Retail involves the sale of goods and services to end users. Retailers purchase products in bulk from manufacturers and then sell smaller quantities to consumers for a profit. Retailing can be done in fixed locations like stores, door-to-door, or online. Common retail outlets include department stores, discount stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, and online retailers. Retailers aim to attract different customer demographics and can specialize in specific product categories or adopt various pricing strategies.

1. Retail is the sale of goods and services from individuals or businesses to the end-user. Retailers
are a part of an integrated system called the supply chain. A retailer purchases goods or products
in large quantities from manufacturers directly or through a wholesale, and then sells smaller
quantities to the consumer for a profit. Retailing can be done in either fixed locations like stores
or markets, door-to-door or by delivery. In the 2000s, an increasing amount of retailing is done
online using electronic payment and delivery via a courier or postal mail. Retailing includes
subordinated services, such as delivery. The term "retailer" is also applied where a service
provider services the needs of a large number of individuals, such as for the public. Shops may
be on residential streets, streets with few or no houses, or in a shopping mall. Shopping streets
may be for pedestrians only. Sometimes a shopping street has a partial or full roof to protect
customers from precipitation. Online retailing, a type of electronic commerce used for business-
to-consumer (B2C) transactions and mail order, are forms of non-shop retailing.
Shopping generally refers to the act of buying products. Sometimes this is done to obtain
necessities such as food and clothing; sometimes it is done as a recreational activity.
Recreational shopping often involves window shopping (just looking, not buying) and browsing
and does not always result in a purchase.
Retail comes from the Old French word tailler, which means "to cut off, clip, pare, divide" in
terms of tailoring (1365). It was first recorded as a noun with the meaning of a "sale in small
quantities" in 1433 (from the Middle French retail, "piece cut off, shred, scrap, paring").[1] Like
in French, the word retail in both Dutch and German also refers to the sale of small quantities of
items.
Types of retail outlets
Fruit shop in Naggar, Himachal Pradesh, India
San Juan de Dios Market in Guadalajara, Jalisco
Inside a supermarket in Russia

2. Walnut Market in Katra, Jammu & Kashmir, India
A marketplace is a location where goods and services are exchanged. The traditional market
square is a city square where traders set up stalls and buyers browse the stores. This kind of
market is very old, and countless such markets are still in operation around the whole world.
In some parts of the world, the retail business is still dominated by small family-run stores, but
this market is increasingly being taken over by large retail chains. Most of these stores are called
high street stores. Gradually high street stores are being re-grouped at single locations called
malls. These are more defined and planned spaces for retail stores and brands.
Types by products
Retail is usually classified by type of products as follows:
 Food products — typically require cold storage facilities.
 Hard goods or durable goods ("hardline retailers")[2] — automobiles, appliances,
electronics, furniture, sporting goods, lumber, etc., and parts for them. Goods that do not
quickly wear out and provide utility over time.
 Soft goods or consumables[3][4] — clothing, other fabrics, footwear, cosmetics, medicines
and stationery. Goods that are consumed after one use or have a limited period (typically
under three years) in which you may use them.
 Arts — Contemporary art galleries, Bookstores, Handicrafts, Musical instruments, Gift
shops, and supplies for them.
Types by marketing strategy
There are the following types of retailers by marketing strategy:
Department store
Department stores are very large stores offering a huge assortment of "soft" and "hard goods;
often bear a resemblance to a collection of specialty stores. A retailer of such store carries variety
of categories and has broad assortment at average price. They offer considerable customer
service.
Discount store

3. Discount stores tend to offer a wide array of products and services, but they compete mainly on
price offers extensive assortment of merchandise at affordable and cut-rate prices. Normally,
retailers sell less fashion-oriented brands.
Warehouse store
Warehouses that offer low-cost, often high-quantity goods piled on pallets or steel shelves;
warehouse clubs charge a membership fee.
Variety store
Variety stores offer extremely low-cost goods, with limited selection.
Demographic
Retailers that aim at one particular segment (e.g., high-end retailers focusing on wealthy
individuals).
Mom-And-Pop
A small retail outlet owned and operated by an individual or family. Focuses on a relatively
limited and selective set of products.
Specialty store
A specialty (BE: speciality) store has a narrow marketing focus - either specializing on specific
merchandise, such as toys, shoes, or clothing, or on a target audience, such as children, tourists,
or oversize women.[5] Size of store varies - some specialty stores might be retail giants such as
Toys "R" Us, Foot Locker, and The Body Shop, while others might be small, individual shops
such as Nutters of Savile Row.[5] Such stores, regardless of size, tend to have a greater depth of
the specialist stock than general stores, and generally offer specialist product knowledge valued
by the consumer. Pricing is usually not the priority when consumers are deciding upon a
specialty store; factors such as branding image, selection choice, and purchasing assistance are
seen as important.[5] They differ from department stores and supermarkets which carry a wide
range of merchandise.[6]
Boutique
Boutique or concept stores are similar to specialty stores. Concept stores are very small in size,
and only ever stock one brand. They are run by the brand that controls them. An example of
brand that distributes largely through their own widely distributed concept stores is
L'OCCITANE en Provence. The limited size and offering of L'OCCITANE's stores are too small
to be considered a specialty store proper.
General store

4. A general store is a rural store that supplies the main needs for the local community;
Convenience store
A convenience store provides limited amount of merchandise at more than average prices with a
speedy checkout. This store is ideal for emergency and immediate purchases as it often works
with extended hours, stocking everyday;
Hypermarkets
Provides variety and huge volumes of exclusive merchandise at low margins. The operating cost
is comparatively less than other retail formats.
Supermarket
A supermarket is a self-service store consisting mainly of grocery and limited products on non
food items. They may adopt a Hi-Lo or an EDLP strategy for pricing. The supermarkets can be
anywhere between 20,000 and 40,000 square feet (3,700 m2). Example: SPAR supermarket.
Mall
A shopping mall has a range of retail shops at a single outlet. They can include products, food
and entertainment under one roof. Malls provide 7% of retail revenue in India, 10% in Vietnam,
25% in China, 28% in Indonesia, 39% in the Philippines, and 45% in Thailand.[7]
"Category killer" or specialist
By supplying wide assortment in a single category for lower prices a category killer retailer can
"kill" that category for other retailers. For few categories, such as electronics, the products are
displayed at the centre of the store and sales person will be available to address customer queries
and give suggestions when required. Other retail format stores are forced to reduce the prices if a
category specialist retail store is present in the vicinity.
E-tailer
The customer can shop and order through the internet and the merchandise is dropped at the
customer's doorstep or an e-tailer. Here the retailers use drop shipping technique. They accept the
payment for the product but the customer receives the product directly from the manufacturer or
a wholesaler. This format is ideal for customers who do not want to travel to retail stores and are
interested in home shopping. However, it is important for the customer to be wary about
defective products and non secure credit card transaction. Examples include Amazon.com,
Pennyful, and eBay.
Vending machine

5. A vending machine is an automated piece of equipment wherein customers can drop the money
in the machine and acquire the products. Some stores take a no frills approach, while others are
"mid-range" or "high end", depending on what income level they target.
Other types
Other types of retail store include:
 Automated Retail stores — self-service, robotic kiosks located in airports, malls and
grocery stores. The stores accept credit cards and are usually open 24/7. Examples
include ZoomShops and Redbox.
 Big-box stores — encompass larger department, discount, general merchandise, and
warehouse stores.
Retailers can opt for a format as each provides different retail mix to its customers based on their
customer demographics, lifestyle and purchase behaviour. A good format will lend a hand to
display products well and entice the target customers to spawn sales.
Global top ten retailers
Worldwide Top Ten Retailers[8][9]
Rank Company
Country of
Origin
2013 revenue
($US billion)
1 Walmart
United
States
$464,162
2 Tesco
United
Kingdom
$120,052
3 Costco
United
States
$105,156
4 Carrefour France $103,555
5 Kroger
United
States
$96,751
6 Lidl Germany $87,236
7 Metro AG Germany $85,832
8
The Home
Depot
United
States
$74,754
9 Aldi Germany $73,035
10
Target
Corporation
United
States
$71,960
Operations

6. Retail pricing
The pricing technique used by most retailers is cost-plus pricing. This involves adding a markup
amount (or percentage) to the retailer's cost. Another common technique is suggested retail
pricing. This simply involves charging the amount suggested by the manufacturer and usually
printed on the product by the manufacturer.
In Western countries, retail prices are often called psychological prices or odd prices. Often
prices are fixed and displayed on signs or labels. Alternatively, when prices are not clearly
displayed, there can be price discrimination, where the sale price is dependent upon who the
customer is. For example, a customer may have to pay more if the seller determines that he or
she is willing and/or able to. Another example would be the practice of discounting for youths,
students, or senior citizens.
Competition
Retail stores may or may not have competitors close enough to affect their pricing, product
availability, and other operations. A 2006 survey found that only 38% of retail stores in India
believed they faced more than slight competition.[10] Competition also affected less than half of
retail stores in Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, and Azerbaijan. In all countries the main competition was
domestic, not foreign.[11]
Country % of Retail Stores Facing Competition [11]
India 38%
Kazakhstan 44%
Bulgaria 46%
Azerbaijan 48%
Uzbekistan 58%
Armenia 58%
Georgia 59%
Kyrgyzstan 59%
Russia 62%
Belarus 64%
Croatia 68%
Romania 68%
Ukraine 72%
Turkey 73%
Serbia 74%
Tajikistan 74%
Slovenia 77%

7. Country % of Retail Stores Facing Competition [11]
Latvia 78%
Bosnia and Herzegovina 79%
Moldova 79%
Czech Republic 80%
Slovakia 80%
Poland 83%
Hungary 87%
Estonia 88%
Lithuania 88%
Macedonia 88%
Albania 89%
Retail trade provides 9% of all jobs in India and 14% of GDP.[10]
Staffing
Because patronage at a retail outlet varies, flexibility in scheduling is desirable. Employee
scheduling software is sold, which, using known patterns of customer patronage, more or less
reliably predicts the need for staffing for various functions at times of the year, day of the month
or week, and time of day. Usually needs vary widely. Conforming staff utilization to staffing
needs requires a flexible workforce which is available when needed but does not have to be paid
when they are not, part-time workers; as of 2012 70% of retail workers in the United States were
part-time. This may result in financial problems for the workers, who while they are required to
be available at all times if their work hours are to be maximized, may not have sufficient income
to meet their family and other obligations.[12]
Transfer mechanisms
There are several ways in which consumers can receive goods from a retailer:
 Counter service, where goods are out of reach of buyers and must be obtained from the
seller. This type of retail is common for small expensive items (e.g. jewelry) and
controlled items like medicine and liquor. It was common before the 1900s in the United
States and is more common in certain countries like India.[which?]
 Delivery, where goods are shipped directly to consumer's homes or workplaces. Mail
order from a printed catalog was invented in 1744 and was common in the late 19th and
early 20th centuries. Ordering by telephone was common in the 20th century, either from
a catalog, newspaper, television advertisement or a local restaurant menu, for immediate
service (especially for pizza delivery), remaining in common use for food orders. Internet
shopping - a form of delivery - has eclipsed phone-ordering, and, in several sectors - such
as books and music - all other forms of buying. Direct marketing, including telemarketing

