sales for Indian department stores. Again while some offer multiple brands under one roof, others concentrate more on private labels.

MODERN INDIAN DEPARTMENT STORES HAVE EVOLVED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE LAST DECADE. THESE PLAYERS HAVE NOT ONLY REALIGNED THEIR PRODUCT OFFERINGS BUT ALSO HAVE MOVED FORWARD TOWARDS PROVIDING OTHER VALUE ADDED SERVICES SO THAT THE CONSUMER KEEPS COMING BACK TO THEIR STORES. IMAGES RETAIL GETS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH SOME OF THE MAJOR DEPARTMENT STORES IN INDIA AND ALSO TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT LIES AHEAD By Priyanka Dasgupta and Rajeev Kumar With knowledge support from Wazir Advisors and ASIPAC WHAT LIES AHEAD for DEPARTMENT STORES It s been two decades that department stores have become a major part of organised retail scenario in India. The concept is popular throughout the country as customers get a plethora of choices under various categories, thereby fulfilling their aspirations. Department stores in India mostly replicate their Western counterparts in terms of store concept, layout, and designs. For instance, Indian stores such as Shoppers Stop and Westside exude Western look and feel. These stores are usually multi-storied, with different floors catering to different business verticals. However, apparel usually forms a major proportion of sales for Indian department stores. Again while some offer multiple brands under one roof, others concentrate more on private labels. GLOBAL TRENDS Internationally, department stores are large and have an average trading size of around 80,000-1,00,000 sq.ft. In terms of merchandise, there are two major categories of department stores: Stocking mostly a range of private label products, e.g., Marks & Spencer Stocking a wide range of national brands, e.g., Kohl s However, internationally we are in India? seeing a shift in the trend. According to the industry experts, future department store is already morphing from a place to buy goods into a hub of entertainment. Macy s, for example, is already planning the shift, which could eventually mean fewer stores, even in its headquarters at Cincinnati in the US. Also, experts feel that department stores will incorporate newer technologies. Retailers will increasingly change pricing and store 46. IMAGES RETAIL. MAY 2013

any single brand never gets enough space to offer the complete range it could otherwise have offered in an EBO. At the same time, there are times when the depth is not available for the products being offered. According to international standards, department stores in India such as Shoppers Stop and Lifestyle are multi-brand stores. Others like Pantaloons and Westside have more private label offerings. As far as the product offering goes, apparel and fashion retailing forms a major chunk of revenues for the major Indian department stores. This category is considered to be the pioneer of modern/organised Department retailing in India. Clothing and fashion has witnessed an uptrend in the recent years supported by a large market of young consumers, rising fashion awareness and increase in income levels. With rapid urbanisation, brand-conscious behaviour, initially restricted to men s apparel, has also caught up with women s and kidswear apparel as well. Gradual shift from the traditional bespoke tailoring to ready-made wear due to convenience and larger windows several times daily, attracting different kinds of shoppers. But retailers aren t just using technology and games to engage shoppers. Expert advice, exclusive merchandise from private label designers and personal services, from shoe shines to manicures, are finding their way into the department stores. INDIAN SCENARIO A large retail establishment offering a wide variety of merchandise, across diverse brands, providing large depth in each product category can be called a department store. Organised into different departments, these stores offer diverse categories such as clothing, furniture, home appliances, toys, cosmetics, gardening, toiletries, sporting goods, food, books, jewellery, electronics, stationery, photographic equipment and baby and pet needs at variable pricing. Discounting is usually, but not necessarily, a part of this retail strategy. Key International Department stores: Retailers Country of Origin No. of Outlets No. of Countries Typical Store Size Range (Sq ft.) Kohl's USA 1,146 US 70,000-75,000 Marks & Spencer UK 1012 UK Europe, Middle East, Asia In India, large department stores always presented consumers with a greater choice under one roof. A large-format store typically has a great number of brands together in each category. Wherever there is a gap in positioning, the retailers have tried to add private label, primarily to give a wider choice to the consumers across price positioning. While these stores have been successful to provide choice to the consumer, ensuring a good shopping environment, they fail on certain parameters. In most cases, 100,000-1,50,000 Sears USA 950 USA and Canada 70,000-1,00,000 Macy s USA 800 USA 100,000-1,40,000 Debenhams UK 167 28 70,000-90,000 Data Source: Company reports, Media articles and Wazir research choice prompted the increase in purchase through Department stores. Another interesting feature associated with the Indian Department stores is the increase in private labels. Retailers have realised that the most important engine to drive both growth and profitability is building private labels. In a highly competitive retail scenario, where operating costs are high and margins under pressure, private labels offer margin of safety. Since they are brand-owned, merchandised and sold by the retailers MAY 2013. IMAGES RETAIL. 47

