Trends for Indian Retail in 2023

 2022 was a return to near normal for Indian retail. That leads to the question as to what 2023 holds for this sector. Trends that would dominate this sector has been detailed in this article published in The Hindu Business Line. Clicnk on this link to read the full article - Trends that will shape Indian retail this year - The Hindu BusinessLine

Indian Retail after the Lock down and Corona Virus scare in 2020

In the mid 1990s when Modern Trade started off in India, everyone started saying that Kirana or small stand alone stores are doomed. After a few years later when online retail started, physical stores were expected to be badly hit. Although there has been some impact with regard to a few categories by online retail on physical stores, it is nowhere as widespread as prophesied. Kirana stores have always marched on stoically. 

Fast forward to 2020 and the Covid-19 scare which has led to lock downs in most countries including India.

Interestingly, the small stores or Kiranas are managing quite well and many shoppers are dependent on these stores for their essentials. Many physical stores are catering to the shopper’s essential purchases. In spite of the lock down situation and home quarantine, online which had a good opportunity especially in the food space is grappling with delivery and stock challenges.

How will shopper behavior be after the Lock down? Which format will be preferred by shoppers? What might happen to the consumption patterns? Will there be a dramatic change after the Corona Virus scare goes away or at least reduces?

Most importantly, what will happen to Indian Retail and its various segments?

All these points have been detailed in this article published in Business Line’s BLoC. Click on this link to read the article and share your comments - What will shopping look like after Covid-19?

Convenience store format in India

Kirana stores or the small neighborhood shop has always been predicted to close down in the face of competition. In the mid 90s when the Foodworld Supermarket chain started, everyone expected these small shops to shut down in that area. Later on with the arrival of several chains and then online retail, this doomsday prediction for these small shops has always been around.

Interestingly, till date these small Kirana shops have not only stuck around but have also managed to keep up with the shopper expectations. They have implemented various value additions like cramming in a few shelves to create a self service shopping experience, extended hours of operation, better service, etc.

Coupled with their penetration in any locality, they are truly the Indian version of convenience stores.

However, this might be challenged, soon. Already a few convenience store chains have started and recently a global retail chain has announced their entry into India.

How will the kirana stores compete in the face of such direct competition, Will the global chain be able to have a quick and easy entry? Will this finally lead to the Kirana stores to be affected? – Many more such questions have been addressed in my two articles in the “Inside Retail” column of the Business Line on Campus.

The links to these two articles are –

- https://bloncampus.thehindubusinessline.com/columns/inside-retail/can-indias-convenience-stores-stand-up-to-competition-from-abroad/article29856810.ece

- https://bloncampus.thehindubusinessline.com/columns/inside-retail/challenges-for-7-eleven-store-chain-in-india/article29983936.ece

Please share your views and comments about this.

Inside Retail; The great Indian MRP trick

One of my pet topics! 

During a session where I was explaining about MRP being irrelevant in the current market scenario, an interesting question/ counter point came up.

This point was - “MRP printed on a product gives the consumer some assurance about the price. If there was no MRP, what is the guarantee that retailers would not fleece the customers?”

The article “The great Indian MRP trick” answers this question as also reiterates that MRP as a concept is neither applicable universally nor is it being insisted upon and most definitely is enforced in very rare instances.

Please share your views and comments about this.

Inside Retail; Long way to go for omni channel retail

I have been remiss in sharing thoughts and insights about Retail in the blog due to lot of travelling and extensive engagements. Let me resume by sharing some articles I had written for my new column in the Business Line on Campus (BLoC) titled “Inside Retail” .

A full page advertisement by a retailer claiming to be an omni channel operator piqued my curiosity. Omni channel is easier to claim than do and this article explains the reasons for the same.

The full can be read by clicking on this link - “Long way to go for seamless omni channel shopping experience”. Please do share your views and feedback in the comments section.

Believing in what you sell is one of the most critical aspect in retail.

David Ogilvy, one of the gurus of advertising is credited with this quote; “I never assign a product to a writer unless I know that he is personally interested in it. Every time I have written a bad campaign, it has been because the product did not interest me.”

Decades later this maxim holds true for not only advertising but actually about almost everything we do in life. If we truly believe in something, we give it our best and the outcome is invariably a positive one.

This reality becomes critical in retail as the shopper is driven and motivated by the trust he or she reposes in the store. In reality, it is not even in the store but in the staff and their service.

It is no wonder that the staff are referred to as the “Face of the Retailer”.

