Bata India plans concept stores for women's shoes

Bata India Tuesday said it is planning to open standalone concept stores for ladies footwear over the next two years.

"We are putting a lot of emphasis on women's shoe segment. I would say that as our market is growing, we should get into the same situation where globally the women's shoes (sales) overtake that of males. But the time-frame... we do not know," Bata India Ltd chairman Uday Khanna said here.

The footwear manufacturer is aiming to grow women's shoe business by at least 30 percent year on year.

Khanna said currently women's shoe category contributed 25 percent of the firm's total business while men's shoe segment contributed 40 percent.

He was talking to reporters after the company's annual general meeting here.

"The ladies' shoe market is definitely increasing. There is a big opportunity. We are even thinking of getting into concept stores for only ladies' shoes in another two years time," company managing director Rajeev Gopalakrishnan said.

Gopalakrishnan said the concept stores could be of about 600-800 sq ft.

"It could be multi-brand stores. But it is not an immediate plan... may be one-and-half years down the line," he added.

The company said it has a plan to spend about Rs.100 crore towards modernisation of plants and opening new stores this year.