FabMart extends RU-BAN retail model to Tamil Nadu

FabMart.Com a finalist at the India Retail Forum 2012 for the Best Retail Innovation award, introduced ‘RU-BAN’ the retail model that is aimed at bridging the retail gap between ‘rural-urban’ India. FabMart.Com will integrate the business of retail with the social fabric of small towns empowering the retailer in rural markets (or smaller towns) and provide local consumers with a choice of products that are otherwise available only in metros and larger Indian cities.

“We are on an expansion mode and we are launching in Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu,” said Alphonse Reddy, CEO, FabMart.Com. “We had an overwhelming response from our recent launch in Andhra Pradesh last month where, in a span of twenty-five days we had over 100 enquiries and after carrying out our due-diligence, we were able to appoint 20 FabMart Franchisees and the rest will be appointed in the coming few weeks,” he added.

Consumers in smaller towns are excited and have been increasingly demanding a similar shopping experience (in terms of brands, product range, special offers) to those of their counterparts in larger cities. Similarly, some of the big brands have been looking for an entry into smaller towns.

Technology Enablement

The RU-BAN business model brings the retailers, brands and consumers together on a single technology-enabled platform, placing the smaller retailer at the center of FabMart.Com business model. The retailers book the orders from their customers using a touch-screen tablet as a device. The customer returns in a few days to collect the product, thereby eliminating concerns around security of online transactions or the use of credit cards, creating a win-win situation for FabMart.Com, the retailer, the brand owner and the consumer. Through this process, FabMart.Com has put the retail power back in the hands of the small local retailer. This is achieved by empowering them with technology as an enabler and by providing the retailer training on customer focus and dealing in branded products.

Growth And Market Focus

FabMart.Com business strategy has an aggressive expansion drive to appoint more than 100 franchisees in Tamil Nadu and a total of 750 retailers across South India this year. Across multiple locations, this number is expected to increase to 2,500 by 2013 and further, to 12,000 franchisees by end of 2014. Following the expansion in Tamil Nadu, FabMart.Com plans to enter Karnataka, and eventually across India.

FabMart.Com, a part of Madanapalle Retail Private Limited is a retail venture aimed at integrating branded retail with the social fabric of emerging India. FabMart.Com follows the unique RU-BAN model, leveraging the goodwill of the smaller retailer to bring rural consumers and big brands on a common technology-enabled platform.

Madanapalle Retail Private Limited