Retail managementsupermarkets

Retail Management
INTRODUCTION DEFINITION GLOBAL OVERVIEW OF RETAILING

INTRODUCTION
Every one of us is very familiar with the word shop. The shop is a retail store where we buy books, clothes, groceries, consumer durable items etc. The business in which the shop keeper or retailer deals is called retailing or retail trade, The word retail is an original French word which means, To cut of small piece. In other words, it means to divide a large piece into small pieces.

DEFINITION
Philip Kotler states, Retailing includes all activities involved in selling goods or services directly to final consumer for there personal, non-business use. In simple terms, it implies a first hand transaction with the customer. Retailing involves a direct interface with the customer and the coordination of business activities from end to end right from the concept or design stage of a product or offering, to its delivery and post-delivery service to the customer. The industry has contributed to the economy growth of many countries and is undoubtedly one of the fastest changing and dynamic industries in the world today. Retailing forms an integral part of the marketing mix and includes elements like product, place, price, people, presentation and promotion. Customers are first introduced to product and services through these retail outlets and get feedback on the performance of their product and customers

Retail managementsupermarkets expectation about them.

GLOBAL OVERVIEW OF RETAILING

Retailing in more developed countries is big business and better organized, than what its is in India. According to a report published by McKinsey & Co. along with the confederation of The Indian Industries the global retail business is worth a staggering US $6.6 trillion. In the developed world, most of it is accounted for by the organized retail sector. Some of the worlds largest companies are in this sector: over50 Fortune 500 companies and round 25 of the Asian top 200 firms are retailers. Wal-mart, the worlds second largest retailer, has a turn over of US $ 140 billion, almost one-third of Indias GDP.

As many as 10% of the worlds billionaire are retailers. The industry accounts for over 8% of GDP in western countries and is one of the largest employers. Retailing in the developed world today is far more organized than in India. Organised retail formats world wide have evolved in three phases : 1. Retailer decide on the category and quality of product and services differentiating them from other retailers. Example, Supermarkets, Departmental Stores and Speciality Stores. 2. During the second phase, price become the main selling point for standardized product and services which result into increased in competition. This phase gives way to discount stores. 3. The third phase arrives when competition peaks. Hypermarkes usually compete on price and wider product range, but they normally lack

product debt and service components

Globally three factor influence how consumer shop and will be shopping in the near future. These are
1. Cross-border Movement 2. Consolidation 3. Migration of Formats

1. Cross-border Movement :

Retailer expand their businesses

outside their traditional home markets, leading to the emergence of truly global retailers. Wal-mart, the worlds largest retailer, now has a strong presence in South America and Europe, and the more visible presence in Asia. 2. Consolidation : Another trend that is visible is the rapid pace of mergers and acquisitions. In recent times wal-mart acquisition of Asda in the UK. Each of these merger has created huge retail organization ranging in size from about US $ 35 billion in sales to US $ 160 billion (wal-mart). 3. Migration of Formats : A large number of retailer are stores, offering to the

gradually adopting the classical formats of departmental supermarkets, hypermarket as they customize their

different consumer segments. Britains Tesco operates departmental stores, supermarkets, hypermarket, mail order and like most other recently,

Retail managementsupermarkets e-stores. The most important theme for various old and new retailing formats is convenience in terms of a one stop location and ease of shopping and time saved.

Globally organized retailing has a brought tremendous benefits for the consumer and has actually helped the consumer to be King.

Retail Management In India

THE INDIAN RETAIL SCENE UNORGANIZED RETAIL GROWTH OF ORGANISED RETAILING IN INDIA TRADITIONALvis a vis MODERN FORMAT RETAILERS INDUSTRY EVOLUTION INTERNATIONAL RETAILERS IN INDIA KEY DRIVERS OF RETAILING IN INDIA RETAILING FORMAT IN INDIA
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 STRATEGIES, TRENDS AND OPPORTUNITIES 2009 CHALLENGES SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT FRAUDS IN RETAIL CHALLENGES LOGISTICS RETAIL SALES IN INDIA CONCLUSION WITH INFRASTRUCTURE AND

THE INDIAN RETAIL SCENE

Retail Sector is the most booming sector in the Indian economy. Some of the biggest players of the world are going to enter the industry soon. It is on the threshold of bringing the next big revolution after the IT sector. Although organized retail market is not so strong as of now, it is expected to grow manifolds by the year 2010. The sector contributes 10% of the GDP, and is estimated to show 20% annual growth rate by the end of the decade as against the current growth rate of 8.5%. A CRISIL report says that the Indian retail market is the most fragmented in the world and that only 2% of the entire retailing business is in the organized sector. This suggests that the potential for growth is immense. There are about 300 new malls, 1500 supermarkets and 325 departmental stores currently being built in the cities across India.

Estimates and predictions for retail sector:

At present, the industry is estimated to be at more than US$ 400 billion by a study of McKinsey.

Retail managementsupermarkets The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) estimates the retail market in KPMG Report says that the organized retail would grow at a higher rate The retail sector would generate employment for more than 2.5 million India will increase to US$608.9 billion in 2009 from US$394 billion in 2005. than the GDP in the next five years. people by the year 2010, predicts an analysis by Ma Foi Management Consultants Ltd.

Percentage of Organised Retail across the world

UNORGANIZED RETAIL IN INDIA

India is the country having the most unorganized retail market. Traditionally it is a familys livelihood, with their shop in the front and house at the back, while they run the retail business. More than 99% retailers function in less than 500 square feet of shopping space. Global retail consultants KSA Technopak have estimated that organized retailing in India is expected to touch Rs 35,000 crore in the year 2005-06. The Indian retail sector is estimated at around Rs 900,000 crore, of which the organized sector accounts for a mere 2 per cent indicating a huge potential

Retail managementsupermarkets Market opportunity that is lying in the waiting for the consumer-savvy organized retailer. Purchasing power of Indian urban consumer is growing and branded merchandise in categories like Apparels, Cosmetics, Shoes, Watches, Beverages, Food and even Jeweller, are slowly becoming lifestyle products that are widely accepted by the urban Indian consumer. Indian retailers need to advantage of this growth and aiming to grow, diversify and introduce new formats have to pay more attention to the brand building process. The emphasis here is on retail as a brand rather than retailers selling brands. The focus should be on branding the retail business itself. In their preparation to face fierce competitive pressure, Indian retailers must come to recognize the value of building their own stores as brands to reinforce their marketing positioning, to communicate quality as well as value for money. Sustainable competitive advantage will be dependent on translating core values combining products, image and reputation into a coherent retail brand strategy. There is no doubt that the Indian retail scene is booming. A number of large corporate houses Tatas, Rahejas, Piramalss, Goenkas have already made their foray into this arena, with beauty and health stores, supermarkets, self-service music stores, newage book stores, everydaylow-price stores, computers and peripherals stores, office equipment stores and home/building construction stores. Today the organized players have attacked every retail category. The Indian retail scene has witnessed too many players in too short a time, crowding several categories without looking at their core competencies, or having a well thought out branding strategy.

GROWTH OF ORGANISED RETAILING IN INDIA

Organized retailing in India initially began in the South. The availability of land at prime location coupled with lower real estate prices (compare to Mumbai and Delhi) made multi-storeyied shopping complexes possible. And now South India- notably Chennai and to a lesser extend Bangalore and Hyderabad has a emerged as a centre of organized retailing. It tooks two years of recession for this concept of shopping to take root in major cities like Mumbai and Delhi. India is rapidly evolving into an exciting and competitive market place with potential target consumer in both the niche and middle class segment .Retailing is one of the fastest growing industries in India, catering to the worlds second largest consumer marker. The number of retail outlet is growing at about 8.5% annually in the urban areas, and in towns with a population between one lacs to one million the growth rate is about 4.5%. The boom in retailing has been confined primarily to the urban market. There are two main reasons for this firstly, the morden retailer is yet to exhaust the opportunies in the urban market and has therefore probably not looked at other market seriously. Secondly the modern retailing trends despit its cost effectiveness has come to be identified with life styles. In order to appeal to all classes of the society, retail stores need to identify with different life style.

Retail managementsupermarkets A four-gear path for the organized retail trade suggested by KSA Technopak places India in the second gear and predicts that it will match global standards by 2010. Gear one is the stage of infancy. The Super Bazaar, as a concept focusing on price control, started during the inflationary period of the 1960s. The development of the modern retail industry began when Indian shoppers upgraded from local shops to the Super Bazaars. The open layout and self-service concepts were new to the Indian consumer, who was used to be serve while shopping. Gear I was driven by entrepreneurs like Subhiksha. The model primarily applies to apparel more than any other form of retailing. For instance, manufacturer in the food and grocery business hardly get into retailing. It is completely driven from the demand side and not on the supply side. The second gear is about meeting customer expectations. It is customer-driven, where buyers exposed to new retail formats. This leads to first-generation retailers expanding to multiple locations. Convenient timings, dial-n-order, free parking, provison for trial and taste, price below MRP (maximum retail price), free home delivery and no-questions-asked return policies are some of the featuers offered by this new forms of stores. Gear II is a period growth. India is currently in this stage. India is going through that phase in retailing which the US experienced in the eighties and early nineties. In order to develop the right proposition one needs to go through the learning curve. The growth and development of organized retailing in India will be driven mainly by two factors-low price and benefits the consumers cant resist. Economies of scale will drive down the cost of the supply chain and increase the benefits offered to the customer. From product-based shopping, the emphasis will shift to experience-based shopping.

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TRADITIONALvis a vis MODERN FORMAT RETAILERS

The retail boom will face a strong competition from the 12 million mom-andpop stores. These are easily accessible and provide services like free home delivery and goods at credit, which is not possible with hypermarkets and supermarkets. Buying from Malls, Supermarkets and Department stores like Subhiksha, Marks & Spencers, etc. provide a different environment where one can pick and choose from a variety of products. Owing to the entry of such big players, the small shopkeepers fear losing their business. Reliance Retail Ltd. has been inviting such people to join in its Dairy business as franchisees.