8. and television shopping channels, are also used to generate telephone orders. started
gaining significant market share in developed countries in the 2000s.
 Door-to-door sales, where the salesperson sometimes travels with the goods for sale.
 Self-service, where goods may be handled and examined prior to purchase.
 Digital delivery or Download, where intangible goods, such as music, film, and electronic
books and subscriptions to magazines, are delivered directly to the consumer in the form
of information transmitted either over wires or air-waves, and is reconstituted by a device
which the consumer controls (such as an MP3 player; see digital rights management).
The digital sale of models for 3D printing also fits here, as do the media leasing types of
services, such as streaming.
Second-hand retail
See also: Charity shop
Some shops sell second-hand goods. In the case of a nonprofit shop, the public donates goods to
the shop to be sold. In give-away shops goods can be taken for free.
Another form is the pawnshop, in which goods are sold that were used as collateral for loans.
There are also "consignment" shops, which are where a person can place an item in a store and if
it sells, the person gives the shop owner a percentage of the sale price. The advantage of selling
an item this way is that the established shop gives the item exposure to more potential buyers.E-
tailers like OLX,Quikr etc. also working on second hand goods sales.
Challenges
To achieve and maintain a foothold in an existing market, a prospective retail establishment must
overcome the following hurdles:
 Regulatory barriers including
o Restrictions on real estate purchases, especially as imposed by local governments
and against "big-box" chain retailers;
o Restrictions on foreign investment in retailers, in terms of both absolute amount
of financing provided and percentage share of voting stock (e.g., common stock)
purchased;
 Unfavorable taxation structures, especially those designed to penalize or keep out "big
box" retailers (see "Regulatory" above);
 Absence of developed supply chain and integrated IT management;
 High competitiveness among existing market participants and resulting low profit
margins, caused in part by
o Constant advances in product design resulting in constant threat of product
obsolescence and price declines for existing inventory; and
 Lack of properly educated and/or trained work force, often including management,
caused in part by

9. o Lack of educational infrastructure enabling prospective market entrants to
respond to the above challenges.
Sales techniques
Behind the scenes at retail, there is another factor at work. Corporations and independent store
owners alike are always trying to get the edge on their competitors. One way to do this is to hire
a merchandising solutions company to design custom store displays that will attract more
customers in a certain demographic. The nation's largest retailers spend millions every year on
in-store marketing programs that correspond to seasonal and promotional changes. As products
change, so will a retail landscape. Retailers can also use facing techniques to create the look of a
perfectly stocked store, even when it is not.
A destination store is one that customers will initiate a trip specifically to visit, sometimes over a
large area. These stores are often used to "anchor" a shopping mall or plaza, generating foot
traffic, which is capitalized upon by smaller retailers.
Customer service
Customer service is the "sum of acts and elements that allow consumers to receive what they
need or desire from your retail establishment." It is important for a sales associate to greet the
customer and make himself available to help the customer find whatever he needs. When a
customer enters the store, it is important that the sales associate does everything in his power to
make the customer feel welcomed, important, and make sure he leaves the store satisfied. Giving
the customer full, undivided attention and helping him find what he is looking for will contribute
to the customer's satisfaction.[13] For retail store owners, it is extremely important to train
yourself and your staff to provide excellent customer service skills. By providing excellent
customer service, you build a good relationship with the customer and eventually will attract
more new customers and turn them into regular customers. Looking at long term perspectives,
excellent customer skills give your retail business a good ongoing reputation and competitive
advantage.[1
THE INDIAN RETAIL SCENE
India is the country having the most unorganized retail market. Traditionally it is a
family�s livelihood, with their shop in the front and house at the back, while they run the
retail business. More than 99% retailer�s function in less than 500 square feet of shopping
space. Global retail consultants KSA Technopak have estimated that organized retailing in
India is expected to touch Rs 35,000 crore in the year 2005-06. The Indian retail sector is
estimated at around Rs 900,000 crore, of which the organized sector accounts for a mere 2 per
cent indicating a huge potential market opportunity that is lying in the waiting for the
consumer-savvy organized retailer.
Purchasing power of Indian urban consumer is growing and branded merchandise in
categories like Apparels, Cosmetics, Shoes, Watches, Beverages, Food and even Jewellery,

10. are slowly becoming lifestyle products that are widely accepted by the urban Indian
consumer. Indian retailers need to advantage of this growth and aiming to grow, diversify and
introduce new formats have to pay more attention to the brand building process. The
emphasis here is on retail as a brand rather than retailers selling brands. The focus should be
on branding the retail business itself. In their preparation to face fierce competitive pressure,
Indian retailers must come to recognize the value of building their own stores as brands to
reinforce their marketing positioning, to communicate quality as well as value for money.
Sustainable competitive advantage will be dependent on translating core values combining
products, image and reputation into a coherent retail brand strategy.
There is no doubt that the Indian retail scene is booming. A number of large corporate houses
� Tata�s, Raheja�s, Piramals�s, Goenka�s � have already made their foray into
this arena, with beauty and health stores, supermarkets, self-service music stores, newage
book stores, every-day-low-price stores, computers and peripherals stores, office equipment
stores and home/building construction stores. Today the organized players have attacked
every retail category. The Indian retail scene has witnessed too many players in too short a
time, crowding several categories without looking at their core competencies, or having a well
thought out branding strategy.
STRATEGIES, TRENDS AND OPPORTUNITIES 2007
Retailing in India is gradually inching its way toward becoming the next boom industry. The
whole concept of shopping has altered in terms of format and consumer buying behavior,
ushering in a revolution in shopping in India. Modern retail has entered India as seen in
sprawling shopping centres, multi-storied malls and huge complexes offer shopping,
entertainment and food all under one roof. The Indian retailing sector is at an inflexion point
where the growth of organized retailing and growth in the consumption by the Indian
population is going to take a higher growth trajectory. The Indian population is witnessing a
significant change in its demographics. A large young working population with median age of
24 years, nuclear families in urban areas, along with increasing workingwomen population
and emerging opportunities in the services sector are going to be the key growth drivers of the
organized retail sector in India.
GROWTH OF RETAIL SECTOR IN INDIA
Retail and real estate are the two booming sectors of India in the present times. And if
industry experts are to be believed, the prospects of both the sectors are mutually dependent
on each other. Retail, one of India�s largest industries, has presently emerged as one of the
most dynamic and fast paced industries of our times with several players entering the market.
Accounting for over 10 per cent of the country�s GDP and around eight per cent of the
employment retailing in India is gradually inching its way toward becoming the next boom
industry.
As the contemporary retail sector in India is reflected in sprawling shopping centers,
multiplex- malls and huge complexes offer shopping, entertainment and food all under one
roof, the concept of shopping has altered in terms of format and consumer buying behavior,

11. ushering in a revolution in shopping in India. This has also contributed to large-scale
investments in the real estate sector with major national and global players investing in
developing the infrastructure and construction of the retailing business. The trends that are
driving the growth of the retail sector in India are
 Low share of organized retailing
 Falling real estate prices
 Increase in disposable income and customer aspiration
 Increase in expenditure for luxury items (CHART)
Another credible factor in the prospects of the retail sector in India is the increase in the
young working population. In India, hefty pay packets, nuclear families in urban areas, along
with increasing working-women population and emerging opportunities in the services sector.
These key factors have been the growth drivers of the organized retail sector in India which
now boast of retailing almost all the preferences of life - Apparel & Accessories, Appliances,
Electronics, Cosmetics and Toiletries, Home & Office Products, Travel and Leisure and many
more. With this the retail sector in India is witnessing rejuvenation as traditional markets
make way for new formats such as departmental stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets and
specialty stores.
The retailing configuration in India is fast developing as shopping malls are increasingly
becoming familiar in large cities. When it comes to development of retail space specially the
malls, the Tier II cities are no longer behind in the race. If development plans till 2007 is
studied it shows the projection of 220 shopping malls, with 139 malls in metros and the
remaining 81 in the Tier II cities. The government of states like Delhi and National Capital
Region (NCR) are very upbeat about permitting the use of land for commercial development
thus increasing the availability of land for retail space; thus making NCR render to 50% of the
malls in India.

