myretailcareer.blogspot.com

NEWS | FDI in multi-brand retail to benefit domestic players: Experts

2012-01-28T19:52:00.001+05:30

Although India has decided to put FDI in multi-brand retail on hold, various experts feel that allowing foreign investments in this area will benefit domestic sectors more than the foreign players like Wal-Mart.
"In my opinion, allowing FDI in multi-brand retail would serve India very well by bringing in the culture of discount stores," V G Narayanan, a 'Thomas Casserly professor' of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School, said.

Narayan, who spent the last month in India, said with large international players entering the country's retail sector, logistics and supply chain management practices will improve considerably, which in turn, will benefit farmers and manufacturers and reduce waste.
"Multi-brand retailers such as Wal-Mart have played a very important role in keeping prices down, while delivering tremendous value to the customers. So, Indian consumers will benefit from lower prices," he said.

Source:http://www.financialexpress.com/news/fdi-in-multibrand-retail-to-benefit-domestic-players-experts/904631/

NEWS | Spencer's emerges as Goenka's lynchpin for growth

2012-01-28T19:47:00.001+05:30

Sanjiv Goenka has chosen his loss-making retailer, and to a smaller extent, its carbon black business, to lead the Group’s ambitious growth trajectory. It needs to shake off its complacency to do so
When Sanjiv Goenka inherited half of Rama Prasad Goenka’s Rs 19,000-crore empire (the other half went to his brother Harsh), he had to make some big decisions regarding the future orientation of his company. His first act was to christen his company the ‘RP Sanjiv Goenka Group’. His other, more pivotal, move was to orchestrate a complete rethink on which businesses to place an emphasis on.

Today, the companies in the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group are: CESC, Noida Power and Integrated Coal Mining (ICML) in power; Phillips Carbon Black which makes carbon black—a substance used as a pigment and reinforcement in rubber and plastic products; Spencer’s Retail, MusicWorld Retail and Au Bon Pain Cafe India (ABPCIL) under the retail umbrella; Saregama India and Open Media Network in entertainment and media; and CESC Properties, a real estate company.
Goenka has charted out an ambitious plan—he wants his Kolkata-based business to go from a combined revenue of Rs 9,000-crore today to Rs 25,000-crore in five years. The power business will continue to be an important part of the Group’s business he says, but much of the growth—and this forms the brunt of the re-think on the portfolio—will come from non-power businesses, primarily Spencer’s’, and to some extent Phillips Carbon Black.
According to Goenka, the non-power business will grow to contribute at least 50 per cent of the Group’s revenue by 2016-17, from the current 39 per cent. Of this, the 14 per cent that comprises revenue from retail will mushroom to almost 30 per cent. “For us, non-power is as important as our power firms in our growth plans,” said Sanjiv Goenka, chairman, RPSG. The group, he says, is planning an overall investment of Rs 36,000 crore in the next five years

Source: http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/spencer%255Cs-emerges-as-goenka%255Cs-lynchpin-for-growth-/462834/

NEWS | PE players take direct plunge in retail

2012-01-28T19:44:00.000+05:30

In a new trend emerging in the Indian private equity (PE) space, retail-focussed funds are planning to go solo and directly buy land and develop it than invest in a project. A UK-based commercial realty fund with investments in Mumbai and Bangalore, is said to be in talks to buy land

near Bangalore, industry sources said. Another PE fund, an arm of a realty company based out of the UK and listed in Europe, is also in talks for buying two land parcels in tier 2 cities.

Both deals, the first of its kind in the domestic market, would be concluded by March end, sources said.
“For a PE player to directly buy a land parcel and then develop a mall would be a risky proposition but the returns would be much more,” said Ashwin Puri, CEO, Pioneer Property Zone, a realty management company and a joint venture company of Old Mutual Investment Group and ICS Realty. “In such a deal, the PE player buys a land directly and then ties up with a developer to build a mall,” said Puri.
However, some industry trackers remain unsure of the investment model.
“It could be risky for a PE fund to go the land banking way but if they manage to fetch good internal rate of returns (IRR) it would be an interesting model for retail sector where very few PE funds enter,” said the head of a Mumbai-based real estate-focussed fund.
“For PE players there is already a risk in the retail sector so they prefer to take little more risk and go solo,” said Puri.
The IRR in the retail sector—that includes malls in metros and other cities—have fallen to around 14-18% in 2010-11 from 24-25% in 2007-08, industry experts said.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/Markets/PE-players-take-direct-plunge-in-retail/Article1-802570.aspx

NEWS | Biyani, Finnish firm spar over Wilson brand

2012-01-28T19:41:00.000+05:30

The first shot has been fired in the age of FDI in single-brand retail. On December 23, Finland’s Amer Sports, which owns several leading global sporting brands, sent a letter to Pantaloon Retail, terminating an April 2010 agreement that had made the Kishore Biyani-owned company the exclusive distributor of Wilson and W brands in India. Pantaloon struck back, suing the Finnish company in the Delhi High Court and securing an injunction. The case is scheduled for hearing in February.

