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The stage is set for the next big fight in the online world as new CEOs take the helm at the top fashion ecommerce companies amid mounting challenges of getting customers to buy clothes and accessories without deep discounting. (The Economic Times)

Retail sector in Delhi has potential to grow up to three times even though there is tough competition from the online segment. (KNN Bureau)

Ecommerce companies and technology startups outpaced IT/ITeS firms for the first time as the biggest office space taker in the country in the first half of the year. (The Economic Times)

India’s largest e-commerce firm, Flipkart, has launched 20 stores in 10 cities to let its customers collect the items they ordered online at their convenience, mimicking similar moves from Amazon.com Inc. (Mint)

Two years after scrapping plans to open retail outlets across the world's second-biggest consumer market, Wal-Mart is recommitting to India as a wholesaler. In August, Wal-Mart will open its first new Best Price Modern Wholesale store in India since 2012 as part of a plan to expand from 20 stores to 70 within five years, company executives say. (Los Angeles Times)

Customers from tier-3 and tier-4 towns and beyond are growing aspirational and on their shopping lists are products like microwave ovens, dishwashers and high-tech smart phones. (Daily News & Analysis - DNA)

In the past few years, a slew of pure-play e-tailing companies, including Lenskart, Healthkart, Fabfurnish and Caratlane, among others, have already or are in the process of opening physical stores. Will this Online to Offline (O2O) model be an important game-changer for the future of retailing in India? (Indiaretailing.com)

Ultimately exceptional levels of service happens out of a delivery boy/girl’s personal willingness to go beyond the call of duty. (The Hindu-Businessline)

There are no shortcuts for mass-segment brands looking to go premium. Here are a few handy rules of thumb. (Business Standard)

Spanish fashion brand Zara has become the fastest brand to cross the $100-million sales mark, five years after it opened its first shop here. (The Economic Times)

Retailers fear that if e-commerce companies are allowed better access to foreign capital, the level playing field between two types of consumer services will be disturbed. (Businessworld)

A delectable combination of rising disposable incomes, changing lifestyles and a young population’s growing penchant for indulgence has transformed India into one of the world’s fastest growing chocolate markets. (Quartz India)

Sure, eTailing is growing by leaps and bounds. But eTailers are booking more losses than profits. Deep discounts and returns are a downward spiral they can’t pull out of. (Businessworld)

After sudden market share gains by online players, strategies of several traditional retailers now revolve around omni-channel retail. Within a year of its launch, sales of Trendin have equalled those of 30 branded stores, or close to 1% of Madura’s turnover. (The Economic Times)

Living in the shadows of the IT business, Wipro's consumer care enterprise often goes unnoticed. Yet, Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting is a globe-trotting behemoth in its own right, within striking distance of becoming a billion-dollar business. (Forbes India)

The country's food regulator plans to soon put the onus on retailers to check for product approvals and could hold them responsible if they are found selling items that have not been approved by it.. (The Economic Times)

The Tata Group will launch the country's first hybrid online retailing venture, a combination of a portal that will list brands and handle payment transactions and brick-andmortar stores that will set prices, deliver products and provide customer support. (The Economic Times)

Fashion and lifestyle e-tailer Myntra is understood to have seen a drop in sales after going app-only last month, say market watchers. However, the etailer has no immediate plans to revive the website. (Financial Express)

Private labels in daily household, personal care and food products are soon expected to drive nearly half the sales for online grocers, as they aggressively expand their portfolio for higher margins. (The Economic Times)

Globally, the fashion major GAP is overhauling the way it manages its brand. What is its story in India? (Business Standard)

Local services can help e-commerce players trim costs and improve profit margins but execution is a challenge. (Business Standard)

Snapdeal is starting a two week advertising blitz for a home decor sale and has asked vendors for higher margins to fund the ad campaigns. (The Economic Times)

In a highly unorganised market, Tanishq looks to demonstrate the difference standardisation can bring about. (Business Standard)

In a belated attempt to salvage its reputation, Swiss FMCG major Nestle on Friday decided to recall its Maggi instant noodles from retail shelves in the Indian market. (Financial Express)

Amit Agarwal, managing director of Amazon India, appears sartorially to mimic his boss, Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos. The two men also are diminutive in build and brisk in manner. Agarwal sounds like Bezos when he says that in Internet and online retail time, India is still on Day One. (Forbes Asia)

Puma, which made its India debut in 2006, said it posted sales of Rs 766.75 crore in the 2014 calendar year, inching closer to companies such as Adidas and Nike that entered the country earlier. (The Economic Times )

Taking a dig at each other on social media seems to be the norm for new-age entrepreneurs. A few days after Housing.com CEO Rahul Yadav took on founders of Zomato and Olacabs, it is Flipkart’s Sachin Bansal turn to take on rival Snapdeal on Twitter. (The Hindu Businessline)

Grocery e-tailing -- once not an in-favour category with Indian e-tailers -- is gunning for growth with startups and existing players eyeing an online shot. For some though, it's an exploration of the genesis of what really matters in retail. (Indiaretailing.com)

Paytm is set to allow 100,000 sellers from Chinese etailer Alibaba's online shopping portal AliExpress to start retailing on its platform in India from August, a senior executive at the mobile commerce company said. (The Economic Times)

Neighbourhood kirana stores know their customers like none other. Giant retailers have leant that now, and have realised that partnering with them is their best bet. (Businessworld)

AC makers are focussing on institutional sales to make up for slowing retail growth. Industry players assume the growth of air-conditioning in the B2B segment would be 25-30%, compared with single-digit growth in the retail sector. (The Economic Times)

Myntra.com, India's largest online fashion retailer, has seen a 10% drop in sales since it shut its website and turned a mobile app-only etailer last week. The company, owned by Flipkart, had factored in such a decline and hoped to return to the level of sales prior to the move in the coming weeks. (The Economic TImes)

Flipkart-Myntra, the country's largest e-commerce player, maybe busy moving to an app-only format, but its closest rivals Snapdeal and Amazon say they have no plans to shut down their websites and focus only on mobile. (The Economic Times)

The future of fashion shopping in India appears all about about m-commerce. Top fashion retailer Myntra - which was acquired by India's biggest e-tailer Flipkart in May 2014 - on Monday said it will go mobile only beginning Friday. (WWD)

In its latest campaign, Amazon India attempts to discard its 'metro brand' image and woo the mass buyer. (Business Standard)

Amazon launches service that will allow third-party merchants to sell ethnic apparel, shoes, yoga books and other products to customers in US, UK. (MINT)

At a time when consumer demand has not exactly been upbeat, the two back-to-back deals among the biggest offline retailers over the last two days signals that more mergers and acquisitions could be in the offing. (The Hindu Businessline)

The Indian e-commerce space is still at a very nascent stage with significant potential for innovation and growth. With customer acquisition done, Indian ecommerce players are levying additional charges with eye on profitability. (Financial Express )

In an unprecedented move, beverage maker Coca-Cola is sponsoring Reliance Retail's ongoing five-day 'Big Jackpot' sale across its 600-plus food and grocery stores and has ended up promoting rival PepsiCo's products. (The Economic Times)

Danish fashion company Bestseller will soon bring in its premium brand Selected to expand its India portfolio to four brands. (The Economic Times)

Brick-and-mortar retailers are beginning to spend more on technology and omni-channel strategies to combat the growing threat from ecommerce, a boon for tech firms who had seen revenue growth from retail decelerate in the last few years. (The Economic Times)

Acquisition seems to be the trend among India’s online consumer businesses. From Flipkart’s acquisition of Myntra to Snapdeal’s buyout of Exclusively.com, there is news of acquisition coming in from all quarters. (IMAGES Retail)

Brick-and-mortar book stores are rethinking their strategy to take on competition from online market places, which lure book lovers with attractive discounts. (The Economic Times)

The market for used goods is growing, with new types of products being transacted online. Person-to-person sales are on the rise as more individuals understand and transact with ease online. (The New Indian Express)

Future Group's Kishore Biyani wants to get to Rs 100,000 crore in sales by 2020. He's chalked out an ambitious push, one that will change the face of his company. (Forbes India)

