Future Group goes for image makeover

In a bid to align itself with the rising consumer aspirations, India's largest retail house Future Group is giving its leading outlets, including flagship concepts like Big Bazaar and Pantaloon, an image makeover.

The company will open new Big Bazaar and eZone stores, which will be much bigger than the existing ones with an aim to provide a new shopping experience, as it has already done with its new Pantaloon and Planet Sports outlets.

"It is time to give more choice and variety to consumers and give them an enriched shopping experience within the stores. As a part of the new drive we are opening stores across concepts which are bigger and have a new look and feel,"  Future Group CEO (Retail) Rakesh Biyani said.

The company has already opened new Pantaloon and Planet Sports stores in one of the premium malls in Delhi. While the new Pantaloon store is colourful and vibrant store targetting young consumers, Planet Sports store has experience zones for games like cricket, golf, basket ball and table tennis within the store.

Going ahead, the firm will open new Big Bazaar and eZone stores and said they will redefine experience and the way brands are perceived by consumers, who are becoming more aspirational and demand enhanced shopping experience.

As a part of the exercise, the company will open a new Big Bazaar in Delhi in January claiming that it will be a notch ahead of the existing ones.

"We have already experimented with a new look store in Chennai which is doing very well. The margins have improved and sales turnover has also increased," Biyani said.

Similarly, even in case of eZone stores, which house a wide range of electronics, experimentation with new designs, product mix and size will be done, he said.

Asked about the cost involved in the entire exercise, Biyani said calculation has not been done yet as it was at a preliminary stage.

Last month, while the company announced its plan to double the number multi-brand Pantaloon stores in the next 3-4 years, it also inaugurated 50th store spread across 31,109 square feet in Delhi.

With the new colourful and vibrant store, the company aims to attract young consumers and has plans to revamp existing Pantaloon stores as well, especially those located in metros.

In a Similar fashion, last week, the company opened its first Planet Sports Super Store spread across 30,000 sq ft that houses apparel, accessories and sports equipment from various brands.

Biyani said there is a plan to open up to 10 Planet Sports large format stores ranging between 15,000 and 20,000 sq ft in the next one year.