In spite of this, the majority of training initiatives are focused on customer service, smiling and wishing the customer, etc. Very rarely have I come across a retailer who takes the trouble to sell their merchandise to their own staff and make them to truly believe in what they are being asked o sell.

That was the crux of the issue that was mentioned to me by a young retail manager and which led to this “Business Line” article; Do you believe in what you sell?

Apart from the interesting anecdote about my interaction with this your retail professional, the article also captures an essential milestone in the journey of modern trade in India, especially that of food/ supermarket formats.

Ten years and counting!

March 2009, when I decided to start my blog “An Indian and A Retailer”, has definitely become a defining moment in my life journey. Ten years and 1,00,000 plus views later, the blog still continues to attract regular readers who often use its contents as a reference with regard to Indian Retail.

The blog started off as a simple repository of my experiences and learning in the Indian Retail space. It went on to become the foundation stone of my journey as an author. This blog led to my first book “The INDIAN reTALEs”. That was followed by “Out Of Syllabus”, “BREAK FREE” and the latest one, “The Ultimate Guide to SMART SHOPPING”. This has been in addition to the various articles I have written for leading business publications. 

All these must total up to approximately four lakh plus words over the years.

A BIG THANK YOU to all my readers who found my writing to be of interest and use. Many of them have given private feedback as also written public reviews. 

Two anecdotes are worth sharing as part of this milestone.

The first is about the actual start of my journey in writing. In 2000 after I had returned from the UK after completing the Chevening Scholarship, Business Line invited me to write an article. This was to be about my stint at ASDA and was titled “Making an elephant dance”. The article detailed the interesting practices that were followed at ASDA to keep their large number of employees engaged and nimble footed to remain customer centric. The blog, in a manner of speaking continued from where this article had led me in the journey of being an author.

The second one is about the name for my blog. It was a challenge as I was conflicted by various ideas and options. The final decision was influenced by using the two identities that I am most proud of and has defined me as a person. 

An Indian; growing up in the pre-liberalization period and witnessing the contribution that an individual can make as an ordinary citizen of India has always been motivating to me. Post liberalization, this has only been reinforced. In spite of several options to pursue a career abroad, the appeal of being an Indian contributing to the country’s growth in whatever small way possible has held greater appeal for me.

A Retailer; is how I think and operate. The experiences from this sector have defined my outlook and continue to do so. I am immensely grateful that God led me into this sector and am thankful to all my mentors who have taught me about the various facets about retail.

One of the topics I have written extensively about is that the retail sector in India should be granted industry status. This would not only spur this sector to faster and better growth but also contribute significantly to the Indian economy. My fond wish and hope as “An Indian and A Retailer”, is that this happens soon. I hope that the industry status is granted and a comprehensive policy for this sector, including both offline and online retailers gets rolled out at the earliest. 

That would be fantastic and something to look forward to.

Is E-tail retailing or not?

E-Tail is a subset of retail and is largely about purchase of products (goods) online. However, the term e-commerce continues to be used for this segment. Apart from being misleading, this clearly is giving rise to policy approaches which disregards the aspects of a retail business which defines such e-tail operators.

If there is a defined FDI policy with regard to retail in India, there is no need for a separate policy and guidelines for e-tailing.

Yet, policy guidelines pertaining to e-tailing, wrongly described as e-commerce, keeps getting notified. The recent guidelines which came into effect from 1st February 2019, is a case in point.

Some points with regard to the dissonance created by guidelines pertaining to online shopping but defined as e-commerce have been explained in this article published in “The Hindu Business Line”. Click on this link to read the article titled, “The sting in the e-tail”.

The larger issue which is being conveniently ignored is industry status for the Retail Sector in India. Notifying this would not only help to streamline policy with regard to the various constituents of this sector but also enable the sector to growth.

Will this happen?

Policy Clarity required to enable Indian Retail

Trade in India is centuries old and historically the stories of our spices, etc., reaching many foreign shores, abound. From a historical perspective, it was these riches that attracted traders from overseas and the subsequent developments led to East India Company establishing a trading base first and then making India into its colony. This historical turn of events might have left a deep and long lasting imprint on the collective psyche which might be manifesting itself in the form of the vigorous and violent opposition to FDI in multi brand retail, today. 

Over the years we have largely seen shop keepers with a few exceptions where businesses managed a chain of stores. It is only from the mid 90s that Retail as a concept emerged in India. Understanding the differentiation between "Shop Keeping" and Retailing is very important. Their approach to business and priorities are completely different. Similarly clubbing eTail (Online Shopping) with eCommerce with regard to policy is incorrect.