The company runs Jawed Habib Academy and salon and parlour brands Bevels, Hair Yoga, Jawed Habib Hair & Beauty and Hair Xpresso. (The Economic Times)

Target, the $73-billion retailer, becomes the first global corporation to take a major dive into working with Indian start-ups. It has worked with 10 already in just over a year. (Business World)

The focus for India's ecommerce sector needs to shift from rapid expansion and capturing market share to building sustainable businesses. (Quartz India)

Looking into the future: identifying India's online successes. (Forbes India )

The rise of vertical players and aggregators points to a change in the largely horizontal game in the Indian online retail industry. (Forbes India)

The turbocharged e-commerce in India may be staring at its second round of consolidation with heightened Mergers & Acquisition (M&A) activity in this space. According to experts, the trend of M&A is set to grow by leaps and bounds. (The New Indian Express)

Reliance Industries (RIL) has sought shareholders' approval to make major forays into the online retail space to cash in on the boom in the country's e-commerce market that is expected to grow four-fold to almost $70 billion by 2019. (The Economic Times)

Online grocers such as Meragrocer.com, BigBasket.com and LocalBanya.com are showcasing food recipes and blogs on their websites and selling all-in-one, do-it-yourself kits to engage the customer. (The Economic Times)

There are over 120 million people over the age of 60 in India. That is more than the entire population of most of the countries in the world. (The Economic Times)

As malls jostle with each other for the same audience, brands either have to jump ship or stay put. A mall with a clear target audience wins their vote. (Business Standard)

India's North-Eastern states are fast emerging as the drivers of growth for some leading e-commerce companies, which claim double-digit growth in the market after having overcome last-mile delivery challenges. (The Economic Times)

Xiaomi will likely set up a marketplace platform and bring on board third-party retailers to sell the phones on its portal Mi.com. (The Economic Times)

In search of the next sales pitch, some of Madura Fashion and Lifestyle's (part of Aditya Birla Nuvo) apparel brands are turning to customisation. (Business Standard)

As online shopping grows in India, deal sites that offer cash-back and discount coupons have emerged, helping retailers to add customers and widen the market. (The Economic Times)

Trent Hypermarket — the equally owned joint venture between the Tata Group and UK's Tesco — plans to invest Rs 250 crore as the only Indian multibrand retailer with foreign investment aims to open more stores. (The Economic Times)

The market for male grooming products is Rs. 4,300 crore and growing as Indian men today are increasingly conscious about their appearance. (The Hindu Businessline)

Paytm, which began as a mobile recharge and utility bill payment service in late 2010, has morphed into a fullblown ecommerce marketplace similar to Amazon and Flipkart, only focused on mobile right from the start. (The Economic Times)

While the telecom and retail businesses hold promise, many of the group’s businesses are struggling.. (Businessworld)

Being Human, which currently has more than 500 points of sale, appears to have instilled the confidence in Mandhana's promoters to forge out on their own in apparel retail in India, which is not only crowded but also unorganised to a large extent. (Business Standard)

In a bid to strengthen their presence in the e-commerce sector, large players such as Amazon, Snapdeal and Flipkart are likely to look at acquiring companies with niche, differential capabilities, say industry analysts. (Business Today)

Despite an online shopping frenzy in the country and large investors stepping in to fund several online retailers, most e-commerce players are yet to turn their click-and-buy model into big businesses as the big ones steal the show. (The Economic Times)

eBay India, one of the earliest online marketplaces in the country, has slipped behind both Flipkart and Amazon on revenues from seller commissions as its two rivals along with Snapdeal have been aggressively pushing sales with big discounting events and high-decibel marketing. (The Economic Times)

In less than a year, 22 million have used Paytm, generating business worth Rs. 3,500 crore. This is the brave new world of mobile wallets, where hard cash and payment cards are passé. (The Hindu Businessline)

A host of popular brands, including Ferrari, Bang & Olufsen, Montblanc, Etro, Brioni and Bulgari are revisiting their India business plans by tweaking one of the most important factors - the local partner. Reasons differ. (The Economic Times)

Consider the numbers. In three years of operations (2012-2014), Jabong and Myntra's combined top line has hit Rs 1,000 crore for the year ended March 2014. Growth has been more than blistering. (The Economic Times)

A late entrant in the crowded marketplace, Burger King, the international burger chain, has adapted its offering to suit Indian taste buds. But will that be enough? (Forbes India)

The founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba and China’s richest man, Jack Ma, is in India after apparently being swayed by the persuasive powers of prime minister Narendra Modi to come and do business in the subcontinent. (Quartz India)

In a way, Biyani would relate to Nilgiris. He was an apparel manufacturer who made it big in retail. The Nilgiris-founder, Muthuswami Mudaliar, was a milk supplier who went on to set up one of India's earliest modern retail chains. (Business Standard)

Retailers lament that their sales have dropped by more than 35-40 per cent during the past three months as online market firms went on a marketing blitz. (Hindu Businessline)

UCLA and Harvard are selling branded apparel in India. Soon, the University of Oxford will, too. What’s the draw? (Hindu Businessline)

Multinational retailer Wal-Mart on Thursday refuted the allegations made by Cobrapost.com of foreign direct investment violation in India and insisted that it regularly conducts membership audit internally to keep a tight vigil and continuously improve strict compliance norms. (Hindustan Times)

Unlisted major DS Group is eyeing new growth drivers in the FMCG space to dwarf its core tobacco and mouth freshener businesses. (Outlook Business)

In the festive season frenzy of online shopping, the big players have elbowed out the small ones, in more ways than one. (Business Today)

Several brick-and-mortar retailers are forging exclusive partnerships with e-commerce marketplaces including Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal to target the growing base of net-savvy consumers, digressing from their earlier strategy of considering online players as rivals over deep discounting. (The Economic Times)

Wipro's consumer care and lighting business could end this fiscal year with $1 billion (Rs 6,000 crore) in revenue, as the company expects the Modi-led government's promised reforms to lead to a better second-half of the year for the company. (The Economic Times)

Starbucks, the world's largest coffee retailer, posted nearly three times more per-store sales than established rivals in India in its first full year of operations in the country. (The Economic Times)

E-tailers in India have been racing ahead, but the hunt for buyers has burned Rs 1,000 crore hole in their books, according to their year-end filings with the Registrar of Companies. (The Economic Times)

From a swadeshi mill to global denim-maker, Arvind has constantly reinvented itself. Its next big opportunity is the country’s high-earning millennials who love to dress in big brands. (The Hindu Businessline)

E-tailers such as Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal, are spending a fortune on television advertising. This is a throwback to 1999-2000 when dotcoms had raised a lot of money from venture capitalists and were spending heavily on advertising. (Business Today )

Discount chain to expand to the east and west, continue with third-party brands. (Business Standard)

Flipkart, which has raised nearly $1.8 billion from investors since starting out in 2007, including $1.2 billion this year, is looking to aggressively push sales of high-value large appliances such as TVs, refrigerators and air-conditioners. (MINT)

With the festive season underway, retailers in the online and the offline world need to prepare well to offer the best deals to consumers and earn trust. (Business Standard)

The world's largest online store Amazon and India's largest listed retailer Future Group have signed a deal to jointly sell goods over the Internet amid growing friction between online and offline retailers over heavy discounting. (Quartz India)

Parimala S. Rao visits a sprawling mall in Kerala to come up with the verdict that brick-and-mortar retail is alive and kicking. (Catalyst - The Hindu Businessline)

India’s shopping websites including Flipkart, Snapdeal and Amazon are fighting for the massive bump in sales in the festive season surrounding Diwali. (Quartz India)

As Diwali approaches, brick-and-mortar retailers are scrambling to compete with online websites offering hefty discounts to woo shoppers. (New Indian Express)

In the past two months alone, at least six top executives have quit leading PE firms, citing reasons such as starting their own funds, a lack of performance by the existing funds, and entering the e-commerce space, which has recently witnessed a lot of action. (Business Standard)

Although international luxury brands have opened flagship stores all over developing Asia, they have hardly touched the Indian market. This may be about to change. (Nikkei Asia Review)

Two big deals in July changed the landscape for the nation's online retail industry, while also offering more business to providers of support services ranging from website development and payment services to logistics. (The Economic Times)

