Retailers look at online expansion as consumer preferences change

The second of a three-part series looks at how retailers, online and offline, are tweaking their strategies to remain relevant

He is arguably the king of brick-and-mortar retail. So, you have to take notice when Kishore Biyani, CEO of Future Group, says he is ready to get into a strategic alliance with online retail players and even offer them a minority stake. Biyani, who is fighting a bitter battle with e-commerce players like Flipkart and Amazon, says: “What we are seeing globally and in India is the convergence of online and offline retail as consumers move seamlessly from one to another, and the gap is  blurring. And we are open for a strategic alliance.” 

Only last year Biyani dismissed competition