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Top omnichannel retail players discussed their digital journeys and at the 22nd India Fashion Forum in Bengaluru Bengaluru:  The central factor of every company is consumers. It’s vital to consider and understand customer needs, challenges, emotions, and preferences before confirming the right merchandising platform, top industry leaders said in a panel discussion titled ‘Omnichannel Strategies for a Unified Customer Experience’ on Tuesday at the India Fashion Forum 2023. Customers, especially Gen-Z and millennials, rely mostly on social media platforms for shopping. Thus, building a brand with the help of social media bring forth the ability to voice a brand message, deliver deeper insights, mission and values. According to Amit Arora, chief information officer of SHR Lifestyle, “Wherever the customers are available, like Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp, we should use it. Listening to the customers is important for brand development and it builds credibility and faith in the brand

Captains of the retail industry were discussing an engaging topic of The DNA of profitability: Innovation’ on the first day of the 22nd edition of India Fashion Forum (IFF) By N. Bobo Meitei Bengaluru: Top retail honchos said on Tuesday that in order to thrive and survive, companies need to innovate constantly. However, how innovation impacts profitability is a pressing question businesses are facing, they said. Captains of the retail industry were discussing an engaging topic of The DNA of profitability: Innovation’ on the first day of the 22nd edition of India Fashion Forum (IFF). IFF is India’s largest and most influential fashion retail intelligence event is being held at Conrad Bengaluru on 28 February 2023 and 1 March 2023. The event is chaired by Shailesh Chaturvedi, chief executive officer of Aravind Fashions Ltd, and powered by GreenHonchos. The theme of IFF 2023 will be decoding DNA of profitable growth, defined by value creation. The Tuesday session was moderated by G

Top executives of Landmark Group revealed its success mantra in India at the 22nd India Fashion Forum in Bangalore Bengaluru: The top officers of Landmark Group said its success in India lies in the company’s understanding of deep-rooting in consumers to focusing on product development and employee value. Devarajan Iyer, executive director of Lifestyle International, and Shital Mehta, managing director of Lifestyle International spoke about the Dubai-based retail group’s 24-year journey in India Both the top executives at Landmark Group were at the  22nd edition of India Fashion Forum (IFF), India’s largest and most influential fashion retail intelligence event is being held at Conrad Bengaluru on 28 February 2023 and 1 March 2023. The event is chaired by Shailesh Chaturvedi, chief executive officer of Aravind Fashions Ltd, and powered by GreenHonchos. The theme of IFF 2023 will be decoding DNA of profitable growth, defined by value creation. “The event will cut through topline n

Leaders share their understanding of India’s highly competitive fashion market and mantras for success at the 22 nd  edition of the India Fashion Forum Bengaluru: India’s fashion industry is highly fragmented. And this provides opportunities and room for growth and scalability, business leaders said in a panel discussion on the first day of the chairman of the ongoing IMAGES Group’s India Fashion Forum. However, leaders stressed that growth cannot come at the expense of profitability; a tightrope for brands to walk. To achieve the fine balance, brands need to have clarity, a deep understanding of consumers and the nuances that define the Indian market or Indian consumers. “India isn’t price conscious, it’s performance conscious. For every brand, there is a market, as long as you are giving value. It comes to value creation for consumers. We are clear about what we want, and there is no distraction,” said Amisha Jain, MD & SVP, South Asia, Middle East, Africa, Non-EU, Levis Str

With 15 brand partners and more than 370 distributors, Nope launches its first range of Mobile Accessories & Smart Gadgets in India. New Delhi:  Nope, a smart tech and accessory D2C brand, launched its first range of mobile accessories and gadgets for the Indian market. The brand is targeted at Gen Z and the youth. The brand offers a wide range of products like neckbands, wireless earphones available in variations and bluetooth speakers. The neckbands and earbuds have features like type C fast charging, google assistant and Siri support, touch control, and 13 mm drivers among others. The brand also offers smart watches, fit bands, USB chargers, car chargers, power banks and much more. “We are excited to commence the next wave of innovation in the smart gadgets and mobile accessory market with Nope’s relentless efforts to push the best of technology and quality in the times to come. The youth remains at the center of our positioning, and we have our eyes placed on being the nume

