Jain, S., & Jain, A. (2021). Tax planning and youth perception toward mutual funds. Asia Pacific Journal of Financial Research, 7(3), 40–50.
Joshi, M., & Meena, P. (2021). Influence of advisor communication and AMC branding on mutual fund decisions. Journal of Retail Investment Studies, 11(2), 19–30.
Kapoor, S., & Bansal, R. (2021). An empirical study of investor behavior and mutual fund awareness among retail investors. Indian Journal of Commerce and Finance, 10(2), 52–63.
Khandelwal, S., & Roy, S. (2023). The impact of digital platforms on mutual fund accessibility and investor confidence. Asia-Pacific Journal of Financial Inclusion, 8(2), 59–72.
Kumar, A., & Mishra, R. (2022). Investor sentiment and perception in the Indian mutual fund industry. International Journal of Emerging Markets, 18(1), 15–26.
Malhotra, N., & Jha, S. (2022). Exploring behavioral biases in mutual fund investment: Evidence from North India. Journal of Behavioral Finance & Strategy, 10(3), 73–88.
Mehta, V., & Kapoor, D. (2020). Risk-return behavior among urban investors. Indian Journal of Applied Economics, 14(2), 27–34.
Mishra, M., & Jain, T. (2023). Factors affecting customers’ investment preferences in mutual funds: A study of SIP and lump-sum routes. Journal of Mutual Fund Research, 5(1), 12–24.
Nair, D., & Sharma, R. (2021). Mutual fund investments and financial literacy among Indian millennials. Journal of Emerging Financial Trends, 6(1), 21–35.
Narayan, V., & Patil, M. (2021). The role of AMCs in building investor trust in mutual fund products. Journal of Brand and Investment Research, 9(2), 33–48.
Patel, K., & Deshmukh, R. (2021). Investor behavior and financial awareness in mutual fund selection: Evidence from Indian metros. Journal of Financial Planning & Analysis, 6(2), 44–59.
Patil, P., & Yadav, A. (2019). Mutual fund awareness in tier-II cities. Journal of Regional Economics, 3(1), 55–64.
Prasad, B., & Mehta, H. (2022). Customer-centric approaches in mutual fund distribution: An Indian case study. Journal of Customer Relationship Management, 11(2), 44–58.
Rana, H., & Dixit, T. (2023). Financial advisory quality and its influence on retail mutual fund decisions. Indian Journal of Financial Counseling, 7(1), 55–68.
Ranjan, R., & Saxena, S. (2021). Impact of communication and transparency on investor trust. Business Perspectives Journal, 9(4), 22–36.
Rao, S., & Kulkarni, M. (2022). Mutual fund preferences among working women: A study in urban India. Journal of Gender & Finance, 4(2), 61–74.
Rao, V., & Iyer, A. (2022). Exploring customer perception toward mutual fund products: A case study of urban India. Asian Journal of Economics and Banking, 8(3), 91–105.
Reddy, K., & Kumar, P. (2021). Perceptions and preferences of salaried investors in mutual fund schemes: Evidence from tier-2 cities. Indian Journal of Economics and Finance, 13(1), 67–79.
Satya, S., & Bharathi, M. (2019). Key drivers for mutual fund selection among retail investors. Economic Insights, 6(2), 13–28.
Sen, M., & Jaiswal, R. (2023). Understanding mutual fund investor trust and perceived transparency in advisory services. Indian Review of Financial Research, 5(3), 83–96.
Sengupta, A., & Sinha, S. (2021). SIP growth and perception analysis in India. Journal of Retail Finance, 8(1), 30–44.
Shafi, M. (2014). Perception differences between urban and rural mutual fund investors. Research in Financial Services, 7(3), 61–70.
Sharma, A., & Verma, S. (2022). Retail investor awareness and mutual fund selection: A post-pandemic analysis. Journal of Financial Markets & Strategies, 16(2), 101–115.
Sharma, R., & Goyal, A. (2019). Barriers to mutual fund investment among new investors. Finance India, 33(1), 10–25.
Sharma, S., & Bansal, A. (2018). Influence of education on financial decision making. International Review of Financial Studies, 12(2), 47–59.
Shukla, R., & Thakur, L. (2021). SIP adoption and long-term investment behavior in mutual funds. South Asia Journal of Financial Planning, 14(2), 29–41.
Sultana, S. (2016). Risk perception and female participation in mutual funds. South Asian Journal of Financial Management, 5(2), 19–29.
Tripathi, S., & Mukherjee, A. (2020). Determinants of mutual fund investment decision: An empirical review. Journal of Economic and Financial Studies, 8(2), 39–51.
Verma, P., Agarwal, S., & Rao, K. (2022). Goal-based advisory and investor trust in mutual funds. Journal of Finance and Strategy, 10(4), 88–97.
Verma, R., & Sharma, N. (2022). Understanding investor perception and satisfaction toward mutual funds in India. Journal of Investment and Financial Markets, 15(1), 25–38.