INDUSTRY EVOLUTION
Traditionally retailing in India can be traced to The emergence of the neighborhood Kirana stores catering to the convenience of the consumers Era of government support for rural retail: Indigenous franchise

Retail managementsupermarkets model of store chains run by Khadi & Village Industries Commission 1980s experienced slow change as India began to open up economy. Textiles sector with companies like Bombay Dyeing, Raymond's, S Kumar's and Grasim first saw the emergence of retail chains Later Titan successfully created an organized retailing concept and established a series of showrooms for its premium watches The latter half of the 1990s saw a fresh wave of entrants with a shift from Manufactures to Pure Retailers. For e.g. Food World, Subhiksha and Nilgiris in food and FMCG; Planet M and Music World in music; Crossword and Fountainhead in books. Post 1995 onwards saw an emergence of shopping centers, Mainly in urban areas, with facilities like car parking Targeted to provide a complete destination experience for all segments of society Emergence of hyper and super markets trying to provide customer with 3 Vs - Value, Variety and Volume Expanding target consumer segment: The Sachet revolution example of reaching to the bottom of the pyramid. At year end of 2000 the size of the Indian organized retail industry is estimated at Rs. 13,000 crore 13

The evolution of the sector includes the continuous improvement in the supply chain management, distribution channels, technology, back-end operations, etc. this would finally lead to more of consolidation, mergers and acquisitions and huge investments.

International Retailers in India

Major retail players like Wal-Mart, Tommy Hilfiger, Carrefour, Marks & Spencer, Nike, etc. are going to foray into the booming retail industry in India. Indian fashion industry would see the advent of fashion brand DKNY through a franchisee agreement with S. Kumar's. In the food & beverages sector,

Retail managementsupermarkets McDonald's is going to penetrate the markets through 100 new outlets across the country. Encouraged by the huge success of Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and Dominos, another organization known as Starbucks has expressed its interest in opening up outlets in India through franchising. There are various kinds of restrictions on FDI in the Indian retail sector, but organizations can enter the industry through Strategic License agreements, Franchising and Cash and carry wholesale trading. The recent initiatives taken by the government to open up the sector for foreign players have lured many companies to enter the industry. Big players like Reliance Retail, Walmart-Bharti combination, Tesco, AV Birla group and Future group are all gearing up for huge investments and aggressive business strategies. The government is considering the introduction of multi brand specialty formats like consumer electronics, building, sports goods and construction and stationery. The government has allowed 51 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in single brand retail outlets. Reliance Retail has announced its plan to open 5000 stores over the next 5 years. Many companies like Lee Cooper, Starbucks and Wal-Mart have put forward their FDI proposals to the government. At present, the 12 million mom-and-pop and kirana stores dominating the retail landscape suffer from certain limitations, such as small size of operations, low cost format and pervasive use of tax evasion techniques. They also suffer from capital shortage, labour and real estate problems. Some experts believe that the influx of major retail chains would wipe out millions of these shops. This might leave a lot of people jobless. Legal, political, infrastructural, cultural and educational constraints would have to be considered if the sector truly desires to achieve the kind of future it has planned for itself.

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KEY DRIVERS OF RETAILING IN INDIA Consumer Pull

In the pre-liberalization supply-led market, the power rested clearly with the manufacturers. In todays demand-led market, its the consumer who

Retail managementsupermarkets calls the shots. Consumer can be divided into two broad segments: 1. High-income segment. 2. Middle and lower income group.

Rising Incomes
Over the past decade, Indias middle and high-income population has grown at the rapid pace of over 10% per annum. This growing highincome population is triggering the demand for consumer goods, leading to the proliferation of higher quality/higher price product.

Explosion of Media
There has been an explosion in media as well during the past decade. Kick-started by the cable explosion during the Gulf War, television has accelerated to a point where there are more cable connections than telephones in Indian homes and about 70 channels are being aired at all times.

Changes In Consumer Behavior

There has been a change in shopping behaviour in urban India over the past few years with consumer looking for convenience. That is, they want everything under one roof and bigger price of product. Incresed awareness has also meant that consumers now seek more information, variety, product availability, better quality and hygiene as well as increased customer service. The concept of Value for Money is picking up.

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 Consumerism Cycle
The consumer cycle starts with industry dictating the market. Eventually over time the distributor gains control over the market; at this stage the distributor becomes an important link between manufacturer and customer. When the market starts developing and expanding its horizons, retailers turn into the vital link in this supply chain.

The Rural Market: Waking up

The rural market is beginning to emerge as an important consumption area, accounting for over one-third of the demand for most key consumer durables and non-durable products. In response, manufacturers of consumer goods- both FMCGs and durables-have begun developing new products and marketing strategies with the rural consumer in mind.

Establishment of the Supply Chain

Over the past few years, the consumer goods sector has being transformed by increase liberalization, continuous reduction in customes duty, a shift from quota to tariff-based systems for imports and sophistication in manufacturing. Entry restrictions for multinationals have been removed in

Retail managementsupermarkets nearly all sectors.

Emergence of Hubs of Retail Activity

Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad have become major retail hubs. In Chennai, about 17% of food sales flow through super markets and 2530% of consumer durable sales come from specialty chain such as Viveks and Vasanth.

Change in Scale of Operations

Subhiksha has over 50 stores in Chennai and Food World has 41, spread over Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. This growing scale enables the super markets to eliminate links in the purchasing chain and to make a deals with food processors directly. In fact, because of the huge scale of purchases, Hindustan Lever Ltd (HLL), Indias largest consumer goods company, has dedicated a special team to deal with this emerging power retailers.

New Entrepreneurs
The growing attractiveness of the retail trade has begun to attract new entrepreneurs with ideas and venture capitalists with funds. Subhiksha, an innovative discount grocery chain in Chennai, has expanded to a total of 50 stores in less than three years, and is one of the most successful retail start-ups of the recent past. Venture capitalist like ICICI and IL&FS are also increasingly willing to invest in retail businesses.

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RETAILING FORMAT IN INDIA

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Retail managementsupermarkets

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Retail managementsupermarkets

Retail Formats
The following kinds of retail formats are found in India:

Mom-and-pop stores: These are generally family-owned

businesses catering to small sections of society. They are small, individually run and handled retail outlets.

Category killers: Small specialty stores have expanded to offer a

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range of categories. They have widened their vision in terms of the number of categories. They are called category killers as they specialize in their fields, such as electronics (Best Buy) and sporting goods (Sport Authority).

Department stores: These are the general merchandise retailers

offering various kinds of quality products and services. stores ranging from 20000-50000 sq. ft, catering to a variety of consumer needs These do not offer full service category products and some carry a

selective product line. K Raheja's Shoppers Stop is a good example of department stores. Other examples are Lifestyle and Westside. These stores have further categories, such as home and dcor, clothing, groceries, toys, etc.

Malls: These are the largest form of retail formats. Ranges from
60,000 sq ft to 7,00,000 sq ft and above. They provide an ideal shopping experience by providing a mix of all kinds of products and services, food and entertainment under one roof. Examples are Sahara Mall, TDI Mall in Delhi.

Specialty Stores: The retail chains, which deal in specific

categories and provide deep assortment in them are specialty stores. Examples are RPG's Music World, Mumbai's bookstore Crossword, etc.

Discount stores: These are the stores or factory outlets that

provide discount on the MRP items. They focus on mass selling and reaching economies of scale or selling the stock left after the season

Retail managementsupermarkets is over.

Hypermarkets/ Supermarkets: These are generally large selfservice outlets, offering a variety of categories with deep assortments. These stores contribute 30% of all food and grocery organized retail sales. Example: Big Bazaar. Super Markets can further be classified in to mini supermarkets typically 1,000 sq ft to 2,000 sq ft and large supermarkets ranging from of 3,500 sq sales. ft to 5,000 sq ft. having a strong focus on food & grocery and personal

Convenience stores: They are comparatively smaller stores

located near residential areas. These are relatively small stores 4002,000 sq. feet located near residential areas. They are open for an extended period of the day and have a limited variety of stock and convenience products. Prices are slightly higher due to the convenience given to the customers.

E-tailers: These are retailers that provide online facility of buying

and selling products and services via Internet. They provide a picture and description of the product. A lot of such retailers are booming in the industry, as this method provides convenience and a wide variety for customer. But it does not provide a feel of the product and is sometimes not authentic. Examples are Amazon.com, Ebay.com, etc.

Vending: This kind of retailing is making incursions into the

industry. Smaller products such as beverages, snacks are some the items that can be bought through vending machines. At present, it is

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not very common in India.

MBOs:
Multi Brand outlets, also known as Category Killers, offer several brands across a single product category. These usually do well in busy market places and Metros.

STRATEGIES, TRENDS AND OPPORTUNITIES 2009 Retailing in India is gradually inching its way toward becoming the next boom industry. The whole concept of shopping has altered in terms of format and consumer buying behavior, ushering in a revolution in shopping in India. Modern retail has entered India as seen in sprawling shopping centres, multistoried malls and huge complexes offer shopping, entertainment and food all under one roof. The Indian retailing sector is at an inflexion point where the growth of organized retailing and growth in the consumption by the Indian population is going to take a higher growth trajectory. The Indian population is witnessing a significant change in its demographics. A large young working population with median age of 24 years, nuclear families in urban areas, along with increasing workingwomen population and emerging opportunities in the services sector are going to be the key growth drivers of the organized retail sector in India

Retail managementsupermarkets

Challenges
The industry is facing a shortage of middle management level professionals. Major retailers are hiring aggressively from the similar and smaller organizations by offering better packages. They are creating various levels of management and hiring on a spree. Some of the areas such as technology, supply chain, distribution, logistics, marketing, product development and research are becoming very critical for the success of the organizations. All of these would lead to the recruitment of highly professional people who specialize in these fields. There is also a trend for hiring hotel management graduates, though now many retail schools are coming up, and Pantaloon has set up links with major business schools from where it would be selecting the right candidates. The sector is likely to produce 2 million jobs in the coming 3 years. There also exists a possibility that the retail sector would become a poaching ground once a number of domestic and international players enter the industry.

