A Dissertation report on

“A Study of Future Group: Retail Store Formats

In the Indian Market”

Submitted by
KULDEEP SINGH TOMAR
(Enrollment no.: 2016-334-064)

in partial fulfillment for the award of the degree of

BBA
(BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION)

Under the supervision of

DR. NUDRAT MOINI RAHMAN

Department of Management
School of Management and Business Studies (SMBS)

JAMIA HAMDARD

New Delhi- 110062

(2019)
 JAMIA HAMDARD, NEW DELHI

Acknowledgement

I would like to take an opportunity to thank all the people who helped me in collecting necessary
information and making of the report. I am grateful to all of them for their time, energy and
wisdom.

Getting a project ready requires the work and effort of many people. I would like all those who
have contributed in completing this project. First of all, I would like to send my sincere thanks to
MRS. NUDRAT for his helpful hand in the completion of my project.

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JAMIA HAMDARD
HAMDARD NAGAR, NEW DELHI 110062

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Dissertation Report titled, “A Study of Future Group: Retail Store

Format In the Indian Market” is a study undertaken by Mr. KULDEEP SINGH TOMAR,
BBA (2016-19) batch.

The dissertation report is the result of his/her own work as declared by the student in “Declaration from
Student of Authentic Work” which is attached in this dissertation report.

Dr. Nudrat Moini Rehman

(Supervisor)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 Introduction

 company profile

 literature review

 store overview

 research methodology

 data analysis

 findings

 conclusion

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CHAPTER-1
INTRODUCTION

Retailing consists of the sale of goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as

a department store, shopping mall etc. The retailer buys goods or products in large quantities
from manufacturers either directly or through a wholesaler, and then sells smaller quantities to
the end-user. Retail establishments are often called shops or stores. Retailers are at the end of
the supply chain. Manufacturing marketers see the process of retailing as a necessary part of their
overall distribution strategy.

In the retail outlet various type of good and service are providing to the customer but all the
goods and services are generally homogenous in nature through all the other retail outlets.
Product and services of every company are available in every retail outlet. It is also find that
many customer only used to shopping in own decided outlet rather from every outlets even there
is homogenous among the product and service offer by the every retail outlet .So This put the
question in the mind of the every retailer that is there is any gap between what customer
expected from retailers and what retailer provides to customer during shopping.

No two customers have the identical likes and preferences. Delivery value and narrowing down
the zone of tolerance is a tightrope walk for marketer in organized retail sector. Especially in
market like India the challenges is formidable because organizations need to cater to a wide and
diverse group of customers. Thus, building equity and generating volumes in such complex
market tapers down to the function of managing customer expectation.

Customers take their time to first sketch their needs and then arrive at a specific decision. At the
end of the day the question is what does the customer expect? How to fulfill the glaring gap
between need and expectations? The answers to this question are “by delivering the value “

But in many case retailers are not aware of what their customer expects. Hence, they are unable
to deliver the right value to the right customer and satisfy them. Especially in this competitive
scenario where the customer is well informed, commanding and demanding at the same time it
has become imperative for the organization to be updated on the “WHAT”,” WHY “and “HOW”
of each and every customer. This calls for empathizing with the customer by indulging into their
priorities and decision making.

Even in the case of a product as simple as beauty soap, customer have versatile expectations like,
good packaging fragrance, herbal or medical benefit, glowing skin etc. and all this at an

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affordable price. A daunting task but companies have no option but to offer the expected value,
that too by keeping the operating costs low.

Following general expectations of a typical customer

 Value of Money

 Availability and location

 Service expectations

 Quality in Product

 Need based solution

So, in other to deliver the value, Retail outlets in addition to providing products and services,
need to cater for a wide range of motives. The various determinants of retail outlet preference
include cleanliness, well-stocked shelves, and range of products, helpful staff, disabled access,
wide aisles, car parking, multiple billing points and environmentally friendly goods. These
differing motives arise as retailers cater to different types of shoppers who include economic
consumers (concern with value), personalized consumers (concern with relationships),
recreational shoppers (shopping as a leisure activity) and apathetic consumers (who dislike
shopping). Retailers have to satisfy budding customers, older consumers as well as time
crunched individuals whose motives all tend to be conflicting as well as different. Retailers need
to establish a good image to prevent customers from shopping around. They must cater to
shoppers need for pleasure and practicality.

If expressed as a calculation, customer satisfaction might look something like this:

Customer expectations = Companies Performance/ Companies Satisfaction

Satisfaction is a consumer’s post-purchase evaluation of the overall service experience. It is an

affective reaction (Menon and Dube, 2000) in which the consumer’s needs, desires and
expectations during the course of the service experience have been met or exceeded (Lovelock,
2001). Satisfaction in this sense could mean that a supermarket has just barely met the
customer’s expectations, not exceeded nor disappointed those expectations. The benefits of
taking the customer’s response beyond satisfaction at this level by exceeding expectations, is a
competitive strategy many retailers aspire to achieve. There is a recurrent struggle for existence
and survival in the wake of deep competition, drastically changing customer attitudes and
expectation levels.

