Retail News CRM

Tag: india

  • Indian fashion chain Reliance Trends to open over 2,000 stores

    Indian fashion chain Reliance Trends to open over 2,000 stores

    Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries will expand its low-cost fashion store network Reliance Trends to 2500 locations within five years.

    The chain currently has just 557 stores in 160 cites, and will target a presence in 140 more, involving deeper penetration into tier 3 and 4 cities.

    The planned expansion will involve an integration with the firm’s online activities and will serve as a gambit to seize a commanding market share of consumer spending against e-commerce competitors Amazon and Flipkart.

    The move follows recent restrictions on foreign investment into India that have at least temporarily disadvantaged the online giants. The new legislation bans online retailers from making exclusive contracts with vendors, among other restrictions.

    The Reliance Trends expansion is expected to help the firm boost its own labels in a territory that is home to the world’s largest population of millennial consumers.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • MG Motor India To Launch Its First Electric SUV In Phased Manner

    MG Motor India To Launch Its First Electric SUV In Phased Manner

    We already have told you that MG Motor will launch an all-electric SUV in India and according to the latest news reports the company is planning to launch the upcoming electric SUV in select cities to begin with. “We will be launching the pure electric SUV in the fourth quarter (October-December) this year. It will be launched in some select cities across the country,” said Gaurav Gupta, Chief Commercial Officer, MG Motor India to the reporters.

    The company will be launching two models in India- starting with the Hector SUV and then a fully electric SUV, over the next nine months and has plans to launch one model in India every year. The company further shared that its electric vehicles in the country would have over-the-air (OTA) technology and would go over 250 km in a single charge. However, he refrained to comment on the selected locations.

    OTA technology is still an alien concept in India and MG Motor will be the first to have it in their models. OTA technology allows the auto maker to update its operating system in the vehicle helping refresh the content including entertainment features. OTA is a standard for the transmission and reception of application-related information in a wireless communication system.

  • Tata Harrier Becomes The Official Partner For The IPL 2019

    Tata Harrier Becomes The Official Partner For The IPL 2019

    Tata Motors has announced the second year of association with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), as the new Tata Harrier becomes the official partner for the Indian Premier League a.k.a. IPL 2019. Last year it was the Tata Nexon subcompact SUV, in fact, last season, a special Tata Nexon SUV, which has been autographed by the captains of the 8 leading teams, was auctioned to create more awareness for cancer. As the Official Partner, Tata Motors will showcase the Harrier in the stadium, across all IPL matches, which begins on March 23, 2019.

    The Tata Harrier was launched in India, early this year in January 2019, and the SUV is based on the company’s new Omega Arc platform. The 5-seater premium compact SUV is priced in the range of ₹ 12.69 lakh to ₹ 16.25 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Now, with its latest association with the IPL, Tata Motors hopes to give the Harrier the push that it needs to effectively target the market.

    Commenting on the continued association with the IPL, Mayank Pareek, President, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors, said “After a successful association last year, it is only fitting for Tata Motors that our premium SUV, Harrier, should be the Official Partner of one of the biggest sporting events across the world. Born of legendary pedigree, the Harrier has received a phenomenal response from customers across India.” He further added, “We have elaborate plans to capture the audience’s attention in-stadia, on-air and across digital platforms, and hope to drive tremendous value from this association yet again.”

    Being the official partner for the IPL 2019, this season will host the Harrier Super Striker Awards as well. So, the best striker of the match stands a chance to win the Harrier Super Striker Trophy along with a prize of ₹ 1 lakh. Furthermore, the batsman with the highest strike-rate in the tournament will win a Tata Harrier SUV. In addition to these, Tata Motors is also offering a prize of ₹ 1 lakh to anyone who takes a single-handed catch in a match stands.

    Lees ook:

  • Hyundai Cars Will Now Be Available On Subscription Basis

    Hyundai Cars Will Now Be Available On Subscription Basis

    Hyundai Motor India and self-drive car rental service provider- Revv have tied up to provide Hyundai cars on a subscription basis. On subscription, the customers could opt for a flexible ownership plan which includes both, short term and long term. The customers will also be able to swap cars across Hyundai range and can easily avail it without any down payment. The company will also not charge any amount for insurance or maintenance from the customer who has subscribed for the short term. Hyundai is also assuring new cars to customers who opt for one-year subscription or more.

