• Online Retailing: Companies can make use of Websites or web portal or tie-ups with horizontal players like Rediff.com, Indiatimes.com, and other Internet players to offer products to the consumers.

On January 02, 2007 Pantaloon Retail (India) Limited (PRIL), launched its online retail arm, futurebazaar.com. This marked the entry of India's leading retail chain into the online retail segment¹

• Emergence of discount stores: They are expected to spearhead the organized retailing revolution. Stores trying to emulate the model of Wal-Mart.

• Mass Media: A supermarket has limited area of operation. It caters to customers of a city (and/or its suburbs), but a web site can be accessed from any part of the country or for that matter from any part of the world, thus increasing the potential customer base.

Certainly all the above factors will lead to organized way of doing business in retail. To add on to these points, there are few more factors which drives the business like Demographics, Growth in income and value-added goods.

Conclusion:

Organized Retailing is the thing of near future .Organized retail business is already being followed in US, France, UK and other European countries. The time for next big changes here are yet to happen and I am sure that our lifestyles will soon be changed by the way we witnessed changes in other technological advancements hitting our way of life like mobile phones, Palm Tops and Airline Industry.

References:

1. RNCOS, Booming Retail Sector in India, http://www.1888pressrelease.com/
2. http://www.amritt.com
3. http://www.datamonitor.com
4. http://www.ibef.org
5. http://www.indianground.com/retail/retail-sector-in-india.aspx
6. http://www.businessinsights.biz/Business%20Insights%20International/Business%20Updates/The%20Emergence%20of%20Online%20Retailing%20in%20India.htm

About the Author

The author is Trainer and Consultant for Apparel Retail Management and IT.

¹ Pantaloon launches e-retailing portal," www.business-standard.com, January 03, 2007