A person with direct knowledge of the matter said Amer snapped the agreement as it wanted to open its own branded stores in India, since the country now allows full foreign ownership of single-brand retail ventures. The company owns prominent brands including Wilson, W, Atomic and Solomon.
Amer’s termination letter said Pantaloon must stop selling Wilson and W branded goods in six months. Pantaloon’s lawyers told the court that the company is currently...

NEWS | Spanish sports fashion label Kelme enters India

2012-01-28T19:27:00.000+05:30

Spanish sports and lifestyle brand Kelme announced its entry into India on Wednesday. The first Kelme store, stocking sports shoes and apparel, opened in West Delhi today.

The brand has been brought here by Indian company Global Overseas through a licensing arrangement. For Global Overseas this is the second sporty brand it has brought in, having brought in Indonesian badminton equipment brand Flypower earlier.

Kelme's footwear is priced between Rs 2,000 and Rs 5,000 and the apparel range starts at Rs 500 and goes up to Rs 2,000.

Mr Luca Gios, Director - International Business, Kelme, said the company would be looking at roping in sports celebrities or fashion celebrities to promote the brand here. Miss Spain 2011 Paula Guillo is Kelme's brand ambassador and launched the products here.

To open more stores

Global Overseas' Ashish Seth said the company was looking at opening eight more stores in cities such as Bangalore, Chennai, Chandigarh and somewhere in the North-East. Mr Gios said the Spanish firm had set a five-year plan of aggressively targeting the BRIC nations. It has already entered Brazil, Russia and now India, and will be looking at China. “For seven years we have been trying to enter China actually, but like India it is almost a continent, and not a county, and finding the right partner there has been a challenge,” he said.

Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/marketing/article2831891.ece?ref=wl_industry-and-economy

JOBS | GM - Projects And Business Development

2012-01-26T21:47:00.002+05:30

Job Description :

Position will be responsible for managing the Pojects and Business Development across the company, PAN INDIA

Salary: Best in Retail

Functional Area:Hotels, Restaurants

Role Category: Food & Beverage

Role: General Manager

Keyskills: Restaurant, Cafe, QSR, Food, Hospitality, Retail, Architect, Properties

Desired Candidate Profile

Education: (UG - Any Graduate - Any Specialization) AND (PG - Post Graduation Not Required)

Ideal candidate - A self starter, willing to set up the Projects and Business Development Department in a QSR chain from the scratch. Should be good at negotiation skills and man management skills. This position will be responsible for the growth.

Company Profile

Spring Leaf Retail Pvt. Ltd.
http://www.mastkalandar.com

Company owns restaurant chain called Mast Kalandar in South &West India with over 30 locations.

Contact Details

Executive Name:Ashwani Vohra

Contact Company:Spring Leaf Retail Pvt Ltd

Email Address: madhusudan@mastkalandar.com,pg@mastkalandar.com

Contact No: 9900528811

JOBS | Freelance Sales health/nutrion

2012-01-26T21:44:00.001+05:30

Freelance Sales health/nutrion:

by W & G Tattersall Pty Ltd in Bengaluru/Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Ernakulam / Kochi/ Cochin, Madurai, Mangalore, Pondicherry, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam

Experience: 10 to 20 yrs. Posted on: 25 Jan

New User? Register Now

Job Description :

Freelance position working with multinational nutrition/weight loss Co. You would be an independent distributor, with your own retail customers & would be supported to recruit, train, & earn royalty from, a team of your own distributors.

Salary: Income totally based on production and may include retail sales profit, wholesale profi, royalties and production bonuses.

Industry: Retail, Wholesale

Functional Area: Sales, BD

Role Category: Retail Sales

Role: Sales/Business Development Manager

Keyskills: freelance,retail, sales, health, marketing, part time, Herbalife, mlm, distributor, commission

Desired Candidate Profile

Education: (UG - Any Graduate - Any Specialization, Graduation Not Required) AND (PG - Any PG Course - Any Specialization, Post Graduation Not Required)

Currently establishing Leadership Teams in various cities across India. Needs strong self direction & ability to take guidance. To achieve high incomes you need strong personal activitiy levels and be able to recriuit and train others to do the same.