themselves, private labels do not have large marketing spends. Private label margins for apparel and accessories can be as high as 40-60 percent. Various retailers have taken different approaches to their private label strategies. For some players such as Westside, Pantaloons and Globus, business is entirely driven by private Players such as Westside, Pantaloons and Globus, are entirely driven by private labels-the share of private label being 85-90 percent. Penetration of private labels at major retailers labels (share of private label being 85-90 percent). Central is another format of Future Group, which houses private labels as well as national brands. Similar is the case with the product portfolio of Shoppers Stop. Retailers such as Future Group have taken their private labels to the next level by spinning them off as standalone brands that can be licensed to other retailers. For example, John Miller that started off as a private label of the Future Group was spun off as an independent brand in 2008 and is currently retailed through EBOs. While most retailers typically have limited brand promotion spend, Future Group has tied-up with Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar to co-create the Sach brand of toothpaste. The Group intends to position other labels such as Bare, DJ&C, Rig and Agile as stand-alone brands with their own stores, even retailing them outside company-owned stores. This is possible with labels that have become hugely popular with the public with signifi cant volumes and a distinct identity. It has become a case of private label established through the retailer and eventually maturing into a brand of its own. Shoppers Stop takes a different route with only 20 percent of revenues being generated through their private labels. In this case, the emphasis is on leveraging their private labels for the higher margins that they provide. Their labels include Kashish, Stop, Globus >95% Westside Pantaloon Reliance Trends Spencers Lifestyle Shoppers Stop Croma <10% 16% 25% 25% Source: Annual reports and press releases >50% 75% 85% Life, Mario Zegnoti, Acropolis, Push and Shove, Vettorio Fratini and Eliza Donatein. In most cases, private labels become enablers for department stores to gain higher profitability. They also help the department stores to scale up the operations to locations where the brand is testing markets. THE NEXT FRONTIER The Indian retail sector is witnessing a huge change. With the opening of the sector to FDI to multi-brand retail, many international players are chalking out plans to enter the Indian market and create a whole new experiential shopping environment for the consumers. According to the India Retail Report 2013, the number of department stores will more than double from 600 in 2011 to 1,400 in 2016, thereby taking the overall percentage share in total retail space to 21 percent from 20 percent currently. A research study by Asipac, a retail research and consulting firm, presents an interesting analysis of India s next 100 retail markets, as compared with the country s top 30 developed markets. The study aims to help shopping centre developers plan and prepare for their real estate ventures and retailers, across segments and sizes, to chalk out their store rollout programme for the next 5-10 years. Asipac study concludes that there is more than 60 percent under supply of organised retail space in India s top 30 markets. Obviously, the demand is being met by strong regional and local unorganised sector retailers. While this is the overall scenario, several micro-markets within certain cities (such as Central Pune, Whitefield in Bangalore, and Gurgaon) have substantial over supply of organised retail real estate. The study identifies the next potential areas for retail based on the purchasing power of the city, measured by Market Potential Value (MPV), which is Asipac s proprietary methodology of computing Total Retail Space Demand (TRSD). The main subject of this study is India s Next 100 Retail Markets. The Next 100 can sustain/support TRSD of about 73.7 million sq.ft. by 2015 48. IMAGES RETAIL. MAY 2013