Supply Chain Management

The retail scenario is characterized by logistical challenges, constant changes in consumer preferences and evolution of new retail formats. All this increases the challenges faced by the industry. Various strategies are to be implemented to improve core business processes, such as logistics, innovation, transparency, distribution and inventory, management of point sale (POS) data. Retail majors are under serious pressure to improve their supply chain systems and distribution channels and reach the levels of quality and service

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desired by the consumers.

Frauds in Retail
It is one of the primary challenges the companies would have to face. Frauds, including vendor frauds, thefts, shoplifting and inaccuracy in supervision and administration are the challenges that are difficult to handle. This is so even after the use of security techniques, such as CCTVs and POS systems. As the size of the sector would increase, this would increase the number of thefts, frauds and discrepancies in the system.

Challenges with Infrastructure and Logistics

The lack of proper infrastructure and distribution channels in the country results in inefficient processes. This is a major hindrance for retailers as a non-

Retail managementsupermarkets efficient distribution channel is very difficult to handle and can result in huge losses. Infrastructure does not have a strong base in India. Urbanization and globalization are compelling companies to develop infrastructure facilities. Transportation, including railway systems, has to be more efficient. Highways have to meet global standards. Airport capacities and power supply have to be enhanced. Warehouse facilities and timely distribution are other areas of challenge. To fully utilize India's potential in retail sector, these major obstacles have to be removed.

RETAIL SALES IN INDIA

Retailing has seen such a transformation over the past decade that its very definition has undergone a sea change. No longer can a manufacturer rely on sales to take place by ensuring mere availability of his product. Today, retailing is about so much more than mere merchandising. Its about casting customers in a story, reflecting their desires and aspirations, and forging longlasting relationships. As the Indian consumer evolves they expects more and more at each and every time when they steps into a store. Retail today has changed from selling a product or a service to selling a hope, an aspiration and above all an experience that a consumer would like to repeat. 29

For manufacturers and service providers the emerging opportunities in urban markets seem to lie in capturing and delivering better value to the customers through retail. However, manufacturers and service providers will also increasingly face a host of specialist retailers, who are characterized by use of modern management techniques, backed with seemingly unlimited financial resources. Organized retail appears inevitable. Retailing in India is currently estimated to be a US$ 200 billion industry, of which organized retailing makes up a paltry 3 percent or US$ 6.4 billion. By 2010, organized retail is projected to reach US$ 23 billion. For retail industry in India, things have never looked better and brighter. Challenges to the manufacturers and service providers would abound when market power shifts to organized retail.

CONCLUSION
The retail sector has played a phenomenal role throughout the world in increasing productivity of consumer goods and services. It is also the second largest industry in US in terms of numbers of employees and establishments.

Retail managementsupermarkets There is no denying the fact that most of the developed economies are very much relying on their retail sector as a locomotive of growth. The India Retail Industry is the largest among all the industries, accounting for over 10 per cent of the countrys GDP and around 8 per cent of the employment. The Retail Industry in India has come forth as one of the most dynamic and fast paced industries with several players entering the market. But all of them have not yet tasted success because of the heavy initial investments that are required to break even with other companies and compete with them. The India Retail Industry is gradually inching its way towards becoming the next boom industry.

SUPER
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MARKETS
INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW HISTORY TYPICAL SUPERMARKET MERCHANDISE TYPICAL STORE ARCHITECTURE HOW TO LAYOUT SUPERMARKET INVENTORY CONTROL SYSTEM FOR SUPERMARKET SUPERMARKET STRATEGIES: What's New at the Grocer? SUPERMARKETS: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL PRODUCERS CRITICISMS ADVANTAGES

INTRODUCTION

Retail managementsupermarkets A supermarket is a departmentalized self-service retail store offering a wide variety of food products, such as meat, produce, dairy, and so forth, along with various household merchandise. It is larger in size and has a wider selection than a traditional grocery store. Supermarkets are generally situated near residential areas for easy access and maximum sales. While supermarkets offer convenience and variety to consumers, they have attracted significant criticism. As with so many advances, both technological and social, selfcentered greed on the part of those in authority causes problems. For the supermarket to be beneficial to society, those owning and managing the stores must take responsibility to serve the whole purpose, social and environmental.

OVERVIEW
The supermarket typically comprises meat, produce, dairy, and baked goods departments along with shelf space reserved for canned and packaged goods. A variety of non-food items such as household cleaners, pharmacy products, and pet supplies are also available. Most supermarkets also sell a variety of other household products that are consumed regularly, such as alcohol (where permitted), household cleaning products, medicine, clothes, and some sell a much wider range of non-food products. The traditional supermarket occupies a large floor space on a single level and is situated near a residential area in order to be convenient to consumers. Its basic appeal is the availability of a broad selection of goods under a single roof at relatively low prices. Other advantages include ease of parking and, frequently, the convenience of shopping hours that extend far into the evening. Supermarkets usually make massive outlays for newspaper and other advertising and often present elaborate in-store displays of products. Supermarkets are often part of a chain that owns or controls (sometimes by 33

franchise) other supermarkets located in the same or other towns; this increases the opportunities for economies of scale. Most supermarkets are similar in design and layout due to trends in marketing. Produce tends to be near the entrance of the store. Milk, bread, and other essential items may be located in the rear or other out of the way places. This is purposely done to ensure maximum time spent in the store, strolling past other items and capitalizing on impulse buying. The front of the store is where one finds point of sale machines or cash registers. Many retailers have implemented self-checkout devices in their stores in an attempt to reduce labor costs. A group of four or five self-checkoutg machines can be supervised by a single assistant.

Supermarket check outIn North America, supermarket chains are often supplied from the distribution centers of a larger business, such as Loblaw Companies in Canada, which owns thousands of supermarkets across the nation. They have a distribution center in every provinceusually in the largest city in the province. Supermarkets usually offer products at low prices by reducing margins. Certain products (typically staples such as bread, milk, and sugar) are often sold as loss leaders, that is, with negative margins. To maintain a profit, supermarkets attempt to make up for the low margins with a high overall volume of sales, and with sales of higher-margin items. Customers usually shop by putting their products into shopping carts (trolleys) or baskets (selfservice) and pay for the products at the check-out.

Retail managementsupermarkets A larger full-service supermarket may be combined with a department store and is sometimes known as a "hypermarket." Other services that supermarkets may have include banks, cafs, day care, photo development, video rental, pharmacies, and gas stations.

History
In the early days of retailing, all products generally were fetched by an assistant from shelves behind the merchant's counter while customers waited in front of the counter and indicated the items they wanted. Also, most foods and merchandise did not come in individually wrapped consumer-sized packages, so an assistant had to measure out and wrap the precise amount desired by the consumer. These practices were by nature very labor-intensive and therefore also quite expensive. The shopping process was slow, as the number of customers who could be attended to at one time was limited by the number of clerks employed in the store. The concept of a self-service grocery store was developed by Clarence Saunders and his Piggly Wiggly stores. His first store opened in Memphis, Tennessee in 1916. Saunders was awarded several patents for the ideas he incorporated into the Piggly Wiggly stores. The stores were a financial success and Saunders began to offer franchises. A&P was another successful early chain in Canada and the United States, having become common in North American cities in the 1920s. The general trend in retail since then has been to stack shelves at night and

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let the customers get their own goods and bring them to the front of the store to pay for them. Although there is a higher risk of shoplifting, the costs of appropriate security measures will be ideally outweighed by the economies of scale and reduced labor costs. According to the Smithsonian Institution, the first true supermarket in the United States, and the world, was opened by ex-Kroger employee Michael J. Cullen, on August 4, 1930, in a 6,000 square foot (560 m) former garage in Jamaica, Queens, New York. The store, King Kullen, named for King Kong, operated under the slogan "Pile it high. Sell it low." The main difference between this store and the Piggly Wiggly stores was that Cullen's store was much larger, and they stocked national brands of food that were not easily found at neighborhood markets. The rise of the refrigerator also gave Cullen the idea to install a parking lot near the supermarket so people could buy large quantities of food for storage. When Cullen died in 1936, there were 17 stores in operation. Existing grocery chains like Kroger and Safeway at first resisted Cullen's idea, but eventually were forced to build their own supermarkets as the North American economy sank further into the Great Depression and consumers became price-sensitive to a degree never seen before. Kroger took the idea one step farther and pioneered the first supermarket surrounded on all four sides by a parking lot. Soon, other supermarkets popped up, using the ideas that Cullen had originated to attract many consumers. Supermarkets proliferated in Canada and the United States after World War II. Throughout the 1950s, supermarkets spread into Europe. The rest of the world accepted supermarkets throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, with some parts of Asia accusing the major supermarket chains of promoting

Retail managementsupermarkets westernization. Supermarkets rose to prominence in Africa in the 1990s, spreading rapidly through eastern and southern Africa. North American supermarkets are often co-located with smaller retailers in strip malls and are generally regional rather than national. Kroger is probably the closest thing to a national chain in the United States but has preserved most of its regional brands like Ralphs, City Market, and King Soopers. In Canada, the largest food retailer is Loblaw Companies. Loblaw Companies operates grocery stores across Canada under a variety of regional names such as Fortinos, Zehrs, and the largest Loblaws (named after the company itself). Sobeys is Canada's second largest supermarket with locations across the country, operating under many banners (Sobeys, IGA in Quebec locations). In the United Kingdom, Tesco is the largest chain of supermarkets followed by ASDA and Sainsbury's.

