Mahindra Retail to integrate e-commerce biz to single platform

Expanding its footprint in the brick-and-mortar retail market through Mom & Me brand, Mahindra Retail plans to integrate its entire e-commerce business into Babyoye.Com which it acquired last month.
The company, which sells a range of maternity and babycare items through the Mom & Me chain, plans to add another 50 such stores next fiscal, while its website Momandmeshop.In will be discontinued after getting integrated with Babyoye.Com by the next quarter.
"We believe that foundations of brick and mortar stores are solid and going forward there will be an interplay between physical stores and e-commerce... We plan to open 50 new Mom & Me stores in the next fiscal," Mahindra Retail CEO Prakash Wakankar told PTI.

At present, there are 115 Mom & Me stores in the country.
On integrating Momandmeshop.In with Babyoye, Mahindra Internet Commerce CEO Sanjay Nadkarni said: "In the medium term, there will be a singe e-commerce website. Momandmeshop.In will cease to exist."
Nadkarni said the company is also looking at expanding its product range by offering Mom & Me's maternity wear collection on Babyoye.Com platform.

Mahindra Retail will also have a common loyalty programme for both Mom & Me and Babyoye.Com.
Elaborating on store expansion, Wakankar said: "There will be significant expansion in the next fiscal. Going forward, thrust will be on expansion through franchise route. A large majority of our new stores will be opened through franchisees."

Mahindra Retail acquired Babyoye.Com in February this year.