As retail becomes increasingly digital, retailers across categories are feeling the need to redefine job roles, hire for new skills and equip their employees with a whole new set of abilities Mumbai:  When Harsh Shah cofounder of omnichannel commerce platform Fynd wanted to hire a driver for his family, the first question he asked candidates was “can you use Google Maps?” and not which kind of cars the potential candidate has driven or for how long has he been in a driving job? “This shows how skill sets required for doing even a traditional job have changed in the new world,” Shah said speaking at a recent Mumbai conference about the changing manpower requirements that retail organisations have to deal with in the face of retail transformation. As retail becomes increasingly digital, retailers across categories are feeling the need to equip their employees with a whole new set of skills, industry leaders said. While core skill sets such as a service-centric attitude remain in dema

Spread across more than 40,000 sq. feet, the store offers more than 12,000 products from over 160 brands for homeowners, contractors, and retailers at wholesale prices Mumbai : Hippo Stores , a construction and building material provider, launched its third store in Zirakpur at Dhillon Plaza. Spread across more than 40,000 sq.ft., the store offers more than 12,000 products from over 160 brands for homeowners, contractors, and retailers at wholesale prices. The store is the third of 27 such outlets planned across the country in the next five years. “After the successful launch of our stores in Delhi NCR, we are ready to set our footsteps in Punjab in Zirakpur. In India, there have never been stores that offer building materials of different varieties at one location. When you make your house, you face tremendous challenges – where to buy so many different products, what is genuine, what is the right price and who to seek advice from – we are trying to solve all of that,” said Amit Ga

The new outlet is situated at New BEL Road, Devasandra Village, North Bengaluru Bengaluru: New U, a chain of beauty and lifestyle retail stores owned by Dabur, has launched a new store in Bengaluru at New BEL Road, Devasandra Village, the brand company in a social media post. New U was founded in 2007 as a retail venture of Indian consumer goods company Dabur India. The company opened its first brick-and-mortar store in 2008. New U stores offer beauty, wellness, and healthcare products, and its outlets are operated by H & B Stores Ltd, a subsidiary of Dabur India Ltd. In January 2023, Dabur India celebrated a new milestone of operating 100 retail stores with the opening of six offline stores in a row. The six NewU stores are located at Vinayak City Center (Prayagraj), Spectrum Mall (Noida), Spaze Corporate Park (Gurugram), Forum Mall (Edappally, Kerala), RMZ (Bengaluru), and KPS Mall (Hooghly). Today the retailer is present in 40 cities across India and aims to double the stor

India’s knitwear hub Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu seems to be on the path of revival Tiruppur:  After weathering the twin challenges of Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, India’s knitwear hub Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu seems to be on the path of revival, with exporters pinning hopes on the positive growth recorded in January to continue its momentum. Industry insiders said the three-month average negative growth recorded in 2022 was at 24 per cent as it was largely impacted by the recurrence of Covid-19 pandemic in various European countries and also due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. So much so the two issues even altered the Europeans’ pattern of using a particular T-Shirt. “Exports came down between July and December 2022. The three month average negative growth will be 24 per cent. However, from January it has increased marginally. I would say in dollar terms a 2 per cent rise while in Rupee it is 11 per cent,” Tiruppur Exporters Association (TEA) President K M Subramanian to

Spread across 750,000 sq. ft., the mall consists of over 50 dining venues, 250+ premium brands and 35+ luxury brands Mumbai : Leading retail-led mixed-use asset developer and operator The Phoenix Mills Limited (PML) is now open ed its latest mall in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The new mall boast of more than 50 dining venues, 250+ premium brands and 35+ luxury brands which will be entering the city for the first time , according to Asha Someshwar, General Manager Leasing at The Phoenix Mills Ltd. It is located in Thaltej spreading across 750,000 sq. ft. and is home to top brands including Vero M oda, Jack & Jones, Wow Momo, Only, Taco Bell, Charles & Keith, Aldo, Bath & Body Works, and Ralph Lauren Fragrances, among others.  “Palladium Ahmedabad – the luxury mall of Gujarat, is now open for shopping. Bringing to you gourmet culinary expeditions across 50+ dining venues, 250+ premium brands & 35+ luxury brands for the 1st time in Ahmedabad and a whole experience of t