The food processing business is set to boom in India and Future Group is ready to cash in on it. How will the benefits flow to the farmers and the consumers? (Scroll.in)

Omni-channel is not just a buzzword; reaching out to consumers through all possible shopping points is becoming imperative. (Business Standard)

At a time when Swedish retailer Ikea is making big plans to enter India, the country’s largest retailer Reliance Retail is winding up its furniture format under Reliance Living. (The Hindu Businessline)

Cab booking service TaxForSure, which recently raised $35 million in funding, has cut rates sharply, joining a fare battle with rivals Olacabs and Uber to grab a bigger share of a rapidly growing market. (Mint)

Eureka Forbes will find it tough to retain market share in its core water purifier business as competition intensifies. (Business Today)

Indian private equity (PE) investors are gearing up to participate in the e-commerce growth story. In recent past, back-end logistic players have been on radar of PE players. India's e-commerce market, which is expected to reach $20 billion by 2020, has seen the presence of five-six large organised specialised logistics players. (Business Standard)

Commencing a new restaurant business in India usually comes with a lot of challenges. But these are compouned when you replicate a foreign brand's model in India. (Franchise India/ Retailer)

RBI has said Uber and other companies that offer app-based purchases cannot allow customers to pay with their credit cards without a two-step authentication process. (MINT)

Markets overseas are ravenous for ready-to-eat chhole, dal makhni and other desi food. Indian kitchens still prefer home-cooked meals over convenience, but will that change soon? (The Hindu Businessline)

Gap Inc., which sells brands such as Banana Republic, Old Navy and Piperlime, has signed a franchise agreement with Arvind Lifestyle Brands Ltd, a unit of Arvind Ltd to enter India. (MINT)

E-commerce sites in the religious segment launch value-added services to rake in the moolah. (Business Standard)

Arvind Group is hoping to achieve sales of Rs1,000 crore through its online business over the next three years, says executive director Kulin Lalbhai. (MINT)

Meats and flavoured yoghurt are the new additions in the portfolio of Graviss Foods, the Indian franchise of Baskin Robbins, as it wants to tap into the quick service restaurant and specialty organised retail businesses according to Sanjay Coutinho, CEO.. (Outlook Business)

Partnering with brands to be their exclusive sales partner seems to be the flavour of the season for e-commerce companies. (The Economic Times)

Meru Cabs, India’s largest taxi fleet operator, plans to start services outside India by the next financial year and is evaluating entering countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. (MINT)

Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, is shaking up the Indian market and re-writing many of its ‘inviolable’ rules. (The Hindu Businessline )

The retail real estate segment saw a significant rise in vacancies in April-June 2014 over the January-March levels as supply increased and tenants exited under performing centres. (DNA)

Fashionara.com has raised $7-8 million (around Rs.42-48 crore) from its existing investors Helion Venture Partners and Lightspeed Venture Partners and plans to increase its sales by expanding into new cities and increasing its product range. (MINT)

Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) are not an easy investment sector as private equity investors are discovering in India. (The Economic Times)

Carrefour, since its entry into India in 2010, was not able to find a partner to expand its business beyond five stores, and has decided to exit the market. However, experts say that too much shouldn't be read into the exit. (Business Today)

Here's how e-commerce players in India are shoring up revenue per visit to stay ahead in the race. (The Strategist - Business Standard)

Global e-tailing behemoth Amazon and N R Narayana Murthy's family office Catamaran Ventures have floated a joint venture to help small and medium businesses (SMBs) join the online bandwagon, taking advantage of a burgeoning number of online shoppers. (The Times of India)

Footwear brands Liberty and Bata lace up for a fresh round of sales battles to win over customers, as Liberty focusses on young customers and on online retail. (The Hindu BusinessLine)

Cab services provider Uber announced the launch of its low-cost cab brand UberX in Bangalore, New Delhi and Hyderabad to directly compete with local rivals such as Meru Cabs, Ola Cabs and others . (MINT)

Tech tycoon and Wipro chairman Azim Premji is a hidden dragon springing out an impressive fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) story in Asia's new tiger economies, knocking close on the heels of global powerhouses Unilever and Proctor & Gamble. (The Times of India)

Brands are increasingly leveraging themes based on a social cause, in a bid to break the clutter and ‘connect’ with the target audience.. (Retailer)

Competition from kirana stores, low margins and property & supply chain issues delay break-even in food & grocery chains. (Business Standard)

Armed with innovative products and brand extensions in niche adventure and outdoors categories, Harkirat Singh wants consumers to see Woodland in a new light. (Outlook Business)

Jyothy Laboratories is that rare company that grew up in the villages and is now ready to take on FMCG biggies in their urban strongholds. (The Hindu BusinessLine)

In another fillip for onlinefashion retail in India, FashionandYou has raised $10 million in funding, according to the company. (Women's Wear Daily - WWD)

The unprecedented victory by Narendra Modi in the world’s biggest democratic elections in India has created what can only be described as a wave of optimism, with many hoping that the country’s economic and business climate will now take a similarly dramatic turn for the better. (International Bar Association)

Many organised furniture e-retailers in India have followed the success story of IKEA keenly, borrowing and tweaking some of its strategies and applying them in their own ventures to drive scale. (Business Standard)

Almost eight years after its launch, Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Retail is ready to launch a multi-channel retail operation, which would integrate its physical stores with an e-commerce portal. (Business Standard)

Flipkart, India's largest e-retailer, has acquired online fashion retailer Myntra in a move that is likely to help the two domestic e-retailers face international competition better. (DNA)

Indian retailers are hopeful that the new BJP-led Government will do a volte face on its decision to oppose foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail, but the current policy itself is still flawed. (The Hindu Businessline)

Van Heusen's renewed focus on womenswear has led to it contributing eight-nine per cent of its revenue (latest financial year), higher than the five per cent that womenswear returns for Madura Fashion and Lifestyle, on an average. (Business Standard)

While quick service restaurants (QSRs) had entered the food scene with Indianised menus, the market has also had a lot of products withdrawn since then. After the initial success, is it now a case of more misses than hits in new menu-items for these QSRs? (Business Standard)

The DS Group, best known for its tobacco-based products, is aggressively diversifying into other segments in a bid to reposition itself. (Forbes India)

The seminar organised by NITRA was specifically focussed on students of textile and fashion colleges pursuing UG and PG level programs. (Textiles Update)

Many young office-going couples, especially those hard-pressed for time, find it very convenient to order from online grocery retailers because of the hassle-free shopping experience they provide. (The Economic Times)

Kishore Biyani has the south India-based supermarket brand, Nilgiri's in the cross hairs, with the brand is expected to boost his growth prospects in the food and grocery segment. (Business Standard)

When it comes to retail trade, there seems to be room for negotiation in BJP’s 2014 manifesto. (The Hindu Businessline)

Retail consultants and shopper marketing experts share their take on the retail trends in the Indian beverages market and where it's headed. (Point of Purchase Online Network)

After starting delivery services to Indian patrons through its global site, American lifestyle clothing retailer Gap is now inching closer to them by partnering with ecommerce portal Myntra. (Fashionunited)

Last year, Kishore Biyani’s Future Group closed about 40% of its food and grocery chain of Food Bazaar stores that were not performing well. (Financial Express)

As demand for branded fruits grows in India, corporate groups are diving into the business. After Mahindras, Tatas have entered the space. (DNA)

Dinesh Kumar Himatsingka and son Shrikant's focus on design and technology has ensured their company remains on a fast growth trajectory. (Forbes India)

Airport retailing is a popular concept globally but is still in its infancy in India. However, it appears to be ready for an impressive take off, with the renovation of most major airports is underway with large dedicated areas for retail stores. (Business Today)

The tills are ringing loud and clear at airport outlets, raking in more than shops in the city. With 61.42 million passengers travelling by air in 2013 alone, there is an ever-burgeoning market to tap. One that apparently allows some brands to earn almost eight to nine times of what they earn at malls or high-street outlets. (The Hindu Businessline)

While they are not present in this country, some of the largest US-based retailers — JC Penney, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Ann Taylor — are shipping to India or selling their products here through their e-commerce portals, to test the waters. (Business Standard)