The study would enable us to understand the impact of various factors that influence a
consumer’s shopping behavior in a departmental store. It would also help in knowing the

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magnitude and direction of movement of these factors amongst each other. These factors have
been divided into three heads- Store, Situation and Shopper factors.

CHAPTER-2
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COMPANY PROFILE

FUTURE GROUP

Future Group India was established in 1994 with a vision to provide diverse services in Indian
and Global markets. The business areas of Future Group cover BPO (Business Process
Outsourcing), New Media, Security Management, and Construction. Through their strategic
investment and services, the future of Future Group shows a rising star in the business sky of
India. 

FUTURE RETAIL

There main retails businesses of Future Group in India are:

Pantaloons Stores

Big Bazaar

Central

MISSION

The group shares the vision and belief that our customers and stakeholders shall be served only
by creating and executing future scenarios in the consumption space leading to economic
development.

The group will be the trendsetters in evolving delivery formats, creating retail realty, making
consumption affordable for all customer segments – for classes and for masses.

The group shall infuse Indian brands with confidence and renewed ambition.

The group shall be efficient, cost- conscious and committed to quality in whatever we do.

The group shall ensure that our positive attitude, sincerity, humility and united determination
shall be the driving force to make us successful.

VALUES

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Indianness: Confidence in ourselves.

Leadership: To be a leader, both in thought and business.

Respect & Humility: To respect every individual and be humble in our conduct.

Introspection: Leading to purposeful thinking.

Openness: To be open and receptive to new ideas, knowledge and information.

Valuing and Nurturing Relationships: To build long term relationships.

Simplicity & Positivity: Simplicity and positivity in our thought, business and action.

Adaptability: To be flexible and adaptable, to meet challenges.

Flow: To respect and understand the universal laws of nature.

PANTALOONS
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Pantaloons Fashion & Retail Limited is an Indian premium clothing retail chain. The first
Pantaloons store was launched in Gariahat, Kolkata in 1997. As of November 2013, there are 76
Pantaloons stores in 44 cities. Pantaloons was previously controlled by the Future Group, but has
now been taken over by Aditya Birla Nuvo Limited (ABNL).

Spotlighting today's buoyant youth, Pantaloons Fashion Retail Ltd., India's premium lifestyle
apparel company offers chic and trendy fashion to meet their ever-changing needs. With
innovative designs, concepts and products, the company brings the latest trends in fashion and
clothing styles to the apparel market. Pantaloons reflect the ideology of always keeping alive the
'newness factor' through fashion apparel and accessories that are visually appealing and
fashionably upbeat.

The first Pantaloons store was launched amidst much fanfare in Gariahat, Kolkata in 1997. Over
the years, the brand has undergone several transitions and re-invented itself to bring forth
compelling trends and styles catering to the evolving fashion hub.

Since its inception, Pantaloons progressed from retailing just a mix of brands to its very own
popular private labels as well, designed by the in-house Design Studio. With a sharp focus on
bringing the latest in fashion, the Design Studio combines its prowess in design and aesthetics to
present styles that keep the consumer fashionably dressed each season.

Initially positioned as a store catering to the fashion needs of the entire family, Pantaloons has
now transitioned to a fashion and lifestyle brand with an emphasis on youth and a focus on
designs that are inherently in sync with current fashion trends. This compelling combination has
helped Pantaloons retain its place on the style radar of every consumer's wardrobe.

Pantaloons stores have an abundance of choices across categories that range from western to
Indian wear, formal to party wear and active wear for men, women and kids. To further add to
the customer's innumerable choices that reflect style, attitude, and comfort, Pantaloons has

extended its horizons to fashion accessories like fragrances, footwear, handbags, watches,
sunglasses and much more.

With a chain of 81 fashion stores across 40 cities and towns, Pantaloons is constantly extending
its foot-prints into the rest of modern India.

Pantaloons which was previously controlled by the Future Group has now been taken over by
Aditya Birla Nuvo Limited ['ABNL']. ABNL is a part of the prestigious Aditya Birla Group, a
$40 billion Indian multinational, operating in 36 countries across the globe with over 136,000
employees.

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The company offers an incredible and complete one-stop shopping experience to its buyers
through its vast collection of more than 100 prestigious brands for the discerning fashionista. The
81 aesthetically designed stores spread across the country display a range of classy and trendy
merchandise that truly lives up to Pantaloons’ maxim of ‘fresh fashion’.

A typical Pantaloons store is spread across a sprawling retail space of about 28,000 sq. ft.,
comprising a brand portfolio that runs across a wide gamut of styles that spell class. The
collection includes ready-to-wear western and ethnic apparel for men, women and kids,
complemented by an exhaustive range of accessories.

The women’s section houses the private labels — Bare Denim, Bare Leisure, Rig, Annabelle,
Honey, and Ajile — in western wear, as well as the choicest ethnic wear from RangManch,
Trishaa and Akkriti. Popular brands like Lee Cooper, Biba and W are also available.