    Commenting on the announcement SJ Ha, Senior Director, Sales & Marketing, Hyundai Motor India Ltd, “We are extremely excited about the Indian mobility landscape currently and foresee great prospects. This strategic alliance will provide a unique opportunity for today’s millennial customers to experience Hyundai’s diverse product offerings that blend with their personality. With our deep understanding of Indian consumers and progressive tech-driven mobility solutions, we aim to forge a new market for the New Age Indians.”

    The subscription-based car leasing service has been started as a pilot project. Hyundai and Revv have launched the service only in six cities initially- Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad and haven’t mentioned anything about the expansion plan yet. The project will start in Q1 2019.

    Lees ook:

  • BMW And MINI Lifestyle Collection Now Will Be Available On Amazon

    BMW And MINI Lifestyle Collection Now Will Be Available On Amazon

    In a bid to make its original lifestyle collection more accessible to automotive enthusiasts in India, BMW India today announced launching the latest range of BMW and MINI branded products on Amazon India. Customer now have access to a wide range of original BMW and MINI branded clothing, accessories, luggage, and many other types of merchandise, which can now be purchased online.

    Customers now have access to wide range of original clothing, accessories, luggage, and more

    Hans-Christian Baertels, President, BMW Group India said, “The fascinating BMW and MINI Lifestyle Collection is created to add a touch of style, sophistication and inspiration to everyday life. We are thrilled to introduce the unique BMW and MINI Lifestyle Collection for our customers on Amazon India. This will enhance the reach and accessibility of our authentic and aspirational range of lifestyle products beyond the existing retail area in our showrooms. Be it golf equipment, bags, wallets, watches, t-shirts, jackets or even miniature cars, there is always something for everyone.”

    The collection will include products themed after the multiple branches within the BMW family like – BMW M Collection, BMW Motorsport Heritage Collection, BMW i Collection, Montblanc for BMW Special Edition, the BMW Iconic Collection and BMW Miniature Collection. A similar collection of MINI-branded clothing and bags to luggage, accessories and mobility items will also be on offer.

  • Porsche Taycan Electric Car To Make Its Debut In September 2019

    Porsche Taycan Electric Car To Make Its Debut In September 2019

    The first purely electrically powered sports car from Porsche, the Taycan, will not be presented to the public until September and its final design is not yet known; nonetheless, according to Porsche there are more than 20,000 people around the world with serious interest in buying one of their own. The company confirmed this development at the 2019 Geneva Motor show. 20,000 people have already registered to join a list of prospective buyers – and registration are already underway in Europe. The Porsche Taycan will debut in September 2019 with a market launch scheduled for the end of this year.

    The Porsche Taycan will have a range of more than 500 kilometres. The new Porsche Taycan will sport two permanently excited synchronous electric motors that are capable of churning out max power of 600 bhp and will juice out travel range of more than 500kms with its high voltage lithium-ion batteries. The two permanently excited synchronous motors, like those deployed in the Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid, generate a permanent rotary motion that can be applied at any time without needing to be started.

    The vehicle will be able to accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in considerably less than 3.5 seconds. It will have a range of more than 500 kilometers as measured in accordance with the NEDC. Moreover, it will be possible to add sufficient charge for a range of 100 kilometers in just four minutes (measured in accordance with the NEDC).

    Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG says “The overwhelming interest in the Taycan shows us that our customers and fans are just as excited about the first Porsche electric athlete as we are – and we’ve therefore increased our production capacities. The Taycan will be the most sporty and most technically advanced vehicle in its segment – a true Porsche.”

    Porsche will foray into the electric car segment with the Taycan, and according to the company, by 2025 every second Porsche car sold will be with an electric motor. The Taycan will be the flagship electric product from Porsche and yes, the car will make it to India too by 2020.

    Lees ook:

  • Yamaha Fascino Dark Knight Edition Launched In India

    Yamaha Fascino Dark Knight Edition Launched In India

    India Yamaha Motor has launched the Fascino Dark Knight Edition in India at a price of ₹ 56,793 (ex-showroom, Delhi). It is the Fascino only, but with a new colour scheme of dark black and a maroon seat. Apart from the new colour scheme, the Fascino Dark Knight edition also gets a unified braking system, which is the Yamaha equivalent of Honda’s Combi-braking system and a maintenance free battery. Rest everything else remains the same. In 2019, the company introduced the ABS enabled YZF-R15 Version 3.0, the new FZ FI, FZS FI, FZ 25, Fazer 25 and other scooters in its portfolio with UBS and maintenance free battery in different colour options.