Company Profile:

W & G Tattersall Pty Ltd
http://www.thehealthsuccesssite.com/India-Freelance-Sales.html

Distributors of nutrition supplements for improved health, energy, weight control & sport. US based company with Multi Billion US$ turnover. Trading in 70 countries. Est. in India, with Bangalore HQ & regional distribution centers.
Contact Company: W G Tattersall Pty Ltd

JOBS | Divisional Manager

2012-01-26T21:41:00.000+05:30

Pantaloon Retail India Ltd is poineer in retail. Having a turn over of 1200 crores.The varios formats are Pantaloon, Central, Big Bazaar,aLL,Food Bazaar, Home town

Designation:	Divisional Manager - 10 Opening(s)
Job Description:	STRATEGIC:- Upkeep of Stock hygiene & ambience Shrinkage control for the Mall Receiving Stock Warehouse Operations SOP custodian Customer Service Department Stock take Interface with facility and commercial Preventive maintenance Stock take facilitation Keep the Global Count Conduct internal audit Cashiering Statutory compliance Movement of Stock Trolley and basket Asset management. OPERATIONAL: Setting benchmark for cashiering & improvising on the same Annual budget planning for Admin/Staff/Security rents Reduction of operational costs like Electricity Bill, HR cost, store maintenance cost Complete responsibility and focused attention to critical areas that affects customer experience Focus on customer touch points and continuous improvisation of the touch points and factors that affect these touch points Initiate and Support the marketing teams on planning, marketing promotions & events Tracking changes in offering and updating on POS Layout changes execution to support business and customer experience Ensures the Implementation of VM standards and SOP adherence Support the team and staff during various Audits across the store Support and monitor the inventory / stock take and minimize effects that adversely impact customer experience and business functioning Manage Inventory management and shrinkage monitoring Implementing perpetual inventory taking schedule as per the schedule provided by the Stock team Preparation and participation for Stock Take as per SOP
Desired Profile:	Friendly, approachable, Analytic, Decisive, Communication, Assertiveness, Responsive, Proactive, Self Motivated, Customer Centric Analytical Skills, Process Orientation , Leadership skills, communication skills, Managing large teams, crises management
Experience:	8 - 13 Years
Industry Type:	Retail, Wholesale
Role:	Sales/Business Development Manager
Functional Area:	Sales, BD
Education:	UG - Any Graduate - Any Specialization PG - Any PG Course - Any Specialization
Compensation:	INR 8,00,000 - 15,00,000 P.A
Location:	Bengaluru/Bangalore, Ernakulam / Kochi/ Cochin, Gurgaon, Hyderabad / Secunderabad, Jaipur, Mumbai, Pune, Raipur, Nasik
Keywords::	Sales, Apperals Sales, Non Apperals
Contact:	Pantaloon Retail India Limited
Email;	sneha.shankar@futuregroup.in

NEWS | Omaxe Group brings on board Beyond Squarefeet

2012-01-26T21:38:00.001+05:30

Omaxe Group, an infrastructure conglomerate, has approached Beyond Squarefeet, a mall advisory company, for its upcoming project “Omaxe Connaught Place” in Greater Noida. For this 1.48 million sq.ft. mix-use project, Beyond Squarefeet will do a primary market research on the consumers buying behavior, propensity to spend, demographics and psychographics, competition mapping, etc.

According to Susil Dungarwal, Chief Mall Mechanic, Beyond Squarefeet: “We are thrilled to be a part of such a large reputed conglomerate and such a large project, as this would be our second project in North India. We would put our best foot forward to help the Omaxe Group to create a strategy which will help them convert this project into a sustainable mall.”

Beyond Squarefeet would conduct this research with a sample size of about 500 respondents across consumers, retailers, and real estate agents. Omaxe Connaught Place will be a shopping-cum-entertainment mall, featuring office space, a shopping mall, a five-screen multiplex, a five-star hotel, food courts, a family entertainment zone, etc. Many brands have signed up with this project to operate offices and shops.

Omaxe Group has presence in real estate and infrastructure development across 12 states and 40 cities in India. The group has set up more than 13 malls across North India.

Beyond Squarefeet deals in areas such as conceptualization, management, positioning, marketing, leasing, facility, and re-orientation of malls.

Source: http://www.indiaretailing.com/news.aspx?topic=1&Id=6354

NEWS | Tyco unveils security solution platform, Surveillint

2012-01-26T21:37:00.000+05:30

Tyco Fire and Security, the leading player in security products and services, has launched its latest security solution platform, Surveillint.

As security becomes a more integral part of business operations, most organizations are still challenged with integrating information from their existing security technologies. Surveillint is designed to reduce complexity and streamline disparate systems while remaining highly scalable and customizable.

“Moving beyond the role of a traditional security solution provider, we are excited to introduce Surveillint, which will create more value for our customers by allowing them to leverage on their security investments though integration with other security systems,” said Amar Subash, Acting General Manager and CFO, Tyco Fire and Security, India.