At present, Lifestyle stores are spread across a total retail area of around 2 million sq.ft. which will reach to 2.6 million sq.ft. by FY 2014-15 Retail Formats & Estimates Format Average Size (sq. ft.) No. of Stores based on Asipac s methodology. Since MPV data is not available for many of these cities, it was not possible to compute MPV-based retail space demand. Against this demand, by the best of estimates, total current supply of organised sector retail space is only 20-odd million sq.ft. Thus, there is almost 73 percent under supply. Of the 100 cities, 15 are in Uttar Pradesh, 13 in Maharashtra, 12 in Karnataka, 10 in Andhra Pradesh, 7 in Rajasthan, 6 in Bihar, 5 each in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, 4 each in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, and 3 in Haryana. No other state has more than 2 cities in the next 100. It must be noted that 32 of the next 100 cities are in South India. India s largest department store chain by number of stores, Shoppers Stop, has 54 outlets in 21 cities, of which 3 (Durgapur, Latur and Siliguri) are not amongst the top 30. In our current stage of growth, Shoppers Stop, which is positioned in the 2006 2011 2016 Share in Total No. of Share in Total No. of Share in Total Space (%) Stores Space (%) Stores Space (%) Convenience Stores 700 100 0% 400 0.3% 2,000 1% Hypermarkets 50,000 40 10% 300 17% 1000 25% Discount stores 1,000 500 2% 1,500 2% 4,000 2% Speciality stores/ 1,500 10,000 75% 30,000 50% 50,000 37% EBOs Department stores 30,000 50 7% 600 20% 1,400 21% Cash & Carry 70,000 2 1% 30 2% 200 7% Total 11,192 1 36,830 1.00 67,100 1.00 Source: Wazir Analysis premium to bridge to luxury space of merchandise, is targeting the 45+ cities with a million plus population and we are heading towards 75 stores in 30+ cities over the next 3 years, says Govind Shrikhande, Managing Director, Shoppers Stop. Yes, the Indian market is growing across cities and tiers, but each brand/format has to make a choice about their brand s connect with the consumer and then decide the roll out plans, he adds. Lifestyle is present in 21 of the top 30 cities. It is not yet present in Kolkata (ranked number 5 by TRSD), Lucknow (number 11), Vizag (number 13), Indore (number 14), Patna (number 15), Raipur (number 17), Bhopal (number 18), Vadodara (number 19), Amritsar (number 21), Nashik (number 22), Agra (number 23), Rajkot (number 24), Chandigarh (number 25), Aurangabad (number 27) and Meerut (number 29). Of these 15 cities, Shoppers Stop is also not present in 9 (Vizag, Patna, Raipur, Vadodara, Nashik, Agra, Rajkot, Chandigarh and Meerut). It is unfortunate that we are not yet present in Kolkata, which is an important market, says Kabir Lumba, Managing Director of Lifestyle. We had signed up for a property a long time back, but the mall got really delayed. Lumba adds that Lifestyle will have a presence in Indore, Raipur, Bhopal, Amritsar and Chandigarh within the next six months. So it seems like consumers in cities such as Vizag, Patna, Vadodara, Nashik, Agra, Rajkot, and Meerut will have to wait for another couple of years or maybe even longer before they can have the pleasure of shopping at a real department store. Lifestyle s value fashion subsidiary Max is present in 28 cities, of which 13 are not in the top 30. It is intriguing that a value fashion retailer such as Max is not present in key markets such as Surat (ranked number 9 by TRSD), Jaipur (number 10), Kanpur (number 12), Patna (number 15), Ludhiana (number 16), Nagpur (number 20), Nashik (number 22), Rajkot (number 24), Chandigarh (number 25), Aurangabad (number 27), Vijayawada (number 28), Meerut (number 29) and Jalandhar (number 30). Max has missed 6 of the top 20 and 13 of the top 30 cities. On the other hand, it is present in Mysore (number 36), Jabalpur (number 41), Trichy (number 47), Bhubaneshwar (number 49), Trivandrum (number 51), Barreily (number 52), Calicut (number 60), Nanded (number 68), Durgapur (number 81), Siliguri (number 84) and Jalgaon (number 86). It baffles us as to how Max could open stores in cities such as Durgapur, Siliguri and Jalgaon, before opening shops in much larger markets such as Surat (18 times larger than Jalgaon in TRSD terms) and Jaipur (12 times larger than Jalgaon). Max being an international value fashion player is naturally positioned to cater to the young aspirational lifestyle customer in tier II/III cities, apart from metros, says M Vasanth Kumar, Executive Director of Max Retail. This needs two drivers for traction - quality retail development (mall or high street) and local white 50. IMAGES RETAIL. MAY 2013

Indian department stores are constantly tweaking their strategies offerings to suit the diverse market across apparels, jewellery, watches, accessories and footwear among other lifestyle products, says a company spokesperson. The store also offers an exhaustive range of in-house jewellery brands such as Gili, Nakshatra, D damas, Asmi, Sangini, and Shuddhi to create an aspiration. Maya takes pride in providing a great shopping experience with a state-of-the-art store décor and interiors. We have a specialised team of merchandisers to offer contemporary products to our customers. Leveraging the Gitanjali Maya Lifestyle s Revenue Breakup % age of Total Sales 75 7 18 Apparel Total Jewllery & Watches Non Apps Maya by Gitanjali collar service industry job creation. While the first 100 