The private labels for men in western wear include Lombard, Rig, Bare Denim, Bare Leisure and
JM Sport apart from trendy brands like Urbana, Scullers, John Miller, and Indigo Nation. Akkriti
provides a wide selection of ethnic wear.

Kids can choose from private labels like Bare Denim, Bare Leisure, Rig, or indulge in exclusive
brands like Lee Cooper Juniors, Chalk exclusive, Chirpy Pie & Bare in addition to international
brands like Barbie and Disney. For the ethnic look, they can opt for traditional wear from
Akkriti.

Pantaloons offer much more than just apparel. Customers can shop from an assortment of
watches from renowned international brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Esprit, Kenneth Cole, Citizen,
Timex, and Titan, among other brands.

Trendy sunglasses from Polaroid, Guess, Police, Scott, I Dee and Allen Solly are also available.
The accessories and beauty segments display an attractive collection of lady’s handbags from
Larvie, Caprese, Fiorella and Fastrack. Also available are products from color cosmetic brands
such as Bourgeois, Chambor, Deborah, Faces, Revlon, Maybelline, and Lakmé, as well as a wide
collection of exotic fragrances.

With its overwhelming repertoire of lifestyle apparel brands, Pantaloons is focused on growth
while continuing to create fresh fashion. Pantaloons is recognized by its warm personalized
service that completes the core proposition of this trendy chain.

The Aditya Birla Group ranks high in the League of Fortune 500 Corporations of the world with
a strong mix of talented and capable personnel comprising of 42 different nationalities, who are
credited with anchoring the organization and scripting one brilliant success story after another.

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Backed by the giant conglomerates, ABNL and Future Group, both the entities will work in
tandem to derive operational synergies for back-end, supply chain and other crucial value drivers
of the business.

With its overwhelming repertoire of lifestyle apparel brands, Pantaloons is focused on growth
while continuing to create fresh fashion. Pantaloons is recognized by its warm personalized
service that completes the core proposition of this trendy chain.

Departments of Pantaloons Fashion Retail Ltd:

There are following department in Pantaloons Fashion and Lifestyle Ltd

All the above departments work closely with each other to complete their task and achieve their
individual goals. Each department is interdependent with each other. The objective of these
departments is to accomplish mission and vision of the company.

Design Department: This department is basically developing sample of merchandise and

developing range of merchandise for upcoming season and work closely with buying
department. Designer attains fashion events and shows to keep tap on current and upcoming
trends.

Buying Department: This department is selecting what merchandise will be stocked in store
based on discussion happened with planning team. They work closely with design department to
approve sample and range of merchandise, attain fashion events and forecast the trends. They
also interact with other departments like marketing, sourcing, planning and quality control to get
appropriate advice that will help them in achieving company’s ultimate target. Apart from this,
they frequently keep in touch with suppliers and vendors.

Sourcing Department: It is management of a supply market to ensure access to adequate

resources required for the long term needs of the firm: understand market characteristics, identify
relevant potential suppliers, define a strategy for the firm, and set the objectives for any market
shaping effort. Sourcing frames the agreement with the suppliers involved in the strategy,
without necessarily going into the details of the contract. Sourcing teams include elements
internal and external to the firm to reach their objectives, to include the eventual optimization of
specifications in coordination with engineering, marketing, and / or research. Sourcing is the
strategic management of external resources.

They have to figure out different vendors who can give them better value in terms of price,
production, lead time, shipment mode and other production aspect after the budget allocates for
range by other departments, coordinates with buying and design department.

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Planning Department: This department is making OTB plan, Option plan, allocation, offers,
monitors day wise sells, end of season sell, stock in warehouse and store. They also recommend
buyer about which style is hitting the shopping floor, monitor sales, stock in warehouse and shop
floor, sell through, offer planning and do allocation of merchandise according to requirement of
particular merchandise in particular store. This is also known as Inventory Management and
Distribution Management. Planner are the backbone of any company if there over stock or stock
out its planner responsibility to control inventory and coordinate with other team like buying and
also do meeting with other senior people of company.

Operation Department: They work to make sure that employers' businesses run effectively,
smoothly and professionally. This includes all those who work in the organization from the
management to assembly line workers up to the guys loading and offloading trucks in
manufacturing and retail distribution centers.

VM Department: This department coordinates with designer and buyer for the theme of season
and then they make visual of store accordingly. Their responsibility to change visual of all store
at the same time, this include display of merchandise and lighting. There are some elements that
are involved in visual merchandising are Window Displays, Interior Displays, Signs, Cosmetic
Productions and other Special Sales and Promotions. Team tries to combine these element and
covey their idea to customer.

Marketing Department: They basically communicate the value of product to the customers for
that this department is divided in three teams ATL (Above the Line), BTL (Below the Line) and
LOYALTY. In ATL they are covering large Geographical area by advertising from Radio, TV
and National newspapers and in BTL they are covering particular targeted area by organizing
fashion events and shows. In LOYALTY they are distributing Cards and coupons to customer
first to check loyal customer and then start analyses about loyal customer’s next need and offer it
to customer on discount. It is one of innovative department and generating new idea.