Surveillint provides greater value to the commercial market by transforming both logical and physical security into a holistic model to provide efficiency and high-level security with a single platform.

Source: http://www.indiaretailing.com/news.aspx?topic=1&Id=6355

NEWS | Godrej Nature's Basket expands in Delhi-NCR

2012-01-26T21:35:00.002+05:30

Gourmet food retail chain Godrej Nature's Basket has expanded its presence in Delhi-NCR by opening its sixth outlet at Vasant Vihar. The new store occupies an area of 2,600 sq.ft. and offers a wide range of organic foods, cold cuts, and international wines, among others.

Speaking on the occasion, Mohit Khattar, MD, Nature's Basket, said: "Nature's Basket is known for helping people indulge in their love for world food. Over the years, we have tried to take gourmet meals to dining tables at home.”

"Here, at our store in Vasant Vihar, we have tried to enhance our range and services to delight this well traveled and evolved set of foodies. Our made-to-offer platters, home delivery are but a few things that we hope will excite this prime locality," he further added.

Nature's Basket has a chain of 18 stores across 5 metros, namely Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. Other stores of the company in the Delhi-NCR are located at Defence Colony; Greater Kailash Parts- I and II; and Ambience Mall and DLF Mega Mall, Gurgaon.

Source: http://www.indiaretailing.com/news.aspx?topic=1&Id=6356

NEWS | After dressing up homes pan India, Somany Tiles eye exports

2012-01-24T21:00:00.002+05:30

Abhishek Somany, joint managing director, Somany Ceramics Ltd is a third generation entrepreneur and part of a Delhi based business family that has seen the capital's transformation and changing business climate. From anti-competitive laws to the clutter of unorganized sellers Somany Ceramics leading tiles and sanitaryware manufacturer has weathered many a storm and today is a Rs 750 crore company. Abhishek Somany is the new face of this over 40 year old company and is now responsible for cementing Somany's future as a pan India room.

Founded in 1969 Somany Ceramics today is over a Rs 750 crore venture with a production capacity of 20 million square meter per annum. Listed on both the BSE as well as the NSE, Somany today has an 8% market share in the tiles and sanitaryware market.
Talking about Somany's expansion plans going forward, Abhishek reveals that the company is looking at manufacturing sanitaryware. On the global front, the company is looking to double its revenue on exports to Rs 25-30 crore by next year. On the other hand, Somany looks to swell its showrooms in the franchisee mode from the current 100 to another 50-60 next year.
Below is an edited transcript of Somany's interview on CNBC-TV18. Also watch the attached video.
Q: I believe you enjoy racing cars. You were a Formula-2 and Formula-3 racer, what made you join the family business and give up a career in racing?
A: Well, I didn't have a career in racing, definitely wanted to. I guess I am the third generation in the family business, so I guess it was taken for granted that I would join the family business and somewhere down the line I think it's ones comfort too, I am not regretting that but I definitely would have want to pursued racing a little more.
Q: When did you join the business and what have you brought to the table?
A: When I joined the family business, we had a family split and my father used to look after the Hindware Glass division in Hyderabad and then after the family split, we came to Delhi which is when we took over a tile company. I was new to business as a whole. My father was groomed in the glass and sanitaryware business prior to tiles. So from that point of view, it was a new learning. I think what we have got to the table is completely a new way of looking at tiles.

Source: http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/after-dressinghomes-pan-india-somany-tiles-eye-exports_655525.html

NEWS | Video games retailer, 'Games The Shop' opens second store in Pune

2012-01-24T20:58:00.000+05:30

Video and computer games retailer, "Games The Shop,” has opened its second store in Pune (seventh in the country) at Pacific Mall, Swargate. The new outlet will offer gaming softwares, hardware consoles, and accessories.

Currently, the retailer has outlets in R-City mall, Oberoi Mall, and Infiniti II mall, Mumbai; Korum mall, Thane; Express Avenue mall, Chennai; and Inorbit mall, Pune. It will also open an outlet in Bangalore at Mantri mall on January 27.

Speaking on the occasion, Amit Khemani, Director, Games The Shop, said: “Pune is a growing market full of young crowd coming from all across the country. Our first store in the city at Inorbit mall has been a success and our customers wanted a similar store in other areas of the city. We are happy to have our second shop in the center of the town to give benefits and services to our customers.”

Games The Shop sells games on platforms such as PC, PS3, PS2, PSP, Xbox 360, Wii, and Nintendo DS.

Source: http://www.indiaretailing.com/news.aspx?topic=1&Id=6352.

