For instance, the Westside store in Kolkata, which typically caters to western lifestyle fashion and accessories, includes a large sari department, an element not typical of their stores. A unique merchandising strategy such as this one is indicative of the company's awareness of, and conscious efforts to accommodate, regional and cultural differences, not least of which is the predominance of traditional women's attire in eastern India.

Traditional tendencies are, of course, more likely in rural India , where exposure to globalisation and economic growth remains comparatively low. Fashion and entertainment expenditures, which have grown tremendously in urban areas, haven't quite caught on in the countryside, where food spending still accounts for nearly 65 per cent of the market. When non-food retailers think of the east or south, therefore, they are inclined to use precaution. As populations and agricultural income continue to grow, however, the case to explore rural India and burgeoning tier III cities is indeed gaining momentum.

Not surprisingly, regional differences transcend merchandising and product lines. In an article published last year in The Hindu Business Line , it was brought to light that Tamilian television commercials are remarkably characterised by “song and dance” advertising strategies – to the extent that nearly “every brand has a song and dance commercial” on TV. This form of advertising, particularly popular in Chennai, illustrates the south's obsession with Tamil films and how deeply the movies have penetrated popular culture through to marketing retail.

In more mature retail markets, like Delhi and Mumbai, competition between shopping centres is sure to hasten mall differentiation. Developers, managers and retailers will be faced with the convergence of retail and lifestyles in an increasingly fastidious consumer base. As a result, the “event” character of shopping will be more important, a trend whereby basic need expenditures decrease proportionately, and consumer and luxury goods increase. In northern and western urban markets, jewellery and cosmetic spending is likely to triple in the next five years.

The varying degree of growth from one region to the next, and from urban centres to the Indian countryside should not be understated. Gaps, trends and opportunities are directly correlated to the level of sophistication of the consumer base. And yet, it would be a fallacy to overlook the convergence of retail trends in the major urban markets, regardless of place.

The influence of Bollywood, the maturation of Mumbai retail, and the entrance of international brands have had a profound impact on consumer behaviour throughout the entire country, but this is especially true of the big cities. According to Santosh Martin of DivyaSree Developers in Bangalore , “Consumer behaviour is becoming more amorphous with every passing day. Today, it might not be as easy to clearly distinguish between consumer behaviour in the west and consumer behaviour in the south as boundaries are dimming.”

Indeed, consumers are being exposed to similar-quality products across the country. As the spending power increases in one region, consumers are buying more and more, turning to global and mature Indian markets as a frame of reference. Martin adds: “With the retail sector opening up to international players in the near future and the continued growth of Indian retailers, we expect to see demand shoot up exponentially across the country and into tier III cities and smaller towns.”

From that perspective, with over a dozen malls anticipated by the end of next year in Kolkata, the east hasn't got far to go in order to do some catching-up. In fact, emerging markets such as these are almost at an advantage given their propensity to cultural sensitivity and reasonable accommodation.

These points of differentiation, while strengthening retail performance, are also an excellent benchmark for understanding the regional and cultural complexities of one of the fastest-growing retail markets on the planet.