12. India is being seen as a potential goldmine for retail investors from over the world and latest
research has rated India as the top destination for retailers for an attractive emerging retail
market. India�s vast middle class and its almost untapped retail industry are key attractions
for global retail giants wanting to enter newer markets. Even though India has well over 5
million retail outlets, the country sorely lacks anything that can resemble a retailing industry
in the modern sense of the term. This presents international retailing specialists with a great
opportunity. The organized retail sector is expected to grow stronger than GDP growth in the
next five years driven by changing lifestyles, burgeoning income and favorable demographic
outline.
INDUSTRY EVOLUTION
 Traditionally retailing in India can be traced to
 The emergence of the neighborhood �Kirana� stores catering to the convenience of
the consumers
 Era of government support for rural retail: Indigenous franchise model of store chains run
by Khadi & Village Industries Commission
 1980s experienced slow change as India began to open up economy.
 Textiles sector with companies like Bombay Dyeing, Raymond's, S Kumar's and Grasim
first saw the emergence of retail chains
 Later Titan successfully created an organized retailing concept and established a series of
showrooms for its premium watches
 The latter half of the 1990s saw a fresh wave of entrants with a shift from Manufactures
to Pure Retailers.
 For e.g. Food World, Subhiksha and Nilgiris in food and FMCG; Planet M and Music
World in music; Crossword and Fountainhead in books.
 Post 1995 onwards saw an emergence of shopping centers
 Mainly in urban areas, with facilities like car parking
 Targeted to provide a complete destination experience for all segments of society
 Emergence of hyper and super markets trying to provide customer with 3 V�s - Value,
Variety and Volume
 Expanding target consumer segment: The Sachet revolution - example of reaching to the
bottom of the pyramid.
 At year end of 2000 the size of the Indian organized retail industry is estimated at Rs.
13,000 crore

13. RETAILING FORMAT IN INDIA
Malls:
The largest form of organized retailing today. Located mainly in metro cities, in
proximity to urban outskirts. Ranges from 60,000 sq ft to 7,00,000 sq ft and above. They
lend an ideal shopping experience with an amalgamation of product, service and
entertainment, all under a common roof. Examples include Shoppers Stop, Piramyd, and
Pantaloon.
Specialty Stores:
Chains such as the Bangalore based Kids Kemp, the Mumbai books retailer Crossword,
RPG's Music World and the Times Group's music chain Planet M, are focusing on
specific market segments and have established themselves strongly in their sectors.
Discount Stores:
As the name suggests, discount stores or factory outlets, offer discounts on the MRP
through selling in bulk reaching economies of scale or excess stock left over at the
season. The product category can range from a variety of perishable/ non-perishable
goods.
Department Stores:
Large stores ranging from 20000-50000 sq. ft, catering to a variety of consumer needs. Further
classified into localized departments such as clothing, toys, home, groceries, etc.
Departmental Stores are expected to take over the apparel business from exclusive brand
showrooms. Among these, the biggest success is K Raheja's Shoppers Stop, which started in
Mumbai and now has more than seven large stores (over 30,000 sq. ft) across India and even has
its own in store brand for clothes called Stop.
Hyper marts/Supermarkets:
Large self-service outlets, catering to varied shopper needs are termed as Supermarkets.
These are located in or near residential high streets. These stores today contribute to 30% of
all food & grocery organized retail sales. Super Markets can further be classified in to mini
supermarkets typically 1,000 sq ft to 2,000 sq ft and large supermarkets ranging from of 3,500
sq ft to 5,000 sq ft. having a strong focus on food & grocery and personal sales.
Convenience Stores:
These are relatively small stores 400-2,000 sq. feet located near residential areas. They stock
a limited range of high-turnover convenience products and are usually open for extended

14. periods during the day, seven days a week. Prices are slightly higher due to the convenience
premium
MBO�s:
Multi Brand outlets, also known as Category Killers, offer several brands across a single
product category. These usually do well in busy market places and Metros.
INDIA�S NUMBER OF DOMESTIC GROCERY CHAINS AND EARLY FOREIGN
ENTRANTS
RECENT TRENDS
 Retailing in India is witnessing a huge revamping exercise as can be seen in the graph
 India is rated the fifth most attractive emerging retail market: a potential goldmine.
 Estimated to be US$ 200 billion, of which organized retailing (i.e. modern trade) makes
up 3 percent or US$ 6.4 billion
 As per a report by KPMG the annual growth of department stores is estimated at 24%
 Ranked second in a Global Retail Development Index of 30 developing countries drawn
up by AT Kearney.
 Multiple drivers leading to a consumption boom:
o Favorable demographics
o Growth in income
o Increasing population of women

15. o Raising aspirations: Value added goods sales
 Food and apparel retailing key drivers of growth
 Organized retailing in India has been largely an urban
 Phenomenon with affluent classes and growing number of double-income households.
 More successful in cities in the south and west of India. Reasons range from differences
in consumer buying behavior to cost of real estate and taxation laws.
 Rural markets emerging as a huge opportunity for retailers reflected in the share of the
rural market across most categories of consumption
o ITC is experimenting with retailing through its e-Choupal and Choupal Sagar �
rural hypermarkets.
o HLL is using its Project Shakti initiative � leveraging women self-help groups
� to explore the rural market.
o Mahamaza is leveraging technology and network marketing concepts to act as an
aggregator and serve the rural markets.
 IT is a tool that has been used by retailers ranging from Amazon.com to eBay to radically
change buying behavior across the globe.
 �E-tailing� slowly making its presence felt.
RETAIL SALES IN INDIA
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
Retailinghasseensuchatransformationoverthe pastdecade that itsverydefinitionhasundergonea
seachange.No longercan a manufacturerrelyonsalestotake place by ensuringmere availabilityof his
product.Today,retailingisaboutsomuch more than mere merchandising.It�saboutcasting
customersina story,reflectingtheirdesiresandaspirations,andforginglong-lastingrelationships.As
the Indianconsumerevolvestheyexpectsmore andmore at eachand everytime whentheystepsintoa
store.Retail todayhaschangedfrom sellingaproductor a service tosellingahope,anaspirationand

16. above all an experience thataconsumerwouldlike torepeat.
For manufacturersandservice providersthe emergingopportunitiesinurbanmarketsseem tolie in
capturingand deliveringbettervalue tothe customersthroughretail.Forinstance,inChennai
CavinKare�sLimeLite,Marico�sKayaSkinClinicandApolloHospital�sApolloPharmaciesare
examples,toname afew,where manufacturers/service providerscombine theirownmanufactured
productsand serviceswiththose of otherstogenerate value hithertounknown.The lastmile connect
seemstobe increasinglylivelyandexperiential.Also,manufacturersandservice providersface an
explodingrural marketyetonlymarginallytappeddue todifficultiesinrural retailing.Onlyinnovative
conceptsand modelsmaysurvive the testof time andinvestments.
However,manufacturersandservice providerswill alsoincreasinglyface ahostof specialistretailers,
whoare characterizedbyuse of modernmanagementtechniques,backedwithseeminglyunlimited
financial resources.Organizedretail appearsinevitable.
RetailinginIndiaiscurrentlyestimatedtobe aUS$ 200 billionindustry,of whichorganizedretailing
makesup a paltry3 percentorUS$ 6.4 billion.By2010, organizedretail isprojectedtoreachUS$ 23
billion.Forretail industryinIndia,thingshave neverlookedbetterandbrighter.Challengestothe
manufacturersandservice providerswouldaboundwhenmarketpowershiftstoorganizedretail.
CONCLUSION
The retail sectorhas playedaphenomenal role throughoutthe worldinincreasingproductivityof
consumergoodsandservices.Itisalsothe secondlargestindustryinUSin termsof numbersof
employeesandestablishments.There isnodenyingthe factthatmostof the developedeconomiesare
verymuch relyingontheirretail sectorasa locomotive of growth.The IndiaRetail Industryisthe largest
amongall the industries,accounting forover10 per centof the country�sGDP and around8 percent
of the employment.The Retail IndustryinIndiahascome forthas one of the mostdynamicand fast
pacedindustrieswithseveral playersenteringthe market.Butall of themhave notyettastedsuccess
because of the heavyinitial investmentsthatare requiredtobreakevenwithothercompaniesand
compete withthem.The IndiaRetail Industryisgraduallyinchingitswaytowardsbecomingthe next
boomindustry.
The retail sector has been at the helm of India’s growth story. The sector has evolved
dramatically from traditional village fairs, street hawkers to resplendent malls and plush outlets,
growing from strength to strength. According to the Indian Council for Research on International
Economic Relations (ICRIER), India is the seventh-largest retail market in the world, and is
expected to grow at a CAGR of over 13% till FY12. In FY07 retail sales reached Rs 13,300 bn
and amounting to around 33% of India’s GDP at current market prices1. According to the
Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) estimates, the total domestic trade (both retail and
wholesale) constituted 13.0% of country’s GDP in 1999-2000, which has gone up to 15.1% in
FY07.
What is retailing?
Retailing is a distribution channel function, where one organisation buys products from
supplying firms or manufactures products themselves, and then sells these directly to consumers.

17. In majority of retail situations, the organisation, from whom a consumer buys, is a reseller of
products obtained from others, and not the product manufacturer. However, some manufacturers
do operate their own retail outlets in a corporate channel arrangement.
Retailers offer many benefits to suppliers and customers as resellers. Consumers, for instance,
are able to purchase small quantities of an assortment of products at a reasonably affordable
price. Similarly, suppliers get an opportunity to reach their target market, build product demand
through retail promotions, and provide consumer feedback to the product marketer.
During the last few years, the Indian retail market has seen considerable growth in the organised
segment. Major domestic players have entered the retail arena and have ambitious plans to
expand in the future years across verticals, formats, and cities. For example, companies like
Reliance, Tata, Bharti, Adani Enterprise, have been investing considerably in the booming Indian
retail sector. Besides, a number of transnational corporations have also set up retail chains in
collaboration with big Indian companies.
The Indian retail sector is highly fragmented and the unorganised sector has around 13 million
retail outlets that account for around 95-96% of the total Indian retail industry. However, going
forward, the organised sector’s growth potential will increase due to globalisation, high
economic growth, and changing lifestyle. Moreover, high consumer spending over the years by
the young population (more than 31% of the country is below 14 years) and sharp rise in
disposable income are driving the Indian organised retail sector’s growth. Even small towns and
cities are witnessing a major shift in consumer lifestyle and preferences, and have thus emerged
as attractive markets for retailers to expand their presence.
Although the growth potential in the sector is immense, it is not without challenges that could
slow the pace of growth for new entrants. Rigid regulations, real estate costs, high personnel
costs, lack of basic infrastructure, shrinkage, and highly competitive domestic retailer groups are
some such challenges. Additionally, resource constraints at shopping mall projects are also
delaying completion and disrupting many retailers’ entry strategies.
Global Retail Scenario
Retailing has played a major role in the global economy. In developed markets, retailing is one
of the most prominent industries. In 2008, the US retail sector contributed 31% to the GDP at
current market prices. In developed economies, organised retail has a 75-80% share in total retail
as compared with developing economies, where un-organised retail has a dominant share.