Finance Department: Major roles of the finance department are to identify appropriate financial
information prior to communicating this information to managers and decisionmakers, in order
that they may make informed judgments and decisions. This department’s responsibility for
organizing the financial and accounting affairs including the preparation and presentation of
appropriate accounts, and the provision of financial information for manager.

Admin Department: They are managing and distributing information within office like greeting
clients and employees, answering the calls, maintaining files, record of expenditure, stationary,
printing, housekeeping, Administrative assistants are responsible for communicating with clients,
outside vendors and staff members on behalf of their employer. They greet customers, answer
the phone, take messages and set up meetings. This department is interrelated to HR department.

HR Department: Human resource management (HRM) in organizations designed to maximize

employee performance in service of their employer’s strategic objectives. In Pantaloons, HR is
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primarily concerned with how people are managed within organizations, focusing on policies
and systems. HR department is responsible for a number of activities, including employee
recruitment, training and development, performance appraisal, and rewarding. Human resources
assistants may process and regularly update personnel, payroll and job applicant records.

Garment Technology Department: It is divided in three teams one is Construction /Fit Team,
another is Testing team and last is Inspection team. Construction team basically checking the
size measurement and its grading, Testing team are doing chemical like crocking, bleeding, color
fastness to light etc and physical test like pilling, abrasion resistance etc and inspection team is
visiting manufacturing unit to see the directed production, there also checking for complete
garment which is done in last by Testing team.

Supply Chain Department: It is the management of the flow of goods. It includes the movement
and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point of origin
(Manufacturing Unit) to point of consumption (Store).

Main function of supply chain management are as follows:

1)inventory management 2) distribution management 3) channel management 4) payment

management 5) financial management 6) supplier management 7) transportation management 8)
Customer service management. Some of their work is already done by planning team only
Inventory Management and Distribution Management. They closely work with planning
department and interchange information regarding stock delivery from supplier to warehouse and
warehouse to store or if any stock is available for inter store transfer or vendor has to direct
supply to store SCM team take care of this things.

BIG BAZAAR

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Big Bazaar is a household name that is used synonymously with ‘retail’ in India. We represent
the requirements of a typical Indian home. Founded in 2001 by Kishore Biyani, we as a retail
chain operate under the parent organization – Future Group – that holds a significant prominence
in the Indian retail and fashion sectors.

Big Bazaar is one of the oldest hypermarket chains that houses around 250+ stores in the
country. We cover three essential categories in Indian retail: home, food, and fashion. Popular
retail chains – like the Food Bazaar and fbb form an integral part of Big Bazaar’s identity. The
latter (i.e. fbb) has exponentially grown into a major brand that epitomizes fashion in India.

In spite of covering a wide gamut of consumer essentials at reasonable prices, we are best known
for our understanding of our customers’ evolving needs and comforts. In a fast-paced world, we
are perceived as a thought leader who relies on traditional Indian values of seva or ‘care for the
customer’ while remaining firmly futuristic in taking business decisions that fuel better quality
and efficiency.

Big Bazaar is not just another hypermarket; it caters to every need of your family. Where Big
Bazaar scores over other stores is its value for money proposition for Indian customers. We
guarantee the best products at the best prices. With the ever-increasing array of in-house brands,
we have opened doors in the world of fashion and general merchandise, including home
furnishings, utensils, crockery, cutlery, sports goods and much more at prices that will surprise
you. And this is just the beginning.

Working with Big Bazaar gives you an opportunity to be part of a family with a unique culture
and beliefs. Drawing from the vision of modern Indian retail, we have built a company that our
people are proud of and our customers and communities’ value. The Big Bazaar group family
includes over 35,000 employees from a large cross-section of social and economic strata. We
nurture our employees for the long-term, ensuring their passion and commitment leads to
outstanding professional growth. Big Bazaar has attained a leadership position in the retail space
by promoting an environment of collaboration and meritocracy - an environment that makes
challenges enjoyable and rewarding every day. We believe that people give their best when they
are satisfied with all aspects of their lives. With an inclusive and richly diverse workforce, we
offer a vibrant, energetic and achievement-oriented environment. Our community of the best and
brightest professionals works as a collaborative team that is empowered to act in the best
interests of customers.

BIG BAZAAR’S NEW MARKETING STRATEGY:

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Big Bazaar has launched new marketing strategy which is based on Guerrilla Marketing.
Guerrilla marketing warfare strategies are a type of marketing warfare strategy designed to wear-
down the enemy by a long series of minor attacks, using principles of surprise and hit-and-run
tactics. Attack, retreat, hide, then do it again and again, until the competitor moves on to other
markets. Guerrilla force is divided into small groups that selectively attack the target at its weak
points. In the world of cut throat competition, corporate use extension of the same strategy in
marketing. Corporate like Pepsi, Coke etc have been using the same for quite some time now and
the latest entrant is our very own ‘Future Group’- Big Bazaar, Future Bazaar, Pantaloons, e Zone
are all part of this group and they are taking on the biggies like Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, and
Tata’s Westside. In order to do the same, Future Group have come up with 3 catchy and cheeky
ad campaigns which surely do catch our eyes and surely one can’t resist appreciating the same.