The logic for opting for the franchise or distribution arranegement route is to gain control in terms of the product, price and partly the retail experience, according to a report by Third Eyesight. (Business Standard)

A recent report pegs the size of the fake luxury products market in India at Rs 2,500-3,000 crores. (Business Standard)

In India, two newly elected state governments have rolled back decisions to allow the entry of foreign supermarkets. (Voice of America)

Brands in the premium segment of the ice cream and frozen desserts market in India are growing. (Business Today/Yahoo Finance)

The economic offences wing of the city police on Friday attached a brand belonging to P D Agro, in the National Spot Exchange (NSEL) payment default case. P D Agro owes Rs 637 crore. (Business Standard)

It’s been close to two decades now but Levi Strauss India can’t seem to get the right fit. The apparel maker is watching its bottom line and is letting go of stores and vendors, in a big overhaul over the last 18 months. (Financial Express)

The Indian state of Rajasthan has barred foreign direct investment in supermarkets, an ominous sign for global retailers who covet India's vast but fragmented retail sector if the country's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power nationally in upcoming elections. (Reuters)

Oak Lawn Marketing, a subsidiary of Japanese telecom company NTT DoCoMo, is set to enter India’s burgeoning virtual retailing space through a tie-up with TVC Skyshop, which operates in the same segment. (The Hindu Businessline)

With increasing competition in e-commerce space, delivery has become an essential factor after price and assortment. (Business Standard)

Retail at airports is an exciting segment for the industry, which is showing good traction in India as more and more travellers indulge in shopping. The new T2 terminal in Mumbai alone is expected to add 15% to existing sales. (Financial Express)

Retailers and mall owners are throwing open malls at eight in the morning and doling out offers and discounts to boost slackening sales. But experts believe too much discount is detrimental to the sector. (The Hindu - Businessline)

The hype over e-retail hides the reality of mounting losses, making it look like Bubble 2.0. (Financial Chronicle)

The e-commerce market is growing fast but there is competition from the big league in the space. Here are a few tips you should consider while taking the plunge. (Moneycontrol.com)

The new AAP-led Delhi government has decided not to allow foreign investment in retail in the capital. New Delhi accounts for a fairly large chunk of the organised retail market in the country and would have been an attractive catchment for any retailer. (Financial Express)

Zara in India and the joint venture between Inditex and Tata-run Trent, has made profits in the second year of operations and has been profitable since then. But Zara will have to work to maintain its dream run, now that many international brands are set to enter India. (Business Standard)

Retail experts say, while the upper middle class, that account for at least 40 per cent of all spending, will step up consumption in the next one year, the rest will choose to lie low for a while. But for 2014 there is currently a pipeline of mall supply of 14 million square feet. (Financial Chronicle)

According to retail industry executives, some of the top European, Japanese and Korean retailers are seriously pursuing Indian retail. (Business Standard)

With a direct investment, UK-based Tesco can add to the best practices it already brings to Tata's retail business. (Business Standard)

It took months of arm-twisting and assurances from New Delhi to persuade British retailer Tesco Plc to take the plunge and become the first foreign player to set up a chain of supermarkets in India. (Reuters)

Tesco seeks to invest US$110m in Trent, India. 'We'd like to get more involved in this exciting market,' says Trevor Masters, CEO, Tesco Asia. (DNA - Daily News & Analysis)

Tesco, the third-biggest retailer in the world, has applied to India's Foreign Investment Promotion Board and initially plans to invest $110 million in the country. On acceptance of the bid, Tesco will operate in India through a 50-50 partnership with the Mumbai-based conglomerate, Tata group. (International Business Times)

Tesco's $110-mn investment will build on existing portfolio of Star Bazaar stores in Maharashtra and Karnataka. (Business Standard)

Having invested $3.5 billion, Coca-Cola India has earmarked an additional $5 billion for the next seven years, in line with chief executive Muhtar Kent’s dream of making India the company’s fifth largest market globally, in terms of volume. (Money Indices)

Retailers in India are trying to catch customers through every means possible - online, offline, mobile and television. And traditional brick-and-mortar players such as Titan, Croma, Madura Retail, Fabindia and Vijay Sales have jumped on the e-wagon. (The Week)

India's Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) cleared investment proposals adding up to Rs 12,000 crore over the last one year, as global players look to tap the great Indian middle class. (Business Standard)

On its way to take a greater control of its Indian arm, the French brand Celio is banking on a full-fledged team, and international designing and sourcing chops. (Business Standard)

Faced with declining clothing sales in its home market, British retailer Marks & Spencer is looking overseas for growth, with a new focus announced this week to make India its largest international market in the next three years. But is M&S being overly ambitious in its plans? What challenges does it face? And would it be better-served exploring opportunities elsewhere? (just-style.com)

If Page Industries, the Bangalore-based manufacturer and distributor of international innerwear brand Jockey is in the spotlight today, it’s because of a strategic move it made four years ago. (Businessworld)

Marks & Spencer (M&S) on Monday said it expects to have 80 stores in India by 2016, making the country the largest international market by stores outside of the UK. CEO Marc Bolland says India is the retailer’s new ‘priority market’ and a ‘key sourcing hub’. (MINT)

PepsiCo and Coca-Cola are in a competition of another kind, both saying on Monday they would invest huge amounts in India. If they do come about as promised, investments amounting to a total of $10 billion will come in from the two cola giants by 2020. (Financial Chronicle )

Kishore Biyani's flagship clothing brand signs on cricketer Shikhar Dhawan and mulls neighbourhood stores. (Business Standard)

Happy hours, a concept limited to liquor, is finding its way into quick-service restaurant and cafe chains, as chains look to prop up sales during a slowdown. (DNA - Daily News & Analysis)

The majority of India's shopping centres are struggling with a potent mix of high real-estate prices, bad planning and sluggish demand as the economy slows. (AFP)

Barely a week after the world's top retailer Walmart ended its association with Bharti Group, its British rival Tesco has moved a step closer to entering the Indian retail market with the Tatas launching a neighbourhood convenience store format modelled on Tesco Express. (The Economic Times)

Aggressive expansion in a difficult economic environment and delays in foreign investment are proving costly for the retailers. (Business Standard)

With McCafe opening its doors in India on Monday, there's one more reason to go out for a cup of coffee. For McDonald's India, McCafe represents a host of opportunities. (Moneycontrol.com)

This week's news that US retail group Wal-Mart Stores and conglomerate Bharti Enterprises have dissolved their joint venture in India came as little surprise to industry watchers. Both groups appear better placed to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the country's high-growth food retail sector on a stand-alone basis. (just-food.com)

After waiting for years to open superstores in India, the world’s biggest retailer, Walmart, has split with its Indian partner, delaying its ambitious plans to expand in the country. (Voice of America)

How patient will Walmart be with a market that is playing hard to get and is pretty much tough to ignore? (Businessworld)

Wal-Mart Stores, after its break-up with Bharti Enterprises, does not have any immediate plan to get into retailing in the country, making India the only market where the world's largest retailer will limit itself to the wholesale space. Why? (The Economic Times)

It is the season of break-ups in the Indian retail space. In the last two months, three joint venture partners have decided to part ways in the market. (The Hindu Businessline)

Wal-Mart Stores announced that it had indefinitely delayed its once ambitious plans to open hundreds of superstores in its own brand across the country. (New York Times)

With the separation from its partner, Bharti Group, Walmart is set to take over the existing wholesale (large format cash & carry) business in India and will need a new local partner if it wishes to open retail stores. (Reuters)

Family-owned consumer durables retailer Vijay Sales scaled up rapidly from 2006, sensing impending competition from biggies such as Reliance Retail, Croma. (Business Standard - The Strategist)

American giant Starbucks is expected to jostle with the likes of homegrown Cafe Coffee Day, and imports like Costa Coffee, Barista, Gloria Jeans and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf; in a market where drinking kaapi has been a centuries-old tradition. (DNA)

The Future Group recently launched Big Bazaar Direct, a cross between e-commerce and door-to-door sales. The Strategist looks at the factors that can make or break Kishore Biyani's ambitious new venture. (Business Standard - The Strategist)

How online retailers are turning reverse logistics challenges into competitive advantages and new revenue streams. (Business Standard)