18. Global retail sales was estimated to be around US$ 12 trillion in 20072; however, in 2008, the
slowdown in the global economy, especially in the US, and credit crunch, decreased consumer
spending. On a global level, the economy performed robustly till 2007, but the US crisis spread
over to Europe in early 2008, and its impact was felt in the Asia-Pacific region by mid-2008.
India has the highest number of retail outlets in the world at over 13 million retail outlets, and the
average size of one store is 50-100 square feet. It also has the highest number of outlets (11,903)
per million inhabitants. The per capita retail space in India is among the lowest in the world,
though the per capita retail store is the highest. Majority of these stores are located in rural areas.
Evolution of organised retail
The share of organised retail in developed countries is much higher than developing countries
like India. In 20063, the share of organised retail in the US was around 85%, in Japan it was
66%, in the UK it was 80%, while in developing countries like India, China and Russia it was
6%, 20% and 33%, respectively. The concept of organised retail had occurred much later in
developing economies than the developed economies. Modern day retail came into existence in

19. three successive waves. The first wave took place in the early to mid-1990s in South America,
East Asia excluding China, North Central Europe and South Africa. The second wave of
organised retail occurred during mid-to-late 1990s in Mexico, Central America, South-east Asia
and South Central Europe. The third wave of organised retail boom started in the late 1990s and
early 2000 in some parts of Africa, Central and South America, South-east Asia, China, India
and Russia and continues to grow at a rapid pace.
Rising household expenditure in BRIC countries drives organised retail
The household expenditure in Brazil, Russia, India and China, or the BRIC countries, is growing
at a faster rate than the developed countries like the US, UK, Japan, Germany, and France,
indicating the higher growth potential for the retail sector in these countries that have a large
consumer base. Household expenditure (at constant prices) in developed countries like the US,
UK, Germany, and Japan has witnessed an average annual growth of 3.2%, 2.5%, 0.2%, and
1.0%, respectively, during 2004-2007, but the expenditure in the BRIC countries has been much
higher. The developed countries are witnessing a continuous fall in domestic demand and high
dependence on export earnings, which are the reasons for lower household expenditure. In
current times, the global demand is weakening, owing to economic slowdown, and this worry is
looming large over the retail sector.
The consumer market in the developed countries is saturating, and therefore, big retail
companies in those countries are increasingly expanding their footprint in emerging countries
like India, China, and Russia. Even though 100% FDI is not permitted in the retail sector, India
continues to attract leading global retailers to start retail business through local alliances. For
example, recently, Wal-Mart has opened its first store at Amritsar (Punjab) in a joint venture
(JV) with Bharti Enterprises, and it is also planning to expand its footprint to other parts of India.
The fact that the penetration of organised retail in BRIC countries is much lower than the
developed countries is acting as an added advantage for these retail giants.
Major global retail markets

20. This section provides a brief overview on the retail industry in major global markets on the basis
of phases of retail lifecycle. Organised retailing in most economies typically passes through four
distinct phases:
 In the first phase, new entrants create awareness of modern formats like hypermarket,
supermarket, department stores etc and raise consumer expectations
 In the second phase, consumers demand more modern formats as the markets develop,
thereby leading to a strong growth
 In the third phase, the high rate of growth leads to a stage of mature market
 In the final phase, the domestic market reaches a saturation point leading to limited
growth, so retailers explore and evaluate new markets across the globe
USA
The US retail market is the largest retail market in the world, and the organised sector constitutes
over 85% of the total retail sales. In 2008, the US retail industry recorded sales of US$ 4,404.7
billion, amounting to 31% of the national GDP at current prices. The US retailing is divided into
three categories: department stores, mass merchandisers, and specialty stores. Consumers in the
US have now become more value-conscious, which has led to an increase in the sales of discount
stores that make ‘mass merchandisers’ as the largest category. Online retailing also has been
gaining popularity in the US, but the recent slowdown in the economy and financial crisis have
shrunk consumer spending, which is likely to reflect in the retail sales figures of 2008. As
domestic markets in the developed countries have saturated and opportunities in emerging
markets are rising, organised retailers from those countries have been turning to new markets.
UK
The UK retail sales were valued at £278 billion in 2008 with 197,990 establishments. The
industry contributed to 8% of the national GDP in 20084. The retail industry in the UK provides
employment to 2.8 million people, which constitutes 11% of the total workforce; however, the
recent global economic slowdown has affected the UK market also. As the financial system in
the UK is facing problems, and has resulted in a sluggish economy, consumer spending has also
reduced.
China
China opened up its economy to the world in 1980s which led the growth of the organised retail
market in the country, which constituted 20% of the total retail sales of US$ 785 billion in
20065. China’s retail industry is also growing at a phenomenal rate and plays a vital role in the
global retail scenario due to its large and burgeoning population, large cities, and increasing
purchasing power of local population.
Retail in India: Industry Structure
The retail industry in India is highly fragmented and unorganised. Earlier on retailing in India
was mostly done through family-owned small stores with limited merchandise, popularly known

21. as kirana or mom-and-pop stores. In those times, food and grocery were shopped from clusters of
open kiosks and stalls called mandis. There were also occasional fairs and festivals where people
went to shop. In the twentieth century, infusion of western concepts brought about changes in the
structure of retailing. There were some traditional retail chains like Nilgiri and Akbarallys that
were set up on the lines of western retail concepts of supermarkets. The government set up the
public distribution system (PDS) outlets to sell subsidised food and started the Khadi Gram
Udyog to sell clothes made of cotton fabric. During this time, high streets like Linking Road and
Fashion Street emerged in Mumbai. Some manufacturers like Bombay Dyeing started forward
integrating to sell their own merchandise. Shopping centres or complex came into existence,
which was a primitive form of today’s malls.
Since liberalisation in early 1990s, many Indian players like Shoppers Stop, Pantaloon Retail
India Ltd (PRIL), Spencer Retail ventured into the organised retail sector and have grown by
many folds since then. These were the pioneers of the organised Indian retail formats. With the
opening up of foreign direct investment in single-brand retail and cash–and-carry formats, a new
chapter unfolded in the retail space. Many single-brand retailers like Louis Vuitton and Tommy
Hilfiger took advantage of this opportunity. The cash-and-carry format has proved to be an entry
route for global multichannel retailing giants like Metro, Wal-Mart and Tesco.
Booming Indian economy spurs consumption
The Indian economy posted a remarkable CAGR growth of 8.9% during FY04-FY08, which
increased the per capita income and in turn, the disposable income of a large section of the
population. Growth in the retail trade depends on the fundamentals of an economy. The Indian
economy grew at a robust rate over the last five years, riding high on the high growth in the
service sector (10.5%) and the manufacturing sector (9.4%) as compared with 7.4% and 4.1%
during FY99-FY03. The rise in per capita income and the resultant rise in disposable income
stimulated consumption during this five-year period, thereby resulting in a spurt in retail trade.
Furthermore, according to the Mckinsey Global Institute (MGI), the average real household
disposable income is likely to grow by 5.3% during 2005-2025 and reach Rs 318,896 per annum
as compared with 3.6% in the previous 20 years, which indicates the huge potential for the retail
sector in India.

22. Private Final Consumption Expenditure, per capita income and retail sales are positively
related
The private final consumption expenditure (PFCE) and GDP growth are indicative of the growth
in the retail sector. In the past consumers, especially young consumers in the age group of 15-34,
increased their consumption expenditure with an increase in their earnings; these young
consumers totalled around 400 million and constituted 35% of the total population. Due to the
consequent boom in the Indian retail sector many foreign and Indian players entered the Indian
retail sector.
The chart above shows that during FY95-FY00, the PFCE (constant prices) increased by 5.4%
per annum. Later on, from FY01 to FY03, PCFE declined to 4.0%. Again during FY03-FY07, it
went up to 6.2% per annum. During these time periods, the retail sales, the per capita income,
and the real GDP growth followed a similar trend as the PFCE, which made it evident that there
is a positive correlation between real GDP and PFCE on the retail sector. During FY08, the

23. PFCE as a percentage of GDP at factor cost at constant prices remained very high at 62.2%;
hence, the overall retail sector growth received a major impetus during this period.
There have been striking changes in India’s consumption pattern over the past 50 years owing to
the ever-increasing media exposure, changes in lifestyle, growing urbanisation, coupled with an
increase in the education levels among others. The Indian retail industry has matured
tremendously over the years, and has become more process-driven, standardised, qualityassured,
and brand-driven.
Size of the Indian retail industry
In 2007, the total Indian retail industry was valued at Rs 13,300 billion (estimate), and the
organised segment constituted 5.9% of the value at Rs 783 billion. In the segment, the clothing
and accessories sales had a majority share of 38.1% followed by the food and grocery segment at
11.5% and electronics segment at 9.1%. The organised retail industry grew at a CAGR of 33%
during 2004-2007. Even though the organised retail segment has a minuscule share in the total
industry, it has enormous potential considering the rising urbanisation, the efficient supply-chain,
the readily-available retail space, and modern technology, which help in reducing consumer
prices to a great extent.
Furthermore, with the entry of big foreign players, the Indian organised retail market has become
more competitive in terms of implementing newer business models on the operational format,
and pricing, and in terms of efficiency. The organised retail sector will largely benefit in terms of
productivity and growth if sectors like agriculture, food processing, and textile are encouraged
further. The above-mentioned sectors would receive a remarkable boost if they would supply to
big Indian and foreign retail players, which will ensure their growth in tandem with the retail

24. sector. Moreover, the organised retail sector will directly and indirectly improve the country’s
employment scenario.
Many Indian retail players have already started purchasing supplies directly from farmers and
other suppliers, which has invariably eliminated the supply-chain complexities and large number
of intermediaries, and has resultantly lowered prices for consumers. Furthermore, the amendment
of the Agriculture Product Marketing Act (APMC) has revamped the farm produce supply chain.
Industry segmentation
Organised retail can be segmented in two ways - segmentation by verticals and by channels.
Verticals are segmented on the basis of the type of merchandise offered; similar merchandise can
be clubbed together to form a vertical, for instance food and grocery. Channels are the means
through which retailers sell their merchandise; for example, store channels of retailing that
comprise different formats like hypermarkets, supermarkets and department stores and non-store
formats like online retailing, vending and kiosks.
Major retail segments
Food and grocery:
In 2007, the food and grocery segment was valued at Rs 7,920 billion, and it enjoyed a dominant
market share of 62% in the total Indian retail sector; however, there was a completely opposite
scenario in the organised retail segment. The food and grocery segment is the second-largest in
the organised retail and has an 11.5% share that is valued at Rs 90 billion.
Initially this segment grew at a slow pace due to the presence of an established retailing system
led by kirana stores, a highly-fragmented food supply chain, and the lack of a developed food
processing industry. Nilgiri was one of the earliest retailers that started a chain or stores in
different parts of the country. However, the growth of Nilgiri’s stores was limited as it was
challenged by a weak supply chain and an under-developed food processing industry. Post-
liberalisation, organised retailers saw a renewed opportunity in the food and grocery segment.
Few food and grocery retailers
Food Bazaar: PRIL ventured into food retailing with Food Bazaar in Apr 2002. Initially it was a
part of Big Bazaar but later on it started operating as a standalone outlet in addition to being a
part of Big Bazaar. The store offers a wide range of fruits, vegetables, FMCG products and
ready-to-cook products. It uses a concessionaire model for wet groceries, and it sources staples
from APMC or farmers (where the state permits). Food Bazaar attracts high footfalls due to
innovative initiatives like live-grinding, live bakery, fresh juice corner etc.
In Aug 2007, the store ventured into another retail format that served the food and grocery
segment called the KB Fair Price shop. This store is modelled on the concept of low-frills
neighbourhood store of 1,000-1,600 square feet. The Fair Price store follows a pricing model that
is 20% lower than the prevailing market price.

