Westside is a retail chain owned by Trent Ltd focusing on apparel, home products and gifts. It operates on a free form layout displaying merchandise clustered by category. Westside sources 30% of products from in-house brands and the rest from external brands. It focuses on quality products at affordable prices and spends 8% of revenue on promotions. Market research helps understand customer preferences and improve loyalty. Competition is growing in the Indian retail market but Westside's strategies around quality brands and customer service position it strongly against competitors.

2. Explore endless possibilities with Westside

3. BackgroundTrent is the retail arm of Tata Group founded in 1998 by Ms. Simone Tata.Currently operate in three store formatsWestsideStar BazaarLandmark

4. BackgroundIn 1997 Tata sold Lakme to HLL for Rs. 2 bn.In 1998 Tata’s acquire Littlewoods Retail store and renamed it as Trent Ltd.Littlewoods retail stores renamed as Westside.

5. Number of Stores

6. FindingsStore owned brands and other brands ratio 30:70

7. MR conducted to understand customer behavior to enhance customer loyalty

8. Sold in house brand only-higher margins, more control over manufacturers(quality, cost),no intermediary costs

9. Expensive real estate- leased shop space

10. Required spacious showrooms in metros :10000 – 20000 sq ftWestside modelFree from layout/boutique layout – fixtures and aisles arranged as symmetricallyMerchandise displayed at 2 levels on same floorMerchandise in separate clusters e.g.. Women's wear and accessories clubbed together for convenience2 main divisionsApparel- men’s wear ,women's wear, lingerie, kids wearProduct- household gifts, other accessories

11. Promotion and MarketingSigned Yuvraj Singh, as its celebrity endorserWestside launch marketing campaign on print and television media with budget of Rs. 200 million8% of revenue is spent on marketing and promotion

12. Sourcing and stocksEach store on avg stored 30000 SKU’s of different productsMerchandise sourced from 250 exporters from Delhi , Mumbai and BangaloreCentralized buying for all products except cosmetics and perfumes to avoid sales taxCarried 63 days of stock days

13. Product PositioningPositioned as value for money products- good quality , low prices ,contemporary and exclusive designs and wide varietyGood store ambience – shelves not overloadedFocus on “ I-got-a quality-product-at-a-reasonable-price” feelings

14. Apparel Westside merchandise - India’s best known fashion designers Wendell RdericksAnita DongreKrishna MehtaMonisha Bajaj Mona Pali

15. Division Women WearWestern formals, casuals and ethnic wearRange had great depthDesigner clothing introductionKids wearSporty and international lookCatered to wide age group : infants to teensFor girls – Gypsy ,Sporty , guns n roses lineFor boys – skull and studd lines

16. Cont.Mens WearFormals,casuals,ethnic ,sports wear,part wearLatest stylesHouseholdTowels,bathroom sets etcWell coordinated,allowed mix n matchNew introductions each week

17. Cont.Gift SectionDiyas , terracotta pots ,urnsRange of furnitureUtilityIn wrought iron and rope : magzine racks , stools , etc

18. “ Fashion at affordable pricing”Focus on 2 parameters – style and affordabilityTotal advertising spend 8% of sales

19. In-house PromotionsPeaked during summer ,Diwali and Christmas – “Festival of Delights “ programPromotions based on themes – matching decorations , liver brands and other attractions

20. External PromotionsAdvertising on media – model fleur xavier for advertising contract

21. We’ve learned that it is absolutely essential to listen to customer-what they want in terms of style and price,and to understand the demographic of it all-Simone TataConducted research to better serve customers

22. Focus on customer Feedback

23. Trust in customers reflected confidence in products

24. Loyalty Program :ClubwestQuestion1.AdvantageHigh margin on own brandsControl over manufacturers, quality and distributionHigh quality raw material and designingNo intermediary – High margin

25. Question 1DisadvantageHeavy investment in brand buildingPoor economies of scaleCustomer perception

26. Q2. Discuss the westside model in detail?AnswerFree from layout/boutique layout – fixtures and aisles arranged as symmetricallyMerchandise displayed at 2 levels on same floorMerchandise in separate clusters eg. Womens wear and accessories clubbed together for convenience2 main divisionsApparel- menswear,womenswear,lingerie.kids wearProduct-houehold,gifts, other accessories

27. Customer Feedback : Information about customer preferences, Repeat customer.Heavy advertisement leads to brand awareness and sale of products

28. Q3. While the retail clothing industry is predominately unorganized, competition between organized retail is still acute, with many Indian business houses evolving and international players showing interest. Analyze the competition in retail clothing and lifestyle products industry with special reference to Westside. What strategies would you recommend for Westside to position itself effectively against the competition?

29. Main competitor

30. Westside should focus on High Quality and stylish in house clothing brands.Good customer service.Location of store .Promotional schemes and discounts.