NEWS | Jewelry portal 'BlueStone.com' debuts in India

2012-01-24T20:56:00.001+05:30

BlueStone.com, an online portal for jewelry and accessories, makes its debut in the Indian jewelry market. The venture has attracted an initial investment of $5 mn from VC firm Accel Partners and Pearson Education Services. The portal offers jewelry, accessories, and gemstones.

Speaking on the occasion, Vidya Nataraj, Founder, BlueStone.com, said: “BlueStone.com is India's first exclusive and aspirational online brand for fine jewelry and accessories aiming to give a new dimension to jewelry shopping. We are catering to the trendy and evolved Indian consumer by providing access to a large variety of carefully selected international designs by jewelry experts coupled with excellent craftsmanship, quality, and shopping convenience on a trusted platform.”

Prashanth Prakash, Partner of Accel Partners, said that the company is very excited to be a part of this unique opportunity to create a jewelry brand which combines trust with a compelling online buying experience. “Accel has invested in several leading e-commerce companies and is confident that BlueStone.com will be the dominant online jewelry company in India,” he further added.

Blustone.com is co-founded by entrepreneurs, Vidya Nataraj and Gaurav Singh Kushwaha.

According to company officials, the website offers its customers jewelry certified by independent international laboratories like International Gemological Institute (IGI) and HKD.

Source: http://www.indiaretailing.com/news.aspx?topic=1&Id=6353

NEWS | Springfield: Denims the next big product addition

2012-01-24T20:54:00.000+05:30


Established in 1986, Springfield Fashions launched the brand Springfield in the men’s formal wear category. Today, the brand is known for its classy and stylish suits and trousers. Moving ahead, the brand plans to add denims and casual shirtsas a part of its portfolio expansion plan. Opines Yogesh Shetty, Director, Springfield Fashions, “We are trying to tie up with some mills or a retail chain, where we could lease out our brand. We may start denims in three or four months. The range will be priced from Rs 1,299 but we may have a category below Rs 1,000. Casual shirts will also be in the mid segment in the price range of Rs 899 to Rs 1,499.” Talking about the times, Springfield was launched in the market, Shetty says, “When we started, people preferred customized stitching. I was well connected with the worsted suiting business, so we started with trousers. But now the demand has moved towards readymade suits. Customized is preferred mainly at the top end. And top end brands have created a very big demand for the suit market.” The brand’s product range is currently experimenting with suits with a classic fit and fashion fits. Shetty says, “Fashion fits are slimmer and narrower, which are dominating the market now. Fashion suits have lapels with velvet and embellishments, the fabrics are shinier but with a clean look. We also have basic jackets priced between Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,500. Classic suits are between Rs 4,999 or Rs 5,999 and fashion jackets are from Rs 4,500 to Rs 5,500.” Since the brand offers a value product, it is retailed through Aditya Birla Retail, Star Bazaar and The Loot. The range is present in three or four such stores. Now it plans to enter other value format stores like Megamart. “In Bangalore, we are in about six multi brand outlets and on a pan India basis, we have presence through The Loot stores. But our concentration right now has been more on the western zone and the southern zone. We are looking at exploring the northern zone. We may even license the brand to a large retail group and help them in production or design,” Shetty adds. The brand has so far seen a growth of 10 per cent every year and this fiscal year end, it is looking at achieving a 25 per cent growth.

NEWS | Tiffany's in talks with Reena Wadhwa for India entry

2012-01-24T20:51:00.000+05:30

Iconic US jeweller Tiffany & Co is in talks to enter India through a 51% joint venture with actress-turned-luxury entrepreneur Reena Wadhwa, who already has a joint venture with Italian luxury brand Gucci, a person familiar with the negotiations said. "The deal is on the table now and could be signed soon," the person said.

Reena Wadhwa, who is married to investment banker and Ambit Group CEO Ashok Wadhwa, will float a new venture to run Tiffany's business, the person said.

Wadhwa confirmed she has been in talks with Tiffany's, but said nothing has been finalised. Tiffany & Co Vice President, Emerging Markets, Laurent Cathala said: "We have been pursuing discussions with potential partners and will announce the details of a business structure in India when we have finalised our plans and have signed the appropriate agreements."

Started as a stationery and fancy goods store in New York in 1837, Tiffany's is today the world's second-largest luxury jewellery retailer behind Chinese jeweller Chow Tai Fook, operating around 230 stores world over.

During its long history - Tiffany's will complete 175 years in September - the jeweller helped shape American culture including creating a design for the Union Army that would become baseball team New York Yankees' "NY" logo.

The company is fighting falling sales in the US and most European countries. During the festival season, better sales in Asian countries helped Tiffany's post a 7% rise in worldwide sales.

The company's management recently identified India as one of the key markets for the future. "We view India as an attractive long-term growth opportunity for Tiffany's," said Cathala, who heads Tiffany's emerging markets business, which covers the Middle East, Gulf countries, Europe, Africa, Turkey and India, and is based in Dubai.