SWOT ANALYSIS:

 Strengths:

Maximum number of varieties: People prefer those places where they can get the maximum
products they need and Big Bazaar provides vast range of products under one roof helping in
attracting customer and their family to shop together and enjoy the experience.

High brand equity: Big Bazaar has created high brand equity through its promotions and
marketing it has created a different image for its products as the cheap and best.

Largest chain of retail marketing in India: Big Bazaar is the first retail chain to be started in India
and is the largest and successful until now.

High capacity investment: Big Bazaar offers 1,70,000 products and owns more than 100 retail
stores all over India and has the strong financial background as being the subsidiary of future
groups which owns the pantaloons which is one of the biggest the industries in men’s wear in
India and have its work is spread all over India. Future group is one of the leading groups in
India.

Everyday new promotions and schemes of low prices and discounts: Big Bazaar always offers
new schemes of low prices and gives discounts in products like Big Bazaar offers the sabse saste
3 din (the cheapest 3 days) in which it offers the lowest of prices than other days.

Weaknesses:

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Overcrowded: During offers, promotions and even on weekends the place is overcrowded with
people and sometime even there is the situation of closing the store due to it.

Checkout can be extremely slow: There can be seen a long queue on the billing counters making
the consumer wait for hours due to the slow service and the crowd.

Perception of low price=low quality: Generally, people think that if any product has low price
then the quality of the product will be low as they think quality comes with price.

Targets at the middle class and upper middle class only: It targets at the middle and upper middle
class due to which it ignores the upper and elite class people as they are the cream of the society
who are ready to pay any price for the quality and product they need.

Opportunities:

Big Bazaar can enter into production of various products due to its in depth understanding of
customers’ tastes and preferences.

Nowadays people prefer going to one big store and buy everything instead of visiting different
places for different items and waste time. So Big Bazaar can expand the business in smaller
cities as there is a lot of opportunity.

Threats:

High business risk involved: Big Bazaar investment is very large so it is obvious that there is
high business risk involved.

Lot of competitors: There are a lot of countries which are planning to enter the Indian market
like Wal-Mart, Carrefour and Tesco which is a big threat to Big Bazaar.

Less Parking Space: Customers are not satisfied with the parking space availability provided by
Big Bazaar. Hence, it’s a threat of Big Bazaar as it may lose its customers because of less
parking space availability. In holidays it will be very difficult for customers to park their vehicle
in Big Bazaar.

CENTRAL
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Central is an Indian department store chain operated by Future Lifestyle Fashion of Future
Group. It competes with other department store chains such as Lifestyle, Pantaloons and Max.

Launched in May 2004 at Bangalore, Central is a showcase, seamless mall and the first of its
kind in India. The thought behind this pioneering concept was to give customers an unobstructed,
pure shopping experience by ensuring the best brands in the Indian market are available to the
discerning Indian customer.

Central offers everything to the urban aspirational shopper. Located in the heart of the city,
Central believes its customers should not travel long distances to reach us. Instead, we must be
present in popular customer destinations.

Central has the largest collection of brands under one roof. For kids wear, the brands available
here include Lilliput, Ginny and Joni, Disney and Barbie. Women can choose from an array of
popular brands such as Romania, W, Levi’s, Rang Minch, Biba and many more. Men can choose
from Adidas, Reebok, Nike, Allen Solly, Excalibur, Zodiac, Peter England, Louis Philippe, Pepe
and a host of others. The mall has its very own Café Coffee Day on the first floor. The highlight
of the mall is its annual sale (also called the happiness sale) which offers discounts up to 61per
cent. This indeed is the most attractive part of shopping mall. There are sales assistants dedicated
to each brand and since every brand corner has about 3 to 4 people, you do not feel lost.
Promotions and discounts are a regular feature and in case you shop for more that Rs. 5000 at a
time, you also become a Visakhapatnam Central club member that offers points each time you
buy, which can later be redeemed.

Central, the newest shopping mall in Vizag, opened and started it’s functioning in
Visakhapatnam since 29th July 2010. Central, located close to Jagadamba junction, has redefined
shopping experience in the city. A towering four floor structure, bright red in colour stands
distinctly near Poorna market. Vizag Central build up area up to 240000 sft (22,000 Typical of
the Future Group’s brand, Vizag Central loomed large as we entered its premises. Once inside
the compound, we were ushered into the three-level basement parking. Shopping Have FUN at
Vizag Central.