Credit card issuers have been working with retailers to offer special "no interest" offers for years, but the Reserve Bank of India said the plans were misleading as they often have hidden costs. (Wall Street Journal)

The world's most popular coffee brand Starbucks sold coffee, snacks and merchandise averaging almost Rs 1.5 crore per outlet from its 11 doors in just five months since opening its first outlet in Mumbai last October. (The Economic Times)

Aditya Birla Retail Ltd (ABRL), retail arm of the Aditya Birla Group, had been eyeing break-even in 2012-13, the sixth year of its operations. But that milestone remains elusive, with the retailer posting losses of Rs 510 crore last financial year, according to disclosures made with the registrar of companies. (Business Standard)

A year since India reduced foreign investment barriers to its retail sector to spur flagging economic growth, confusing rules and political uncertainty are keeping overseas supermarket giants away, analysts say. (Agence France Presse)

An increasing number of people are turning to traditional kirana stores to tame rising budgets, in the process impacting the usually resilient fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector. (Financial Express)

In the last few years, due to (promotional) campaigns, Indian consumers have been buying during the traditionally ‘inauspicious period’. (The Hindu Businessline)

If 120 new malls have come up in the last two years, 40 have downed shutters. Some lessons from the experiences of dying malls. (Business Standard)

Availability of foreign brands at affordable rates is driving the sales, even as local economy struggles. (Mint)

As vegetable prices go through the roof, organised retail seems to be failing in farm-to-fork delivery. (Financial Chronicle)

Usual sales are happening in Ramzan month, but there seems hardly any festival-related product on offer specifically for Eid. (The Hindu Businessline)

With online shopping picking up, brick-and-mortar retailers are devising ways to stay ahead by offering incentives to walk-in customers and see integrating physical and online stores as boosting sales. (The Hindu Businessline)

Raymond's once-popular casual wear brand had started showing signs of fatigue. (Business Standard)

The growth in Indian retail has brought in its wake fresh challenges for HR. Here's how the leaders are dealing with them. (Business Standard - The Strategist)

India relaxed sourcing and investment rules for the retail sector on Thursday in a renewed attempt to attract foreign supermarket chains such as Wal-Mart Stores and Tesco. Foreign companies have been keen to enter India's $500 billion retail market since the country allowed foreign investment in its supermarket sector in September 2012 but ambiguity around entry rules has kept them away.(Reuters)

The consumer durables and infotech retail chain space is seeing an interesting battle for leadership. (Business Standard)

International retail brands will increase prices in the upcoming Autumn-Winter season, with the rupee depreciation having raised costs for them. The rupee has depreciated by 12% against the dollar since February. (The Times of India)

The Indian government is making yet another push to attract FDI in retail, but analysts call for more powerful measures to boost foreign investment. (CNBC TV18 / Moneycontrol.com)

Advertising and promotional spends are shrinking even as the supply of such ad space outstrips demand in the metros. (The Hindu Businessline)

Driving footfalls is indispensable now with rising grocery bills. Hypermarkets are battling consumers looking to cut consumption. But playing on price by offering lower rates might not be the way out. . (Business Standard - Smart Investor)

The brand’s success in India spells new and befuddling challenges for ready-to-wear Indian fashion - Shefalee Vasudev discusses why. (MINT)

Two sources within the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company's Indian unit say it is unlikely to apply for its first retail store license before March 2015. The company has said it needs a further 12 to 18 months after winning government approval to open each store, which means its first retail outlet in the country would open in 2016 at the earliest. (Reuters)

As most food importers work on a shipment cycle of 35-40 days, the impact of the depreciating rupee will be strongly felt in the next few weeks and months, if not longer. Some items could possibly go off shelves as importers wait for rupee to become less volatile. (MINT)

A slew of global fashion labels have set up shop in India in the past few years. But why are the Indian prices higher than those abroad? Does this matter to the well-travelled customer? Shikha Kumar finds out. (DNA)

If designed well, pre-paid cards can ensure frequent visits by the consumer, with scope for additional purchases by the same consumer. (Business Standard)

New rules requiring foreign supermarkets to set up their own warehouses and stores in India are likely to further delay the entry of companies like Wal-Mart, increase costs and hurt cash-strapped local retailers eager to partner with foreign companies. (Reuters)

L’assouplissement de la réglementation indienne sur le commerce de détail a créé un
appel d’air pour les marques étrangères qui lorgnent sur une classe moyenne en pleine
croissance. Les marques françaises sont à la traîne.(Le Moci)

Global they might be, but the café chains have woken up to the potential of coffee in smaller towns and cities in India. (The Hindu - Businessline)

After McDowell’s success, USL has increased focus on higher-priced brands. United Spirits expects its other premium brands to continue growing faster than the market this year. (MINT)

Of late, every third advertisement that we see on television has some South Indian connect or element attached to it. So, are marketers trying to engage the so called ‘conservative’ South Indians? (The Hindu - Businessline)

Firm says 2013-14 will see a lower proportion of discounted sales, better control over inventory levels. (MINT)

Ready to take your standalone store national? Here's a road map for the expansion. (Business Standard)

The economy may be slowing down, but Indian retail is back with a bang. (Businessworld)

Regulations govering foreign investment in retail limit Tesco's flexibility and operational framework in India. (Business Standard)

FDI in multi-brand retail yet to take off as cautious investors wait and watch. (The Week)

Gap, H&M and Uniqlo are among the international heavyweights turning their attentions to India following economic reforms that have finally opened up this potentially lucrative market. (Drapers)

Availability of multiple brands, and a marked shift towards them is driving growth for branded subglasses in India, say experts. (MINT)

The British retail brand has gone in for focused segmentation in India to ease navigation by shoppers. (Business Standard)

French group Auchan has announced its first retail store, Decathlon, in Bangalore. It is the first big-format niche retail chain to open in an increasingly fitness-conscious urban India that craves for sporting space and quality equipment. (Forbes India)

5-7 more foreign players are keen to give the likes of Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Costa a run for their rupee income. (DNA - Daily News & Analysis)

Ennovent, a company that accelerates innovations for sustainability in low income markets, is launching its new offering, Startup Services, in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). (Yourstory.in)

After an indifferent performance in the past few years, the Aditya Birla group's retail chain has gone for a course correction. The new mantra is: cautious aggression. (Business Standard)

India is one of retail's most attractive developing markets, but it's also one of the most difficult to enter. Liz Morrell reports on how the doors are beginning to open. (Retail Week)

Imagine walking into a McDonald’s outlet for a McSpicy Paneer burger and also getting to pick up a cup of cappuccino from a Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) counter inside. (DNA - Daily News & Analysis)

Multinational corporations such as Vodafone, Shell and Nokia are rarely out of the business pages as the Indian tax officials seemingly never-ending chasing of unpaid taxes gives daily fodder to the Indian press. (International Bar Association)

Several foreign fashion brands have split with their local (Indian) partners in the past five years. Taneesha Kulshrestha explores what went wrong with the relationships. (Outlook Business)

French brands Promod, Decathlon and Le Creuset and U.S. firm Fossil Inc. will invest a total of Rs. 7.5 billion, or about US$140 million, in India. (WWD - Womens Wear Daily)

Aigner, the German luxury brand, and Genesis Luxury, the up-market retailing arm of Genesis Colors, have ended their tie-up in the country, as their plans did not go as expected. (Business Standard)

In India, where some of the best-known international labels have met their Waterloo, Zara has proven to be adept at selling fine feathers to the fashion-conscious. (The Economic Times)

After weak demand and piled-up inventory forced clothing retailers to give discounts for longer than usual in 2012, companies such as Arvind Lifestyle Brands Ltd, DLF Brands Ltd and Lifestyle International Pvt. Ltd say they will not extend their sale period this year. (MINT - A Wall Street Journal Partner)

Retail king Kishore Biyani now wants to be an FMCG giant and he has just taken the first few steps in that journey. (Businessworld)

It’s not even mid-January yet, but a "flat 50% off" sale is already on at an apparel brand outlet at Mumbai's poshest mall. (DNA - Daily News & Analysis)

Tea’s popularity in Indian homes, in fact, acts against its image. Coffee is considered a lifestyle statement, while tea is ordinary. (DNA - Daily News & Analysis)