Tiffany's is hoping to capture a pie of the country's $5.8-billion luxury market, which is expected to grow more than 20% a year to $14.7 billion by 2015.

Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/cons-products/fashion-/-cosmetics-/-jewellery/tiffanys-in-talks-with-reena-wadhwa-for-india-entry/articleshow/11609486.cms

NEWS | Price cuts on anvil: Retailers gear up for a strong 2012

2012-01-24T20:49:00.001+05:30

The Indian consumer has a pleasant surprise coming, retailers are pushing to get the customer back to their stores. CNBC-TV18's Ronak Jain and Sumiit Lakhutia report that price cuts are on the anvil, as the industry gears up for a strong 2012.

2011 was a disappointment for retailers... one they want to forget quickly. And as they scramble to bring footfalls back to their shopfloors, the customer will be king, discount season returns with a bang.
Low demand due to weak consumer sentiment saw inventories pile up through December. But retailers say inflation is coming down and a 5-10% price reduction before March will help do more than just clear inventory pileup.
Kishore Biyani, founder and group CEO of Future Group says, "I think we are seeing softening up of prices in the food side. There is a significant deflation that has happened compared to last year. In clothing, the merchandise that will come in the next season will be at a much lower price."
Price cuts won't be enough, say retailers. They believe 2012 will see the sector building on its strong fundamentals and grow from USD 550 billion industry, to an USD 825 billion industry by 2015. So expansion is not pass�.
Bijou Kurien, president and CEO, Reliance Retail says, "We are expanding. We are certainly not constraining ourselves from expanding. We don't see any reason for us to slow down."
Kabir Lumba, MD of Lifestyle International says, "Overall, we are growing at about 25-30% over last year. I think that is something we are quite comfortable with right now, even though the last two months were quite difficult."
But caution is in the air and belt-tightening will continue.
Biyani says, "We believe whatever interest cost has risen for us we will have to cut down on other costs to offset on that. We have to maintain our business and sales. In that sense we have to become a lean and trim organisation."
Mark Ashman, CEO of Hypercity Retail says, "We did see softening in November. We pulled back a little in December, but the reality was that December was slightly better than November, but we remain cautious."
If I may twist the proverb, it's is really a case of whether the shoppingcart is half-empty or half-full. And it's only when we reach the check-in counter, will we really see how loudly the cash register rings.
( Enjoy Moneycontrol.com on iPad and be prepared for a fantastic experience. Get real time stock quotes, interactive charts, market buzz, and watch CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz live on your iPad. Check out the free moneycontrol app. Click here to download now )

Source: http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/cnbc-tv18-comments/price-cutsanvil-retailers-gearforstrong-2012-_655811.html

JOBS | Manager Finance

2012-01-21T19:24:00.001+05:30

Job Description :

1. Overall responsibility for Maintaining Books of Account. 2. Controlling the GL activities by scrutinizing the ledger accounts periodically and ensure GAAP compliance and adherence to the Corporate Policies 3. Maintaining ledger accounts as per corporate chart of accounts. 4. Responsibility Trial Balance 5. Balance Sheet Reviews 6. Analytical review of P&L accounts, inventory valuation 7. Approving of creation/deletion of cost centers 8. Responsibility of Account reconciliations as per company's reconciliation criteria’s 9. Managing the accounts payable and accounts receivable process which would include intercompany
transactions. 10. Revenue and Expense Accruals, month close as per close calendar. 11. Manage Accounts Payables and vendor management. 12. Liaise with Internal auditors and statutory auditors 13. Responsible for compliances of all Direct Taxes, Indirect Taxes and Payroll taxes, 14. Ensure adequate insurance coverage for all the business risks. 15. Liaise with regional business teams for all their requirements. 16. Provide adhoc reports to the management and internal customers. 17. Responsible for Internal and Statutory Audit. 18. Manage warehouse team 19. People management of team, performing appraisals etc.

Salary: INR 8,00,000 - 15,00,000 P.A

Role Category: Accounts

Role: Accounts Manager

Keyskills: managerfinance, financemanager, corporatefinancemanager, managerfinance&accounts

Desired Candidate Profile

Education: (UG - B.Com - Commerce) AND (PG - CA, ICWA)

Please refer to the Job description above

Company Profile

Flipkart
http://www.flipkart.com/

Flipkart.com went live in 2007 with the objective of making books easily available to anyone who had internet access. Today, we're present across various categories including movies, music, games, mobiles, cameras, computers, healthcare and personal products, home appliances and electronics â and still counting!
With over 11.5 million book titles, 11 different categories, more than 2 million registered users and sale of 30000 items a day, we can say with utmost confidence that we are one of the leading e-commerce players in the country.

