Union Knopf (India)

MarketUPDATE
old multi crore supermarket. This
mart is a famous not just because
of its product range, but also its
customer service as well. It makes
it a point to help shoppers load
bags into the car. On similar lines,
Ratnadeep Supermarkets offer
home deliveries across all its five
stores in Hyderabad. Pothys stands
apart from others in its most unique
billing system. While in most stores
one has to carry products to the
counter where the bill is being
made and purchases are packed,
it is done differently in Pothy’s.
The consumers there pick what
they wish to buy and the sales men
take them to the counter and get a
printed bill, while the consumers
can do the rest of shopping and get
them billed the same way. All bills
are put together and payment can
be made at the cash counter.
Retailers & Wholesalers
Prefer Working With
Southern India
The success story in South is
changing the landspace of entire
sourcing pattern in domestic
retail market. As a result many
wholesalers are focusing on
increasing business in South. While
on one hand they get good quantity
orders in one go on the other they
feel that the payments are more
secure in South as compared to
North. Wholesalers from many
states have lost their faith in the
North based retailers, the reasons
are many for instance; laid back
attitude, delayed payments and
delivery of products. On the other
hand Southern India has become a
hub for the wholesalers because of
their promptness and discipline.
“We supply mostly to Southern
states. There are less payment
problems in South when compared
with North. Also, the prompt
response that we get from the
retail chain is better. They demand
quality and are ready to pay the
actual price for that” informed
Dinesh Nishar, Director,
Matrix, a Dadar based Ethnic
wear brand for Men. “Most of
the Mumbai based manufacturers
and wholesalers get best deals
in South. The buyers are polite
and pleasant, good to talk to and
genuinely take interest in going
through the product range which
is very different from the buyers
of North who are arrogant,” said
Palak, Spokesperson, Voodoo,
a Men’s denim brand.
As far as the sourcing pattern of
South is concerned, the demand
is good throughout the year and
since the weather is almost the
same there is no season based
buying. “ Since South India is
usually hot and humid, for them
there is no particular season for
buying apparels. So, there is a
lot of business t- shirt makers
throughout the year,” averred
Maulik Mehta, Director,
Bonaty Digital. The increase
in sales is also seen during the
festivals like Pongal, Onam and
Tamil New year and during the
month of October when wedding
seasons set in.
Online shopping has also become
a popular trend in South. Initially
it was the young customers, who
were mainly attracted but now
even the middle aged people, the
middle class and the rich strata
of the city have also fallen for this
new trend and love it to the core.
Latest figures show that Southern
states take up 41% of the e-commerce
business in India, North
coming up next with 32%.
“Today’s generation has become
too high-tech, with is good in a
way. Now, it takes just one click
to explore products and buy
them. We are available on all topnotch
websites and E-commerce
has definitely given a boost to our
business” stated D. Raghunath,
Marketing Head, Jus Cubs, a
Bengaluru based kid’s Wear
brand.
Gautam Hirdaramani, Owner, Cupcake Girlswear
Dinesh Nishar, Director, Matrix
Maulik Mehta, Director, Bonaty Digital
(At Right) D. Raghunath, Marketing Head, Jus Cubs
APPAREL&Fashion
January 2017
33