25. More: Aditya Birla Retail Ltd forayed into the retail business in 2006 by acquiring Trinethra
Super Market Ltd, the south-India based retail chain. In May 2007, the company launched its
own brand of stores called More in Pune. The supermarket store has a minimum size of 2,500
square feet and offers fruits, vegetables, staples, personal care, general merchandise, pharmacy,
poultry and dairy products.
Reliance Retail: Reliance Retail Ltd, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd, has an aggressive
plan to expand its retail network across India. It entered the food and grocery segment in
November 2006 through its convenience store format Reliance Fresh. The store offers a range of
fruits, vegetables, personal care, home care and kitchen utensils. It focuses on building a strong
relationship with the agri-business value chain and sources directly from wholesalers.
Fashion and accessories
Fashion and accessories is the largest category in organised retail and had a 38.1% share valued
at Rs 298 bn in 2007. In terms of total retail, this category held the second position with a 9.5%
share valued at Rs 1,313 bn. The segment has driven the retail boom in India and has opened
many opportunities for large as well as global retailers to enter the segment. Despite the high
rental, many global retailers like Gas, Gucci, Levi’s, Benetton, Marks and Spencer have opened
their stores in India, and also have plans to increase their presence.
The men’s wear segment had the highest share of 40.2% in the Rs 1,313-billion fashion and
accessories market in 2007 while the women’s category accounted for 34.8%, followed by the
kids wear and uniform category at 24.9%. Demand in the branded apparel segment is increasing
as consumers are upgrading to premium brands due to changing preferences. The premium
segment has seen the fastest growth in value owing to the rising preference for formals at Indian
workplaces, the new offerings from international brands, and the increasing willingness on the
part of consumers to pay a premium for quality. The apparel retailers are also pushing
themselves to the accessories segment to attract more customers.
Few fashion and accessories retailers
Pantaloons: The first Pantaloon store was opened at Gariahat in 1997 in 8,000-square-feet area.
Over the years, the store has undergone several transitions. When it was launched, the store
mostly sold external brands. Gradually, it started retailing an eclectic mix of external brands as
well as private labels. Initially, it positioned itself as a family store targeted across age and
gender groups but later it shifted its focus towards being a fashion store and gave more emphasis
on the youth. As on Dec 2008, Pantaloons had around 44 stores spread across major cities in
India.
Shoppers Stop: Shoppers Stop is one of the largest retailers in India. It primarily caters to the
lifestyle segment and offers customers both domestic and international brands. The store recently
revamped its branding by introducing a new symbol. Shoppers Stop has lifestyle retailing as its
core housing brand across categories like apparels and accessories. The store operated at 26
locations in 12 cities as on Dec 2008.

26. Koutons: Koutons Retail is a leading manufacturer of readymade and fashion wear brand. It was
established as Charlie Creation Pvt Ltd in 1991 for manufacturing and exporting garments. Later
in 1998 Koutons was established to provide affordable men’s wear to the masses. Koutons also
entered the women’s segment in Apr 2008 by launching its brand Les Femme, which caters to
young women in the 16-34 years age group and includes apparels like t-shirts, partywear, lycra,
semi-formal shirts, denims, capri pants etc. Koutons has also launched its brand Les femme for
women & Koutons Junior for kids. Few renowned brand of Koutons are: Koutons men’s wear,
Les Femme, Koutons Junior and Charlie Outlaw.
Footwear
In 2007, the footwear segment had a 1.1% share in the total retail market and was valued at Rs
160 billion while it had a 9.9% share in the organised market and was valued at Rs 77.5 billion.
In the same year the organised footwear market recorded a fantastic growth of 49% over 2006
while the overall retail market grew by just 16.4%. The changes in consumer behaviour and
attitudes reflected in the increasing demand for newer styles and different types of footwear. The
market currently offers many brands that cater to every target segment. The Indian footwear
market is moving at a brisk pace presently to cater to the domestic demand. Moreover, the influx
of international brands is inducing the otherwise price-conscious customers to shell out more
bucks for their favourite brands.
The footwear market is experiencing a changing consumer preference for casual and younger
style due to media penetration and due to the increasing awareness about international trends and
lifestyle. There already are a large number of players, both domestic and international, in the
semi-formal, formal and casual segment but the casual segment dominates the Indian footwear
market with a 75% share. Branded sports wear is also growing at a faster rate than the other
segments and the key players in this segment are Adidas, Reebok, Nike, Puma et al.
Few footwear retailers
Reebok: In 1995, Reebok forayed into the Indian retail market. Today Reebok is one of the
frontrunners in the Indian sports wear industry. Reebok’s offerings include apparels, footwear
and fitness equipment and products. Its footwear offerings are mostly in the trainers and sneakers
segment. Reebok recently has introduced its new lifestyle vertical Reebok Classic.
Bata: Bata India is one of the most well-known and largest footwear retailers in India. The
retailer manufactures and markets different types of footwear that includes rubber, canvas,
leather, and plastic footwear. It markets footwear under the brand names of North Star, Power,
Ambassador, Marie Claire besides dealing in international brands like Dr Scholl and Hush
Puppies. Bata has a strong distribution network structure of wholesalers and distributors.
Khadim’s: Khadim’s forayed into footwear retailing in 1993 and is one of the most renowned
retailers in east India. Khadim’s markets its own products besides few others and specialises in
women’s and children’s footwear. The retailer has a presence in multi-brand outlets (MBOs)
across the country in addition to its own exclusive outlets.

27. Home and office improvement
In 2007, the home and office-related retail segment was valued at Rs 455 billion in the total retail
market while it was valued at Rs 50 billion in the organised retail market. In the same year the
segment had a 6.4% share in the organised retail. Home and office improvement is another
important segment of the organised retail as people have started spending more on discretionary
items. Presently the segment is growing at an impressive rate. Due to the salary hikes and rise in
the double-income households, the lifestyle needs of the young and flourishing India are surging
and consequently, consumers are going for renovation of their homes. The concomitant rise in
investments in furniture, home accessories and furnishings, has added to the segment’s boom.
Few home and office improvement retailers
Godrej Lifespace: On Apr 1, 2003, Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company Ltd launched a
new retail division. The division was established to present a new concept in retailing by
displaying and selling under one roof the Godrej range of home and office furniture, appliances,
security equipment and locks. Later in 2005, the showrooms were branded as Godrej Lifespace
Stores.
Home Stop: Home Stop is one of the premium home improvement stores that offers a wide
range of merchandise. It stocks various national and international brands that cover all the home
needs like home décor, furniture, bath accessories, draperies and health equipment. Home Stop
currently operates three Home Stop stores, one each in Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi.
Home Town: Home Solution Retail (India) Ltd (HSRIL), a subsidiary company of Pantaloon
Retail, is designed to cater to the home furnishing and improvement market. The format is
designed as a one-stop destination that offers a complete range in consumer electronics, furniture
and other home products. HSRIL operates five retail formats: Collection-i, Furniture Bazaar,
Electronics Bazaar, Home Town and e-zone.
Electronics In 2007, the electronics segment had a 4% share in the total retail segment and was
valued at Rs 575 billion while it had a 9.1% share in the organised electronic retail segment
valued at Rs 71 billion. The electronics market has seen a proliferation of brands and product
categories in recent years. All international brands from Japan, Korea, the US, Europe and China
have been launched in India and have been trying to build a pan-India dealer network. The
lifestyle category has seen higher growth in India on the back of changing consumer preferences
and a consumption boom.
Few electronic retailers
eZone: eZone is an electronics specialty retail format from HSRIL by Kishore Biyani-led Future
Group. The first eZone store was launched in 2006 in Indore and was followed with a second one
in Bangalore. eZone offers a range of personal products like computers, laptops, handy cams,
MP3 players and mobile phones, entertainment products like plasma/LCD, flat TVs, home
theatre systems, DVD players, and stereosystems, home products like refrigerators, air
conditioners, washing machines and microwave ovens, among other kitchen appliances.

28. Viveks: In 1965, B A Lakshmi Narayana Setty founded Vivek’s in a 200-square-feet-shop in
Chennai. Today Viveks is one of the largest consumer electronics and home appliances retail
chains in India. Viveks Ltd is a public limited company that runs two retail brands – Viveks and
Jainsons. The store was transformed into a public company from a family-run company when 14
stores of Jainsons were bought over in 1999. Later on in 2001 two stores of Premier and in 2002
Spencers Super Store were purchased. Viveks has recently absorbed Spencer’s into the Premier
brand. Viveks grew from three stores in 1995 to more than 35 stores as on Dec 2008.
Catering services In 2007, the catering service in organised retail showed a tremendous growth
of 44.7% over the previous year. It was valued at Rs 713 billion in the total retail market and at
Rs 57 billion in the organised retail market. The catering services market is divided into fast
food, cafes and restaurants and others. India is a buoyant market for this segment with over a
billion people with different food habits, religious festivals, and various regions. Each region has
its own traditional food, dietary habits and its own food specialities. In recent times many
international food chains have entered India, which has made this segment more dynamic and its
growth, fast-paced. The key growth drivers of the segment in India are: the changes in Indian
demographics, young working population, nuclear families, rise in double-income household etc.
Few catering service retailers
Yum! Restaurants: Yum! Restaurants is present in India through its brands Pizza Hut and KFC.
In 1995, KFC, which mainly serves chicken products, set foot in India. After taking into account
the vegetarian population of India, KFC recently modified its menu and launched a vegetarian
fare, which now constitutes 40% of the product categories. Pizza Hut entered India in 1996 and
as on Dec 2008, there were 147 Pizza Hut and 45 KFC stores across 35 and 14 cities,
respectively.
McDonald’s: McDonald’s is a 50:50 joint venture partnership in India between McDonald’s
Corporation (USA) and two Indian businessmen. Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt Ltd owns and
operates McDonald’s restaurants in West India while Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt Ltd owns
and operates these food outlets in the North.
Café Coffee Day: Café Coffee Day is a division of India’s largest coffee conglomerate
Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Company. Café Coffee Day sources coffee from 5,000 acres
of estates and is the second-largest coffee shop in Asia. It has ventured into formats such as
music cafes, book cafes, highway cafes, lounge cafes, garden cafes and cyber cafes.
Telecom
In 2008 the telecom market in India was worth Rs 272 billion and had a 1.8% share in the total
retail market while it had a 3.4% share in the organised retail segment and was valued at Rs 27
billion. The mobile and accessories segment exhibited tremendous growth in 2007. The Indian
telecom sector emerged as the second-largest wireless network in the world after China with the
recent spate in number of wireless subscribers.
Few telecom retailers