Contact Details

Executive Name:Raghavendra.Ramisetti

Contact:

Company:Flipkart

Email :raghavram@flipkart.com

Contact No: 9743110888

JOBS | Mgr Business Finance & Analytics

2012-01-21T19:22:00.000+05:30

Job Description :

Budgeting: annual, month-wise, region wise. Review of actual against budget, analyzing causes for variance, escalating. Profitability analysis and reporting. Capital budgeting, variance analysis and reporting. Receivables & Advances management.

Salary: Best As Per Industry Standards

Role Category: Corporate Planning/Consulting/Strategy

Role: Business Analyst

Keyskills: Mgr Business Finance & Analytics

Desired Candidate Profile

Education: (UG - Any Graduate - Any Specialization) AND (PG - CA, ICWA, MBA/PGDM - Finance)

CA / ICWA / MBA - Fin. 7-10 yrs post qualification exp in Finance / Commercial / Analytics function in CONSUMER DURABLE / RETAIL sector (Preferably). Exposure in costing, analytics, profitability, strategic decision making.

Company Profile

LNS Global
http://www.lnsglobal.com/

Click here to apply: http://jobsearch.naukri.com/job-listings-Mgr-Business-Finance-Analytics-LNS-Global-Bengaluru-Bangalore-7-to-10-years-190112002665?xz=11_0_15&f=-190112002665

JOBS | Branch Manager

2012-01-21T19:19:00.000+05:30

Job Description :

Responsible for achieving sales & collection plans and after sales service by managing company showroom. The showroom will cater to walk-in customers, institutional buyers & undertake promotional activities through showroom sales team.

Salary: Not Disclosed by Recruiter

Role: Retail Store Manager

Keyskills: Showroom Manager, Branch Manager, Store Manager

Desired Candidate Profile

Education: (UG - Any Graduate - Any Specialization, Graduation Not Required) AND (PG - Any PG Course - Any Specialization, Post Graduation Not Required)

Good communication, Selling Skills, Team Handling Experience, Admin & Accounting Skills, Experience in managing a retail / consumer durable showroom independently. Exp in furniture retail would be an added advantage.

Company Profile

Style Spa Furniture Limited
http://www.stylespafurniture.com

Style Spa Furniture is a part of 'Adventz Group' formerly KK Birla Group and is the largest furniture retail chain with over 100 showrooms spread all over India and is poised for rapid growth.

Contact Details

Executive Name:S Pashupathy

Contact Company:Style Spa Furniture Limited

Email Address:jobs@stylespafurniture.com

Contact No:
09380328553

JOBS | General Manager

2012-01-21T19:17:00.001+05:30

Job Description :

Will be primarily responsible for :

Yearly Budget Planning
Marketing / Branding Plan
Enabling Customer Satisfaction Measurement and to understand the Need Gap
Instore Activation
Build and Measure Brand Equity

Catchment Area Analysis / Promotion
CRM Process Formulation and Activation
Increase Reach of promotion by Media Evaluation
Enabling Customer Loyalty Programmes via Instore Activation
Web Marketing and PR
Reason Based Suggestion
Internal Quality Review

Salary: Not Disclosed by Recruiter

Role Category: Senior Management

Role: Head/VP/GM-Marketing

Keyskills: Marketing

Desired Candidate Profile

Education: (UG - Any Graduate) AND (PG - MBA/PGDM)

Should be having sound experience into hardcore Marketing. Should be an action and result oriented person with sound leadership qualities. Should be a Good planner and organiser. Should be having excellent communication skills.

Candidate from Mumbai need only apply.

Company Profile

Gangar Opticians Pvt. Ltd.
http://www.gangareyenation.com

Gangar Opticians Pvt. Ltd was established in the year 1977 as an Optical outlet in Dadar TT in Mumbai City. Presently we are the fastest growing optical retail store chain with 25 Outlets in Mumbai, 4 Outlets in Pune and growing. We give great emphasis on quality and variety in our inventory development. We utilize the highest TQM standards in rendering services at all steps of eye care. We enjoy great trust for reliability, consistency and dependability by our clients.

We believe in having interpersonal relations with clients and suppliers which has resulted in positive goodwill for us in the market.

Our mission is to make Gangar Eyenation a national chain of retail outlets which provides the best eye care products in the country.

We offer the largest range of international brands and variants in India. Every store has qualified and experienced optometrist, equip with latest machines and technologies to provide highest level of vision health care. At our stores we have trained staff to help in selection of eye wear to the clients.

Kindly visit our website www.gangareyenation.com to know more.