stores of Max are happening predominantly in the top 20 cities, we see significant contribution from smaller cities for the next 100 Max stores, he informs. Since inception, Indian retailers have innovated and improvised on the department store concept. Though heavily influenced by global trends, retailers try to stay true to Indian ethos and are constantly tweaking their strategies offerings to suit this diverse market. Offering broad assortments that typically consist of both branded and private label products, Indian department stores seek to differentiate based on product breadth and mix as well as on the customer experience. While a vertically integrated retailer controls the entire value chain for them, the brand is both the product and the in-store experience a department store relies on its ability to have the consumer view the department store itself as more important than any single product line or brand it carries. Let us trace the growth and the road ahead of some of the key players. MAYA LIFESTYLE BY GITANJALI Maya, a part of Gitanjali Lifestyle, is a chain of multi-brand format Department stores that offers lifestyle products through a mélange of domestic and international brands. Maya aspires to become a one-stop destination catering to the lifestyle requirement of a modern woman who purchases for herself, kids, home and men. Maya offers an evolving product mix that includes more than 150 national and international brands brand name, we look forward to strengthen the synergies between the jewellery business and lifestyle retailing, the spokesperson adds. Currently, the group has 10 stores spread across North and Central India with the average store size of 20,000 sq.ft. in Delhi, Indore, Allahabad, Gwalior, Guwahati, Cuttack, Ranchi, Rohtak and Dhanbad. Key catchment areas include prime locations, main shopping areas, lead hotels and residential complexes. Geographical spread indicates predominance in the Central and Eastern regions with opportunity for infrastructure in Western and Southern India in key cities across the country. Maya aspires to become 1 of the top 5 Department stores in the next 3-5 years with 100 outlets pan-india. We look forward to increase our retail space to 2 million sq.ft. and target an annual turnover of Rs 1,000 crore. We have already partnered with some of the leading mall developers to develop best in class stores and have lined up MAY 2013. IMAGES RETAIL. 51

strategic tie-ups with a clear focus on growth through its sound business model, the spokesperson informs. With robust systems already in place to sustain the increasing volume of operations, the group plans to develop a loyal customer base to evolve with the changing customer preferences. Upcoming locations include Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, to name a few. The company derives three-fifth of its revenues from apparel, of which private label comprises about 8.5 percent of the total apparel category. LIFESTYLE Lifestyle is India s leading department store chain offering products across Hyderabad, Jaipur, Surat, Mangalore, Vijaywada, Mumbai, Nagpur, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Chandigarh, Ghaziabad, Bhopal and Pune. Lifestyle has exhibited strong growth over the years. The Indian market itself presents an immense opportunity with its rapidly growing, upwardly mobile middle-class population. Considering these factors, the future of the Indian retail industry is extremely promising as there is immense potential for growth and profi table returns. With a comprehensive understanding of the Indian market, strong logistics and infrastructure support network, international sourcing capabilities, wide network of reliable vendors, a great business rapport with leading Indian and international brands, Lifestyle is confident of sustaining the consistently impressive growth rates that it has witnessed over the past few years. At present, Lifestyle stores are spread across a total retail area of around 2 million sq.ft. which will reach to 2.6 million sq.ft. by FY2014-15, claims the company. Further expanding, the brand is expecting to reach the 50-store mark in next 2 years from current 35 outlets (March 2013) extending Lifestyle s reach across key cities in India. Private label contributes around 30 percent of Lifestyle department store revenues. Lifestyle started its journey in India with the launch of its first store in Chennai in 1999, it now has 35 stores SHOPPERS STOP Shoppers Stop promoted by the K Raheja Corp Group (Chandru L Raheja Group), which is one of the leading players in India in the business of real estate development and hotels. Pioneer of modern retail in India, Shoppers Stop has been instrumental in bringing about retail revolution in India. Since its inception in 1991, Shoppers Stop has introduced various retail formats in the country. Apart from the flagship business of department stores (Shoppers Stop), there are also specialty stores for books, home décor and maternity and infant care. categories such as apparel, handbags, footwear, childrenwear, toys, beauty