29. The Mobile Store: The Mobile Store, promoted by the Essar Group, is one of the country’s
largest mobile retailers. It’s a one-stop mobile solution shop that offers telecom products like
mobiles, accessories, mobile connections and recharges, mobile bill payments, handset repairs,
handset exchange, music and gaming devices and DTH, all under one roof, in a world-class
shopping ambience. The shop had more than 1,300 stores spread across 200 cities as on Dec
2008.
MobileNXT: Bangalore-based MobileNXT Teleservices Pvt Ltd has a pan-India presence and
operates in the following three major retail formats: standalone stores, store-within-a-store, and
enterprise stores. This store is eyeing a pan-India network and hence has initiated a tie-up with
Shoppers Stop, Star Bazaar, Mega Mart, and Landmark stores, for setting up store-withina- store
in their outlets across the country. As on Dec 2008, the company was operating more than 36
stores that were spread across major cities in India.
Pharmaceuticals
In 2007, the pharmaceuticals market had a 3.5% share and was valued at Rs 488 billion in the
total retail market; however, its share in the organised retail market accounted for merely 2.0%
share at Rs 15.4 billion during the same period. The organised pharmaceutical retailer is known
to implement innovative concepts and global standards to provide customers with an experience
that is completely different from what an unorganised retailer offers.
Few pharmaceutical retailers
Apollo Pharmacy: In 1983, Apollo Pharmacy, a division of Apollo Hospital Enterprise Ltd,
entered retailing by opening up its first store in Chennai. The retailer also took initiatives to
provide medicines to the rural regions by tying up with ITC’s e-choupal and Godrej Aadhaar.
Apollo has also started expanding through the franchise route. It has recently launched a new
concept, NurseStation, at its pharmacy outlets, where the nurses are available to attend the
patients at their houses, or refer them to an Apollo Clinic nearby. As on Dec 2008, Apollo was
operating at over 890 outlets across the country.
MedPlus: In 2006, MedPlus Health Services Private Ltd was incorporated in Hyderabad to cater
into the health care segment. The company has established a large number of pharmacy outlets
chain across major cities in various states of the country, and are majority of those are spread
across four southern states. It has over 600 pharmacy outlets spread across 63 cities/ towns in the
country.
Beauty and wellness In 2007, the beauty and wellness segment grew at a tremendous rate of
65% over the previous year in the organised retail market. Its share in the total retail market,
however, was just 0.3% and was valued at Rs 46 billion. In the organised market, the segment
showed tremendous growth due to the rise in service sector employment.
Few beauty and wellness retailers

30. Reliance Wellness: In Oct 2007, Reliance Retail Ltd, owned by Mukesh Ambani, entered the
beauty and wellness segment by opening its first store at Hyderabad. This store offers a wide
range of products under the health foods, personal care, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals
categories.
Himalaya Drugs: The Himalaya Drug Company operates both exclusive retail outlet formats
and shop-within-a-shop outlets. The stores offer an entire range of Himalaya drugs from
pharmaceuticals, personal care, to baby care and animal healthcare products at competitive
prices. The company emphasises on service, trained personnel and a quality shopping experience
in their stores. Himalaya has also launched its online shopping website to make all its products
conveniently available to its customers 24/7 and to reach a wider market, where its stores are not
present.
Jewellery
In 2007, jewellery retail was worth Rs 694 billion and accounted for 5% of the total retail
market. In the organised retail market, jewellery retail merely had a 2.9% share at Rs 23 billion.
In the same year jewellery retail in the organised retail market recorded high growth of 36.9%
over 2006 as compared with 15.3% recorded in the total retail market.
Few jewellery retailers
Gitanjali: Gitanjali Gems Ltd (GGL) is one of the largest, integrated diamond and jewellery
manufacturer and retailer in India. It sources rough diamonds from primary and secondary source
suppliers in the international market, cuts and polishes the rough diamonds and exports the
diamonds to its international markets. GGL sells diamonds and other jewellery through retail
operations in India as well as in international markets. Its brand extensions include Gili, Asmi,
Sangini, D’Damas, Giantti, Nakshatra, Collection G, Gold Expressions, Vivah Gold & Kiah.
Tanishq: In mid-1990s Titan Industries Ltd - promoted by the TATA Group - entered jewellery
retailing through Tanishq. Tanishq has set up production and sourcing bases by researching the
jewellery crafts of India. Its factory, located at Hosur, Tamil Nadu, is spread across 135,000
square feet and is equipped with all modern machinery and latest equipment. As on Dec 2008,
there were 115 Tanishq stores spread across major cities in India.
Reliance Jewels: Reliance Retail Ltd entered jewellery retailing by opening its first store in
Bangalore. The company aims to make Reliance Jewels a one-stop destination that offers
consumers a wide range of gold and diamond jewellery.
Timewear
In 2007, the Indian watches market enjoyed a 2.9% share in the overall organised retail market as
compared with merely 0.3% in the total retail market. The market size of the watch market was
valued at Rs 44 billion in the same year. The size of this market has expanded due to the changes
in consumer preference and the growing market for international watches in India. International

31. players like Tag Huer, Rado, Omega, Rolex have even signed up Indian celebrities
as brand ambassadors to tap the market.
Few timewear retailers
Citizen: Citizen has 38 exclusive outlets in 27 cities across India. The Exclusive Branded
Outlets (EBOs) called First Citizen house the latest international range of Citizen Watches and
display over 800 different watches. Besides, Citizen Watches are also available at Lifestyle,
Shoppers Stop and more than 250 Citizen Corners (MBOs) across the country.
Titan: Titan is one of the largest manufacturers of watches in India. It offers product ranges that
include the flagship brand Titan, Edge, Fastrack, Nebula, Raga, Steel, Regalia, Flip, Sonata,
which is available in Titan and exclusive Sonata stores. As on Dec 2008, there were 245
exclusive Titan showrooms (World of Titan) across 122 Indian cities in India.
Books, music and gifts
Books, music and gift retailing were the earliest segments that witnessed a consolidation of
business into organised formats. The combined share of this segment was 1.1% of the total retail
market at Rs 164 billion in 2007. Organised retailers like Planet M, Music World, and Landmark
dominated the music segment. Archies, a prominent gift retailer, has a presence on both high
streets as well as in malls.
The books and publishing business continues to thrive due to greater literacy levels and rapidly
growing middle class and higher middle class population, English-speaking middle-class
population. Moreover, new format chains like Crossword, Landmark, Oxford, and now,
Odyssey, that fit into the leisure aspirations of people, are located conveniently, and offer an
ambience conducive to browsing and book buying. As a result, the segment has been growing
further.
Crossword: Crossword was established in Oct 1992, is India’s leading bookstore chain and a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Shoppers Stop Ltd. The company sells books and other products
under the Crossword brand. Crossword sells a wide variety of products like magazines, CD
ROMs, music, stationery and toys apart from books. Crossword provides customers with cafes,
reading tables and cloak facilities at each of its outlets. Crossword customers can also shop for
books using dial-a-book, fax-a-book and email-a-book facilities offered by the company. Its
other services include gift vouchers, apart from the return, exchange & refunds policy being
followed by the company. Crossword bookstores are presently located in Mumbai, Bengaluru,
Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Pune, Nagpur, Vadodara, Kolkata, Chennai, Jaipur and Hyderabad.
Entertainment In 2007, the entertainment segment was worth Rs 456 billion and had a 3.2%
share in the total retail industry. This segment has been driven by the increasing base of young
population in India, whose entertainment needs has been surging with the influx of malls and
multiplexes that provide leisure retail, gaming, and cinema. Players in the segment are likely to
gain greater market share as the consumer spend on entertainment is increasing. PVR cinemas,
Fun Cinemas, Inox are the major players in the entertainment retailing space.

32. Overview of formats/channels The Indian retail industry is categorised into different retail
formats on the basis of the retail operation. The formats are basically defined on the basis of the
size of the outlet, the pricing strategy followed, the type of merchandise sold, and also the
location. Given below is a list of formats on the basis of the above-mentioned characteristics:
Hypermarkets: Hypermarkets are big-box formats with an average size that ranges between
60,000-120,000 square feet, and they stock multiple lines of products such as food and grocery,
general merchandise, sports goods, and apparels. Hypermarkets are mammoth outlets that are
fewer in number but cater to a larger area (3-5 kilometre). HyperCITY, Big Bazaar, RPG
Spencer’s and Shoprite Hyper are some major players in this format.
Supermarkets: The average size of supermarkets range from 10,000-30,000 square feet. They
are a smaller version of hypermarkets that holds multiple lines of merchandise but is limited in
number when compared with supermarkets. Supermarkets are spread across the city, are greater
in number, but cater to a smaller area (1-2 kilometer). Foodworld, Food Bazaar and Spinach are
some major players in this format.
Convenience stores: Convenience stores offer easy purchase experience through easily
accessible store locations. The stores are basically small in size (500-3,000 square feet), which
allows quick shopping and fast checkouts. Subhiksha and Reliance Fresh are some major players
in this format.
Cash-and-carry outlets: Cash-and-carry outlet is strictly not a retail format, but considering the
business dynamics it follows it can qualify for a retail format. In a retail business usually a
consumer has to purchase one or more products but under this format, the consumers have to buy
a minimum volume of products or value specified by the cash-and-carry retailer. In this format
the buyers are basically small retailers or catering service providers who purchase in bulk
quantities. This stores’ size ranges from 100,000 square feet to 300,000 square feet. At present,
Metro is a major player that falls under this format. Wal-mart’s alliance with Bharti and Tesco’s
with Trent will also come under the cash-and-carry format.