The mall has five levels – from the ground floor to the fourth, dedicated to shopping, whilst the
top most floor has been earmarked for the third Inox multiplex, to open soon. The Future Group

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has opened its first “Central mall” in the city and second Central in Andhra Pradesh.
Visakhapatnam Central offers latest fashion and accessory brands in all major categories like
youth wear, men’s wear, women’s wear, kid’s wear and accessories, Latest apparel, footwear,
watches, eye wear, jewellery, cosmetics, perfumes, handbags and much more. Shopping store is
established near CBM compound on the main Sampath Vinayaka Temple road. Its build up area
1, 50, 000 Sq. Ft. around 40.900 m 2. The store is huge, impeccably clean and well lit up. A
sweeping glance reveals that it is not just about clothing but also shoes and accessories.
Convenience and availability of a range of products is the biggest advantage of shopping at this
shopping mall.

Spread over three floors, M&M store is a delight to visit. The ground floor houses the women’s
section, the first floor has the men’s section and the second floor is dedicated to kids’ stuff. A lift
inside connects the floors. There are many malls in the city that offer popular brands under one
roof. However, the specialty of this store is not just its variety At the kids’ wear section on level
2, an intriguing variety of party wear, casual wear and ethnic wear is found. A small corner is
also dedicated to footwear. The section also has an infant wear range from brands like Body care,
Zero, Babe and Cucumber. Other popular brands that stand out are Little Kangaroos, Jinaam,

Catmoss, Giny and Jony and Bambini. A section of imported partywear clothing has princess
gowns and capes for girls and full suits for boys. They also have footwear range for little ones
from Adidas, Disney and Peppermint.

The sprawling first floor has a huge collection of casuals, ethnic, formal and party wear for men.
Also, they have footwear and accessories. Brands like Zod, Mufti, Lee, Spykar, Lous Phillipe,
Van Huesen, Blackberrys and Indian Terrain dot the shelves. The footwear collection was
limited as compared to any other mall but we did see brands like Adidas, Puma and Hush
Puppies. The women’s wear range on the ground floor is the most vibrant of all. There are
separate sections for ethnic outfits, westerns, party wear, footwear and cosmetics. Popular brands
seen here include Biba, Oorja, Shagufta, Spykar, Wrangler and Lee.

Accessories are plenty to find with danglers, trinkets, hair wear and even some belts displayed
well. The perfume section has a variety of brands. The store makes you feel comfortable with
enough room for many people to scout around. The amiable staff keeps you engaged and one
sales assistant guides you through all sections. Billing is done at ease and unlike other malls,
plastic bags come free of charge. Paid parking is available. The location of the store is its biggest
advantage. If you are looking for something exclusive and exquisite for a party, this store is a

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must visit. The M&M brand of stores has made its presence felt in Andhra with stores in
Vijaywada, Kakinada, Kurnool, Guntur and Bhimavaram apart from Vizag.

CHAPTER-3
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LITERATURE REVIEW

A literature review is a description of the literature relevant to a particular field or topic. This is
often written as part of a thesis proposal, or at the commencement of a thesis. A critical literature
review is a critical assessment of the relevant literature. Literature ‘covers everything relevant
that is written on a topic: books, journal articles, newspaper articles, historical records,
government reports, theses and dissertations, etc. The important word is 'relevant'. A literature
review gives an overview of the field of inquiry: what has already been said on the topic, by the
key writers. It also gives an idea about the prevailing theories and hypotheses. The review also
specifies what questions are being asked, and what methodologies and methods are appropriate
and useful.

A critical literature review shows how prevailing ideas fit into the thesis and how the thesis
agrees or differs from them.

Human being are with full of curiosity and this draws them towards finding the facts. Knowing
the facts requires the researcher to understand and get in-depth knowledge of the topic. The
selection of the topic was on the basis of the current scenario in the society. After selecting the
topic the researcher tried to conduct a complete study of the available literature to know the past,
present scenario and also to understand the future trend. Literature review also helped the
researcher to know of the deviations in the present study and if possible to give certain remedial
measures.

The objective of the study according to the researcher is to understand the conceptual
framework of Retail Marketing and to have a complete knowledge of these trends in relation to
the Indian market. Indian retail sector has become one of the most powerful and fast growing
markets in the world. This growth influences the attitude of the Indian customers and marketing
approach of the companies. These features have been discussed in this section.

Indian Council for Research in International Economic Relations (ICRIER)81developed research

report titled ‗Impact of organized retail on the unorganized sector‘ states that retail trade alone
accounts for 41.83 percent job opportunities with 14.95 million employed in the sector.
Establishments involved in retail trade claimed the highest percentage both in the rural (39.28
percent) and urban (45 percent) areas. It has been the most sought after activity amongst own
account establishments with a share of 48.45 percent. In rural areas, 46.52 percent own account
establishments were set up for retail trade while the percentage was 51.44 in

Indian Council for Research in International Economic Relations (ICRIER), report on

Indian Retail, New Delhi, 2008. urban areas. Retail trade along with manufacturing and social

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and personal service activities have emerged as the three major non-agricultural activities giving
the maximum number of jobs, with a share of more than 72 percent of the total establishments.
Manufacturing establishments followed retail trade with 8.32 million people employed. Social
and personal service activities employed 7.35 percent during the review period.

