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A Nation of Shop keepers... getting Better !

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India, like Britain, is also a nation of shopkeepers. With over 12 mn retail outlets, India has one of the highest densities of retail outlets in the world with one retail outlet for ~90 persons. No wonder India is the ninth largest retail market in the world with annual retail sales of ~USD 215 Bn in 2005. However, the share of organized trade in India is currently very low estimated at just Rs. 35,000 Cr. in 2005 (Rs. 28,000 in 2004). This accounts for less than 4% of the total retail trade in the country. Organised trade in India is highly under-developed as compared with other emerging markets in Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe and developed markets like the US. Country % Share of Organized Trade (2003) India 4% China 17% Poland 20% Indonesia 30% Russia 33% Brazil 35% Thailand 40% Malaysia 55% USA 85% Organised Retail : India Vs. China Indian and Chinese markets are comparable in many aspects. • Both countries are not homogeneous. They are composed of many markets within a s

Indian Retail & Media

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Total , Spar , Reliance digital -------which one to go to , each has a daily dose or Over dose i should say of full page advertisements , hitting you during the weekend , all showing the savings by making a purchase there ,same type of advertisements , every one has the same offers ! This blog's point of view on this :: True it is important to communicate ,but for a single door , or say 2 door entities ,shouldn't be spending money on Mass media and look at a catchment driven activity ,its really not worth the effort or the spends ,unless we are sure that the catchment is penetrated , and the TG there has visited already ! or these advertisements are really driving walk ins ! So do Indian retailers have any clear cut media strategy ! here's our take of the current scenario! Media @ Indian Retail :: Media spends of retail firms are slowly but surely increasing and soon would be a vertical in most media houses , the rush has just begun . Most Big retailers have bought space or

Small Retail vs Big Retail

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We have debated about this , and had our logic about the effect of the impact of Big retailers on small/traditional retailers, I had an accidental impact study done of this phenomenon , on my visit to my home town .My home town a tier II city ,with decent migrant population , has seen the opening of BIG bazaaar , food bazaar etc and as a result a traditional old time retailer ,close to the biggies in terms of catchment , the small Retailer in fact had renovated his store to take on the Biggies , has SHUT SHOP , as he couldnt make match prices being offered although he enjoyed good standing with customers profitability was a concern at such low prices . Moral :: the impact on Small Retail has one more dimension , type of city and the demographics involved ! what i mean is that , In a tier ii or tier iii city, small retail mite get badly hit , because of limited catchment , less migrant population , and slow development, such cities is likely to be a clear cut case of more fall outs i

Indian Retail Directory !

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The One & only Indian retail Directory ! Department stores plus other categories :: http://www.pantaloon.com/ http://www.shoppersstop.com/ http://www.lifestylestores.com/ http://www.globus.in/ http://www.cafecoffeeday.com/ http://www.mywestside.com/ http://www.bombaydyeing.com/ http://www.primusretail.com/ http://www.piraymd.com/ Indian retail Information & services ::links http://www.retailyatra.com/ h ttp://www.indiaretailservices.com/ http://www.eindiaretail.blogspot.com/ http://www.rvgonline.com/ http://www.indianretailobservor.com/ http://www.retailangle.com/ Malls Directory of India http://www.megamalls.in/ Indian/MNC Apparel Brands http://www.levis.com/ http://www.maduragarments.com/ http://www.arvindmills.com/ h ttp://www.dinesh.com/ http://www.indigonation.com/ http://www.raymondindia.com/ http://www.colorplusonline.com/ http://www.parkavenue.co.in/ http://www.provogue.net/ http://www.arrowshirt.com/ http://www.indusclothing.com/ http://www.allansolly.com/ http://www.

Retail to call centres to Retail :: Times are reversing !

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.....yes , Media reports suggest that the great Indian call centre job rush is waning off quite fast , stress plus wrong kind of addictions plus the abnormal working hours are leading to a high " give me some other " job feeling among the callcentre employees , if true , this would mark an end of a potential cycle for retail as when the Call centres came in Retail lost hordes of people , with organised retail likely to grow and the need for good quality people being felt by them its time for retailers to cash in the reversal of flow , which is happening at high tenured employees . What can retailers do to encash in on this reverse flow :: Attack the call centres at their hearts , just as the way they had done with retail , when they set up shop . Based on the level of experience off the candidate offer a decent posting . sell them to a chance to experience first hand customer interaction which is a must in retail which backend jobs dont give at all . The chance to enjoy life

JO DIKTHA HEY... WOH BIKHTA HEY !

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Ask the hardcore front end operations the majority would say that Visual Merchandising function makes Front end operations life a bit interesting .....Yes the science behind JO DIKTHA HEY WOH BIKHTA HEY , if it is treated with some science and data , and there is a plan to it , dead stores or products can suddenly come to life by VM , for instance a simple thing like a tie , has an estimated 70 -80 ways to be tied !!!,A dead window with proper lighting etc and display can be an open invitation to customer to enter the store . VM influences are experienced at the following points :: Store Windows :: Section Store Layout design Mannequin displays Cross promotional displays VM has a role in Selling more /presenting the store to the customer /reinforce the store or retailer proposition among consumer minds . Vm was a highly skilled function , and a few experience professionals where good at it , a Good VM Hand has to be extremely creative /good team player ( otherwise the front end will n

Indian She !

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Be it Lifestyle retail or non lifestyle retail , getting into the Women hearts and minds would be the key to a Retailer sucess story ! Maybe money is spent on researching this .but my reading is as the follows :: Insights into the Indian She on Retailing ! Indian She :: is not loyal on the store /retailer front, whoever gives her a good reason to visit would find her there Indian She :: Kids have major say in deciding where to spend and where to try .A Retailer with good toys section / plus say a Mcdonald s as an anchor should not have a problem Indian She :: is still comfortable with her local small stores , organised retail or big hypermarket visits are looked as a family outing ie once in a while phenomenon , not even a monthly one . Indian She :: Would keep an eye for best offers which she will keep talking for some time , say if she has been given a rice cooker with 25 kgs of rice , the friends circle would know .She is a good word of mouth adverstising medium ! Indian She ::Is mo