33. Discount stores: The focus of these stores is to offer merchandise at a price that is lower than
the market price, and to gain profit from volumes. These stores keep merchandise mainly on the

34. basis of its saleability. Usually these are no-frill stores with simple surroundings and less service.
Big Bazaar and Subhiksha are some famous examples.
Specialty stores: These stores usually ‘specialise’ in one line/category of merchandise. As these
stores are concerned with only one type of merchandise, they are able to offer a wider range of
products at a lower price. Examples: Next and Vijay Sales.
Department stores: These stores are typically lifestyle stores where most of the merchandise
constitutes apparels and products other than food and grocery. These stores offer high quality
service to consumers. These stores stock lesser merchandise than other formats since the
merchandise is stored in a presentable manner. Notable examples are Shoppers Stop, Westside,
Trent, and Globus.
Category killers: Many major retail chains have adapted small specialty store concepts and have
expanded themselves to create large specialty stores. These expanded, large speciality stores are
known as ‘category killers’. Ezone, which specialises in electronics, and Staples, which
specialises in office stationery, are examples of category killers.
Regulatory Framework
The Indian government has not focussed on retail as an industry. Until now, there are no specific
rules and regulations that are to be followed by retail companies. However, there are certain laws
that the retailers need to follow, which are general in nature and which pertain to the
establishment of stores and the conduct of activities. These laws are as follows:
 Shop and Establishment Act
 Standards of Weights and Measures Act
 Provisions of the Contract Labour (Regulations and Abolition) Act
 The Income Tax Act
 Customs Act
 The Companies Act
Apart from the above Acts, the companies also follow certain regional rules and regulations on
the basis of the stores’ location. In some regions regulations are imposed on the organised
retailers to restrict their expansion and to promote regional retailers; for instance, the Tamil Nadu
government imposed a 10% surcharge on organised retailers; the West Bengal government has
been asking mall developers to reserve 10% space for unorganised retailers.

35. Retailers are also required to take necessary approvals from local bodies to carry on with their
business. There is no single window for clearances, and companies have to go to different
agencies to get approvals, which is one of the biggest hurdles that the segment faces.
FDI scenario in India
In 1991, the Indian government introduced the economic policy to attract foreign investments
and since then, it has amended the policy from time to time in various sectors to allow higher
levels of foreign participation. The government policy in retail sector allows 100% foreign
investment in wholesale cash-and-carry and single-brand retailing but prohibits investments in
retail trading. In 1997, the government imposed restrictions on FDI in retail sector but in 2006,
these were lifted and opened in single-brand retailing and in cash-and-carry formats.
The cash-and-carry business is the easiest mode of entry for foreign retailers into India. Many
global players like Metro and Shoprite have already entered the market. Wal-mart has forged an
alliance with Bharti for a cash-and-carry business, and Bharti is concentrating on front-end retail.
Similarly, Tesco has entered India through an alliance with Trent (Tata Group). Apart from
investing in the cash-and-carry business, Trent will also support the back-end activities of Trent
Ltd.
Many foreign brands have also entered India either through JVs with leading Indian retailers or
through exclusive franchisees to set up shop in India. Louis Vuitton, Marks & Spencer Plc, GAS,
Armani are some such operators who have entered India through JVs. McDonald’s, KFC,
Domino’s are the retailers who have taken the franchise route.
Slowly the government is opening up to the idea of permitting FDI in the Indian retail sector;
consequently there is greater momentum in the sector. Last year, owing to the global meltdown,
investments dropped in all sectors. The government has therefore changed the guidelines for
foreign investments to boost investments in the current year. This move is certainly likely to
improve the investment climate in the Indian retail space.
Growth Drivers
Currently, organised retail is in a nascent stage of growth in India as it just has a 5.9% share in
the total India retail trade. However, in recent years, organised retailing has been growing at a
robust rate due to rise in the number of shopping malls as well as in the number of organised
retail formats. The key factors of growth of organised retail in modern India are discussed in the
following pages.
Rising disposable income of Indian middle-class
The Indian middle-class can be categorised into seekers and strivers, which is the consuming
class and the prime target segment for retailers in India. In 2005, these two categories together
constituted around 6.4% of total households in India but accounted for 20% of the disposable
income. By 2015, the middle class is expected to constitute around 25% of total households and
account for 44% of the total disposable income, and by 2025, the respective figures are likely to

36. go up to 46% and 58%. The Indian middle-class population and their growing disposable income
levels will drive the future growth of organised retail in India6.
Changing consumer preferences and shopping habits
The prime reason for a paradigm shift in the shopping attitude of the Indian consumer is the
change in their preferences and tastes. Due to the increasing use of IT and telecom, Indian
consumers have become aware of brands and shops for lifestyle and value brands according to
the need and occasion. Consumers will continue to drive the growth in the organised retail by
expanding the market and compelling retailers to widen their offerings in terms of brands and in
terms of variety.
The spending on essential commodities has been steadily falling over the years, whereas the
consumption of discretionary products has been growing at a healthy pace. If the composition of
PFCE is studied, one can notice that the share of food, beverages and tobacco in the total PFCE
has declined from 53.0% in FY90 to 42.2% in FY08. On the other hand, the share of
communication, entertainment, personal care consumption has been rising over the years.
Changes in lifestyle have brought about a paradigm shift in consumption, which will
undoubtedly continue to drive retail growth in segments like beauty, healthcare, telecom, and
entertainment. Moreover, the rising reach of media coverage is increasing consumer awareness
about products, their prices and services, which is likely to further encourage growth in the
organised retail segment.
Changing demographics India is one of the youngest and largest consumer markets in the world
with a median age of around 25 years, which is the lowest as compared with other countries.
According to estimates, India’s median age would be 28 by 2020. It is expected that over 53% of
the population will be under the age of 30 by 2020, which means that the potential for the Indian
retail segment will be enormous. Another plus about this population is that they will be more
dynamic than the previous generations because their consumption is driven by wants rather than
needs. Thus, the organised retailing, which thrives on lifestyle products, is expected to receive a
boost because of the young population by 2020.

37. Increase in working population
India is the second-largest country in the world in terms of population, and is the
largestconsumer markets in the world owing to its favourable demographics. In 2008 India’s
working population (in the 15-49 years age group) constituted around 53% of the population as
compared with 48.6% in the UK, 49% in the US, and 53% in Russia. Further, the increase in the
number of working women has fuelled the growth in sales of discretionary items. There has been
a 20% increase in the number of working women in the last decade.
Spurt in urbanisation
Historically cities and towns have been the driving force of overall economic and social
development. Currently over 335 million people of India reside in cities and towns, which
translates to around 30% of the total population7. The rapid growth in urbanisation has

38. facilitated organised retailing in India, and has caused the speedy migration of population into
major tier I and tier II cities, which have a significant share in the retail sales of the country.
The urban population’s contribution in India’s GDP shot up from 29% in 1951 to 60% in 2001
and is expected to increase to 70% by 20118, as migration to cities and towns grows rapidly in
anticipation of higher income opportunities provided by these epicentres. Moreover, the
continuous development in urban areas has invariably attracted substantial inflows of capital
both from domestic and foreign investments have led to the transition of urban areas. As the
Indian organised retail is mainly concentrated in the urban areas, its growth (urban areas) is
imperative for the organised retail in the country.
Notably, the urban areas are India’s growth centres and they are growing rapidly over the last
couple of years as compared to the world average as well countries like Brazil, the US and UK
among others. For instance, during 1995-2000, annual urban growth in India was 2.35% as
compared to the world average of 2.07%. Furtherance, the annual urban growth in India would
touch 2.6% during 2020-25, while globally it would fall consistently to reach 1.6%, China 1.36%
from 3.1% during 1995-2000, followed by Brazil to 0.82%9. Though, percentage of urban
population to total population in India (29%) is comparatively quite low against the world
average (48.6%), as well as countries such as Brazil (84%), China (40%), the US (81%) and
Russia (73%), it is however noticeable that total urban population in India was far more than the
total population of the entire US in 2005 and by 2025, it is expected that India’s total urban
population would constitute around 6.7% of the total world population. This would undeniably
emerge as the India’s largest market for organised retail, and therefore the challenge for the retail
players to leverage the full potential of flourishing urban areas.

39. Furthermore, due to the rapid infrastructure development in major tier I, II and III cities, many
rural inhabitants are attracted to cities, which increase the urban per capita income and in turn
offers unbound opportunities for the organised retail segment. Increased globalisation has also
played a big role in the development of urban areas.
Rise in MPCE level in urban areas
The aggregate urban consumption in India has been growing steadily over the past few years as
the economy has been continuously flourishing during this period, owing to a rise in urban
population as well as a rapid per capita income growth. In FY05, 56.0% of the urban population
was below the MPCE level of Rs 930, while in FY07 the percentage of population under the
MPCE level of Rs 930 decreased to 46.1%.

40. The average MPCE for the urban population in FY07 was Rs 1,312 up from Rs 1,105 in FY05,
on the other hand, the average MPCE for rural population in FY07 was Rs 695 up from Rs 579
in FY0710.
The NSS report clearly suggested that the consumption pattern in urban areas differed from the
rural areas. While the food items constituted 52.2% of the rural area’s consumption in FY07 and
the non-food items accounted for the remaining share, in the urban areas, the share of food items
in consumption was 39.4% and the non-food items accounted for the rest.
Organised retail concentration in tier II and III cities
Initially the retail revolution began in the big tier I cities in India; however, as tier I cities are
relatively saturated now, retailers, especially value retailers, are finding their way to smaller tier
II and tier III cities as well. The changing landscape of the Indian retail segment and the
increasing competition has also forced retailers to tap growth opportunities in tier II and III cities
in India.
Internet drives awareness and online purchases
There has been a substantial increase in the number of Indians who use the Internet and a
concomitant increase in the number of online purchases. Indians have started using the Internet
not only for increasing awareness but also to shop online, which has opened a whole new
channel of retailing in the Indian retail scenario. Online retailing offers consumers the
convenience of ordering merchandise to their doorstep. Recently, Future Group, which owns
Pantaloon, has initiated a measure to capitalise on the online opportunity through
futurebazaar.com. A similar venture flipkart.com is also proving the new channel to be highly
viable, especially since it eliminates the biggest cost of the physical store.
Easy credit availability – a boon for organised retail
The higher penetration of credit cards in India has also boosted the growth of the organised retail
sector; in fact, the young population’s increasing fancy for plastic money has further fuelled their
purchasing power. Even though the organised retail sector is at a nascent stage (constituted 5.9%
of the total retail industry in 2007), it is growing at a rapid pace. Moreover, the spurt in issuance
of credit cards and loans by both Indian as well as foreign banks has further boosted the
segment’s growth. According to the RBI, as on FY09, the total number of outstanding credit and
debit cards in India was 24.7 million and 137.4 million respectively.