Exterior of a typical British supermarket (a Tesco Extra)In many parts of the world, the proliferation of out-of-town supermarkets has been blamed for the disappearance of smaller, local grocery stores and for increased dependency on the automobile (and the consequent traffic). In particular, some critics consider the practice of selling loss leaders to be anti-competitive, and are also wary of the negotiating power large retailers have with suppliers. Supermarkets own much of the food retail in many countries. In the United States, 70 percent of the food retail is controlled by supermarkets. The figure is similar in Europe. The rise of supermarkets in Asia, South America, and Africa places supermarkets in control of about 55 percent of all food retail in the regions. It was formerly common for supermarkets to give trading stamps. Today, most 37

supermarkets issue store-specific "members cards," "club cards," or "loyalty cards" which are scanned at the register when the customer goes to checkout. Typically, several items are given special discounts if the credit card-like devices are used. Today supermarkets face price competition from discount retailers such as Wal-Mart and Zellers (non-union labor and greater buying power) and warehouse stores such as Costco (savings in bulk quantities).

Typical supermarket merchandise

Retail managementsupermarkets

Larger supermarkets all over the world typically sell many different types of items, such as: * Alcoholic products (where provincial/state and/or local laws allow) * Baby foods and products * Bakery * Books, newspapers, and magazines, including supermarket tabloids * Bread * Car care products * Confectionery * Cosmetics * Dairy products * Diet foods * Electrical items * Flowers * Frozen foods * Fruits and vegetables

39

* Greeting cards * House cleaning products * Meat * Medicines and first aid items (mostly over-the-counter, some supermarkets have pharmacies) * Non-alcoholic beverages, such as refreshments and water * Personal hygiene and grooming products * Pet foods and products * Rice and Wheat * Seeds * Spices * Snacks Some countries expand their supermarkets to include products that are not related to food and necessary items, such as music CDs, movies, and clothing.

Typical store architecture

Most supermarkets are similar in design and layout due to trends in marketing. Fresh produce tends to be located near the entrance of the store. Milk, bread, and other essential staple items are usually situated toward the rear of the store and in other out-of-the-way places, purposely done to maximize the customer's time spent in the store, strolling past other items and capitalizing

Retail managementsupermarkets on impulse buying. The front of the store, or "front end'" is the area where point of sale machines or cash registers are usually located. Many retailers also have implemented self-checkout devices in an attempt to reduce labor costs.

HOW TO LAYOUT SUPERMARKET Supermarkets operate in a manner that is designed to push the user through the store until they end up at the cash register. Think about when you first walk in, what do you see? Typically, you feel like you only have one way to go. From there you will probably see the vegetables and maybe the bakery. From the veggies you encounter meats and possibly refrigerated foods such as cheeses, juices and dairy. In the middle aisles you will have your dry goods and breads. On one side of the store you will have your household items like cleaning supplies, tissue, baby supplies and storage supplies. Now as you turn for the cash registers you'll encounter your frozen foods and desserts. 41

While you're walking through the grocery store, you will want to have this same kind of flow in your store. Your frozen foods are usually the last items you encounter because they are frozen. If you picked them all up first, they would probably be partially defrosted by the time you finished your shopping. This is may be practical, but it's what lies in between where the marketing really comes into play. Think about it like this, the first thing you encounter is the veggies and all the way across the store is the dairy. Why? Because in between picking up your veggies, you're going to see that you need cereal to go with your milk. When you see the cereal, you're going to have two options on this aisle. You can go for the cheaper and a little healthier cereal that is down near the floor shelves. Or, you can go for the more expensive and more sugary cereals that are in the eyesight of your five year old child. See the marketing here? The idea of the grocery store is that you feel like you're getting around the store quickly to get your three items, but you're more likely to get a good walk in and go home with six items and that's not even including what you're going to see at the cash register and be tempted to purchase. The flow of the grocery store is designed specifically to encourage shoppers to pick more than what's on their list and it often works in this manner, except on those individuals who are strict shoppers and only get what's on their list. Supermarkets are also set up to appeal to the younger generation, as many of their favorite items are right in eyesight on the third or fourth shelf. They could place all the essentials right in one location, but you wouldn't be able to market all of your other products if you did that. The best way to layout your grocery store is to keep the essentials in the four corners and place items that are appealing right in eyesight. These are the two keys to the supermarket layout

Retail managementsupermarkets

Inventory

Control

System

for

Supermarkets

Inventory control in the convenience store business is important because these businesses depend on the rapid turnover of the inventory items with a limited shelf life at relatively small margins. The convenience store must be able to satisfy the customers by being able to supply the desired merchandise 43

when required and not have a large amount of capital tied up in the inventory items lying in the store. The items that are likely to be in demand must be ordered just in time and then sold prior to the expiry of their shelf life. In order to satisfy the customer and make a decent profit, CRM, inventory analysis and control as well as automated ordering systems are very much desirable in a convenience store. In this report, an attempt has been made to analyse convenience store inventory systems and to present the most appropriate solution for a variety of stores.

Supermarket Strategies: What's New at the Grocer?

From ready-to-eat meals to eco-friendly offerings, food retailers are finding more ways to distinguish themselves and win customers It's no surprise that in a recession consumers cut back spending. The first things to go are fancy luxuries, but after all the fat is trimmed people begin to cut necessities. Inevitably, they focus on their biggest expenses: housing, health, and food.

Retail managementsupermarkets So with little room to further cut prices or wow consumers with unique products, food retailers are seeking out new trends and technology that might differentiate them from competitors One way a grocer can impress consumers is to get out of the way. Smart shopping carts, mobile coupons, and selfcheckout lanes let consumers help themselves. They can pull up reviews on products, keep a running tab by scanning goods as they're placed in a cart, download coupons for them on cell phones, and pay without ever entering a line. Accommodating Busy Shoppers Another tool is convenience. With most people on tight schedules, fewer shoppers want to go out of their way for food. Stores such as Wal-Mart's (WMT) Marketside, Safeway's (SWY) Market, Supervalu's (SVU) Urban Fresh, and Tesco's Fresh & Easy are filling in the gaps between their bigger locations with smaller stores and stocking them with ready-made meals, basics, and extras like in-store baby-sitters. The average sale might be smaller, but the repeat business can add up. As the purchasing power of minorities grows, grocers are increasingly attempting to accommodate their tastes. Wal-Mart's Supermercado and Publix's Sabor are examples of smaller, ethnic stores that cater to Latinos or immigrants from Asia and the Middle East. More employees are bilingual, too. And now, there's no place for a customer to escape targeted advertising. WalMart spent two years and $10 million developing Smart Network, an advanced in-store television market that can provide detailed product info and control the ads on each individual screen. The black conveyor belts at Kroger's (KR) cashier stations are being branded, too, thanks to handiwork by EnVision Marketing Group.

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Meantime, Walgreen's (WAG) and Wal-Mart are testing new RFID technology. These embedded microchips let employees know when to restock empty shelves and track in-store advertising to ensure it's placed where it belongs and when it's supposed to beto coincide with a national TV campaign, for example. A Procter & Gamble (PG) trial boosted sales nearly 20%. Combine these advances with niche private labels, such as Supervalu's Wild Harvest Organic brand; eco-friendly stores that Kroger and Price Chopper are building; in-store restaurants now found in Whole Foods (WFMI) and Wegman's, among other chains, and it seems there might be as many kinds of stores as there are people. But that's the point. Supermarkets may not be able to pull shoppers away from the competition by putting 2-liter sodas on sale, but convenience, green products, or a ready-to-eat meals just might do the trick. Says Stern: "Differentiation works for the retailer who can truly master it

SUPERMARKETS: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL PRODUCERS The question is not whether small producers should participate in supermarket-driven supply chains but rather how they can do so in a manner that improves their livelihoods.

Retail managementsupermarkets Supermarket Basket Supermarkets have assumed a pivotal role in agricultural sectors in both the developed and developing worlds. Their increasing dominance of supply chains has brought about significant structural shifts, not least to the livelihoods of small commodity producers which are ill-prepared to deal with supermarkets and other agri-food Transnational Corporations (TNCs). The new risks posed to small producers from supermarket participation in agricultural supply chains are twofold. 1. Exclusion Supermarkets, driven by the need to maximise efficiency and minimise cost in their supply chains, prefer to deal with larger suppliers perceived to better meet their quantity and quality requirements. 2. Pressure on both costs and revenues Cost is increased through the investments required to meet the emerging web of sanitary, environmental and social standards, as well as other commercial conditions. On the other side, the asymmetric bargaining power of the supermarkets squeezes small producer revenues. However, given the reality of supermarkets role in supply chains, the question is not whether small producers should participate in supermarket-driven supply chains but rather how they can do so in a manner that improves their livelihoods. Opportunities exist as the supermarkets potentially offer a regular and sizable channel for small producers goods, and examples are emerging of supermarkets acting with the social and economic wellbeing of small producers in mind. 47

Criticisms
Supermarkets are criticized for being not being environmentally supportive. Many supermarkets have initiated new environmental protection policies and switched to organic options for food choices, but some of these changes are deceptive. The new environmental policies are hand in hand with the same problems that supermarkets have always had. Changes are a step in the right direction, but the supermarkets still create pollution. The organic foods that many markets provide are not from independent farms, as many supermarkets would have customers believe, but rather come from farms owned by transnational corporations. Many supermarkets have started stealing methods of organic farming to sell their produce, while shutting out organic farmers from doing business with them in order to maximize profit. It is suggested that supermarkets create a skewed perspective on the development and production of food. Surveys have shown that people are less informed on where their produce comes from, and are unable to identify how certain foods are made, including such obvious staples as milk and potato chips. Supermarkets import out of season fruits and vegetables, which ensure a constant supply while forcing laborers to work in stifling conditions for low wages, raising humanitarian and labor issues.

