Retail news October 30, 2006
Posted by Shel in Blogging/Writing.add a comment
I found some interesting reading material on business, technology, communication, innovation and how they all intertwine. The site specifically focuses on the retail industry that is on the rise in India, attracting new entrants from both the domestic and international fields. Not a single day passes without another company announcing that they would be entering the Indian retail sector, and the site has lots of information on who is starting out, in what format, where and what their strategy will be.
Discover how rich you actually are October 27, 2006
Posted by Shel in Money.add a comment
Interested in knowing exactly how you stand amongst all the other rich people in the world? Think you’re too poor to ever be considered rich? Well, you might be mistaken and actually be richer than you think.
Check out how rich you are in comparison to the rest of the world on the Global Rich List, which has been built by a creative company in the UK who want to inspire people via interactive media. The calculations are made based on World Bank Development Reasech Group’s figures.
Online sales gaining customers rapidly October 27, 2006
Posted by Shel in Marketing.add a comment
InternetReporter.com writes that according to a study by Deloitte & Touche, online sales are increasing faster than sales at brick and mortar retail stores. One of the reasons is that fewer customers are abandoning shopping carts in online stores. Online shoppers are also happier with the service they have received and the overall shopping experience.
The study also found that 91% of shoppers “pre-shop”—researching items and comparing prices online before heading to the store. Pre-shopping was most popular for big ticket purchases, raising the average spend from $65 to $151 for those engaged in pre-shopping research. That suggests that certain categories and higher price points are benefiting from pre-shopping activities, but also that pre-shopping is raising spending during the subsequent store visit, Deloitte says.
The golden rule October 26, 2006
Posted by Shel in Money.add a comment
Gold has always been considered a safe investment, something physical that can be counted on instead of paper money or shares. The ancient Greeks, Romans and Eqyptians all realized the value of gold and collected it with religious zeal. Gold was the way the world took notice of who you were in times past. It was the one surety of life that its value would always increase with time.
Unfortunately, in modern times, gold has not always enjoyed such cult status. In certain communities and societies, gold is still purchased as the chief investment, whether it is in the form of coins, ingots or jewelry. The problem in modern times lies in how to judge the quality of pure gold and how to store it.
The Monex Deposit Company (MDC) fills this gap and provides customers with a secure place to purchase gold and other precious metals such as platinum and silver and even has it delivered to your choice of independent bank or depository. The Monex Precious Metals has one of the largest and most dedicated staff who will provide you with the resources to make the best decision.
a good trip October 25, 2006
Posted by Shel in Travel.add a comment
Back from Juneo yesterday morning after a hectic 3 day trip to Delhi and the hills of Himachal. All in all it was a really good trip, lots of fun, food and laughter.
away October 20, 2006
Posted by Shel in Travel.add a comment
So, I’m off the the hills of Himachal for the holiday weekend. A very hectic schedule for the next 4 days, but I guess anything to be back where I grew up.
Back on tuesday, 24th october.
On ads: good vs evil October 13, 2006
Posted by Shel in Advertising, Technology.add a comment
I wrote about the reach of advertisements in almost every sphere in our lives in an earlier post, and thought the tone might have been too negative. While on a personal level, it can get overwhelming to be faced with ‘names’ and ‘brands’ where ever you look, from the innovative and creative point of view, it definately is a thrill to see how the process is changing along with our lives, technology and modern modes of communication.
Advertisements on supermarket converyor belts, coupons or ads on your cell phone, ads inside elevators are all new areas can’t only be seen as irritants but rather as innovative means of reaching customers, making products more accessable and relating practically to how we really live today.
Is any place safe from advertisements? October 12, 2006
Posted by Shel in Advertising, Marketing, Trends.add a comment
Are you getting sick of being bombarded with ads? Well, its only going to get worse, a lot worse from now on. For its new season of shows, CBS is placing ads of its shows and stars extremely creatively, such as on postage stamps, inside elevator doors, on eggs via a laser coating technology, and even on a 40 acre cornfield in Kansas.
Advertising is moving away from its traditional newspaper and magazine formats to catch consumers when they might not be expecting to see an advertisment, to make it memorable and something to talk about.
Advertising is intruding on more previously untouched corners of life, including novels, hotel shower curtains, school buses and the bellies of pregnant women. Golfer Fred Couples is often followed around the course by a gaggle of woman paid to wear the name Bridgestone Golf, his sponsor.
But are customers being turned away by these ads because of their intrusiveness or is it a workable concept. Read the article here in USA Today.
Assocham opposes 100% FDI in retail October 11, 2006
Posted by Shel in Marketing, Retail.add a comment
The Economic Times reports that Assocham has opposed a proposal of 100% FDI in retail, saying that domestic players were not prepared to face the competition as yet. The chamber added that organized retailers in India were against the idea of 100% FDI in retail as they would require 2-3 years to prepare for the competition from international companies such as Wal-Mart, Tesco and Carrefour. Most companies do favour the 49% FDI in retail that the government approved earlier this year.
In a note submitted to the Commerce and Industry Ministry, the chamber has urged the government to first consult the domestic industry before finalising and announcing entry of overseas mega malls in the country.
In response to the Assocham questionnaire circulated to the domestic players, one of the leading retail companies wanted a period of 2-3 years for the domestic industry to consolidate.
It said the organised retail is still at a very nascent stage and forms only three per cent of the entire retail trade.
Mall mania moves to smaller cities October 11, 2006
Posted by Shel in Marketing, Retail.add a comment
Daily News & Analysis reports that the next rush in retail is to smaller cities, where developers are now rushing to build malls. Property consultancy Knight Frank, estimates that 35% of new retail space being developed in India is located in roughly 50 tier II and tier III towns. In the next two years, these towns will have almost 42 million sq ft of retail space.
The growth of population in the rural areas along with an increase income has made it a viable area for modern retail formats, according to Knight Frank. Small town customers are more involved in their towns as compared to larger cities. Harish Bijoor, a retail consultant adds that with the lack of entertainment options in smaller towns, the mall becomes an entertainment and hangout place.
At present the retail growth has been restricted to only 7 cities in India, which have 65% of the new retail space coming up in the next two years. Of the 361 malls under development, 227 are in these top 7 cities and the remaining 134 are in tier II and tier III towns.
The Knight Frank report states that the rush to build malls in smaller cities shows the changing urban and rural landscape and the blurry line that divides them:
“This reveals the far-reaching effects of positive macro trends in changing the consumer preferences and shifting mindsets towards organized retailing experience,” says the report.
The growth in the mall space is also a telling commentary on the inability of the existing market places to cater to the increasing demand.