care, accessories, homeware and furnishing. The brand is present across 21 cities in India. Lifestyle started its journey in India with the launch of its first store in Chennai in 1999. Today it has evolved as India s leading shopping destination synonymous with fashion and gracious living. Each Lifestyle store brings together five concepts under one roof, offering a convenient onestop shop for customers. Present across major metros in India, Lifestyle is rapidly expanding its footprint across the country. Currently there are 35 Lifestyle stores across Ahmedabad, Kanpur, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Jalandhar, Pioneer of modern retail, Shoppers Stop has been instrumental in bringing about retail revolution in India 52. IMAGES RETAIL. MAY 2013

Shoppers Stop is a retail chain of large-format department stores with 57 stores including 3 airport stores in 25 cities including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru (8 stores), Chennai (3 stores), Chandigarh, Delhi (6 stores), Noida, Pune (5 stores), Siliguri and Vijayawada. Total area is over 3.3 million sq.ft. All the stores are company operated. The company plans to open new stores at existing cities such as Jaipur, Chennai, Kalyan (Mumbai), Kolkata, and Delhi. offers a wide range of clothing and is an energy-efficient outlet with a certified Leeds Silver rating for construction sustainability. M&S opened five new format stores in the last quarter in different cities such as Chennai, Bangalore and Delhi. These stores are more inviting, inspiring and easy to shop. Each clothing brand has its own distinct look and identity that allows the customers to see which brands best With value remaining in front of mind for customers, focus would be on providing the great quality products that they trust and provide them with reasons to buy, through appropriate interpretations of trends and regularly updated ranges. For example, an ethnically casual look for Indigo Collection includes trestle tables and denim mannequins, whilst a sports-inspired look for Blue Harbour has authentic MARKS & SPENCER One of the UK s leading retailers, Marks & Spencer (M&S) entered the Indian market initially as a franchise business. In 2008, the company signed a JV with Reliance Retail which has helped M&S to transform the position in the market. Under the previous franchise partnership, M&S was a small premium retailer selling UK products at higher prices through smaller stores. Through the partnership with Reliance Retail, M&S has been able to open larger stores (in Delhi at Rohini and Kirti Nagar spread across 20,000 and 18,000 sq.ft., respectively, while Koramangala stand-alone store at Bangalore is a 23,000 sq.ft. shop) and re-align prices through increasing local sourcing. M&S currently has 29 stores located in Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Amritsar, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Chandigarh and Hyderabad. The brand in India has continued to expand responsibly over the past decade while incorporating the international retail standards for the stores in the country. Till date, M&S has successfully opened two sustainable learning stores in India at South Extension, Delhi, and Market City, Bangalore. These stores provide the company with valuable insights into sustainable building practices in India, to support future projects in the country. M&S fi rst stand-alone sustainable store in South Extension, Delhi, was awarded with Platinum Rating for construction sustainability by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The other sustainable store in India is at Bangalore. The 20,000 sq.ft. store M&S opened five new format stores in the last quarter. The stores are more inviting and easy to shop meet their personal style presence. The store has been designed by keeping customers specifically in mind. Each clothing brand is now very clearly segmented, with distinct brand identities that allow customers to see which brand meets their personal style preferences. Sub-brands are re-launched for clearer differentiation and for giving them more distinctive identities to make easier for customers to find the right items for them to refresh their look; coupled with improved visual merchandising to show to customers how to wear latest trends. It is now easier for customers to identify signature style of each of M&S clothing sub-brands and will strengthen the in-store presentation of clothing brands, helping customers better identify the styles for them. wooded sporting equipment with a large canvas sail. Per una is true to its brand values with a feminine and vibrant look highlighted with white-washed wooden wardrobes and chandeliers, a company spokesperson says. The company currently has 29 stores pan India. M&S has a total selling space of 3.7 lakh sq.ft. across all its stores. We don t comment on individual store performances but we can tell you about one of our exciting new stores. M&S opened its first stand-alone store in South India at Koramangala, Bangalore under its ongoing strategy to grow its presence in India. This new flagship store marked the fifth edition to M&S stores in Bangalore. With over 23,000 sq.ft. of selling space over two floors, the new format store aims to make the MAY 2013. IMAGES RETAIL. 53

