With the launch of Reliance Mart in Ahmedabad, probably Reliance’s biggest bet in its retail venture, the company is all geared to shake up India’s organised retail plans with its slew of investments and strategies.
Reliance Mart in Ahmedabad is India’s largest hypermarket, spread over 1.65 lakh square feet offering 95,000 products in various product ranges consisting primarily of Reliance’s private labels. The most striking feature is the Rs.195 denim jeans something akin to Wal-Mart’s highly successful $10 jeans.
Other unique offerings of RelianceMart include tailoring, shoe repair, watch repair, a photo shop, gift services, laundry services, fresh bakery, ice-cream train for kids, ready-made batter, loose tea and pickles.
In the hypermarket space, Reliance faces competition from Pantaloon’s Big Bazaar, RPG’s Spencer’s Hyper and Tata’s Star India Bazaar. But considering the national reach and area occupied, Big Bazaar is the only real threat to Reliance Mart in the near future.
But Reliance Retail aims big in short span by opening 30 RelianceMart hypermarkets in 2007 and around 500 by 2010. Initially these would be opened in Delhi region, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Bangalore.
Reliance Retail already had tasted success with ‘Reliance Fresh’ and ‘Reliance Digital’. It is also in a process to launch 700 Reliance Town Centre (RTC) in cities having population below 3 lakh. Each RTC would have a health centre, vocational training, multiplexes, retail outlets and an auto centre.
In the next few years, Reliance Retail will also introduce 1600 rural business hubs (RBH) in rural areas, which could give tough time to ITC’s Choupal Sagar, Godrej Aadhar and DCM Shriram’s Hariyali Kisan Bazaar.
Considering Reliance Retail’s investment plans and quick implementation, it can taken for sure that retail market is going to make a complete turnaround much before entry of global giants like Wal-Mart, Tesco and Carrefour.
Another important strategic tactic seems to be that Reliance Retail is catering to every economic and social strata of the Indian economy making itself a part of pocket of every Indian. On the flip side, it could throw away many large and small retailers out of business, especially those who are situated within the vicinity of a Reliance outlet as it would be difficult for anyone to match Reliance’s cost effectiveness and product offering.
May be very soon, we would have to call Mukesh Ambani as India’s new retail king and Kishore Biyani as the dethroned king. Though Biyani would always remain India’s first retail king.
Find this article at: http://www.labnol.org/india/corporate/reliance-retail-plans-could-stir-up-indias-retail-scene/1141/
Tags: ambani, pantaloon, reliance retail, supermarket, tata, walmart, Corporate, India
Reader Comments
we are leading garment manufacturer. we want to supply our garment in reliance mart so what is prosidure. pl. let us know. we are waiting your reply
Written by vijay on 11.24.07
Dear Sirs,
Where can I get the e-mail and the adress of the Reliance Retail Company (owners of Reliance Mart) ?
Is there a special department for the shoe repair shops within the Reliance Marts ?
Thank you very much
F.Emrich
Written by F. Emrich on 04.27.08