Barry Berman and Joel R Evans82 gave an overview on the impact of Retailing on the
economy .They stated that retailing is a major part of U.S. and world commerce. According to
them Retail sales and employment are vital economic contributors and retail trends often mirror
trends in a nation‘s overall economy. According to the Department of Commerce, annual U.S.
retail store sales exceed $4 trillion- representing one-third of the total economy. Telephone and
mail-order sales by non store retailers, vending machines, direct selling, and Web generate
hundreds of billions of dollars in addition to yearly revenues, and apart from this the other
services like personal consumption expenditures on financial, medical, legal, educational etc
account for another several hundred billion dollars in annual retail revenues. Outside the United
States, retail sales are several trillions of dollars per year.

Michael Levy and Barton Weitz83 in the book ‗Retailing Management‘ have tried to know how
retailing has become an important economic activity. The book titled ‗Retailing Management‘ is
definitely a different form of commentary on ‗Retailing Operations‘ especially in the modern
and the Western World. The book discusses different facets of retailing strategies as they are
useful for developing the retail markets especially in a growing economy. In this book the
authors have tried to find out the reasons of growth of modern retailing, different retail format,
and multichannel retailing as a method of operating in a competitive market. From the author‘s
point of view there is a great change in the consumer behaviour which is

Barry Berman, Joel Evans R., ―Retail Management a Strategic Approach‖, tenth edition Pearson
Education Inc., Dorling Kindersley Publishing Inc., 2007.

Levy Michael and Weitz Barton, Retailing Management, McGraw Hill. Pearson Education Inc.,
Dorling Kindersley Publishing Inc., 2008. influencing the pattern of retailing and their strategies.
The consumers have changed not only in terms of perception, choices and ideas and identities
but also their modes of buying have significantly varied. These changes in the formats of
retailing cannot convince the consumers as to why they should buy the particular product from a
particular retail outlet. The change in the formats of branding i.e. from manufacturing brand to
retail branding or private labeling has also proved to be of a limited impact. Therefore new
methods of promotion especially attracting and retaining consumer, changes in the POP display
system are being introduced. The buying system have changed, so does the buying methods and
promotional methods also have changed. The retailers have tried to introduce new pricing
strategy and the retail communication has become a more important aspect of retail management
in the modern world

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Barry Burman and Joel Evans84 have offered a different kind of approach to the present system
of retailing. The book ‗Retail Management: A Strategic Approach ‘is basically related with
understanding the marketing phenomenon of retailing, the changes brought in due to competition
amongst retailers in terms of marketing, distribution, as well as promotional practices. The
author has concentrated on understanding and analyzing the detailed market from different
dimensions. The concept of SWOT analysis, situation analysis and tactical analysis has been
adopted by the authors to understand new trends in retail marketing, its implications on
competition as well as economics of retailing, changes in the pricing policy and promotional
techniques that are adopted by different organized large-scale retailers. The authors have tried to
understand retail institutions in terms of ownership, in terms of demand pattern, in terms of
strategic mix, in terms of emerging forms. The authors have noticed that the non-traditional
retailing especially Web Stores, or Electronic Retail Channels are becoming more profitable and
popular because of changing tastes and styles of buyers, because of liking of the new and
emerging trend of Electronic medium. Internet has influenced not only in terms of technology
but Internet has Burman Barry and Evans Joel, Retail Management: A Strategic Approach, 10th
ed., Prentice Hall. Pearson Education Inc., Dorling Kindersley Publishing Inc., 2006., become a
social medium of communication, which is responsible for development of E-Retailing which
has drastically influenced the strategies of retail management. This has changed the perception,
competitive strategies, distribution systems and promotional strategies that are adopted by the
retailers.

Dunne M. Patrick and Lufsch F. Robert85 gave a analyzed view that Customer Services include
the activities the retailer performs that influence

1. The case with which a potential customer can shop or learn about the store ‘s offerings

2. The case with which a transaction can be completed once the customer attempts to make a
purchase

3. The customer ‘s satisfaction with the product after the purchase.

These three elements are the pre-transaction, transaction, post-transaction components of

customer services

Rugman and D ‘Cruz86 developed a stream of research that potentially links international
business to globalization theories, pointing to the essentially, regional ‟ rather than, global‖ level
of activity in the early 21st century. This theoretical route again has difficulties when applied to
retailing because of the different nature of the international organization of investment in
retailing and the importance of the local market, and adoptions to it, for retailers. The
globalization studies start from an economic perspective, as in Spooler‘s (2007) study of Dairy
Farm and so do not address the issues of social change that have become explicit in the recent
activity of international retailers.

