Date:18/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/08/18/stories/2007081850780500.htm

Back HyperCity Argos unveils plans for catalogue retailing

Concept to be test launched in Thane

Mr Andrew Levermore

Purvita Chatterjee

Mumbai, Aug. 17 Entering and creating a new market of catalogue retailing in the country, HyperCity Argos is expected to match the prices of its existing brick and mortar retail format Hypercity, which currently has a single store in Mumbai.

Mr Andrew Levermore, CEO, HyperCity Retail (India), said: “The prices charged for the goods supplied from HyperCity Argos catalogues will be similar to that of HyperCity, as there is going to be 100 per cent overlap of products present in the existing HyperCity in Mumbai.”

Besides, it would be expected to have free home delivery of products if sold within the local area of collection centres.

Having announced its entry into catalogue retailing, HyperCity Argos is expected to quickly penetrate into new markets with its ready format unlike the rest of the brick and mortar retail chains of HyperCity.

Mr Levermore said: “It is a ready business for us and we would have distribution centres through which we would be able to reach out quickly to a large number of cities across the country.”

The company plans to have a test launch of its concept in Thane near Mumbai before rolling it out to the other suburbs of Mulund, Vashi and Airoli and then entering Pune.

In India, HyperCity Argos is expected to have display centres, online and call and collect counters that would cater to customers of a particular region.

While the call and collect centres would have 300 sq ft area, display centres would occupy an area of 10,000 sq ft.

It would vend general merchandise through its catalogues which would include items from electronic items to home décor products.

Mr Levermore said: “Catalogue retailing does not exist in this country and considering that property acquisition is high, we feel we can expand this business quickly.”

He added: “Our catalogue would have nearly 5,000 products and we have already distributed one lakh of these in Thane. Consumers can now simply pick up the phone and order our products.”

The UK-based Home Retail group has signed an MoU with K Raheja Group divisions Shoppers’ Stop and HyperCity Retail to develop a retail format for Argos.

In the UK and Ireland, Argos is one of the leading general merchandise retail chains; it also has an online business.

Argos stores and catalogue will be called HyperCITY-Argos and will be operated as an SPV in India.