Woodland to explore online retail space

Aiming to cash in on the growing domestic e-commerce business, footwear and apparel maker Woodland is working on new designs and collections that would be available exclusively online, a top official said today.
The e-commerce business which last year contributed 12 per cent to the total revenue of Rs 1,000 crore, is expected to increase to 15 per cent in FY15, said Harkirat Singh, Managing Director, Woodland India.
"Last year, I think the e-commerce (contribution) to the total turnover was 12 per cent. In 2014-15, it should be 12-15 per cent...," Singh told reporters here.
He said the company is in talks with e-commerce portals (like Flipkart, Amazon) to offer new products and collections and some of the high-end products would be available in retail outlets and also on the company's website.

"We have been introducing new products every season. For example, the Heat Lock Foil jackets are made up of special fabric which regulate the body temperature...", he added.
He said the company is expanding its stores and planning to open 60 more to add to the existing network of 485 company-owned stores.

On the company financials for FY15, he said the firm has been growing consistently and last year it was Rs 1,000 crore.
"This (financial year) year we are looking Rs 1,300 crore", he said.
The company also opened its second store in Salem and is in the process of opening more in Tiruchirapalli, Karur, Vellore, Puducherry, Nagercoil, Tuticorin and Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu.

"We are also planning to open (stores through) franchise models. Right now, we are in talks in Sri Nagar, (Jammu and Kashmir)", he added.