    Motofumi Shitara, Chairman, Yamaha Motor India group of companies said on the occasion, “Yamaha is committed to establish its uniqueness through exciting, stylish and sporty products and experiences. Yamaha Fascino has already gone up and about its unique style and excitement in the market. The new Dark Knight edition will further create an urbane style which is in line with Yamaha’s efforts to add Dark Knight editions in many other two wheelers.”

    Apart from the new colour scheme, there are no other changes to the Yamaha Fascino Dark Knight edition. It is still powered by a 113 cc single-cylinder engine which makes 7 bhp and 8.1 Nm of peak torque. The gearbox is still a CVT and it continues to get electric and kick start.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Singtel to invest a further $536m in Bharti Airtel

    Singtel to invest a further $536m in Bharti Airtel

    Singtel Group has revealed plans to subscribe to Bharti Airtel’s 250 billion rupee ($3.57 billion) right issue, taking up its full entitlement for its direct stake of 15%.

    Airtel will take up 170 million new shares at an issue price of 220 rupees per share for a total of 37.5 billion rupees ($535.7 million).

    Airtel major shareholder Bharti Group has also committed to taking its full entitlement under the issue, while fellow major shareholder Bharti Telecom has renounced part of its entitlement in favor of Singapore sovereign investment fund GIC Singapore, which will invest around 50 billion rupees.

    The major shareholders and GIC have together committed a total of 67% of the rights issue. The renunciation to GIC will take Singtel’s effective interest in Airtel to 35.2%, with the operator maintaining its position as Airtel’s largest shareholder.

    “Our participation in this rights offering with our partners and a leading investor such as GIC reflects our long-standing commitment to Airtel and the confidence in the future of the Indian market,” Singtel International CEO Arthur Lang said.

    “Airtel has performed well despite business headwinds and is consolidating its position in a more sustainable market. Our partnership with Airtel spans some two decades and we continue to take a long-term view of India, having recently invested in Bharti Telecom and Airtel Africa.”

    Lees ook:

  • India has world’s cheapest mobile data

    India has world’s cheapest mobile data

    India is the cheapest country in the world for mobile data, while 10 of the top 20 cheapest countries are in continental Asia, according to analysis from broadband price comparison site cable.co.uk.

    Analysis of mobile data plans in the 230 countries with mobile broadband availability found that Indian operators offer an average price per 1GB of data of $0.26 – well below the global average of $8.53.

    The analysis also shows that Asian countries made up half of the top 20 cheapest markets in the world, with the average price of 1GB of data being well over $1 in Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Myanmar and Bangladesh.

    Malaysia ($1.18 per 1GB), Indonesia ($1.21), Bhutan ($1.25), Iran ($1.28) and Vietnam ($1.31) also made the top 20 list, and only three Asian countries are more expensive than the global average – Taiwan ($9.49), China ($9.89), and South Korea ($15.12).

    The analysis did not include countries in the Oceania/Pacific region. Australia is by far the cheapest country in the region with average prices of $2.47 per 1GB. The most expensive market in the region is Samoa at $30.09.

    “Many of the cheapest countries in which to buy mobile data fall roughly into one of two categories,” Cable.co.uk consumer telecoms analyst Dan Howdle said.

    “Some have excellent mobile and fixed broadband infrastructure and so providers are able to offer large amounts of data, which brings down the price per gigabyte. Others with less advanced broadband networks are heavily reliant on mobile data and the economy dictates that prices must be low, as that’s what people can afford.”

    Lees ook:

  • Smartphone brand Realme expanding in Southeast Asia

    Smartphone brand Realme expanding in Southeast Asia

    BBK Electronics’ budget smartphone brand Realme is eyeing expansion into Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe.

    The company’s online distribution strategy has brought it success in the Indian market and makes broader expansion possible, according to Realme global CEO Sky Li Bingzhong.

    “The company’s asset-light operations and focus on online sales allow it to keep costs low. That way, more young consumers can afford its products, which makes the brand more competitive in the market,” said Li.

    Realme launched in India in May last year with handsets priced at INR8,990 (US$129) – becoming the second top-selling smartphone brand during the Diwali festival season from October to November. The brand has joined a number of Chinese phone manufacturers seeking to build strength in the Indian market as they challenge more established international competitors in more saturated markets.

    BBK also owns the Oppo, Vivo and OnePlus brands, selling mid- to high-end models. Independent Realme runs its own R&D operations, but partners with Oppo in smartphone production. Its expansion moves are indicative of Chinese phone manufacturers’ larger strategy to deploy varying brands that each target specific markets globally.