41. Retail investment
Investments in the retail sector have improved since FDI has been allowed in single-brand and
cash-and-carry formats. According to the Technopak estimates, investments in the organised
retail will touch US$ 35 billion in the next five years or so. Investments allow organised players
in retail to expand at a very high rate. All key retailers in India have expansion plans over the
next 3-4 years; for instance, Pantaloon has an ambitious expansion plan to take its retail space up
to 30 million square feet by 2011. Likewise, Vishal Retail is expected to take its total store count
to 500 with an estimated retail space of around 10 million square feet by 2011.
Availability of quality real estate
According to industry sources, mall space in India has grown from a meagre 1.0 million square
feet in 2002 to about 57.3 million square feet by the end of 2008; tier I cities are expected to
account for around 73% of the mall space and the rest is likely to be equally divided between tier
II and tier III cities.
Sector Profile
The Indian retail industry hasexperienced high growth over thelastdecadewith a noticeableshifttowards
organised retailingformats.Theindustryismovingtowardsa modern conceptof retailing.Thesizeof India's
retail marketwas estimated atUS$ 435 billionin 2010.Of this,US$ 414 billion(95%of themarket) was
traditional retailand US$ 21 billion(5%of themarket) was organized retail.India'sretail marketisexpected to
growat7% over the next10 years,reachinga sizeof US$ 850 billion by 2020.Traditional retail isexpected to
growat5% and reach a sizeof US$ 650 billion (76%),whileorganized retailisexpected to growat25%and
reach a sizeof US$ 200 billion by 2020.
The US-based global managementconsultingfirm,ATKearney,in its Global Retail DevelopmentIndex (GRDI)
2011,hasranked Indiaasthefourth mostattractivenationfor retail investment,among30 emergingmarkets.
As India’sretailindustry isaggressivelyexpandingitself,greatdemand for real estateisbeingcreated.The
cumulativeretail demand for real estateacrossIndia isexpected to reach43 million squarefeetby 2013.
Around 46 per centof the total estimated demandbetween 2009 and 2013will becomefromTier-1 cities.For
instance,Pantaloon Retail added 2.26millionsquarefeet(sq.ft.) of retail spaceduringthe fiscal 2011 and
booked over 9 million sq.ftof retail spaceto fructify its expansion plansinfuture.
Some of the key playersintheIndian retail market,with a dominantshareare:
1) Pantaloon Retail Ltd, a Future group venture: Over 12 mn sq.ft.of retail spacespreadover 1,000

42. stores,across71 citiesin India.
2) ShoppersStop Ltd: Over 1.82 mn sq.ft.of retail spacespreadover 35 stores,in 15 cities.
3) Spencer’sRetail, RPG Enterprises: Retail footageof over 1.1 mn sq.ft.with approx 250 stores,across
66 cities.
4) Lifestyle Retail, Landmark group venture:Hasapproximately 15 lifestylestoresand 8 Homecentres.
Other major domesticplayersin IndiaareBharti Retail,Tata Trent,Globus,AdityaBirla‘More’,and Reliance
retail.Someof themajor foreignplayerswho haveentered thesegmentin Indiaare–
- Carrefour which opened itsfirstcash-and-carry storein Indiain NewDelhi.
- Germany-based Metro Cash & Carry which opened sixwholesalecentresin thecountry.
- Walmart in a JVwith Bharti Retail,owner of Easy Day store—plansto investaboutUS$ 2.5 billion
over the next fiveyears to add about10 million sqftof retail spacein thecountry.
- British retailer Tesco Plc (TSCO) in2008,signedan agreementwith TrentLtd. (TRENT), the retail arm
of India’sTataGroup,to setup cash-and-carrystores.
- Marks& Spencers havea JVwith Relianceretail.
FINANCE AND ASSISTANCE
The Indian retail sector accounts for22 per centof thecountry's grossdomestic product(GDP) andcontributes
to 8 per cent of the total employment.India continuesto beamongthemostattractiveinvestment
propositionsfor global retailers.Cumulativeforeign directinvestment(FDI) inflowsinsingle-brandretail
trading,duringApril 2000 to June2011,stood atUS$ 69.26million.
Till nowFDI up to 100 per centwas allowed for cash and carry wholesaletradingand exporttradingunder the
automaticroute,and FDI up to 51 per centwas allowed in single-brand products,with priorgovernment
approvals.However,theGovernmentrecently passed a cabinetnoteand permitted FDI upto 51%in multibrand
retailingwith priorGovernmentapproval and100%in singlebrand retailingthus further liberalizingthe
sector.This policy initiativeisexpected to providefurther fillip to thegrowth of the sector.
REGULATORY NORMS
Multiplelawsand regulationsareinforceatthecentral,stateand local levelsfor governingtheretail sector.
Absenceof specificlegislationscontrollingdistribution tradeandtheexistenceof a plethoraof lawssuch as
the Essential commoditiesAct,theCold StorageOrder,theWeights & Measures Act,laborlaws,theShops
EstablishmentsActand soon,leadsto marketdistortion.
Timely and effectiveimplementation of GSTwill help bringaboutmarket integration.Streamliningthebarriers
for interstatemovements andremoval of all octroi and salestax check pointsispossibleif theimplementation
of GST is donewith a national,on-linetax paymentsystem.Thereshould bequick implementation of all the
provisionsof theAPMC Act, in letter and spirit,namely theinstitutionalizationof marketintermediaries,
contractfarmingandso on.
CHALLENGES
Some of the key challengesfaced by thesector are:
1) Shortage of skilled manpower - Front-end/retail assistantprofilesin storesforma majorproportion of
the employmentin theretail sector whilestoreoperationsaccountfor 75-80%of thetotal manpower
employed in theorganized retail sector.Unfortunately,therearevery fewcourses specific to theretail
sector and graduates/postgraduatesfromother streamsarerecruited.Further,retailtraining
opportunitiessuchasnichecoursesfor areaslikemerchandising,supply chainandso on arelimited.The
condition ismorealarmingintheunorganized sectorwherethemanpower isnotequipped with even the
basiclevel of retail specificand customer serviceskills,which addsto their incompetencevis-à-visthe
organized sector.Acohesiveeffortto develop skills withinthesector canhavea significantpotential
impacton productivity and competitiveness,both within thesector and on thewider economy.
2) Lack of industry status - Due to the absenceof ‘industry status’,organized retail in Indiafaces
difficulties in procurementof organized financingand fiscal incentives.TheGovernmentshouldgrantthe
much needed ’industry status’to thesector so thatthesopsthatcomewith ithelp promoteboth big&
small retailers.
3) Policy induced barriers –Organized retail in Indiaismanaged by both theMinistries of Commerce&
Consumer Affairs.WhiletheMinistry of Commercetakescareof theretail policy,theMinistryof
Consumer Affairsregulates retailinginterms of licensesand legislations.Thereis a need to govern retail
operationsthrough a singleapex body.Asingleagency can takecareof retail operationsmore
effectively,especially withregard to addressingthegrievancesof retailers.Thedevelopmentof theretail
sector can takeplaceata faster paceif a comprehensivelegislationisenacted.
4) Real estate - Lack of sophisticated retailplanningisanothermajor challengethesector faces.Available

43. spaceiseasily interchangeablebetween commercial and retail use.In mostcities,itisdifficultto find
suitablepropertiesin central locationsfor retail,primarilydueto fragmented privateholdings,infrequent
auctioningof largegovernmentowned vacantlandsand litigation disputesbetween owners.
THE FUTURE
Organized retail isa newphenomenon inIndiaand despitethedownturns,themarketis growing
exponentially,aseconomic growth bringsmoreof India’speopleinto theconsumingclassesandorganized
retail luresmoreand moreexistingshoppersinto itsopen doors.By 2015,morethan 300 million shoppersare
likely to patronizeorganized retail chains.
The growingmiddleclassisan importantfactor contributingto thegrowth of retail inIndia.By 2030,itis
estimated that91 million householdswill be‘middleclass’,up from21 million today.Also by 2030,570million
peopleareexpected to livein cities,nearly twicethepopulation of theUnited States today.
Consumer marketsin emergingmarketeconomieslikeIndiaaregrowingrapidlyowingto robusteconomic
growth.India'smodern consumption level issetto doublewithinfive yearsto US$ 1.5 trillion fromthepresent
level of US$ 750 billion.Thus,with tremendouspotential and hugepopulation,Indiaissetfor highgrowth in
consumer expenditure.With India'slarge‘young’populationand high domestic consumption,themacro
trends for thesector look favorable.
Onlineretail businessisanother formatwhich hashighpotential for growth inthenear future.Theonline
retail segmentin Indiaisgrowingatan annual rateof 35 per cent,which wouldtakeitsvaluefromRs 2,000
crore(US$ 429.5 million) in2011 to Rs 7,000crore(US$ 1.5 billion)by 2015.For instancetheTata Group firm
Infiniti Retail,thatoperatesitsconsumer durablesand electronicschain of storesunder the'Croma' brand,is
in the processof tappingnetsavvyconsumers.Similarly,theFutureGroup,thatoperates adedicated portal
‘Futurebazaar.com’for onlinesales,hasrevealed thatitistargetingatleast10 per centof thecompany'stotal
retail salesthrough thedigital medium.
The Indian Retail sector has come off age and has gone through major transformation over the
last decade with a noticeable shift towards organised retailing. A T Kearney, a US Based global
management consulting firm has ranked India as the fourth most attractive nation for retail
investment among 30 flourishing markets.
The retail market is expected to reach a whooping Rs. 47 lakh crore by 2016-17, as it expands at
a compounded annual growth rate of 15 per cent, accordingy to the ‘Yes Bank - Assocham’
study.
The retail market, (including organised and unorganised retail), was at Rs. 23 lakh crore in 2011-
12. According to the study, organised retail, that comprised just seven per cent of the overall
retail market in 2011-12, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 24 per cent and attain 10.2 per cent
share of the total retail sector by 2016-17.
In terms of sheer space, the organised retail supply in 2013 was about 4.7 million square feet (sq
ft). This showed a 78 per cent increase over the total mall supply of just 2.5 million sq ft in 2012.