store more inviting, inspiring and easier to shop for customers with an exciting new take on fashion displays. In addition to a truly international shopping experience with its design and relaxed ambience, the store also offers this season s latest collections and M&S exclusive innovations across womenswear, menswear, kidswear as well as accessories, lingerie and a selection of beauty products. The new format store provides each clothing brand its own distinct look and identity and allows customers to see which brand best meets their personal style preferences, the spokesperson adds. With 29 stores in India, M&S now has a strong platform in place to expand presence in India and the company plans to launch 5 more shops by the coming summer. The company has recently launched five new format stores in Chennai, New Delhi, Bengaluru and Chandigarh. positioned as a family store, it finally veered towards becoming a fashion store with an emphasis on youth and clear focus on fresh fashion. Pantaloons stores have a wide variety of categories such as casual wear, ethnic wear, formal wear, party wear and sportswear for men, women and kids. The fashion store extends to almost all major cities across the country. Pantaloons has established its presence with stores not just in the metros but also in smaller towns. GLOBUS The Rajan Raheja Group-owned department store chain Globus is present in Mumbai, Thane, Delhi, Ghaziabad, Kanpur, Chennai, Indore, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, and Lucknow. Launched in January 1998, the company opened its first store at Indore in 1999. The flagship store in Mumbai was opened on 1st November 2001, followed by a swanky new outlet in New Delhi at South Extension Part-2. Globus combines state-of-the-art international information technology, the highest quality of human resources and sustained financial commitment to realise its long-term vision. The brand is rapidly expanding and targets to have an additional 100 fashion stores by the end of 2017. PANTALOONS With a focus on today s youth, Pantaloons offers trendy and hip fashion that defines their hopes and aspirations. The first Pantaloons was opened in Gariahat in 1997. Over the years, it has undergone several transitions. When it was fi rst launched, the store mostly sold external brands. Gradually, it started retailing a mix of external brands and its own private brands. Initially The first Pantaloons was opened in Gariahat in 1997 Globus operates 35 stores and recently opened its store in Bilaspur and Chennal RELIANCE TRENDS Reliance Trends, the apparel, luggage and accessories specialty format of Reliance Retail, has become India s largest fashion destination with 117 Stores in 70 Cities across 19 States of India. This is now larger than Max (75 stores), Pantaloon (65+21 factory outlets), Westside (70), Shoppers Stop (54), Globus (35) and Lifestyle (35). This in itself is a commendable feat, considering that all the other retailers named here have been in business much longer. Reliance Trends opened as many as 48 stores during the fi nancial year 2011-12 and 27 stores in 2012-13 adding 11 new cities in two years the latest store opened at BMG MALL, Rewari. The uniqueness of the store lies in the attention to quality 54. IMAGES RETAIL. MAY 2013

Reliance Trends has become India s largest fashion destination with 117 stores in India in all products, the high fashion quotient in its seasonal collections, the innovative technology solutions offered in products such as Aromatic Tees for infants, Ever White Shirts and Travel Suits for men and Performax active wear products for men and women. Reliance Trends caters not just to consumers who look for ready-to-wear clothes, but also to the large number of men and women who prefer to shop for fabric and tailor their clothes. This is possible due to the unique mix of fabric and ready-to-stitch brands in men s and women s, respectively. WESTSIDE Established in 1998 as a part of the Tata Group, Trent operates Westside, one of India s largest and fastest growing chains of retail stores. The Westside stores have numerous departments to meet the varied shopping needs of customers. These include mens, women s and kid s wear, lingerie, footwear, cosmetics, perfumes, handbags, household accessories, gifts, home décor and furnitures. The company has already established 70 Westside department stores (measuring 15,000-30,000 sq.ft. each) across 43 cities such as Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kanpur, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Raipur, Surat, Vadodara and Jammu. The company hopes to expand rapidly with similar format stores that offer a fi ne balance between style and price retailing. Recently Westside has launched its first store in Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. MEGAMART Megamart is probably the largest value-retail chain in