Advantages
Supermarkets are a staple of consumerist society. They bring mass quantities of food to as many people as possible. Markets have been around for

Retail managementsupermarkets centuries, but a supermarket, which imports food and has a constantly refilled supply of produce, is a unique change in human eating habits. No longer are families dependent upon which foods are in season, how good or bad the agriculture was that year, or finding their own food; it is all at one convenient location. Supermarkets are set up with colorful advertisements, large carts in order to transport large amounts of food with ease, and cashiers with selfservice checkouts at the front of the stores. Often, supermarkets will run coupon and sales specials for customers. Many coupons and discounts are also available online to print out and bring to the supermarket. Supermarkets are a convenience for consumers due to their ease of navigation, their business hours, and numerous locations. Many supermarkets have made their stock available on the internet. Customers can select what they want on their computer, and it will be ready for them by the time they arrive at the supermarket. Some supermarkets even use this method for a delivery service, delivering the chosen groceries to the customer's doorstep. This is seen by some as the future of supermarket shopping, browsing digital produce in digital aisles without leaving the home.

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SUPERMARKETS IN INDIA

SUPERMARKETS IN INDIA SUPERMARKETS - the advantages of doing business in India NEW SUPERMARKET CHAIN IN INDIA LARGEST INDIAN SUPERMARKET OPENS- Article

Retail managementsupermarkets

SUPERMARKETS IN INDIA
The concept of Supermarkets is not new to Indian consumers. Actually, the British colonial government introduced the idea of Supermarkets to facilitate its officers with access of all household goods under one roof. Supermarkets in India houses varied shops selling different types of essential commodities along with luxury items. These Supermarkets are mainly concentrated in urban areas or semi-urban areas. Supermarkets operating in India typically has a heterogeneous mixture of large and small individual retailers. Most of these Supermarkets sell branded products of both, domestic and international manufacturers. Supermarkets of India offer products with different price bands for each and every sections of urban society.

HyperCITY

India's largest hypermarket, located in Malad, Mumbai; part of the K. Raheja Group; product range includes foods, homeware, home entertainment, hi-tech, appliances, furniture, sports, toys & clothing Supermarkets

Apna Bazaar 51

Chain of supermarkets with 400 outlets in the districts of Telangana,

Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Kurnool, Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam in Andhra Pradesh; started by the initiative of a non-profit and charitable trust CARS headquartered in Hyderabad Supermarkets

Spencers

Largest supermarket chain in India; part of RPG Enterprises; has 125 stores spread across 25 cities; product profile covers groceries & staples, home care & personal care products, garments, jewellery etc Supermarkets Retail Chains Style Plus Shop located at Keston road in Thiruvananthapuram; offers sports, travel and fashion accessories, apparels, electronics, gifts and music, home dcor, toy and baby products, stationery, books, magazines, cameras & optics etc Supermarkets

Retail managementsupermarkets

Supermarkets - the advantages of doing business in India are

affairs Introduction of Value Added Tax or VAT and tax reforms High degree of professionalism and corporate ethics Excellent Investment opportunities in Indian retail sector and in allied sectors; sure and high returns on investments To invest US $130 billion for the development of infrastructure, by year 2010 Hordes of foreign investors are thronging in to invest in Indian retail markets Highly educated English speaking young workforce
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Ranks 5th on global retail development index It is the second fastest growing economy of the world Going to be the third largest economy in terms of GDP in next few years It ranks high amongst the top 10 FDI destinations of the world Fastest growing tourist market in Asia World bank states, India to be world's second largest economy after China by the year 2050 Stable and investor friendly Central Government at the helm of

Vibrant and multi cultured cities Huge opportunity exists, especially in semi-rural and rural areas Till date the second largest employer after agriculture sector, for the huge semi-skilled Indian population Offers highest shop density in the whole world Having almost 1,20,000 shops, across the length and breadth of the country In a stage of development as an organized industry

The With increased consumerism post India Economic System reform earnest in July 1991, the Supermarkets in India are regaining their lost importance. Moreover, this consumerism has spread its tentacles to semi-rural areas also; leaving tremendous scope of growth in semi-rural and rural areas also.Central Government has ultimately realized the need to remove the insulation out of the Indian retail sector. . Both, Indian and international market leaders are pouring into the Indian market to encash on the Supermarkets boom.

Retail managementsupermarkets

New Supermarket Chain in India India opens western-style supermarkets. India's national capital region will enter the modern retailing era today, with the opening of the first recognisably western-style supermarkets in this sprawling conurbation of 15m people. At a preview of one of three stores that will open in Noida, a satellite city of Delhi, prices of key vegetables were about half those of other grocers in the capital, a big draw in such a cost-sensitive market. Reliance Industries plans to open 100 Reliance Fresh stores in the capital by April as part of a proposed $5-$7bn (2.5-3.6bn) investment in a "farm-to-fork" supply chain that will force radical change on one of the largest and most inefficient sectors of the Indian economy. In the latest phase of its breakneck roll-out of supermarkets ahead of the arrival of foreign-backed retail rivals, Reliance will today open nine pilot supermarkets in Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad and Ghaziabad, four booming
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suburbs. It opened its first store in Hyderabad last September and now has 46 in operation. With an average of 5.5 stores per 1,000 people, India has the highest retail outlet density in the world. But almost all of the 12m "mom and pop" stores that account for 98 per cent of the $300bn industry's sales lack access to capital and technology. The pace of the planned store roll-out is unprecedented, with Reliance aiming to "carpet" 100m sq ft and achieve $25bn in sales by 2010, according to Raghu Pillai, president and chief executive of Reliance Retail. Wal-Mart Stores late last year announced a joint venture with Bharti Enterprises that will see it enter the Indian market as a wholesaler. Foreign supermarket retailers are barred from India under the country's foreign direct investment rules. Conscious of the political backlash it will face if it is seen to be putting small shopkeepers to the wall, Reliance yesterday said its business would be "inclusive" and that it would allow existing "mom and pop" stores to buy from it at wholesale prices. Promising to create 500,000 jobs in three years, Mr Pillai said the industry's rapid growth would leave room for modern retailers to co-exist with family-run operations. Reliance plans to open stores in 784 cities and towns and 6,000 smaller towns. At the Noida store, onions were on sale for Rs13 (15p) per kilo and garlic for Rs81 per kilo, compared with Rs24 and Rs150 respectively at Allied Fruit, a family-run store in Khan Market, a shopping area in south Delhi

Retail managementsupermarkets

popular with expatriates and wealthy Indians. "These are fabulous prices," said Jai Bendre, Reliance Retail's foods marketing head. Reliance is also breaking new ground by pricing many products to the second decimal place, a selling-point for customers whose average shopping basket costs just Rs150. A pot of Chulbuli Imli, a confection made out of tamarind, for example, was priced at Rs23.52. The emergence of potentially deflationary forces in the retail sector will be welcomed by the Reserve Bank of India at a time when inflation has broken out of the central bank's comfort range, crossing 6 per cent. With money supply and bank credit growth of 20.4 per cent and 30.2 per cent (ahead of targets of 15.5 per cent and 20 per cent), economists expect the RBI to lift the repo and reverse repo rates 25 basis points to 7.5 per cent and 6.25 per cent tomorrow

ARTICLE :
Largest Indian Supermarket opens Article By Venkat Raman

57

image An unheard of crowd at the new Moshims Discount House Supermarket in Mt Roskill, Auckland on June 20, 2009
Moshims Discount House created history last week when it opened the largest Indian Supermarket in New Zealand. Moshims Discount House created history last week when it opened the largest Indian Supermarket in New Zealand. The new retail outlet, located on Stoddard Road in Mt Roskill is the first in a series of expansion and refurbishment programmes of the burgeoning enterprise. More than 10,000 visited the new supermarket on the opening day on June 20 and the following three days to behold a huge variety of groceries, beverages, fruits and vegetables and other items of daily use at home. Moshims Plaza where the supermarket is located, also accounts for a restaurant and takeaway, a butcher shop, a tailor and alteration shop and retail outlets for Indian sweets, ice cream and pizza. The complex will also have a $2 Shop that has become ubiquitous and popular throughout New Zealand. The 2000 sq m complex has abundant space for customer car parking, a pre-

Retail managementsupermarkets requisite for retailing. Moshims Discount House managing director Mohammed Hashim Khan said public support has been overwhelming. While Moshims has always shared loyalty with a growing number of customers, the support and encouragement experienced during the opening days of the new facility demonstrated our mutually rewarding relationship, he said. The new supermarket stocks and sells a wide range of items that were hitherto not available at the branded retail outlets.

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CASE STUDY

APNA

BAZAAR

Retail managementsupermarkets

For us customer is First

INTRODUCTION
Apna Bazar is probably the oldest and largest consumer co-operative multistate society with a customer base of over 12 lakhs. The Rs 140-crore retail chain that, for over 55 years remained largely middle-class has 80 outlets in Mumbai, Thane and the neighbouring Konkan region. It has recently opened its first shop outside the Maharashtra state, in Goa. Apna Bazaar has developed a strong brand image in the mind of the consumers. It enjoys strong consumer loyalty. There are just 4%-5% consumers who shift over to other retail stores.

Brand name: Mumbai Kamgar Madhyavarti Grahak Sahakari Mandal Ltd Date of Incorporation:9th May 1948 Constitution: Multi State Co-operative Society Sector: Private Industry: Retailing Registered Office: 106-A, Govingi Keni Road, Naigaon, Dadar [East], Mumbai 400014

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HISTORY
In 1948 it started with The Naigaon Grahak Sahakari Mandal Limited, which became Mumbai Kamgar in 1958-59 after other consumer co. op. societies merged into it. In 1962-63 the organization became Madhyawarti Grahak Sahakari Mandal. In 1968, the organization started the nations first departmental store on the mill worker dominated areas like Naigaon, under the name of APNA BAZAR. In a short time the brand APNABAZAR grew popular all over Mumbai and has never looked back since. After successfully establishing a wide network of branches all over Mumbai, new branches were opened along the Konkan stretch following demand. Further franchisees were encouraged, . giving livelihood opportunity to many entrepreneurs.

PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHMENT
There was an industrial lock out as a result of which many textile workers became unemployed. In order to help these workers and to provide them with employment, the Mumbai Kamgar Madhawarti Grahak Sahakari Sanstha Limited came into existence. They started a co-operative under the brand name Apna Bazaar

Retail managementsupermarkets

ABOUT APNA BAZAR

Think of a mixture of old and new, traditional and modern, past glory and present bright times, think APNA BAZAAR, its the right place and the right getaway for all our shopping needs. Its a place where you feel at home, a home away from home. A place where you can scent quality, variety, security and an aura of assured feel-good factor in terms of affordable and reasonable rates. Super Bazaars are no more a place where purchase-chore is a mechanical affair, a place where one comes, makes purchases and goes. It has become a place where one should experience the thrill of shopping, which is an art in itself, an art which transmits a veil of joy, exuberance, fun, merriment, pleasure and above all a feeling of pride. Step into that confines and experience a shopping expedition in itself, step into Apna Bazaar and realise a whole new world, a world of shopping paradise. Stay tuned with us, we bring you the best and the latest of shopping goodies. Apna Bazar is probably the oldest and largest consumer co-operative multistate society with a customer base of over 12 lakhs. The Rs 140-crore retail chain that, for over 55 years remained largely middle-class has 80 outlets in Mumbai, Thane and the neighbouring Konkan region. It has recently opened its first shop outside the Maharashtra state, in Goa. Apna Bazaar has developed a strong brand image in the mind of the consumers. It enjoys strong consumer loyalty. There are just 4%-5% consumers who shift over to other retail stores. In 1948 it started with The Naigaon Grahak Sahakari Mandal Limited, which 63

became Mumbai Kamgar in 1958-59 after other consumer co. op. societies merged into it. In 1962-63 the organization became Madhyawarti Grahak Sahakari Mandal. In 1968, the organization started the nations first departmental store on the mill worker dominated areas like Naigaon, under the name of APNA BAZAR. In a short time the brand APNABAZAR grew popular all over Mumbai and has never looked back since. After successfully establishing a wide network of branches all over Mumbai, new branches were opened along the Konkan stretch following demand. Further franchisees were encouraged, giving livelihood opportunity to many entrepreneurs. . There was an industrial lock out as a result of which many textile workers became unemployed. In order to help these workers and to provide them with employment, the Mumbai Kamgar Madhawarti Grahak Sahakari Sanstha Limited came into existence. They started a co-operative under the brand name Apna Bazaar Think of a mixture of old and new, traditional and modern, past glory and present bright times, think APNA BAZAAR, its the right place and the right getaway for all your shopping needs. Its a place where you feel at home, a home away from home. A place where you can scent quality, variety, security and an aura of assured feel-good factor in terms of affordable and reasonable rates.

Retail managementsupermarkets

They project the following highlights Vastness and Space

They have the biggest chain of supermarkets in India operating with more than 500 outlets throughout the state, selling more than 6,000 essential commodities. They are the only biggest supermarket chain that keeps in view the development of consumer association, indirectly cooperates with every activity and supports consumer rights to acquire quality products without compromising on quality. They possess one of the best and biggest warehouse facilities. The same is well equipped, scientifically tested to be of quality one. It also provides direct employment to more than 1,000 volunteers and indirect employment to more than 10,000 people. In this way it has been a good job creator and sustainer. Their outlets are well spaced to display the vast range of products at easy view angles, with ample room for people's movements. Each and every outlet 65

covers an average plinth area which is said to be a better space for this sort of retailing format.

Location
All their outlets are located in prime locations which are home to people of varying backgrounds, income-range and purchasing power. They go by certain points before setting up of Apna Bazaar outlet in that area/locality. They are: Density of population Easy Address Access to four corners of that particular locality Parking Space Real Estate Neighbourhood Outlets a study Income Group a study Double Roads their impact Frontage

All of the above points are worked out to the nicety to provide the maximum benefit to the consumers.

Lowest Prices
The same Buying from the source of production. Buying in large quantities by catering to the needs of all the Apna Bazaar outlets in the state apart from our institutional sales. It has been possible due to the following factors The above two points provide the base for securing all the stocks at a very cheap rate and the accrued profits are passed on to the consumers in the

Retail managementsupermarkets shape of the following : Providing all items at less than MRP rates. Promotional activities. Discounts and offers (freebies).

They have achieved tremendous success in the same and also it has been possible due to their loyal nationwide producer base.

Quality
They adhere to the best quality standards, that is, our products are AGMARK accredited. The same has been possible due to the long process commencing from identification, selection, cleaning, purification, packaging and storage. The whole work process tackled from the following angles - adulteration, mixing and imitation. The other notable factor is that they ensure the weighment and quantity of the products before they are dispatched for sale (before packing and after packing) in the warehouse.

Work Force Productivity

They possess an army of well-trained large volunteer force that ensures

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maximum interactivity. The same has given the advantage to get the best out of their capacity vide making them work on a flexi-hour basis. their volunteerto-outlet ration has enabled them to divide work among them in areas as: Service Maintenance Monitoring Point-of-purchase assistance

Easy and Quick Availability

All their outlets are equipped with a complete range of products that forms a part of the daily/regular needs of a typical Indian family. All the products are available under one roof, groceries, food and beverages, milk, personnel care products, vegetables, crockery items and so on and also they come with depth in range and makes. The whole process is based on the foundation of Freedom of Choice to shop at a one-stop!

Home Delivery
They have introduced for the benefit of our consumers the concept of Home Delivery, the same has been utilised well by people who are busy and have little time to spare for shopping. The same is worked out by dialling our helpline at no extra cost.

Ambience

Retail managementsupermarkets To put their customers in the proper frame of mind and instill the dose of shopping spirit, their outlets are done up in the most modern, tasteful and well-decorated manner. The blue hoardings at their outlet's entrance signify a positive spirit and approach serenity, calmness and above all that feel at home theme. In addition to this, They are further guided by the themes of Shop-at-Ease in Peace or Shopping Peacefully.

Other Advantages
Their network extends to more than 1,100 mandals and has specified consumer cells. They possess a network of 30 branches in various parts of the city.

Value-added Services
Customer Suggestion Box: Every outlet possesses special boxes wherein, their customers can deposit their suggestions and complaints pertaining to any product or service.

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Consumer Grievance Cell: Problems faced by the customers in their day-to-day life relating to products and services used by them and the complaints against defects in them are lodged in cell. The same are maintained carefully and resolved through consumer courts.

ConvenienceJoints: They are initiating the introduction of Bill Payment service through which their customers can pay their telephone, water, electricity bills and bookings for cooking gas, travel, etc.

Supplier focus towards achieving world class supply chain efficiency. They are very much focused and believe in the theme, Together let us redefine the view of business in the minds of consumers.

Advantages
Continuous Availability Authentic Promotions Sale Good Will Brand Penetration Low Transaction

Retail managementsupermarkets

Strengths
Higher Retention Rates Stable Supplier Relations Multiplier Effect

Up-gradation at the Outer Level

Increase in display space Creation of separate section called Latest or New Arrivals in each product category (Encouragement to niche products) Induction of more product lines into our product portfolio range Implementation of innovative, makes customers feel happy resulting in an increase in the sales Creation of regular promotional (frontage) space in all the outlets thus helping the suppliers working out their business more practically at the outlet level

Friendly Advice to the Suppliers

They are a consumer organization as well as a retail chain our basic service to the consumers start at the supermarket level and towards the same they seek the cooperation from all their regular and trusted suppliers. As a result, They demand more sops from the suppliers on mutually-beneficial 71

terms which will result in a substantial sale increase as well as quality service to the consumers. The facility of this prompt service to the consumers can only be understood by the suppliers/manufacturers who want enduring returns (in retailing parlance) and not by those who look for everything quick in todays competitive business world.

They encourage Quality Products More Discounts / Margins Your participation in various welfare activities conducted by CARS (Trust)
The other noted point is that they have a solid and established base all over the state which is a major plus to the suppliers, manufacturers and farmers. The same comes about in the form of no investment required on advertising and publicity and instead they can avail the facility of outlets all over the state, reaching so many consumers is a task possible only through Apna Bazaar. The Producer/Manufacturer also need not invest any money on advertising since Apna Bazaar will ensure the sale of his product. More than 20 lakhs consumers all over the state are being introduced to new products, through Apna Bazaar. The most difficult problem faced by most well-known brands today is 'imitation'. Imitation is so close to the real product that it is difficult for the consumer to distinguish between the real product and the imitation. As a result, the manufacturers of the quality products and the buyers of the imitation products are the ultimate losers. Manufacturers can also avoid the hurdle of imitations, by selling their products through the totally centralised and

Retail managementsupermarkets transparent functioning of the Apna Bazaar. The members of the Apna Bazaar are also members of the local Consumer Association, so they will have a good idea of the quality of the products. In this way, the sales of pure and quality products will increase by leaps and bounds. Future is here, it beckons and it sure glows brightly and emits that priceless quality called Pride of Place, the future is Apna Bazaar.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Warehouse
Their warehouse is located on Nagarjuna Sagar Road; the same covers an area of 2 acres and houses facilities as storage, packing, cleaning, lab testing, transportation, computer section, accounts and security. Their warehouse possess the capacity to store around 500 companies indented products besides grocery products of each category in large quantities.

Clearing of Stocks
Unclean and unfinished grocery products that are brought from the production places are cleaned and purified thoroughly with the help of both machines and people.

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 Lab - Testing
They possess one of the best laboratory facilities in the nation, the same are well-manned by experienced technicians. All the material that comes to the warehouse is tested based on the following parameters:

Dryness Moisture Content Nutrition value Assessment of holding period Adulteration Weighment

After the process of testing is done, the material is packed for sale. In addition to the following above parameters, They also follow the guidelines issued by the AGMARK (Govt., quality certifying organization).

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Packing
They possess the most modern packing procedure that takes care of packaging of Liquids, Semi-solids, Powders and Solids.

