Retail Industry

Indian Retail Industry is standing at its point of inflexion, waiting for the boom to take place. The inception of the retail industry dates back to times where retail stores were found in the village fairs , Melas or in the weekly markets. These stores were highly unorganized. The maturity of the retail sector took place with the establishment of retail stores in the locality for convenience. With the government intervention the retail industry in India took a new shape. Outlets for Public Distribution System, Cooperative stores and Khadi stores were set up. These retail Stores demanded low investments for its establishment.

Retailing consists of the sale of goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be individuals or businesses. In commerce, a "retailer" buys goods or products in large quantities from manufacturers or importers, either directly or through a wholesaler, and then sells smaller quantities to the end-user. Retail establishments are often called shops or stores. Retailers are at the end of the supply chain. Manufacturing marketers see the process of retailing as a necessary part of their overall distribution strategy. The term "retailer" is also applied where a service provider services the needs of a large number of individuals, such as a public utility, like electric power.

Shops may be on residential streets, shopping streets with few or no houses or in a shopping mall. Shopping streets may be for pedestrians only. Sometimes a shopping street has a partial or full roof to protect customers from precipitation. Online retailing, a type of electronic commerce used for business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions and mail order, are forms of non-shop retailing.

Shopping generally refers to the act of buying products. Sometimes this is done to obtain necessities such as food and clothing; sometimes it is done as a recreational activity. Recreational shopping often involves window shopping (just looking, not buying) and browsing and does not always result in a purchase.

The retail industry in India gathered a new dimension with the setting up of the different International Brand Outlets, Hyper or Super markets, shopping malls and departmental stores.

Key Players in the Indian Retail Sector:

The untapped scope of retailing has attracted superstores like Wal-Mart into India, leaving behind the kiranas that served us for years. Such companies are basically IT based. The other important participants in the IndianRetail sector are Bata, Big Bazaar, Pantaloons, Archies, Cafe Coffee Day, landmark, Khadims, Crossword, to name a few.

Retailing in India: a forecast:

Future of organized retail in India looks bright. According to recent researches it is projected to grow at a rate of about 37% in 2007 and at a rate of 42% in 2008. It will capture a share of 10% of the total retailing by the end of 2010.

According to the Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Kamal Nath, the organized retail sector is expected to grow to a value of Rs. 2,00,000 crore (US$45 billion) and may generate 10 to15 million jobs in next 5 years. This can happen in two forms- 2.5 million of these people may be associated directly with retailing and the rest 10 million people may be gainfully employed in related sectors that will be pulled up through the strong forward and backward linkage effects.

However to compete in this sector one needs to have up-to-date market information for planing and decision making. The second most important requirement is to manage costs widely in order to earn at least normal profits in face of stiff competition.

World's Largest Retailers by Country - Top Global Retail Companies List:

Top Global Retail Ranking #1 - Wal-Mart Stores

Cash and Carry/Warehouse Club, Discount Department Store, Hypermarket/ Supercenter/ Superstore, Supermarket

88 U.S. Retail Companes on the Global 250 List

Australia

Top Global Retail Ranking #22 - Woolworths Ltd.

Convenience/ Forecourt Store, Discount Department Store, Electronics Specialty, Other Specialty, Supermarket

3 Australia Retail Companes on the Global 250 List

Austria

Top Global Retail Ranking #82 - SPAR Oster-reichische Warenhandels-AG

Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Other Specialty, Supermarket

2 Austria Retail Companes on the Global 250 List

Belgium

Top Global Retail Ranking #33 - Delhaize Group

Cash & Carry/Warehouse Club, Convenience/Forecourt Store, Drug Store/Pharmacy, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Other Specialty Supermarket

Brazil

Top Global Retail Ranking #106 - Comanhia Brasileira de Distribuicao SA Grupo Pao De Acucar

Convenience/Forecourt Store, Electronics Specialty, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Supermarket

Canada

Top Global Retail Ranking #38 - Loblaw Companies, Ltd.

Cash & Carry/Warehouse Club, Discount Store, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Supermarket

Chile

Top Global Retail Ranking #112 - S.A.C.I. Falabella

Department Store, Home Improvement, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore

China

Top Global Retail Ranking #63 - Gome Home Appliance Group

Convenience/Forecourt Store, Department Store, Home Improvement, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Supermarket

Denmark

Top Global Retail Ranking #83 - Dansk Supermarket A/S

Apparel/Footwear Specialty, Department Store, Discount Store, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore

Finland

Top Global Retail Ranking #80 - Kesko Corporation

Apparel/Footwear specialty, Convenience/Forecourt Store, Department Store, Discount Store, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Other Specialty, Supermarket

France

Top Global Retail Ranking #2 - Carrefour

Cash and Carry/Warehouse Club, Discount Department Store, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Supermarket, convenience/forecourt store

Germany

Top Global Retail Ranking #4 - Metro AG

Apparel/Footwear Specialty, Cash & Carry/Warehouse Club, Department Store, Electronics, Specialty, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Other Specialty, Supermarket

Hong Kong

Top Global Retail Ranking #56 - AS Watson & Company Ltd. SAR

Discount Store, Drug Store/Pharmacy, Electronics Specialty, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Other Specialty, Supermarket

Iceland

Top Global Retail Ranking #47 - Baugur Group hf.

Apparel/Footwear Specialty, Cash & Carry/Warehouse Club, Convenience/Forecourt Store, Department Store, Discount Store, Drug Store/Pharmacy, Electronics Specialty, Other Specialty Supermarket

Italy

Top Global Retail Ranking #52 - Coop Italia

Discount Store, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Supermarket, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore

Japan

Top Global Retail Ranking #16 - Seven & I Holdings Col, Ltd.

Mexico

Top Global Retail Ranking #137 – Organizacion Soriana S.A. de C.V.

Cash & Carry/Warehouse Club, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore

Netherlands

Top Global Retail Ranking #25 - Koninklijke Ahold N.V

Convenience/Forecourt Store, Discount Store, Drug Store/Pharmacy, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Other Specialty, Supermarket

Portugal

Top Global Retail Ranking #116 - Jeronimo Martins, SGPS SA

Cash & Carry/Warehouse Club, Discount Store, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Supermarket

Republic of Ireland

Top Global Retail Ranking #236 - Dunnes Stores Ltd.

Russia

Top Global Retail Ranking #15 - X5 Retail Group N.V.

Convenience/Forecourt Store, Discount Store, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Supermarket

Slovenia

Top Global Retail Ranking #230 - X5 Retail Group N.V.

South Africa

Top Global Retail Ranking #127 - Shoprite Holdings Ltd.

Apparel/Footwear Specialty, Convenience/Forecourt Store, Drug Store/Pharmacy, Home Improvement, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Other Specialty, Supermarket

South Korea

Top Global Retail Ranking #78 - Lotte Shopping Co., Ltd.

Department Store, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Supermarket

Spain

Top Global Retail Ranking #40 - El Corte Ingles, S.A.

Apparel/Footwear Specialty, Convenience/Forecourt Store, Department Store, Electronics Specialty, Home Improvement, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Other Specialty, Supermarket

Sweden

Top Global Retail Ranking #32 - The IKEA Group

Other Specialty

Switzerland

Top Global Retail Ranking #58 - Migros-Genos-senschafts Bund

Apparel/Footwear Specialty, Convenience/Forecourt Store, Department Store, Discount Store, Electronics Specialty, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Other Specialty, Supermarket

Taiwan

Top Global Retail Ranking #187 - President Chain Store Corp.

Convenience/Forecourt Store, Department Store, Drug Store/Pharmacy, Other Specialty, Supermarket

Thailand

Top Global Retail Ranking #228 - CP All

Turkey

Top Global Retail Ranking #190 - Migros Turk T.A.S.

Discount Store, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Supermarket

United Kingdom

Top Global Retail Ranking #3 - Tesco

Convenience/Forecourt Store, Department Store, Discount Department Store, Hypermarket/Supercenter/Superstore, Supermarket