| From the Editor's Desk |  | |
The virtual commerce market
From the look of things, virtual commerce (digital commerce via internet (pc, mobile), shopping via phone & tv) seems to be at an inflection point in the country today. The e-commerce market is estimated to be about Rs 30,000 crores, 70% of which is travel and 7% electronic products. With 3G coming in and mobile phone penetration at the highest level ever and growing, retailers should explore business models that utilize the mobile phone (with applications that enable shopping) and effectively market and fulfill products, to build trust with the digital consumer. E-bay India has made a push this Diwali, exhorting consumers to buy online and avoid the holiday rush. Retailers like Future Group are also taking several initiatives on this front, including the recent purchase of the phone commerce company Chowpatty.com. Virtual commerce is definitely a space to watch.
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| At a Glance | |  |
| News: Apparel, Specialty, CDIT ... | | |
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A month after Pantaloon Retail (India) Ltd launched its digital platform - sales through telephone, television and the Internet - Biyani, the chairman of the Future Group, of which Pantaloon is a part, said this business could reach Rs. 1,000 crore in revenue within "15 months", against the earlier estimate of "two to three years from launch". And in the next six months, Biyani hopes to launch a home delivery service for groceries. |
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Foreign lenders to Vishal Retail are unloading their bad loans to Pegasus Asset Reconstruction Company, a sign that a major stumbling block in the way of a deal to sell the troubled retailer is being removed. Pegasus, backed by New York-based hedge fund DE Shaw, bought Barclays Bank's bad loans to Vishal Retail, at a 16-18 % discount, ten days ago. It is in the final stages of negotiations with two other lenders - Deutsche Bank and DBS - to buy their dues too, two people familiar with the development said. |
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Shoppers Stop (SSL) plans to cover four million square feet across all its formats by the end of fiscal 2013-14, virtually doubling the area from 2.04 million square feet at the end of March 2010. The retailer plans to open six more stores in the department store format by March 2011, with a focus on Tier II and Tier III cities. Also, after acquiring a 51% stake in Hypercity, the space would increase. |
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Trezo brings 'racks on rent'
FashionUnited India
Kolkata's Forum Courtyard mall's new 42,000 sq.ft. extension, spread across three levels, has a new retail outlet -Trezo. It brings international apparel and cosmetic brands to discerning customers through a unique 'racks on rent' concept. "We've tried to provide upcoming designers with a retail infrastructure and give them a platform to mark their presence and display their creations at a minimum investment," says Kamna Saraf, who is supervising the project. |
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Retail entertainment company, PVR has announced the launch of a 'gift card' for its customers. The gift card is an exclusive prepaid option, which can be redeemed against purchase of tickets, food and beverages at the PVR cinemas across the country, as well as on its online booking platform. Available in three convenient denominations of Rs 250, Rs 500 and Rs 1000, the card can be purchased from the candy bar of any of the PVR cinemas outlets. |
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| News: Food & Grocery, QSR ... | | |
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London's AIM-listed Indian hotel and restaurant company India Hospitality Corp is the frontrunner to acquire the world's largest noodle bar chain, Wagamama , for about Rs 1,800 crore. The deal, likely to close by the end of this month, will be funded through internal accruals, fresh capital to be raised through equity issue to the existing investors and leveraging the assets of Wagamama , two persons close to the development said. Besides IHC, two private equity firms-Morgan Stanley's private equity wing and Bahrain-based Investcorp-have also submitted bids to acquire Wagamama |
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 | Nando's, a South Africa-based Afro-Portuguese global restaurant chain, is planning to open around 35 outlets pan India, by 2013, via the franchise route. The company intends to expand aggressively in North India. The brand is confident that the Indian operation will contribute to at least 10-15 percent of the global turnover, going forward. Nando's India hopes to capture a double digit market share in the next few years. |
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Field Fresh Foods Pvt Ltd, a joint venture between Bharti Enterprises and Del Monte Pacific Limited (DMPL), has opened its new production and R&D centre at Hosur in Tamil Nadu. Field Fresh, which started operations in 2008, is into sale and export of branded fresh fruits, vegetables, processed foods and beverages, and is a key component of the retail chain's cash-and-carry operations. Bharti Enterprises Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Rakesh Bharti Mittal, and DMPL's CEO & MD, Joselito D Campos, inaugurated the plant for production of different types of juices, ketchups, sauces, packaged food and pasta. |
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Call it the breakfast war. The scramble to serve the first meal of the day is getting busier, with companies such as Britannia, Marico, PepsiCo, Kellogg India and MTR Foods offering more and more options to meet Indian consumers' rising demand for quick-fix food. Britannia Industries, which already occupies share of the breakfast table with bread, butter and cheese, is making early moves in the ready-to-cook breakfast meals segment, an official said. |
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| Retail Trends | | |
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Tashi shoe stores from Tata International, which were launched recently in Mumbai and Delhi, have gone through more than 200 days of meticulous planning and a team of more than 24 professionals drawn from Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Bangalore and Mumbai working day and night to achieve something not done before in the Indian retail sector. Tashi means 'well being' in the Tibetan language. Tata's Tashi stores have been designed and planned with this in mind. |
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Marketers seem to be snatching new marketing opportunities out of thin air - from Independence day to the IPL. And this has meant that the traditional festival season, when advertisers deployed a chunk of their marketing budgets, has taken a hit. Big Bazaar says its marketing budget has come down from 20% three years ago, to 15% this year. |
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Indian consumers trickled in to jewellery shops and banks, more to buy coins and bars, a day before the key Dhanteras festival despite the near record high prices, traders said on Tuesday. "Retail sales have picked up from Saturday. Small denomination coins are doing very well. We expect our sales (of coins and bars) to grow by over 10 percent," said an official with Union Bank of India. |
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| Retail Insight | | |
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| Using Distribution and Fulfillment as Strategic Weapons |
| KIVA Systems |
Distribution center (DC) assets in the supply chain are often relegated to cost center, necessary evil, or even non-value-added status. But focusing only on costs overlooks distribution and fulfillment's value to the corporation. In Web retailing, for example, price comparison shopping has neutralized cost advantages to the point where consumers make online buying decisions based on whether an item is immediately available and ready for delivery. Restocking retail stores offers another example. How can one ensure timely and accurate fulfillment when new products are constantly being introduced? |
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