As a start, Indian Retail needs Industry status and a cohesive approach with regard to policy-making and governance. My thoughts towards enabling the sector has been published as a Retail Report titled as "Six steps to redefining retail rules" in The Hindu Business Line. (Click on the link to read the article)

Indian Retail; data goldmine awaits....

12 or 14 million outlets in India is a large number and also largely based on approximation. This same approach also works for generating the secondary or Retail sales data for most product categories in India. Even after so much of advances in mobile devices and technology most of the sales data is based on a representative sample which is indicative at best.

There is a powerful data goldmine waiting to be tapped into and I have recently written an article for Business Line wherein this issue has been discussed including a possible solution. This might end up being a Win:Win for all parties concerned and the Kirana or stand alone shop keeper might be benefited the most.

Yet another idea to support these traditional shop keepers and a governmental agency might be a good starting point to take this forward.

Click here to read the full article and share your views and comments.

Reality Check!

I stay in one of those relatively quiet streets which does not have too much of traffic by virtue of it being a cul-de-sac. The other side of the coin is that the street is targeted as a free parking spot by everyone who knows of its location.

We often used to find that autorikshaws would be left parked through the night and they would then disappear in the morning. Given the current scenario where one never knows what danger lurks in such unknown vehicles the residents complained to the traffic police and they finally got the autos removed.

It was quite a surprise to learn that these autos were owned by a flower vendor. I shall come back to this.

Today morning while out for a walk I saw a person come in a scooter, park it, open a Maruti Van and get ready to drive away. I stopped this person and asked him who he was and why he had parked the van in the street? He said that the van also belongs to the flower vendor whose autos had been removed. He further explained that they park all the vehicles here as it was safe!

Now, this flower vendor typically stands outside a supermarket on the main road and sells flowers which are piled up on a wicker tray, mounted to his cycle. His typical bargaining point is how a few rupees will not make a difference to the customer but is a big difference to him. The poor guy!

This poor guy owns a couple of autos, a Maruti van, a scooter and that’s only what we have come to know. Obviously he pays no sales tax or any other government levies although he uses all the civic amenities. As often mentioned by me, I do admire the business acumen of these Indian traders. At the same time, it is such smart and savvy people that the government wants to protect because of which the FDI debate is raging.

If FDI is allowed and corporate Retail grows there will be more accountability, increased tax inflows and more credible employment opportunities. Why are we avoiding this step forward?

In this context I had participated in a panel discussion about this topic organised by SSN School of Management & Computer Applications and The Business Line Club. (The coverage about this event can be found on this URL - It wont be a cakewalk for foreign retailers). One of the participants asked the mandatory question of whether FDI will kill the small Retailer. I do wish I can bring him and introduce him to the poor flower vendor who owns a few autos, Maruti van, etc. etc.

Leveraging Catchment Area Analysis

Continuing along my recent theme on Customer Service, there is an excellent tool to enable great customer service. This is the detailed analysis of one’s catchment area.

It is also one of my favourite training sessions, which is a big hit with participants as this topic can be conducted as a conceptual program or a action plan oriented workshop. Till date I have conducted this session for the staff of several Retail organisations.

Recently I witnessed a store staff lose out on one such opportunity to create customer WOW and gain further loyalty. I have written an article on this topic, which has been published in “The Hindu Business Line”.

This is the link to the article - Who's buying what in your area?

Please do share your comments about the article.

Brand Raghu Pillai

Mr. P K Mohapatra who was associated with Mr. Raghu Pillai has penned a wonderful and very insightful article which delves into the man, mentor, leader and colleague named Raghu PIllai. His comments about Raghu being a hurricane is so very accurate and everyone who has been caught up in the force of that hurricane can testify to the life altering experience of working with him. Please click on the link below to read the full article.

- Brand Raghu Pillai

Some of the more memorable quotes of Raghu are –

When presented with a complicated Excel working he would say “Stop this Excel gymnastics and tell me what it means and what you will do with it”.

• His comment “English jhadna band kaar” (Stop spouting English) has been the guiding light to making crisp and meaningful presentations for many.
• The customer is always right was not mere words and he walked the talk by briefing the cashiers during any store launch to not argue about promotions.
• Lastly his perspective of the larger picture and its components was amply illustrated when he told someone who was discussing compensation; “I don’t think a few thousands here or there will significantly affect the balance sheet of this company”

 Many more such memories fill my mind and will continue to do so…..