Since its launch in 2009, Zoya has become a Rs 200-crore sub-brand in the Titan stable which grosses over Rs 40,000 crore annually By KJ Bennychan Mumbai: Zoya , the luxury jewellery brand from the house of Titan, is looking to more than double its revenue as well as the store count over the next three years from what it has done all through its 14-year history. Since its launch in 2009, Zoya has become a Rs 200-crore sub-brand in the Titan stable which grosses over Rs 40,000 crore annually, with seven showrooms — the latest addition being just last week at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel here — and an equal number of galleries. If everything goes as planned, and if the demand for luxury maintains the current growth momentum, we will have at least eight more boutiques by FY27, adding to our seven stores and seven galleries at present, CK Venkatraman, the managing director of Titan Company, which is a joint venture between the Tatas and the Tamil Nadu government, told PTI. On the inve

Inox so far has added 7 cinemas and 37 screens in this financial year including a 3-screen multiplex in Srinagar. The upcoming cinema launches lined up in cities are Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Delhi, Patna, Indore and Dharwad Ever since commencing operations in year 2002, INOX has been engaging the masses and has entertained more than 700 million guests throughout the journey. With 712 perfectly appointed screens in 167 multiplexes across the country, INOX continues to be an epitome, getting closer to the Indian cinema lovers. The flagship venture of the $5 billion INOX Group, INOX Leisure Limited remains on a growth path which is envied across the globe. The brand has always worked upon enhancing the experiences, right from creating a world-class infrastructure which is high on comfort and aesthetics, to staying updated with the latest in the cinema technology space. In an exclusive interaction with IMAGES Retail, Alok Tandon, Chief Executive Officer, Inox Leisure Limited, talks about

The mall will be executing new innovations in the business model to further enhance and upgrade the customer service. Creating super value for the customers is the brand’s priority Gaurav Balani, deputy general manager – marketing, Infiniti Malls Infiniti Mall, a division of K Raheja Realty, operates two shopping malls in Mumbai and are rated as one of the most popular destinations for shopping, entertainment, and food. The company has always enjoyed a great amount of trust and loyalty from its patrons over 5 decades and has successfully ventured into the areas of housing & real estate, hospitality, finance, and retailing, to name a few. The first Infiniti Mall opened in 2004, in Andheri (Mumbai) followed by the second property in Malad (Mumbai) in May 2011. Infiniti Mall (Andheri) is located at Oshiwara Link Road in Andheri (West) with 65 stores, a six-screen multiplex (PVR Icon), food court, family entertainment centre and restaurants besides shopping. Infiniti Mall (Malad)

The new store is located at Plutone Mall and offers over 500 products from national and international brands Bengaluru:  Department store chain   Shoppers Stop has opened its first store in Rourkela, Odisha. The new store is located at Plutone Mall and offers over 500 products from national and international brands. “We are optimistic that our first Shoppers Stop store in Rourkela will enhance our retail offering to the city’s fashion-forward residents. Our retail stores are a natural extension of our brand, design quality, and innovation. We curate the product offerings at the store based on consumer preferences in the area, as part of a hyperlocal customer engagement strategy,” said Venu Nair, chief executive officer of Shoppers Stop Ltd. in a release. With the new store launch, Shoppers Stop now operates 101 department stores in 49 cities. “We have made considerable progress in delivering convenience to our consumers over the years by providing a personalized and service-backed