Consumers wait for incomes to rise, prices to fall and interest rates to drop to splurge. But retail players have their task cut out: they need to survive in the short term to remain in business. (Financial Chronicle)

After dominating the organised denim market over the past decade, competition from other global brands as well as a rash of local labels have resulted in a disconnect for Levi's with the youth. (The Economic Times)

Quality space and high street seem to sell even in a slow economy. While many malls in the country are going vacant and space supply surpassing demand in many cities, shortage of quality space and heavy demand from retailers for high-footfall areas have pushed up high-street rents. (Business Standard)

Firm aiming to revamp look of restaurants in south, west India to retain maturing customers. (Financial Chronicle)

His rivals and analysts may not agree, but Future group Founder and CEO Kishore Biyani insists that his mall concept, Central and discount chain Brand Factory, have become “the largest department store network” in the country. (Business Standard)

This festival season was the worst in 4 years say retailers, with only some big box retailers witnessing a bumper sale this season. (The Hindu Businessline)

E-commerce sites are giving out home makeovers, wardrobe offers and free gift deliveries during the ongoing festive season to woo customers. Most of the sites offer additional products, other than discounts, to lure customers. (Business Standard)

With consumer spending still not encouraging, retailers are not as ambitious on their prospects this festive period as compared to the previous years even as they expect a pick up in sales. (The Times of India)

The Seattle-headquartered Starbucks opened its first store in India, kickstarting what could be a sedate rollout, going ahead. (Daily News & Analysis - DNA)

"Bring the old and take a new one." Manufacturers and dealers of white goods and cars come up with exchange offers during the festive season. (The Economic Times)

A welcome sign in six languages—Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Gujarati, French and English—greets customers at the entrance to India’s first Starbucks store, which opened Friday at Horniman circle in south Bombay, offering a glimpse of the localization that the Tata group and Starbucks Corp. are attempting. (MINT)

Mahindra Group plans to rejig its retail business by changing the product mix at its stores with more apparels, expanding aggressively through franchisee stores and even setting up stores abroad. (The Economic Times)

After opening 100 stores in the last four years under ‘Mom & Me’ brand, Mahindra Retail, the low profile retailing arm of of $15.5 billion Mahindra Group, wants to go full steam. (Business Standard)

VIP, the luggage company, is positioning itself as a lifestyle brand by diversifying into handbags under the brand name Caprese. (MINT)

Durables makers and retailers are pushing premium products this festive season with discounts, gifts and attractive finance schemes to improve their overall profitability. (The Economic Times)

A few months ago, a team from IKEA visited Indian homes across various income groups to understand what kind of design and products could work in India. Experts say a localisation strategy will help IKEA connect with Indian consumers. (The Economic Times)

Separate consumer surveys have found that consumer sentiment continues to remain subdued and is unlikely to improve in a hurry. (Daily News & Analysis - DNA)

Madura Fashions and Lifestyle is stitching plans to reposition its premium menswear brand Allen Solly as a family product. The company will enter the kidswear segment early next year with a formal national roll-out. (The Hindu Businessline)

Grocery portals and online retail models abound. But only those that can keep costs low will survive. (Businessworld)

Infiniti Retail, Tata Sons’ wholly owned subsidiary that runs Croma consumer electronic goods chain, has acquired Australian major Woolworths Wholesale’s Indian arm. (Daily News & Analysis - DNA)

FMCG companies are dusting off their strategy of selling products in small sized packs to prop up falling sales in the discretionary food segment. (Daily News & Analysis - DNA)

Consumers can look forward to some mouth-watering bargains this festive season as white goods makers and lifestyle retailers ready to dole out freebies and special discounts to prop up demand at a time when sales have slowed down. (The Economic Times)

What gets the average kiranawallah excited about joining the country's top retailer when opposition leaders are in the streets saying the government's decision to allow foreign investment in multi-brand retail sounds the death knell for corner shops? (The Economic Times)

Moves last week by the Indian government to open the country's multi-brand retail sector to foreign investment have been hailed as everything from a "historic decision" to a "big bang" reform. (just-style.com)

The Indian luxury market is going through a shake-up. Even as the country went full throttle in projecting itself as the most happening destination for luxury sales, recent developments seem contradictory. Why is there a shake-up in the market? (Week)

Things haven't turned out as per expectations for discounters as fewer footfalls and inventory pile-ups have reduced the industry to half in the last one year. (Daily News & Analysis - DNA)

India’s retail industry, which is pegged at $450 billion, could expand manifold with the opening up of foreign direct investment (FDI) on Friday. (Daily News & Analysis - DNA)

A day after it raised the prices of diesel and restricted supply of subsidized LPG, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government decided to push its political gamble further by opening up multi-brand retailing, civil aviation and the broadcast sectors. (Forbes)

Ben and Jerry’s Homemade Inc. signature ice cream flavours may soon be available in India, joining other international and domestic food and snack brands expanding in the country. (MINT)

So what if West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee fights tooth and nail against foreign investment in retail, Kolkata has emerged a true city of joy for big retailers and fast-food chains since she came to power. (The Economic Times)

Poor same-store sales have forced many stores to extend the sale period, boosting volumes but impacting margins. (Hindu Businessline)

For the first time in a quarter century, rural India outdid urban consumption in the past two years. Rural spending rode on a big increase in incomes, mainly resulting from non-farm jobs and rural employment guarantee schemes. (Financial Chronicle)

Stung by a consumption slowdown and cut-throat competition from other quick-service chains, Big Mac is trying hard to give customers more reasons to come to its stores. So its latest India menu now comprises a differential pricing strategy and better in-store experience. (Business Standard)

Now, macroeconomic woes are impacting even quick service restaurants (QSRs), the 150-3,000 square feet neighbourhood dine-in / takeaway food joints that serve up your pizzas, burgers and rolls. (Daily News & Analysis)

Retailers are bleeding. The ‘sale’ season whose duration has been stretched of late, has pushed brands and retailers to despair, in spite of shoppers’ frenzy. (Daily News & Analysis)

Max Hypermarket India, part of the Dubai-based retailer Landmark group, has signed a franchise agreement with French retailer Auchan for India. (Financial Chronicle)

The Future Group is rationalising its retail formats and space and looking to to focus on better inventory, more efficient store operations. (Financial Chronicle)

Big Bazaar's move to create an online presence could boost sales without the proportionate store, salary costs. (Financial Chronicle)

People may not love the rains, but monsoon sales are the favourite with most of them, but is that the best time to buy? (The Economic Times)

In the wake of the Pantaloon Retail deal, Biyani is focusing on expanding Central’s footprint: scaling down size to scale up operations. (Businessworld)

Coffee consumption has kicked off exponentially in the Indian market and the latest player to offer the cuppa is Swiss brand Coffee World. (Pitch)

The government appears set to relax sourcing rules for retailers, anxious not to scare off IKEA. (Businessworld/Reuters)

Foreign investment in India has slowed down in recent months, but a recent United Nations survey says Asia's third largest economy continues to be an attractive investment destination for global companies. (Voice of America)

The price warrior has to tweak its do-it-yourself strategy in India. (Business Standard)

The desire to use expensive stationery is on the upswing despite the advent of tablets and hand-held devices changing the way people communicate. (MINT)

Ikea wants to bring its collapsible furniture to India and plans to conquer the country with a massive plan that includes a nearly US$1.8 billion investment drive. (The National)

Two major international brands, IKEA and Coca-Cola, have announced plans to invest billions of dollars in the country. (Channel News Asia)

A new generation of young male consumers doesn’t seem to mind agonizing over choices when buying fashionably tight-fitting clothes. (MINT)

Statistics from the nodal agency that clears foreign investments reveal that a number of top brands have put forth proposals to increase their stake in a JV or expand their presence in India. (Fashion United)

Men’s love affair with their shoes is gathering a lot of steam in India, and several upscale overseas and local brands think it worth their while to vie for custom. (MINT)

Ikea has submitted a proposal to invest €1.5 billion, with plans to open 25 stores in Asia's third largest economy and source $1 billion stock from India in coming years. (Reuters and MINT)

Japanese conglomerate Suntory, known for its whiskies and beers, has picked up majority stake in a subsidiary of Mumbai-based Narang Group to enter India's non-alcoholic beverage market. (The Economic Times)