    Lees ook:

  • GOZOOP wins Digital Mandate for amanté

    GOZOOP wins Digital Mandate for amanté

    GOZOOP, a leading integrated marketing company based in Mumbai, has bagged the digital media mandate of amanté -The International intimate wear brand. As part of their digital duties, the agency will manage the brand’s presence across social media and other digital platforms.

    amanté is an international intimate wear brand, adding confidence, glamour and sensuality to every modern Asian woman’s wardrobe. A brand owned by MAS Brands, subsidiary of MAS Holdings South Asia’s largest supplier of niche market intimate wear, it embodies 30 years of excellence held by the conglomerate in lingerie manufacturing. The brand is available in 1500+ outlets across partner stores in India, with a strong presence on leading online portals, along with its own direct to consumer brand stores and e-stores. MAS Brands has now extended to multiple consumer groups with three brands, amanté -which celebrates a decade long trust of discerning consumers, every dé by amanté- for value conscious consumers looking for pocket-friendly yet good quality products, and Ultimo – the specialist brand for the full-figured women.

    The mandate entails GOZOOP to build and reinforce the brand’s digital presence and create new, out-of-the-box communication strategies to strengthen brand awareness on digital platforms including social media and search engines. The association aims to integrate the digital presence across platforms and build content seamlessly across all platforms.

    Commenting on the win, Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, CEO and Co-Founder, GOZOOP said, “Partnering with brands give GOZOOP an equal seat not just for driving digital communication, but also business innovation basis consumer insights and behaviour across platforms. amanté is one such partnership and we are looking to use our capabilities to accelerate the brand and help grow the business.”

    Smita Murarka, Marketing Head, MAS Brands commented “We are excited about this partnership with GOZOOP! Being a leader in the lingerie industry in India, we are looking to connect with our audience through powerful digital content as they are spending most of their time online. amanté is glad to associate with an agency that understands the digital landscape very well and will help us meet our goals. MAS brands India is glad to associate with an agency that understands the digital landscape very well and will help us meet the goals for all our brands. We really look forward to seeing innovative ways to integrate our marketing strategies with their creative intellect.”

    Lees ook:

  • AirAsia opens technology centre in India’s Silicon Valley

    AirAsia opens technology centre in India’s Silicon Valley

    AirAsia has unveiled a new technology centre in Bengaluru, India’s Silicon Valley, housing 35 software engineering and technology experts each tasked to design and create custom-built solutions for AirAsia’s airline and digital businesses.

    The new centre affirms its mission to transform into a travel technology company, AirAsia said in a statement. The team will work to streamline the airline’s digital assets such as airasia.com and the AirAsia mobile app, alongside the creation and implementation of new products and enhancements such as the new AI-powered chatbot, AVA, to provide frictionless journeys for the airline’s guests.

    The opening of the new technology centre is one of many global initiatives AirAsia is exploring to drive its digital transformation. In recent times, AirAsia has implemented a number of new digital features including flight search mapping and voice assistance which provides guests with a more seamless, user-friendly experience on its mobile app. Last October, it also collaborated with Google Cloud to integrate machine learning and artificial intelligence into every aspect of the airline’s business and culture.

    Aireen Omar, AirAsia deputy group CEO (technology and digital) said: ““India is a source for innovation and cutting-edge technology, and offers us tremendous growth potential when it comes to our mission to develop an all-encompassing travel technology ecosystem. This is why we are so excited to expand our footprint in India with the opening of a new technology centre.”

    AirAsia India MD and CEO Sunil Bhaskaran added that India’s skilled manpower can address the requirements of the global market, at the same time adding value to the Indian ICT industry and helping to strengthen the industry ecosystem.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Indian mall supply industry booming

    Indian mall supply industry booming

    A three-fold jump in Indian mall supply from 3.2 million sqft last year to nearly 10 million sqft this year has been reported in India, following supply rollover from the previous year.

    The figures were outlined in the research report Customer Experience (CX) – The Epicentre of Retailing by property consultant firm Anarock, released at the Retail Leadership Summit 2019 in Mumbai this week. The report finds that customer experience and ‘built environment’ are completely metamorphosing the retail business in the country, and that these trends have already started influencing and impacting both the online and the offline retail segments.

    “With the new e-commerce policy in effect from early this month, online retail giants are realigning their business strategies and focussing to expand their offline presence,” said Anarock chairman Anuj Puri.