DLF Ltd will invest Rs 200 crore to expand its mall at Vasant Kunj, with a dedicated shopping area for luxury products and plans to develop 300,000-400,000 sq. ft. of space as a luxury retail area next to DLF Promenade, revealed Siddharth Natu, mall head-Delhi cluster, during a recent interaction with Images Group Founded in 1946, DLF is among the largest publicly listed real estate companies in India with residential, commercial, and retail properties in 15 states and 24 cities. It runs across India namely DLF Mall of India, DLF Promenade, DLF Avenue Saket, DLF City Centre Mall, DLF South Square, DLF Emporio, among others. Excerpts from the interview… Going forward, where do you see the Indian real estate industry in 2023? The real estate industry is likely to explode in India. The market growth is expected to be around 15% until 2027. The developments that had been stalled during the pandemic have picked up the pace and most of them are on track to be completed over the next fe

The company stated that the integration will provide technology support to the seller community and empower small businesses Bengaluru: Leading retail marketplace Amazon announced that it will integrate its logistics network (from pickup to delivery) and SmartCommerce services with Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform. This will be Amazon’s initial collaboration with ONDC. SmartCommerce is an Amazon Web Services (AWS)-powered suite of SaaS (software as a service) products that enables MSMEs in India to build and scale a business across digital mediums and will have enablers for onboarding to the ONDC network. “Amazon’s vision and commitment for India is closely aligned with ONDC’s objectives of digitally enabling small businesses, and providing convenience and choice to customers across the country,” said Manish Tiwary, country manager, India Consumer Business, Amazon India. Amazon has leveraged technology and innovation on behalf of Indian customers and sellers, and

The new Wrangler store is omnichannel-enabled and is located at Kankarbagh Mumbai : Wrangler, a popular denim brand, launched its new omnichannel-enabled store at Kankarbagh in Patna, Bihar. Ace Turtle, omnichannel retail platform company, which partners with Kontoor Brands to offer omnichannel technology platforms and inventory to the brand, announced via a LinkedIn post. Indiaretailing has reached out to the brand for details, which will be added as soon as they are received. Founded in 1904, the American denim brand Wrangler offers a diverse variety of denim jeans along with many other clothing items such as shirts, polo t-shirts, track pants, sweatshirts, and jackets for both men and women. It has around 240 stores in India. In 2021, Ace Turtle reached a definitive agreement with Kontoor Brands to become its licensee for India which would enable Kontoor Brands’ portfolio, including Lee and Wrangler, to be sold through a digitally connected network of online retailers and brand

For leading retailers across the country, the focus is on seamless integration, using data to understand customers better and enable back-end efficiencies Mumbai : While customer experience takes the centre stage post-Covid for most of the leading retailers, they are also putting their efforts and monies into facilitating better customer experience through an entirely different angle: The backend. According to a latest survey by Amazon Web Services (AWS) survey, almost 80% of retail sales are still conducted through brick-and-mortar stores and reputed retailers said that they are not only focusing on tech investment in the consumer-facing front-end but also a significant part of their tech spending go into the back-end to improve their operational efficiencies – that ultimately enhances the overall customer experience. Retailers have witnessed a sharp increase in the number of consumers preferring to interact directly with humans in the post-Covid world rather than dealing with tec

Spread across 3,500 sq ft, the new outlet is the fourth store of Nature’s Basket in the Delhi-NCR region Bengaluru:  Nature’s Basket (NB), a homegrown grocery delivery chain of retail stores opened a new store at Defence Colony, New Delhi. Spread across 3500 sq ft, the new outlet is the fourth store of Nature’s Basket in the Delhi-NCR region. The store also has a cafe indoors that offers food and beverage options. “Nature’s Basket as a brand is uniquely positioned to cater to gourmet needs of our customers. The addition of our new store in Defence Colony, Delhi reaffirms the group’s belief in India’s increasing gourmet appetite and a new-age shopping experience. We are pleased that through Nature’s Basket, our customers can make the most of their trip to fulfil their desire to ‘taste the world’,” said Shashwat Goenka, sector head of retail and FMCG at Sanjiv Goenka Group. Launched in 2005, Nature’s Basket is a grocery store chain focused on gourmet food. Headquartered in Mumbai, t

