Monday, August 16, 2010
India Challenges The Best !
Credit and Home Delivery - something that Walmart does only in India. There would be many other similar services, am trying to think of some..... In any case, the challenges that India poses have befuddled the very best. Read on.....http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/it-happens-only-in-india/404665/
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Bharti Walmart
Scott Price, CEO, Walmart Asia is in India. His interview in the Economic Times today's was reticent, and yet full of hope. I am tempted to believe him, see if you are...
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/interviews/India-can-be-the-worlds-food-basket-Scott-Price-CEO-Wal-Mart-Asia/articleshow/5799274.cms
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/interviews/India-can-be-the-worlds-food-basket-Scott-Price-CEO-Wal-Mart-Asia/articleshow/5799274.cms
Monday, April 5, 2010
Category Killers (Spurt in Sports)
We are seeing a spurt in category killers in India now. I believe that next year when I teach retail fundamentals at B Schools, I wouldn't have to say that the category killer format isn't really pervasive in India.
At the moment, in the sports category there is action in Bangalore. So there is SPORTXS ( Forum Mall, Whitefield, Bangalore) and Decathlon (Sarjapura, Bangalore). Both worth a watch.
At the moment, in the sports category there is action in Bangalore. So there is SPORTXS ( Forum Mall, Whitefield, Bangalore) and Decathlon (Sarjapura, Bangalore). Both worth a watch.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Profitable Expansion It Is !
A new year has dawned.....or so it seems. I, of course, have woken up from my slumber as far the blog is concerned. Have been active in retail, but haven't got down to writing in sometime. So the new year (ok, so it is the 'financial year'....well 'new' anyway)
Today, I hear reverberation of store on store profitability from two major retailers in India.
So Aditya Birla group says, any store that is not making money by the next fiscal would be shut down.
(http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5748697.cms)
And ITC Lifestyle is looking at expansion in tier 2 and 3 cities and profitable expansion at that!
(http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/catalyst/2010/04/01/stories/2010040150080300.htm)
There is a difference also....while Aditya Birla is shutting down stores in tier 2 cities, ITC is looking at expanding there. The former believes that deep discounting has happened in the smaller cities and these markets are becoming difficult for the retailers (read 'organised retailers').
Just today, had a discussion in office about the tremendous non-mall and non-modern format retail opportunity in India. All suppliers/ vendors listening?
Today, I hear reverberation of store on store profitability from two major retailers in India.
So Aditya Birla group says, any store that is not making money by the next fiscal would be shut down.
(http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5748697.cms)
And ITC Lifestyle is looking at expansion in tier 2 and 3 cities and profitable expansion at that!
(http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/catalyst/2010/04/01/stories/2010040150080300.htm)
There is a difference also....while Aditya Birla is shutting down stores in tier 2 cities, ITC is looking at expanding there. The former believes that deep discounting has happened in the smaller cities and these markets are becoming difficult for the retailers (read 'organised retailers').
Just today, had a discussion in office about the tremendous non-mall and non-modern format retail opportunity in India. All suppliers/ vendors listening?
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Long time....
February to September...indeed a long time.....I have been busy setting up a new recruitment firm. Now that it is up and running, I am touching back on retail a bit. For some time now I have been looking at writing a book on retail - in the Indian context, mainly retail operations. I do have an outline ready , just have to get down to it.
I have lately been taking up a module on Facility Management - couldnt really find a good Indian book for the same. Also, being September , now again many B Schools are coming back to me about content development across modules in retail. Maybe , I will be able to spend more time on knowledge work, as Ajay (http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=6957913&fromSearch=0&sik=1221285088344&split_page=1&rd=in&authToken=kEkq&authType=NAME_SEARCH&goback=%2Esrp_1_1221285088344_in) was mentioning today - add some value and feel good job.
So long!
I have lately been taking up a module on Facility Management - couldnt really find a good Indian book for the same. Also, being September , now again many B Schools are coming back to me about content development across modules in retail. Maybe , I will be able to spend more time on knowledge work, as Ajay (http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=6957913&fromSearch=0&sik=1221285088344&split_page=1&rd=in&authToken=kEkq&authType=NAME_SEARCH&goback=%2Esrp_1_1221285088344_in) was mentioning today - add some value and feel good job.
So long!
Monday, February 18, 2008
Mall Management In India
I haven't written in some time, though I have been working on mall Management Modules for a couple of B Schools. Simultaneously, I have also been thinking about Franchising vis a vis Joint ventures as against FDI entry in retail in India. More on that later. For now, what we have all been noticing is that malls are moving quickly from selling most of their space to leasing all of their space to retailers. And they are increasingly also Zoning the malls in great detail in order to ensure space productivity.
Largely, mall management which has been sketchy as a function so far in India(and has been confused with facility management) is now beginning to be looked at as as a revenue generating function rather than as a support function. That itself give sit the importance it deserves. However, to make it a revenue generator, mall management has to be looked at from the following 2 key elements as strategic initiatives:
Zoning would stand for dividing the mall space into various categories of stores and therefore deriving the tenant mix.
While infrastructure management, which would include managing all kinds of mall facilities like security and housekeeping would be a support function. As an outsider, one could be able to evaluate this just by looking at a mall and evaluating whether or not it has a clear positioning and zoning. Like they say, retail is no rocket science!!
Largely, mall management which has been sketchy as a function so far in India(and has been confused with facility management) is now beginning to be looked at as as a revenue generating function rather than as a support function. That itself give sit the importance it deserves. However, to make it a revenue generator, mall management has to be looked at from the following 2 key elements as strategic initiatives:
- Mall Positioning
- Zoning
Zoning would stand for dividing the mall space into various categories of stores and therefore deriving the tenant mix.
While infrastructure management, which would include managing all kinds of mall facilities like security and housekeeping would be a support function. As an outsider, one could be able to evaluate this just by looking at a mall and evaluating whether or not it has a clear positioning and zoning. Like they say, retail is no rocket science!!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Rural Retail In India
Much has been said about rural retail in India and much still remains. During my teaching assignments a couple of my students have shown a passion for this domain and I don't think it emerges out of a social cause but sheerly out of the great learning and business opportunity that it is. Some of my very committed students Neha, Priya and Deepak(student of IILM, Gurgaon) have done a preliminary report on Rural Retail , it would benefit people who would want to have a basic analytical and fact based understanding of Enables and Impediments etc in this space. Happy Reading!
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