Mahindra merges own e-commerce venture into acquired firm

Momandmeshop.in is now under Babyoye.com

A little over a month after buying a baby products' e-commerce entity, babyoye.com, Mahindra Retail, part of the $17-billion Mahindra Group, has brought its own online venture, Momandmeshop.in, under babyoye, and will have a single website for its customers.

Mahindra Retail will also have a common loyalty programme for Mom & Me, its physical baby products and maternity stores, and babyeoye.com, said Mahindra Retail's chief executive, Prakash Wakankar.

With babyoye under its fold, Mahindra Retail expects a 10-12 per cent revenue contribution from e-commerce in the next financial year and 20-25 per cent in the coming years, he said.

Mahindra Retail earned revenue of Rs 206 crore and a loss of Rs 114 crore in 2013-14, according to the group's annual report.

“With combined synergy of babyoye and Mom & Me, the depth, width and range of products go up significantly,” said Wakankar.

Mahindra Retail is also exiting its toys retail format, Beanstalk, as it was not performing well. It is planning to bring all toys' merchandise of the chain on babyoye and Mom & Me stores, he said.

“If a certain format is not giving good traction, we will come out of it. Beanstalk is part of that strategy,” he said.

Mahindra Retail is looking to expand its network of stores under the franchisee route, an extra 40-45. Currently, Mom&Me has 115 stores, including 11 franchisee stores.

“The upcoming stores will be smaller but more relevant to the geography and catchment,” he said.