Tanishq opened its first retail store in New Jersey with focus on the Indian Diaspora Market and is now planning to expand to other cities as well  Washington: A month after opening its first American outlet, Tanishq , India’s leading jewelry retail brand from the house of Tata, feels that the United States offers “huge opportunities” for not only itself but also for other Indian retail brands as well. This is mainly attributed to the large presence of Indian Diaspora in the country, who are among the highest per-capita income, but also because of the interest in India, its culture and products among the Americans. “The opportunity is huge. Just from an Indian diaspora perspective, a South Asian diaspora perspective, and then even beyond that, the opportunity is huge. If you just focus on, let’s say the Indian diaspora part, the people here, and that is an important part of our decision to enter here,” said Amrit Pal Singh, business head- North America, Titan Company that runs the

The store offers plus-size apparel from 450 brands in India and will be live from 22 – 26 February 2023 Bengaluru:   Online retail shopping platform Amazon Fashion announces the launch of The Plus Shop, a newly curated store offering plus-size apparel from various brands in India. The store will be live from 22 – 26 February 2023 and offers products across 450 brands. For this initiative, Amazon is partnering with brands including Biba, W for Woman, Bigbanana, Pluss, Allen Solly, Nykd by Nykaa and U.S. Polo Assn. among others and offers apparel in sizes 2XL-8XL at a minimum of 50% discount with over 6 lakh items to choose from. “The plus-size segment is evolving at a fast pace in India. We want to bring an inclusive approach to fashion and cater to the needs of our diverse consumer base. With the launch of ‘The Plus Shop’ as a one-stop destination for all plus-size apparel needs, our aim is to offer a holistic shopping experience at great value and convenience,” Saurabh Srivastava

The new outlet of the diamond boutique was inaugurated by CK Venkatraman, managing director of Titan Company Ltd. and Puneet Chhatwal, chief executive officer of Indian Hotels Company Ltd. Bengaluru:    Zoya , a diamond boutique from the House of Tata, launches its sixth outlet at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai. The new outlet was inaugurated by CK Venkatraman, managing director of Titan Company Ltd. and Puneet Chhatwal, chief executive officer of Indian Hotels Company Ltd. (IHCL). “Zoya opening at the Taj is a moment of great pride and significance for us as it is two of the finest luxury brands from the House of Tata coming together. Taj is a destination synonymous with the finest in luxury hospitality and Zoya, is the jewel in our crown. This intersection of excellence in design, personalised service, and honouring artisanship illuminates the way forward for warm luxury,” said Venkatraman. The boutique is styled with feminine interiors in pastel hues, patterned floors and engrav

Real estate developers plan to add nearly 25 million square feet of new mall space across seven major cities over the next 4-5 years New Delhi:  The size of the country’s retail market is expected to touch USD 2 trillion by 2032, growing from USD 690 billion in 2021, according to a joint report by Anarock and Retailers Association of India (RAI). The report by property consultant Anarock and RAI said that real estate developers plan to add nearly 25 million square feet of new mall space across seven major cities over the next 4-5 years. In 2022, these seven cities added over 2.6 million sq ft of mall space, up 27 per cent from the preceding year. “The festive season, devoid of restrictions and any fear of the contagion, was exemplary with record high volumes and sales value,” Anuj Kejriwal, CEO & Managing Director – ANAROCK Retail, said. Sales value estimated during the festive season in late 2022 was Rs 2.5 lakh crore, nearly 2.5 times compared to the previous year, he said.

The report also provides a roadmap for Indian retailers on how to get started with the adoption of advanced analytics and AI Bengaluru: Retailers globally leverage advanced analytics and AI across the value chain, which will help to unlock a ₹400 billion EBITDA ( earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) opportunity over the next five years, says a joint report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Retailers Association of India (RAI). “Advanced analytics and AI have transformed retail globally and enabled many large retailers to leapfrog competition and build differentiation,” said Abheek Singhi, senior partner at BCG. “Indian retailers also recognize this opportunity and are optimistic about the potential of advanced analytics and AI to create value.” The report highlights the varying relative importance of use-cases across different retail sub-sectors and illustrates examples of global retail leaders that have adopted advanced analytics and AI to solve cr