Rado Plans To Up Sales Network In India

Rado, a part of the Swatch Group and Swiss watch manufacturer, plans to focus on its distribution strength in India this year. The company has 65 outlets at present and plans are afoot to add at least 20 more this year.

The decision comes close to the heels of company's launching its new Rado outlet at Crossroads in Mumbai on Monday. The company will launch its first exclusive Rado showroom at Ahmedabad in May this year.

Peter Kaeser, vice-president, Rado International, told Business Standard: "This year our focus in India will be on the expansion of the distribution. For this, we will be making use of local, promotional events. Though it is a smaller growth in terms of distribution, it is selective."

On when the company would achieve critical volumes in India, Kaeser said: "Faster the custom duties are reduced, the faster volumes will go up because at the end of the day the price plays an important role in every market."

While China, Saudi Arabia, United States, Germany and Switzerland are the most important markets for Rado International, Kaeser elucidated that India is one of the company's priority markets.

Refusing to divulge India's contribution to the total turnover of the company, Kaeser said its was substantial.

He said. "It's a delight to see that Indians are very comfortable with Rado brand now. We don't just sell Rado to Indians in India but it's surprising to note that a large clientele of Rado comprise Indian customers even outside India. This typically applies to countries such as Middle East and United States where there is a huge Indian population."

In terms of events planned for India, the company will clearly focus on launching new products, opening more retail stores and launching promotions and events.