India. It offers its customers complete value-for-money through best of deals throughout the year with some of the top international and national apparel brands all at fabulous deals. The chain is spread over 60 cities across the country with around 160 stores. Setup in 1996, Megamart is a venture of Arvind. In spite of being a value retail chain, Megamart boasts of providing an excellent shopping experience. Today, it is the largest player in this segment. Megamart operates in two formats Megamart stores that occupy around 2,000 4,000 sq.ft. and Big Megamart stores that are spread across 30,000 60,000 sq.ft. RITU WEARS Ritu Wears is one big stop family shopping destination in North India making its presence felt since 1965. It is the biggest store chain in the North of the country and a name to reckon on in Delhi s fashion industry. The chain stocks everything that a family needs under one roof including apparels for women, men, and kids, home accessories and furnishings, toys, footwear, eyewear, jewellery, personal care, luggage, time wear. Ritu Wears has 10 major outlets out of which 5 are in Delhi and NCR and 2 in Punjab. There is one upcoming outlet in ModelTown. Understanding and sensing the pulse of shoppers, Ritu Wears has kicked off with the fresh Big Life Concept and is hence soaring higher and higher with newly four Big Life Concept showrooms at Indore, Jalandhar, Faridabad and Indirapuram. By 2014, it plans to jack up with 33 more stores and offer shoppers with diverse collections of national and international brands. KAPSONS Promoted by two young and energetic brothers Vipin Kapoor and Darpan Kapoor, Kapsons was promoted in 1989 in Chandigarh at Sector 17 There are currently 70 Westside stores (measuring 15,000-30,000 sq.ft.) across 43 cities in India 56. IMAGES RETAIL. MAY 2013

Ritu Wears is the biggest store chain in the North of the country The focus of the department stores will be more on fashion items to suit the needs of young population which is known to be the largest retail market of the city. The company has the distribution rights for many renowned luxury brands such as Gas, CK, Gant, French Connection, Sisley, United Colors of Benetton, Puma, Levis, Lee, Wrangler, and Tommy Hilfi ger. Kapsons boasts of 3 million customers, 130 selling points and a turnover of above Rs 300 crore. The company has established its lifestyle multi-branded stores in 10 major cities namely Chandigarh, New Delhi, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Bathinda, Ludhiana, Jammu, Patiala, Karnal, and Panchkula. RMKV Founded in 1924 by RMK Visvanatha Pillai, RMKV today is reputed for its wedding silks, unique silk sarees, as well as family apparel, with large showrooms in Chennai, Tirunelveli and Coimbatore. With 87 years of experience in silk, the chain is known for quality products, design innovations and new techniques in handloom silk weaving. RMKV also carries a wide range of fancy and embroidered sarees, salwar kameez, and a complete range of products for ladies, gents and children. SOHUM SHOPPE Sohum Shoppe is a pioneer in Northeast India offering a gateway to shopping enthusiasts in the form of the first ever lifestyle retail outlet showcasing major national and international fashion brands. Sohum Shoppe opened its first store Sohum Emporio, GS Road, Guwahati in May 2000; since then it has been dominating the hearts of fashion- and brand-conscious shoppers. It was an entirely new shopping experience for the inhabitants of Guwahati and neighbouring areas. The store offers brands such as Zodiac, Color Plus, Zod, Louis Philippe, Allen Solly, Provogue, Wills, Levis, and Lee. Women s wear include Allen Solly, Giovani, Wills, Provogue, etc. The store also offers accessories from brands such as Hidesign and Esbeda. The chain has more than five stores and is expanding rapidly. CONCLUSION The Indian department store chains are ready to take on challenges from global retail players post FDI liberalisation. Ultimately, the success depends on who understands the customer and address his needs better. The customer should feel that it is a part of his culture, his perceived values, and does not try to impose alien values or concepts on him. In fact a local feel with global appeal seems to be the mantra for these chains. The future shows tremendous potential for growth in the retail sector. Almost all large companies worldwide are looking to establish a base or stake in the Indian market. In this scenario, the Indian retail sector itself must seize the initiative to realise the dreams of contributing to a prosperous and booming economy. In the near future, India will see a phenomenal growth of shopping malls and that might propel the growth of department stores as well as other retail formats in India. This particular format did not manage to expand that much as compared to hypermarkets. Industry experts feel that the focus will be more on fashion and lifestyle items to suit the needs of a booming young population and tier II and beyond will be the most preferred locations in future. MAY 2013. IMAGES RETAIL. 57