Mail :
hr@gangar.in

JOBS | Sr.Manager - Brands & COmmunication

2012-01-21T19:15:00.000+05:30

Job Description :

• To develop best in class creative for member communication including mailers, instore collaterals, print ads, etc.

• Support the New Store Opening and Events team with best creative content

• To ensure all creative material adheres to the brand guidlelines

• Lead the creation and updation of website content

• Liaison with the media externally and the NSO, events teams to come up with cost effective media campaigns

• Ensure all marketing activities are completed within the prescribed budge

Salary: INR 14,00,000 - 19,00,000 P.A

Role Category: Marketing

Role: Product/Brand Manager

Keyskills: Brand Manager with exposure to agency handling and media buying

Desired Candidate Profile

Education: (UG - Any Graduate) AND (PG - Any PG Course)

Brand Management

Knowledge of essential softwares as Corel Draw, AI, etc. used by creative agencies for releasing design artworks

Company Profile:

Bharti Walmart

About Bharti Walmart Private Limited
Bharti Walmart Private Limited is a joint venture between Bharti Enterprises, one of India's leading business groups with interests in telecom, agri-business, insurance and retail, and Walmart, the world’s leading retailer, renowned for its efficiency and expertise in logistics, supply chain management and sourcing. The joint venture is establishing wholesale business-to-business cash-and-carry and back-end supply chain management operations.

Click here to apply: http://jobsearch.naukri.com/job-listings-Sr-Manager-Brands-COmmunication-Bharti-Walmart-Gurgaon-8-to-11-years-180112000103?xz=11_0_15&f=-180112000103

NEWS | One of Mumbai's largest mall opens in Bhandup

2012-01-20T23:18:00.001+05:30

The suburb of Bhandup just got a makeover like it has never seen before. Its landscape and image changed from just a bustling place to one that houses Mumbai's largest shoppertainment destination. On Friday, Bhandup witnessed the opening of Neptune Magnet Mall-- a retail venture of the Neptune Group -- that is all set to give Mumbai city its several firsts - some of them experiences of a lifetime.

Neptune Magnet Mall is strategically located on LBS Marg in Bhandup (West) on the central line. The mall was inaugurated by Mr Ajay Piramal (Chairman, Piramal Group) and Mr Nayan Bheda (Managing Director of Neptune group). Neptune Magnet Mall, spread over an area of 10,56,000 sq. Ft,is a one-stop-shop for Mumbaites. One of the first few malls in India to have 10 anchors, ardent shoppers now simply don't need to look beyond. This coupled with the fact that this is the world's first mall to have two out of the top three retailers is no less than history.

With its four themed atriums, NeptuneMagnet Mall will give its patrons the chance to connect with themselves. Also, for movie-buffs, the fun would never end thanks to a 6 -screen multiplex. Mumbai's biggest two-level food court with a Family Entertainment Centre (FEC) of over 70,000 sq feet and two levels of dedicated parking also make Neptune Magnet Mallthe ultimate destination to meet, eat, shop and enjoy.

And this is just the beginning of the exciting adventure that Neptune Magnet mall promises to give its visitors! Did we forget to mention that it is also the first mall in Mumbai to have a real ice skating rink in the FEC and Easy day hypermarket? It doesn't end here. Keep watchingthis space for more!

Then, of course, there's room for everyone here. Neptune Magnet Mall promises to cater to those who seek more value for money, premium brands and appreciate the finer things in life. It's not for nothing that the mall is the first international standard shopping centres in the city.

Mr. Nayan Bheda, Managing Director of Neptune group, said, "We have tried to create a shopping destination that will give people the finest of shopping experiences. Neptune Magnet Mall has four huge atriums, giving the customers a perception of four malls being combined as one. The mall will soon change the landscape, peoplescape and shoppingscape of the city."

In fact,Neptune Magnet Mall has even managed to change Bhandup's skyline with several residential projects coming up soon after its entry was announced. Mr Susil S. Dungarwal, CEO Neptune Magnet Mall, said, "With Neptune Magnet Mall, the city will get several firsts including the first real ice skating rink. Our idea is to give people wholesome family shopping experience. Mumbaiites should gear up to experience shopping and entertainment like never before."

About Neptune Group: Established by likeminded entrepreneurs, Mr. Nayan Bheda, Mr. Sachin Deshmukh and Mr. Nayan Shah, the Neptune group keeps its unwavering focus on quality and optimization of costing by closely monitoring every project with a dedicated core team. Neptune has been able to grow considerably to build state-of-the-art commercial, residential, retail and entertainment structures across the country, as well as integrated townships and Information Technology Parks (IT). The Neptune group stands for trust, integrity, respect and passion.

Source: http://www.indiaretailnews.com/press-releases/109709-one-of-mumbai%27s-largest-mall-opens-in-bhandup