Anita Dongre, lifestyle and fashion designer, has used a strong market segmentation strategy and a well-planned retail presence to establish herself. (Pitch)

Six months after the government backtracked on plans to allow foreign retail giants such as Wal-Mart Stores and Carrefour to form joint ventures, cash-starved domestic chains are selling assets, shutting stores, and scaling back expansion plans. (Reuters)

Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, continues to be optimistic about the conglomerate's retail business. (Financial Chronicle)

Tier II towns are in the midst of a retail revolution, where supermarkets and hypermarkets are booming, offering a wide array of choices and cool comfort to shop. For retailers, doing business here means lower rentals and other costs. (Daily News and Analysis)

Sluggish demand has led lifestyle retail chains to post weak same-store sales in January-March 2012 and lower growth estimates for this fiscal. (The Economic Times)

After the Pantaloons-Aditya Birla Nuvo deal, more retail chains are expected to follow suit. (Outlook Money)

American doughnut maker Krispy Kreme has flagged off its India plans barely a week after rival Dunkin' Donuts opened shop in the country. (The Economic Times)

Dutch retailer Spar International and Dubai-based Landmark Group's Max Hypermarkets have decided to part ways in India by the end of this year after the two developed differences over expansion strategy. (The Economic Times)

What really went wrong with the way Reebok was run? According to a top North India-based distributor, the franchisee model running for the last few years was flawed. (The Hindu Businessline)

The sale of a controlling stake in Pantaloon Retail to Kumar Mangalam Birla has showed consolidation as a path forward for India’s staggering organized retail sector. (Fashion United)

The Pantaloon-Aditya Birla Nuvo deal is a win-win situation for both the companies. (Businessworld)

Walmart is to set up a global platform in Bangalore joining e-commerce websites in different countries. (Businessworld)

Pantaloons is to be demerged from Pantaloons Retail India Limited, the Biyani flagship, but even with a majority stake of the Aditya Birla group may continue to be led by PRIL's management. (Financial Chronicle and Businessworld)

More than 750 electronics stores in India have either stopped selling Samsung products or cut back on fresh orders after the Korean brand slashed dealer margins on its televisions and home appliances early this year. (The Economic Times)

Tata International is set to distribute Merrell & Caterpillar footwear, apparel brands in India. (Financial Chronicle)

Hair stylist Jawed Habib, with more than 300 salons across India, plans to take his venture global in a strategic partnership with Procter & Gamble. (The Economic Times)

A new government circular clarifying FDI norms puts a question mark on India’s e-tailing companies. (Businessworld)

Ajay Jain has built his business -- the Kunzum Cafe -- on love and fresh air…almost! (Forbes India)

Futurebazaar.com was set up around five years ago as a B2C business, but is now looking to tap into B2B corporate gifting with more products and deals. (Financial Chronicle)

Mumbai has all the appearances of a city with an unsustainable property market with house prices and rents at exorbitant levels right across the islands. (The National)

Once again the Central Government doesn't seem to have listened to retailers' calls. Janees Reghelini analyses this year's budget. (Retail Today)

International fashion brands Versace, Corneliani and Guess are breaking away from their current Indian partners. (The Economic Times)

Eating out joints, including youth centric quick service restaurants such as McDonald's and Subway, now have a loyal clientele among senior citizens. (The Economic Times)

Azim Premji's investment fund, PremjiInvest, has bought nearly half the shares on offer in the recently concluded qualified institutional placement (QIP) of the Tata group’s listed retailer Trent. (Financial Chronicle)

Major Brands India, the India partner of premium brands such as Mango, Charles & Keith and Aldo is now looking to add some heft in the affordable brands segment. (Financial Chronicle)

The session on “Workwear Market Scenario in India” on the second day of InFashion 2012 at Mumbai focussed on the consumption potential of the workwear segment. (Indiaretailing.com)

Planet Retail plans to reduce and restructure the pace of expansion in India across brands and may miss its break-even target. (MINT)

Indian men have turned into experimental shoppers. There is a similarity between males and females with respect to experimenting with new things. (The Economic Times)

Titan Industries, which started with a watch brand, is taking a fresh gamble -- to turn into a full-scale lifestyle company. (The Times of India)

India's traditional cuisine is holding its own in the company of Western foods like Dutch Gouda and Italian Parmigiano in modern retail stores. (Daily News & Analysis - DNA)

Prepaid cards have become the latest retail tool to keep consumers hooked to brands, offering convenience and safety. (The Times of India)

Marks and Spencer's has appointed Venu Nair as head of its India operations, replacing CEO Martin Jones who is moving back to the UK. (The Economic Times)

Homemakers are likely to love this - someone cutting vegetables for them for free, someone making chappatis for them, again at no charge. (The Times of India)

The Future Group has revived JV talks with Skechers (USA) and seconded one of its seniormost executives as CEO of the proposed JV. (Financial Chronicle)

Several companies are trying to organise the home-focused services sector in India and bring in professionalism. (Mint)

The world's largest online retailer is tiptoeing into India, using cover from a comparison shopping site Junglee.com it acquired 13 years ago. (The Economic Times)

As the ice cream market in India evolves and there is much more on offer, single scoops and the common flavours are no longer enough for many consumers. (Daily News & Analysis - DNA)

Spending on the High Street has never been cheaper for such a long period of time. Some of the biggest brands are literally shouting from the rooftops that they are offering up to 70% discounts. (Business Standard)

The world's second-largest apparel retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M), which usually enters large markets on its own, is not so sure about opening shop in India despite finding the market "interesting". (The Economic Times)

More than a century old, The Bombay Store is looking to attract youth with The Elephant Company, a young, quirky brand. (The Hindu BusinessLine)

Dutch-based supermarket chain Spar International plans to partner with multiple firms to expand its retail presence in India, a senior company executive said on Wednesday. (Mint)

Contrary to popular belief that allowing 100 per cent in single brand retail will give impetus to luxury brands in India and bring down costs, experts have a more conservative view. (Pitch)

India Inc has welcomed the lifting of the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit to 100 per cent on single brand retail. But retail sector specialists do not expect a stampede of investments any time soon. (The Hindu BusinessLine)

The Manmohan Singh government has finally given its nod for the relaxation on the existing 51 per cent FDI in single brand retail, increasing it to a much awaited 100 per cent. Indians could soon experience the unique frustration of assembling Scandinavian flat-pack furniture as stores such as Ikea are to be allowed to open in the country. (from The National-UAE and Retailer)

Apparel retailers in India are extending their end-of-the-season discount sales period to clear inventory that has been piled up due to slowdown witnessed in earlier months. (Fibre2Fashion)

The entry of Future Supply Chain Solutions into multi-brand retail via a subsidiary has given some regional brands the kind of exposure they could only aspire to before. (Business Standard)

Hit by a sharp slowdown in sales, apparel brands and retailers are either extending their end-of-the-season sales or advancing it by weeks to clear their inventory and free up cash. (Business Standard and Economic Times)

The Andhra Pradesh state government is drawing up plans to open swanky supermarkets, venturing into the multi-brand retail territory with multinational retailers such as Walmart and Tesco, but the proposed partnership will need alignment of objectives.(The Economic Times)

2012 will be the year of moderation in consumer spending across durable, consumer goods and apparel, as industry experts foresee an unfavourable sentiment gripping consumers, which could make companies cautious in their growth talk. (Daily News & Analysis - DNA)

With critical mass now available in the Indian market, four companies have a positive outlook despite the gloomy overall economic scenario, targeting 100 million dollars each in sales. (Mint)

Football clubs are jumping on the Indian sportswear bandwagon, pursuing the huge scope for growth in a US$900 million market. (The National)

India's retail industry is buzzing with entrepreneurial activity as a growing number of retail professionals trade in salaries for their own wall art chains, lingerie brand, and beer cafes. (The Economic Times)

FDI in retail will usher in changes in the shopping experience, believe experts. But, even without it, Kerala's textile retailers have been dressing up in style. A look at the action. (The Hindu - BusinessLine)

The industry is turning nervous about the prospects of single-brand retail, since the government has yet to notify a Cabinet decision raising the foreign investment level to 100 per cent, from the current 51 per cent. (Business Standard)