Storage
They observe strict storage procedure as aeration, usage of disinfectants, etc., related to storage of company and grocery products are taken care of well. They possess an in-built cold storage that is available for the storage of items such as tamarind, etc. All the products are stored category wise and arranged neatly for immediate despatch to the various Apna Bazaar branches.

Information Technology
Todays age demands the need for usage of technology, technology holds the key and most importantly information technology is a foregone necessity. For sheer accuracy and instant information, there is no alternative to information technology. They possess the best and state-of-the-art computer equipment which integrates the complete process of the organization linking all the departments, the warehouse and the wide chain of supermarkets the whole work process being manned by over 60 well-trained people, sharpened by in-

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house training. The computer personnel are kept abreast with the latest in information-technology arena. The whole network is integrated by WAN which ensures quick and instant flow of information and the same enables the management to chart out proper plans for further sales/purchases in the outlets.

Legal Cell
They possess a well-tuned Legal Cell; the same has rendered yeoman service to the consumers. The secret of its success has come from the fact that the consumers are encouraged to come to the office and put forth their grievances/views/suggestions, so that the required action can be taken. One of the most noted achievements of this has been, the farmers of 2 Districts of the state of A.P. secured justice in the form of compensation worth Rs 75 crores from the seed traders. The other achievement has been the Maruti Udyog Ltd., was directed to pay RS 12 crores as compensation to the concerned consumers.

Human Resources
They possess a fine and efficient team of human personnel, which has been a major boon to them. As on now, we have around 1,000 volunteers who are satisfied and contented lot. They believe in the principle that people with high dedication levels, punctuality and quick grasping power are the need of the hour in our gigantic task of providing nothing but the best at affordable rates to the consumers. In

Retail managementsupermarkets addition to this, They also instill in the volunteers the need to be matured, responsible and good citizens of the country.

Service Ethos
They believe in the spirit of service, have an in-house motivational classes to arouse the spirit of volunteers towards the path of delivery proper and responsive customer service. Further more, they are trained to interact in the right manner with customers keeping in focus an intensive customer-approach and respect for their duty towards them. They are proud to say that we have maintained the said principle ethos, the non-profit nature of the organization being a great source of quicker passage to achieve the same.

Making Shopping a Delightful Chore

Shopping has undergone a sea change in the way it is done, executed and enjoyed. It has become an art in itself, something which provides that extra zip to the confidence and motivation levels of the customers who throng a shopping joint. They are well aware of the same and have introduced many enlightened and stimulating steps which make the whole game of shopping a memorable, exquisite and noteworthy one.

Reading and Music

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They Has been introduced to enable every customer to enjoy every minute of time spent in the supermarket. their outlets are equipped with books and magazines.

Greet With a Smile

They know that a beautiful and neat smile with a pleasant approach goes a long way to make the chore of shopping a delightful affair. their customerrelation policy is based on decent norms of behaviour, courtesy and manners. Isnt it said that a good smile and a timely wish helps put a customer at ease and proper frame of mind to go ahead with shopping.

Home Shopping
They are well-aware of the potential of information technology and its impact on peoples lives. They are going global with our outlet coming up online, that is, e-commerce way, the same will fetch more benefits and savings to our valued customers. To ensure that shopping is not all shopping, They have introduced the following extra Attached Bakery,Chat,Ice-creams and Fruit Juice Centre Attached pharmacy bites

How to start - an Apna Bazaar

Being a peoples movement, Apna Bazaar goes by the principle It is not people who carve for profits, but those who wish to serve the society and

Retail managementsupermarkets earning regular income as a source of their livelihood. This principle acts as bedrock for starting an APNA BAZAAR. Those who fall under this category are Housewives, Retired Citizens, the unemployed and any other persons who are capable of starting an Apna Bazaar in their neighbourhood. There are four categories of Apna Bazaars: Home Apna Bazaar Mini Apna Bazaar Medium Apna Bazaar Mega Apna Bazaar

Those who wish to start one such Bazaar should (as per their area and number of members) deposit an amount ranging from RS 1 lakh to RS 5 lakhs with the Consumer Awareness and Research Society Trust and enroll as a Co-ordinator. Similarly, the coordinator should also make arrangements for space or accommodation, from 150 to 1,000 S.R., in accordance with the class of APNA BAZAAR, to be established. Atleast one person who has obtained a minimum education of up to 10th standard should be appointed for supervision and 1-3 helpers can be employed as per the need and size of the APNA BAZAAR. After the deposit is made, the accommodation arranged and the required personnel and assistants appointed and these three requirements taken care of by the depositor, the CARS Trust will take the entire responsibility and care of the remaining things to be done. They are as follows:

The Governments Licenses required for the establishment of APNA BAZAAR,

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Billing

Machines,

Weighing

Machines,

Racks,

Furniture

and

other

infrastructural facilities will be provided (as per the Deposit) by the CARS Trust. The CARS Trust will also supply all the items of daily consumption to be sold to the consumer, at rates fixed by the trust. The goods will be transported to the Centres in special transport vehicles. Also, the payment of taxes will be processed by the trust.

The products rate sold at our outlets at a rate which adds a minimal 7% to the manufacturing price, the Coordinator will receive 5% of his total turnover as Service Charge and the remaining 2% is used for transpiration, cleaning, packing and other incidental expenses. Depending on the size of the APNA BAZAAR, the number of members and the quantity of sales at the Centre, each coordinator will on average earn about RS 10,000/- to RS 50,000/- as service charge alone. If the Coordinator, while extending full service to the consumer and in complete keeping with the terms and conditions and rules and regulations of APNA BAZAAR, manages to increase the turnover he will then be eligible for an extra income.

The food items and products will be cleaned, packed and the rates fixed before them are sent to the coordinator. Hence the coordinator can conveniently and directly supply the goods to the consumer.

The food grains, products and other items obtained from the sources of production are tested for quality in the laboratories, before they are packed. The items are cleared, packaged and then sent to the APNA BAZAAR outlets.

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The promotional and publicity requirements, the pamphlets, wall posters, banners, Audio, Video materials, applications and membership forms. Passbooks and Bill books will also be supplied to the Coordinator by the CARS Trust. Depending on the occasion and necessity, Radio and T.V. announcements and advertisements will also be released. The Coordinator will be given special training by the CARS Trust.

Within the parameters of the CARS Trust rules, the Coordinator can transfer the Coordinatorship or terminate it.

Consumer Welfare the Ultimate aim of APNA BAZAAR

The consumer who avails the services and benefits of APNA BAZAAR will have to pay a nominal membership fee of RS 10/- per Family per annum and obtain Membership. The Membership and preference will be given on First Come First Serve Basis. According to the size of the APNA BAZAAR, the number of members in each may range from 1,000 to 4,000 members. The

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membership fee collected from the consumer will be deposited for Consumer Welfare activities and will be utilised to extend widespread services, improvements, progress and development of the CARS Trust. Further, due to the reduced prices in APNA BAZAAR, the market price will also be brought under control, increasing the purchasing power of the customer and acknowledging his importance in the socio-economic structure.

Only items supplied by the CARS Trust will be available at the APNA BAZAAR, so the consumer can confidently be assured of the quality and purchase without the fear of adulteration. Since the food grains are pre-cleaned, it is time-saving and very convenient and ready for use for the Consumer.

The Consumer can purchase daily essential items at rates which are 3% to 30% less than the market rate.

More than 1,000 varieties of consumer items including dals, stationery and so on are available at APNA BAZAAR. In future Fertilisers, Pesticides, Seeds, Electric, Electronic and various types of Home appliances will also be available and supplied by APNA BAZAAR.

Every member will be issued an identity card along with the pass book. The details of the bills on every purchase made by the consumer will be entered in the pass book.

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Those who are not members of APNA BAZAAR cannot avail the services of APNA BAZAAR.

The purchase of pure, unadulterated food articles is the best way to safeguard and ensure good health.

The Consumer can purchase the goods in the most accurate of weights and measurements.

The Members can actively participate in the development activities of the consumer association. It is compulsory that the members make it a point to attend the consumer member meetings held regularly in each locality. The membership will be cancelled if any member fails to attend 3 consecutive meetings.

No item will be sold at APNA BAZAAR without the bill being raised.

The consumer members will also be able to avail counselling on day-today problems, and obtain the required legal advice of APNA BAZAAR.

The APNA BAZAAR is periodically inspected by the special Inspection

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Committee appointed by the CARS Trust which also supervises the local consumer association. Thus the consumers can purchase any item with total trust and confidence.

There is no connection between the Consumer Association and the Transaction of Apna Bazaar. These consumer associations will only supervise and ensure that the Apna Bazaar is functioning to the advantage and satisfaction of the consumer.

The welfare and true progress of the Association of Consumers is possible only through Apna Bazaar.

FUTURE VISION
Vision is a bold word, one which lights the path to a future. Their vision is as follows

More Outlets

Retail managementsupermarkets They aim to reach out to each and every mandal (1,100 mandals) in the state irrespective of size and any other parameters. The same is done up to pass on the benefits to almost all the consumers in the state in a most sincere and befitting fashion. These outlets will be opened in 4 different formats small, midsize, large size and franchise operations.

Going Global
They aim to go global and the same has been taken considering the enormous leverage and power of NRIs all over the world. They plan to offer them a feast of service-oriented and organised retailing which enables them to savour the traditional Indian goods and items at cost-effective rates at a quality which is worthy and more than useful. They are proud to announce that we have attracted the attention of ETA (European Telugu Association) which has assured us its support in setting up APNA BAZAAR outlets in their places.

Distribution (F2O - Farmer to Outlet Policy)

They want to get rid of all middle men involved in order to gain the crucial margin advantage. Towards this end, They are going to reach out to the farmers creating an exclusive supply chain that will stretch right from the farmer to our stores. The main reason behind the same is to set up a single and biggest distribution outlet in the nation catering to the need of the retailing community as well.

