RPG Cellucom aims 3% mkt share by 2009

RPG Cellucom, the latest venture of the RPG Group in mobility retail plans to capture three per cent of the market sharFe with revenues of Rs 3,500 crore in financial year 2008-09.

A master franchisee between the Dubai-based Cellucom, a global retailer in emerging markets of West Asia and Africa for mobile phones and the Goenka family-led RPG Group better known for Ceat Tyres and Spencer Retail. RPG Cellucom's first store was launched in January this year.

The company had announced in the past its intentions to set up 500 RPG Cellucom outlets by March 2008 and revenues of Rs 500 crore within the first operational year of setting up.

Sunil Bhagat, CEO, RPG Cellucom, who was in Pune to open its 50th store, was bullish about growth prospects as some of the stores launched in the National Capital Region (NCR) completed one full quarter. "We have got a better response than expected and have had 18 per cent repeat sales," said Bhagat.

"In one full year of operations, in FY '08-09 our revenues will be Rs 3,500 crore, accounting for three per cent of the mobility market share," said Bhagat. The current focus is scale with prices being led by the market comprising of 3-5 per cent profit margins.

"As we grow the company we will focus on services, which will account for nine per cent of our top line growth," he said.

"RPG Cellucom will offer a level I front face service for mobile phones in every 1 out of 3 showrooms," said Datar. "The group is also in talks with an IT company for setting up a similar setup for laptops servicing," he added.

Cellucom is a level III component repair factory and markets international best-sellers like Nokia, Dell, Creative, Acer, HP, i-Mate, Logitech, PalmOne, Quantech, Samsung, Sony, Sony Ericsson, Treo, TwinMOS and even Nikon. The range for laptops includes HP, Compaq, Acer, ACi to name a few.