Reliance Industries, a $50-billion-plus oil and gas giant, will enter the fast-food business with its own brand next year, opening yet another front to do business directly with India's growing young population. (The Economic Times)

Foreign investment could change the way India retail firms function. But for now, most proponents of the policy will have to swallow their disappointment and hope that the government gets its act together enough to put it back on the agenda. (Businessworld)

With plans for raising FDI in single-brand retail from 51% to 100% getting the green signal, albeit possibly with riders, all is not lost for India Inc. (Outlook)

Some predict foreign investment will herald a consumer revolution in the huge retail sector, some forecast doom for countless small traders and farmers. (China Daily Asia Pacific)

Traders in Karnataka are livid at the Centres move to allow 51% FDI in multi-brand retail, fearing that their business will be hit by predatory pricing. (The Times of India)

The move to increase the 51% limit on foreign direct investment (FDI) in single-brand retail hasn’t attracted much attention, but could see a change in existing relationships and lead to a transformation of the Indian high street. (MINT)

The Indian government has proposed allowing single-brand retailers (such as the furniture giant IKEA) to wholly own stores in India, while multi-brand retailers (like Wal-Mart and Carrefour) can own a 51 percent stake. The moves, which have yet to be formalized, could greatly impact the supply chain landscape in this country of nearly 1.2 billion people. (American Shipper)

After foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail was approved by the Indian Government, could the Future Group enter into negotiations again with French retailer Carrefour? (The Hindu Businessline)

The supply chain efficiencies of cash-and-carry operations such as Metro are mainly beneficial to small retailers, as large format retailers choose to go direct to suppliers. (The Hindu Businessline)

Kenneth Cole's entry into India comes at an opportune time - the American company wants to attract the young, brand-aware segment of consumers. (The National)

Starting with bookings for two of India's biggest obsessions - Bollywood films and cricket matches - e-ticketing companies have now diversified into other events too. (Business Today)

Indian retailers suffered the highest loss of stocks to theft in the world, but the silver lining was that India is the world’s only country where the shrink rate came down in 2011, according to the Global Retail Theft Barometer 2011.(Asian Correspondent)

Retailers are countering the economic slowdown by offering interest-free equated monthly instalment (EMI) schemes, which they say are not only helping them pull customers into stores but also encouraging shoppers to buy higher value products. (The Economic Times)

The Lilliput Kidswear controversy could lead to irreconcilable differences, and weaker valuations. (Businessworld)

Tommy Hilfiger is taking direct control of its operations to integrate India into its global sourcing and design programmes. (Business Standard)

Vishal Krishna presents an in-depth analysis on why only a handful of India’s hundreds of malls make money, the 7 deadly sins that failed malls committed and what some of them are doing to correct course. (Businessworld)

High prices and economic uncertainty appear to be turning consumers stingy, if not altogether unwilling to spend. (Daily News & Analysis)

Even as participants at the Indian Retail Forum in Mumbai, the industry’s annual jamboree, are being cautiously optimistic, preliminary data from the first quarter of 2011-12 (FY12) reinforce the perception of a slowdown. But growth of space expansion continues. (Businessworld)

Cafe chains in India are offering more than coffee to stay ahead of impending competition. (Businessworld)

Tommy Hilfiger Group has bought out the Murjani Group’s 50% stake in the latter’s joint venture (JV) with clothes maker Arvind Ltd for an undisclosed sum, as part of a global strategy of consolidating its operations and having a more direct role in its various markets. (MINT)

Shoppers Stop will be the launchpad for Paris Hilton's eponymous brand of handbags and accessories in India. (The Economic Times)

To capture the hearts of millions of ever demanding consumers, a tweak in the products has become the ace card for a marketing game plan. (Retailer)

Reliance Retail has begun door-to-door direct selling through housewives and housing societies to boost sales of its private brands such as Sudz detergent, Amara soaps and Healthy Life food items. (The Economic Times)

Indian websites like snapdeal, taggle, sosasta, mydala offer up to 90% discount, pushing growth of online sales. (The Economic Times)

Indian personal-care (FMCG) companies have registered significant increases in revenue despite commodity inflation, as consumption patterns have gained momentum. (Businessworld)

Mall developers entering an increasingly crowded market are calling in experts to help them design and run their new projects. (Mint)

Who doesn't love to strike a deal, with discounts from 10 per cent to 90 per cent on lifestyle products and services? This is why group buying (discount deals) websites show strong potential in India. But there are many variables that these businesses need to pay attention to in order to succeed. (The Smart CEO)

Levi's, with the launch of Signature, was being perceived as a mass brand. Can it make a U-turn after phasing out Signature and bringing in Denizen? (Pitch)

Apparel sales in the country have slumped about 20% since March, forcing many brands to start end-of-season discount sales two weeks earlier than usual. (The Economic Times)

Trent, the flagship retail arm of Tatas, is in talks with Spanish retailer Inditex group to bring another fashion brand, Massimo Dutti, to India. (Business Standard)

Reliance's re-entry into the cash-and-carry business assumes significance even as global retailers such as Walmart, Tesco, Metro and Carrefour are expanding their presence in India, and amid anticipation that the government is likely to ease foreign direct investment (FDI) norms in retail. (Businessworld)

Three years after its experimentation with cash-and-carry retail fizzled out, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) plans a strong comeback. (Business Standard)

Considered as a mass brand in Spain, Zara came to India as a premium brand and has managed unprecendented success. How did Zara get its 4Ps right? (Pitch)

Major Brands (India) Pvt. Ltd, the local franchisee for fashion apparel and accessories brands such as Mango, Aldo, Charles & Keith and Nine West, will form a joint venture with French womenswear retailer Promod. (Mint)

Back in the race now, Shoppers Stop is gathering speed in expansion even as it improves operational glitches. (Businessworld)

Drink makers are busy courting the thirsty and the health-conscious. Fruit beverage is seen as the next big squeeze, growing at a healthy clip of 25 per cent year-on-year. (Businessworld)

Beaten on its home turf Delhi, the $1-bn Mother Dairy is crafting a new strategy to win back its base and go national. Mother Dairy is placing emphasis on value-added, high-margin products. (The Economic Times)

Micky Jagtiani's Lifestyle International went slow when others were rushing. Now, it is ready with massive expansion plans in the Indian market. (Businessworld)

Consumers are back to shopping with a vengeance. Retail rents are rising, too. (Businessworld)

A number of fast-food and cafe chains that are flocking to India would do well to take away lessons learned by established rivals such as McDonald's in navigating a market beset with obstacles. (Reuters)

Inditex entered India with its flagship brand Zara on a Friday in May 2010 and that day the South Delhi outlet recorded the largest single-day sale by an international retailer in the country. The journey continues in 2011. (The Economic Times)

Almost all established department store chains are reinventing themselves in a bid to win customers who are spoilt for choice. (Business Standard)

A host of mall management companies are eyeing a INR 240 billion market. (Businessworld)

The Indian presence of the Dutch supply chain cluster, Food Tech Holland, was formally launched by Ashok Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, at the recently held Food Forum India 2011 in Mumbai. (Images Food)

Group buying websites, mostly launched in the last one year, plan aggressive expansion as they see record traffic for their offerings. (Business Standard)

The margin “issue” between retailers and manufacturers has resurfaced big time — whether between Reckitt and Future or consumer durables giants and Tata group’s Croma. (Business Standard)

The fledging retail sector in India will enter an expansion period and witness large-scale consolidation with increasing competition. (China Daily)

Large Indian retailers are using private labels to differentiate themselves from competition, but also to flex their muscles in their relationships with brand manufacturers.(Business Standard)

The textile industry has sought measures to boost exports of apparels and textile products in a cost-competitive market and easier access to funds for cotton buyers as it peaks in a year of global shortage. (Reuters)

Shoppers Stop (SSL) has topped the list of the Most Respected Companies in the retail category for the third year in a row. The company has been rated No. 1 by its peers in all categories except one. (Businessworld)

Star Bazaar, the chain run by Tata-owned Trent Hypermarket, says it used the economic slowdown to book properties when prices were down, allowing it now to open more stores. (Business Standard)