Brand Image
They believe in the corporate philosophy policy, that is, an inclination towards taking our brand name closer to the people and make the same a household

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name.

The

same

is

being

planned

to

be

achieved

through

educating/enlightening what we are all about.

DWCRA - Apna Bazaar

Two revolutionary concepts, one Apna Bazaar and another DWCRA join hands together and make an irresistible and people friendly combination. Coming on one platform, They offer a new concept which promises to change the way people buy products. They aim to take the concept to the peoples door step and make it a success. DWCRA is an organization which is associated with the enlistment of the rural women and strives for their betterment, progress and prosperity. This it done by encouraging them to produce and manufacture products and help in selling them, thus allowing them to earn their living. It enables them to be selfsufficient and instills in them to stand on their own feet. To meet the exacting standards of cost-effectiveness and efficient service to consumers, we, Apna Bazaar and DWCRA come together to create DWCRA Apna Bazaar Super Market, a unique and interesting convergence that seeks to change the way people of Andhra Pradesh look at and buy products and then sample their utility value. The following are the goals of this unique concept:

They aim to provide either in a direct and indirect manner employment opportunity to lakhs of rural women and help them to earn their living.

They sell quality products at affordable prices to all the rural and urban consumers through our network of super markets.

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They sell the products prepared and manufactured by the DWCRA women at all the State, National and International outlets in the name of Apna Bazaar.

They seek to help the consumers realise their rights and make them aware of the consumer production courts.

They aim to, through DWCRA women associations, make the consumers in the rural areas to be aware of identification of the defects in the products, malpractices followed in measurements, duplicity of products and many more such devious methods through the consumer rights protection act. The participation of women in the consumer revolution results in the development of the state.

They aim to start our super markets at more than 1,100 mandals throughout the state and also with the cooperation of Telugu Associations, set up Apna Bazaar Super Markets in USA, England, Singapore, Switzerland, South Africa and Mauritius.

their will be one of a kind and is sure to change the way shopping is done and enjoyed. We remain your steadfast ally in all things, shopping and beyond. They remain your constant partner on the road to good health, wealth and prosperity now and ahead.

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GOAL

Mission
They are a mission, one which is uncompromising and all-pervading. They are a consumers service and peoples organization and dedicated to ensure justice to the consumers providing them the real value to their money. Their mission is - Strive towards building a society where consumer satisfaction is REAL.

Objective
They aim to put an end to all the problems faced by the consumers. such as Adulteration Unavailability of wide range High Prices Authenticity of discounts/offers/promotions Lack of responsive customer service Weighment of the products

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Philosophy
Open early, close late Freedom of choice Shopping a pleasure Responsive customer service Low prices everyday hopping trend in India

Commitment
They are committed to aid the consumer and the same is reflected in the following points To educate the consumer Responsibility as a peoples organisation

SERVICES

Medical Services: Pharmacy, Pathological services, diagnosis of disease by medical net, Suggesting the medicines, information about hospitals needed to the patient, Ambulance services, Health insurance, health card, Blood bank , Doctors information and services.

Legal Services: Providing necessary advisors and advocates to solve

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the issues like Civil cases, Consumer cases, and Insurance disputes.

Security services: Guidance and services. Placement Services: Guidance and services. Educational Advises (Primary to foreign education): guidance and services.

Servant maid: Supply of Technicians, Labor, cooks, Plumbers, Electricians, Fiters, TV repairers, Computer repairers, Vehicle mechanics, Friz & Air Conditioning mechanics, Drivers, Hospitality management persons, Painters, etc

Utility Services: Provision of paying electric bills, Telephone bills, Munucipal taxes, Water bills etc like e-seva.

Mobile recharging: Giving connections and bill payments for the services like Tata Sky, Dish TV, Sun Network, Cable TV, and Internet etc .

Courier Services Parcel Services Packers & Movers Sales of Application forms of All jobs. . Credit card, Health card, Discount card, and Debit card Services. Books, Magazines: Fertilizers, Seeds, Pest killers, warehouse facilities for formers, and making convenience of getting the machines and tools for rent and

Retail managementsupermarkets giving them for rent, Marketing and loan facility.

Second hand vehicles sales purchases, and loan facility. Arrangements of Audio & Video cassettes and Video games. Supplying to consumers Electrical, Electronics, Consumer durables, Furniture, Hallmark gold & Jewelry, Costly garments, Watches, computers & Laptops etc as early as possible by showing the dummies, brochures and video cassettes.

Mineral water, Bulk supply, Water purification of water tanks wells etc and supply of Bore well equipments, Soil testing, Motors etc

Co-operation in purchasing of new vehicles.

Services mentioned above are provided to the consumers few in minutes, few in hours, and few in days

PRODUCTS

The CARS (trust which runs Apna Bazaar) has a well spread out and maintained complex beside the Hyderabad-Nagarjuna Sagar Road. The complex is located on an area, which spans 2 acres of prime land, which measures 40,000 sqft. The trust has a fleet of 15 heavy container transport vehicles, which distributes the essential daily items to the various Apna Bazaar outlets in different parts of the city. Apna Bazaar outlets as on now have 400 outlets in all the 10 districts of Telangana, Secunderabad, Hyderabad,

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Kurnool, Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam districts. Well-manned and trained staff mans each and every outlet, the chain has provided direct employment to more than 400 people and indirect employment to many more. With its philosophy based on the saying The Consumer is the King, it has earned rave reviews from the general public and various international organizations. They deal in more than 5,698 different products. All their products are labtested and well certified to attach the quality tag to it.

QUESTIONS ASKED
A.H.BATTA, manager of the retail chain, Apna Bazaar, which sells provisions, food products and medicines, marks fresh food and vegetables segment as the focus area to sustain its growth. The plans are to consolidate on what already exists.

Retail managementsupermarkets 1. What is the current strength of Apna Bazaar? Any plans to increase the number of outlets? Apna Bazaar has 86 outlets, of which 46 are company owned and the rest are franchisees. The network includes seven department stores, six supermarkets, 26 food stores and five speciality chemist stores. We're now planning improvement on whatever we presently run. 2.Looking ahead, what are the latest plans? We are more in to consolidation than expansion, and to form strategic alliances. We will soon partner with the Japanese Consumer Co-operative Union (JCCU) in areas of training the staff force, visual merchandising and setting up a co-operative food brand. The company is also foraying into cobranding exercises to offer value to its consumers. We have already introduced a new section - Food and Vegetables, operational in stores at Vashi, Andheri, Charkop, Mulund and Fort. We have started with the Mulund store, and it is the first consumer cooperative store sector in India to have aircondition. Upgrading the skills of our manpower, create vehicle parking facility are also in our agenda. We are focusing on the new generation customers, and talks are on with PlanetM, RPG Group etc. We may have a tie-up with Citibank on cobranding. Regarding credit card, we are on the verge of signing a MoU with SBI, the details of which cannot be disclosed. As visual merchandising, a new way for presenting the products will be introduced. 3. You have any link with credit card company / financial institution?

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Yes, we have link with Maharashrta Co-operative Bank, Apna Credit Bank and Axis Bank for credit card.

4. How far has the upgrading skills of manpower reached? We have roped in consultants to impart training, done through in-house facilities and affiliations with the Asoka Mehta Institute of Management and Research. Talks on an exchange programme of our personnel to JCCU are going on. All the stores have started staff training. 5.What will be the new focus? Also, which section of the society are you looking at? We have marked the fresh food and vegetables segment as the focus area to sustain growth. They are currently available at four stores, and will extend it to other outlets soon. We are looking at building an all-round image by targeting the upper middle class segment as well. We are bringing in initiatives like specialised counters and food courts at its department stores and super markets. People in their 40s are already coming to us. What we are targeting now is the still younger generation, the people who possess spending power. 6.What has been happening on the Inventory management? To ensure minimum inventory and maximum rotation, the plan is to centralise the supply chain management. While the super markets would be serviced directly by the companies, the requirements of franchisee outlets would be met by Apna Bazaar to ensure better co-ordination.

Retail managementsupermarkets Back-end automation has already been started in some stores with specific emphasis in areas of inventory management. The front-end and back-end of six department stores in Mumbai will be computerised. 7. What is your annual turnover? We are projecting sales of Rs 165 crore this fiscal year, including the franchisee contribution of Rs 30-35 crore, down by Rs 10 crore from last year. We have closed down our export division to concentrate only on the core activities. The processing unit at Jalgaon is also closed down. The spices and dal factory at Taloja are being outsourced now. These moves have affected the sales.

Meanwhile, we have stopped the plans of going online, on the lines of Sangam Direct, the online initiative of HLL. The home delivery concept would not work unless there is delivery density. As such, the earlier plan to start a call centre parallel to this is also halted.

8. What do you want Apna Bazaar to be known for? When it comes to food it has to be Apna Bazaar that must come into one's mind. I will say the punch line for Apna Bazaar will be - when you think about genuine products, think about Apna Bazaar.

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9. What type of services or benefits you provide to your customer ? We arranged medical camp, Vijayi Bachat Yogana , gift vouchers and accept sodexo passes.

10. What kind of strategy used to retain or increase customer? We sold our product below MRP. And also various offers provide to customer to their satisfaction.

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CONCLUSION
The achievement of Apana Bazar has been possible because of the dedication and devotion of active participating members and visionary leadership, sincere, ungrudging work of the employees and love and goodwill of millions of inhabitants & Maharashtra of Mumbai. The management of Apana Bazar is greatful to all the customer. They are a consumers service and peoples organization and dedicated to ensure justice to the consumers providing them the real value to their money. Their mission is - Strive towards building a society where consumer satisfaction is REAL. Increasing the distribution reach is a strategy to counter competition the co-operative plans to increase its outlets from 80 at present to about 100 by next year. This would comprise department stores, super markets, franchisee outlets and medical stores, both in Maharashtra as well as rest of the country. Because of loyal customer, and adoption of new techniques and strategies Apana Bazar have glorious future.

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