Press Review of "The INDIAN reTALEs"

I am very happy to share with you the detailed press review of "The INDIAN reTALEs" in the Brand Line supplement of The Hindu's Business Line. The link is as follows -


- Business Line Review of "The INDIAN reTALEs"

Please do take time out to read the same as also forward this to all your friends.

Discussion Paper about FDI in Multi Brand Retail

In April 26th DIPP had announced (as reported in the press) that the discussion paper would be released and discussions would start next month. Promptly the next day the Commerce Minister categorically states that the government is currently not working on the possibility of FDI in Retail. This changing stance seems to find an echo in the paper even after it has been finally released. To quote a point stated right at the start of the note “The views expressed in this discussion paper should not be construed as the views of the government. The department hopes to generate informed discussion on the subject, so as to enable the Government to take an appropriate policy decision at the appropriate time”.

DIPP is a department of the Commerce Ministry. This is a detailed discussion note prepared by this department and quotes several facts, figures and refers to several research and studies done including one by a Parliamentary standing committee. Yet, it starts by absolving any Government perspective to the note. In light of this, how seriously can anyone take this note? Is it yet another document put together for the want of anything else to do?

A detailed perspective about this was published in "The Hindu Business Line"  today.  Look forward to your feedback and views.

Unleashing the Human Resource Potential in Retail

Coincidentally on the same day of my critique of the DIPP discussion note an exhaustive article of mine was carried in the “Brand Line” which is a supplement of “Business Line”.

Apart from detailing how Retail can harness India’s Human Resource potential, the article talks about how the same can have a significant impact on the Indian Economy. In a context where Retail is already amongst one of the largest employers in India contrasted with the reality that the majority of people employed would not even be paid minimum wages, Industry status is the most pressing need for Indian Retail.

The full article can be read online at Brand Line. 

Rural Retail and it’s potential

In one of my earlier articles about supply chain in India, I pointed out how Indian Retailers seem to have a love affair with urban shoppers to the extent that I can even dare to call it a fixation. Rural markets while not so densely populated and lacking the purchasing power of urban ones, compensate through sheer numbers.

My view is that there is a huge 360 degrees opportunity in the rural areas which includes sourcing as well as selling. It is estimated that 2/3rds of the 14 Million Retail outlets are in the semi urban and rural areas. Need I say more about potential?

There is most definitely an unrealised sales potential of the rural and semi-urban markets. Recently an article in “The Hindu Business Line” strongly validated my views and shows the sheer potential of these markets if anyone is ready to venture into them.

The very interestingly written article details a village market and the links to the article and a photo feature of the same is as under.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/01/19/stories/2010011951410800.htm"target="blank"

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-life/article1015100.ece

Lastly, if one were to forget these stalls as being independent and separate but look at it as a seamless part of a whole, what do you have?

Voila, a rural hypermarket!

Anyone interested in this opportunity?

Supply chain tangle, untangle

Consider the picture above which tell the story of supply chain management challenges in India, so poignantly.

The large land mass with poor and in some cases nil infrastructure is challenging enough. Add to that myriad taxes and levies that are imposed from state to state. GST which was supposed to have been introduced from April 2010 appears to be delayed.

The variance between farm gate to end consumer price can be as high as 4 times for tomatoes largely because of damages which could be as much as 40%.

In isolation all these statements and nice numbers make for lively discussions and debate. When one sees a picture of a truck with paddy being ferried on a barge the reality of managing supply chain in India hits a person, hard.

Are there any solutions to manage this, apart from the clichéd statement of setting up distribution centers and transportation management?

I think there is a possibility to address this in a very different way and have written a detailed article about it, which was published recently in the Business Line, Brand Line. Pls click on the following URL to read the article.

Supply chain tangle, untangle

Photo courtesy – The Hindu.

Delivering a memorable customer experience

This article is the next in the series on how to implement the customer experience element of basic Retail model, in the Indian context. This was published on Sept 17, 2009.

The faith and trust a customer places in a retailer is a function of his shopping experience. Unless a Retailer works towards creating a memorable experience, the chances of success is very slim. There are many ways to achieve this objective. The Kirana stores use a one on one personalised approach which cannot be duplicated by Corporate Retail. So, how should Corporate Retail manage this crucial element?

To read the whole article, please click on this link -

- Delivering a memorable customer experience

Differentiated range

The fourth article in the series about a basic retail model and its various elements was published in Business Line today.

"Customers frequent retailers who stock a range that is relevant to them. A look at the factors that help the retailer arrive at the right mix.. "

- Differentiated range