    “Brick-and-mortar retailers who were earlier under threat from e-commerce can now look forward to a more level playing field and tap into the rapidly growing Indian consumer market with renewed confidence and business prospects. The new e-commerce policy will bring parity between the online and offline retailers and address the concern of data colonisation as well. Even as online players may lose many of their competitive advantages – such as high price discounts on their private labels – brick-and-mortar stores will focus on offering superior customer experience to enhance customer loyalty.

    “The new e-commerce policy will cause online retail entities to invest seriously in offline stores,” he continued. “They will consider tie-ups with offline retailers or buy stakes in them. However, as competition stiffens, customer experience will be the key differentiator to the success and sustenance of any new retail venture.”

    Kumar Rajagopalan, Retailers Association of India CEO, added: “A combination of essential and value-added services, along with sound marketing strategy, is now the key to customer attraction and therefore successful mall performance. F&B and entertainment are critical ingredients for attracting footfalls into retail developments. Simultaneously, style, variety, and overall quality of malls also play crucial roles in ensuring customer satisfaction.”

    Historically dominated by unorganised mom-and-pop stores, the Indian retail sector’s dynamics are rapidly changing post liberalisation and subsequent e-commerce boom across the country. The rise in internet subscribers and active social media users, changing lifestyles and increasing disposable incomes have transformed the rural and urban consumer bases alike. This dynamic resulted in the increasing prominence of e-commerce across the country, leading to India’s emergence as a key global retail market.

    Nearly $1.42 billion FDI has already been infused in the Indian markets between April 2000 to June 2018 – and global investments into Indian retail are all set to increase further, states the report. The Indian retail sector is expected to reach $1.750 trillion by 2026, due to changing demographics and increasing consumer expenditure, which is expected to rise to $3.6 trillion by 2020.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • India’s copper cabling market to reach $862m by 2023

    India’s copper cabling market to reach $862m by 2023

    The India structured cabling market is projected to reach $861.6 million by 2023, according to Research and Markets.

    Increasing demand for copper cables, growing data center market, higher product launch activities by the market players, and rising demand for bandwidth solutions are the major factors driving the growth of the market.

    Based on wire category, the India structured cabling market is divided into Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6A, and Cat7. The most popular category, Cat6 held the largest market share in 2017. Cat6 owed its popularity to the backward compatibility of this cable with Cat3, Cat5, and Cat5e cable system while providing at least 150 MHz of more frequency range than older types of cables that provides a cost-effective solution for the end users.

    In India, demand for Cat6A is surging owing to its low cost/feature characteristics. It is forecast to grow at 11.9% CAGR. Cat6A cable provides a better cost-effective solution than Cat7 cable and double the bandwidth than Cat6 cable.

    On the basis of application, the India structured cabling market has been categorized into data center and LAN. Data center is expected to register faster growth in the market, during the forecast period, owing to growing demand for cloud computing and cloud storage. This demand is fulfilled by increasing number of data centers in the country.

    The market for data centers in India is expected to reach a value of $4.1 billion by 2020. Tier I cities predominantly, Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Pune are expected to be the main locations for data centers in the country.

    Copper cabling has been providing a flexible, reliable, and economical communication medium since decades. Initially, commencing with the analog telephone and continuing with present high-speed digital networks, copper cabling has been the preferred choice for much of the communications infrastructure installed in India’s residential, commercial, industrial and institutional buildings.

  • India may allocate 5G trial spectrum in June

    India may allocate 5G trial spectrum in June

    The Indian government is reportedly planning to allocate spectrum to mobile operators for 5G trial services in June.

    A panel established to set the terms for 5G trials is expected to soon begin deliberations on the spectrum that will be allocated for the trials, as well as the trial time period and other factors, citing government sources.

    Operators could then commence trials in July or August, and a spectrum auction for commercial 5G services may take place from September onwards.

    According to the report, the Department of Telecom is currently in the process of appointing an auctioneer and drafting bid documents for the online auction.

    Incumbent operators Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have reportedly engaged vendors including Huawei, Ericsson and Nokia over the proposed trials.

    But the mobile industry has expressed concern that the expected high cost of 5G rollouts could further damage the financial performance of what is already a highly indebted industry.

    The market’s three operators – which also include Reliance Jio Infocomm – have an estimated total net debt of nearly 8 trillion rupees ($114.15 billion), due in part to high spectrum prices during previous auctions.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook: