Retail Mantra

A one time small retailer has branched out into a chain of six stores with plans to spread itself further in the northern market. IMAGES BoF profiles the New Delhi-based fashion store, Ritu Wears.

Neha Chhetri disseminates the fashion idiom that makes Metal and Punk, well, different.

We Want to give our customer and his or her familiy pure fashion with true value. Our focus is not on any particular segment, rather on the dressing up of the whole family.

On an average, Ritu Wears outlets cover 25,000 sq ft and the year-on-year growth stands at 50 per cent. The company expects a turnover of Rs 90 crore in the present fiscal. “We started as a small retail shop. However, with lots of energy and dreams to achieve something, we started expanding in 1984. In today's retail business, more retail space means more opportunities. We have just opened the largest family fashion outlet in New Delhi. And also plan to open a bigger outlet in Greater Noida by 2009. We want to concentrate on the northern region and plan to open 7-8 new ventures in the coming years,” comments Samir.

With the new 50,000 sq ft outlet in Rohini that opened in late October, Ritu Wears has become a complete home and lifestyle store with its entry into the home and furnishings segment.

Fashion unveiled

Aiming to be a super brand in the family fashion business, Ritu Wears retails some of the best known national and international apparel and lifestyle labels in the market. “Our catch line is ‘clothes for happy family'. We want to create a name in family fashion. We don't believe in hypermarkets. Rather, we want give to our customer and his or her family – pure fashion with true value. Our focus is not on any particular segment, rather on the whole family dressing,” Samir says.

While menswear constitutes 40 per cent of the total sales at Ritu Wears, womenwear and kidswear cover 25 and 30 per cent respectively. A visit to its Lajpat Nagar outlet for women and kids, even before noon on a weekday, reveals its popularity. The presence of unorganised vendors selling everything – from tops to trousers at bargainable prices – does not seem to deter shoppers from crowding the Ritu Wears outlet.

Private labels

It was only last year that, Ritu Wears introduced a number of private labels across segments. On the anvil are some more in the coming spring/summer. “We do not want to put up private labels without proper research. We believe there needs to be a proper thought behind it. Factors like whom we are competing against – is it brands or non-brands that will help us decide our strategy,” said Samir.

He hopes that in the next two years, private labels would constitute 10-20 per cent of the company's sales.

Footwear

This regional player also recently unveiled a ‘Shoe Shop' under which it sells footwear. The company claims to retail all major men's footwear brands through its Rohini and Pacific Mall stores. It has introduced private labels – Black and Rockwood – in this segment too. It plans to introduce a new brand – Egoss by this December.

In the women's footwear segment, the company sells in-house brands. It plans to introduce formal shoes in the children's segment.

Cosmetics & fragrances

Family fashion is incomplete without cosmetics. Some of the dominant players in this segment include Lakme, Revlon, Ponds, L'Oreal and Chambor. L'Oreal has an edge over the other brands in skincare and age solution premium products segment. Maybelline is doing well in the small size premium lipstick and nail enamel category.

Some of the best selling brands in fragrances in the premium range include Hugo Boss, Gucci and Mont Blanc. The mass segment is dominated by Adidas and Joven. Jeanne Arches controls the mid price point market in fragrances. The best selling prices ranges in premium segment is Rs 2,000-3,000, in mid segment Rs 800-12,000 and in mass segment is Rs 300-600.

CRM

Ritu Wears claims to earn Rs 1,500 per sq ft on an average with the average oncome range of its customer profile falling in the Rs 25,000 and above income catergory. “One of the major factors for our growth has been our emotional attachment with our customers. Through our customer loyalty programme, we keep our customers updated through frequent mailer about the latest developments in our stores,” said Samir.

The company claims to have around one lakh frequent customers of which 25,000 are registered with the company's customer loyalty programme. Ritu Wears follows the return and exchange policy under which customers can return goods bought from the outlets within three months of purchase. It also organises schemes that help sustain and increase its customer base. Local celebrities like Shibani Kashyap have been roped in for endorsements.

On the advertisement front, the company spends two per cent of its turnover and uses medium including television, press, hoarding and banners.

inputs by Kunal Majumder