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Dale Gillian and Banfield Graham87 have introduced the concepts of distribution and retailing in
elaborate manner. Distribution refers to the process of movement of goods

Newman Andrew and Cullen Peter, Retailing: Environment and Operations, Cengage Learning,
2003 as a Business. They have considered retailing as a vibrant part of our changing society and
major source of employment. They have noticed that retailing is closely tied to the changing
moods of the consumers and new ways of business, spread on by the impressive development in
Technology and Management Theory. The book provides a comprehensive grounding in many
facets of retailing, including Logistics and Distribution, Merchandising, Store Layout and design,
pricing and location strategy. The authors have included new areas of importance which includes
retail services and out of store retailing. The authors have tried to understand what are the ways
and means because of which retailing is growing in a global scenario? How it has influenced
non-formal ways of trading? And what are the implications of new format of retailing on
consumer behavior? In this book the authors have also tried to find out the different market
structures that are required for retail operations and managing in the times of booms and slumps.
This helps the readers to understand different facets, challenges and changes that are happening
in the retail environment.

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CHAPTER-4
STORE OVERVIEW

SECTION A: PANTALOONS

Catering to the discerning and trendy consumer, Pantaloons is a power house of fresh fashion
and innovation. With a range of clothing from diverse sub brands that combine elegance and
freshness, the unparalleled options are fashion forward and on trend. The collections cover a
gamut of ready-to-wear western wear and ethnic wear for men, women and kids, in addition to a
stunning range of accessories for women and men. Pantaloon houses a repertoire of lifestyle
brands that cater to all consumers across a range of multiple occasions. The family concept store
has evolved into a fashion destination with a focus of delivering the latest.

Pantaloons- A Repertoire of Brands

Keeping the consumer’s fashion sensibilities and fashion in mind, Pantaloons has more than 200
brands on offer. Their reputed in-house brands come with their own noteworthy fan following
and offers a wide range of brands for men, women and kids with categories including western
wear, ethnic wear, formal wear, party wear, active wear and accessories making it a one stop
destination for the entire family.

Pantaloons- Fashionable Womenswear

The Pantaloons collection caters to all occasions from work wear to festive wear. The exclusive
ethnic wear brands include a mix-and-match range by Ragman, fusion wear from Akratic and
occasion wear from Trisha. For the gym-bunnies, Agile offers a range of stylish active wear,
while Honey offers trendy casual wear. Perfect for elegant evening wear, Annabelle offers a
range of dresses, skirts, tops and pants. A newer brand like Candies New York is perfect for
young fashionista’s who like to flaunt their style, while Alto Mode comes in as a high fashion
brand for plus sized people.

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Pantaloons- Smart Menswear

The menswear collection caters to every need of the hour- from office wear to party wear. With
edgy casuals from SF Jeans to preppy British sports-inspired clothing from Byford, the casual
wear range is perfect for your off duty style. Fitness aficionados can pick trendy styles from
active wear brand Agile and for the party lovers, F Factor has an edgy collection for a night
about town.

Pantaloons- Cute Kids wear

Not forgetting your little ones, Pantaloons also has an adorable collection that caters to toddlers
and tweens alike. Starting from 1 month old toddlers to 12 year old, the portfolio of brands
includes infant wear from Chirpier Pie, ethnic wear from Akratic, and casual wear from Chalk
and Poppers

LOCATION AND OVERVIEW:

Established with an aim to serve their customers in a better way is Pantaloons (customer Care) in
Delhi. This customer care helpline is a great addition to the parent enterprise and was launched
as an initiative to better the overall customer experience. With the firm belief that the
relationship with their customers does not end after the product or service is sold, this
organization has put in the necessary efforts when launching this helpline. Given the fact that
customers prefer reaching out to a real person over the other end of the line, this service
maintains the human element in the conversations. The enablers of this service are the
individuals who work as customer care executives. They are dedicated towards their respective
roles and put in a lot of hard work and effort to ensure quicker solutions to the various problems
faced by the customers as well as answering their queries. Knowing that a dedicated helpline
number is at a customer's beck and call is certainly reassuring. A customer can reach out to this
helpline on 18001037527. This customer care helpline is also listed under the following
category, namely Customer Care.

SERVICES OFFERED:

A customer can reach out to Pantaloons (customer Care) in anytime as per their convenience in
working hours. As a support arm of the parent organization, this helpline service aims to be a
one-stop point of contact for solving issues, posting positive or negative feedback, lodging
complaints and seeking information in greater detail about the company's product and services.
This helpline service supports multiple Indian languages, enabling callers to comfortably interact

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with the customer care executive in the language of their choice. One can choose the language of
their choice through the Interactive Voice Response or the IVR option. When on call, one can
also choose to directly connect with a customer care executive by selecting the appropriate
option. The team of customer care representatives behind the helpline service are quite receptive,
well-informed and thoroughly trained to find quick solutions to customer issues that range from
the simplest to the really complex. Time is of the essence when it comes to resolving impending
issues faced by the customer. The service executives manning this helpline make sure that a
caller's time is not wasted and that resolution of the issue is expedited from their end. If the issue
remains unresolved, they will help a customer in getting in touch with the nearest service center
or product dealer. Helping customers reach out to this customer care helpline number quickly is
Justdial. One can do so with the help of the instant calling option visibly placed under this listing
name.

SECTION B: BIG BAZAAR

Location and Overview:

Delhi is a top player in the category Departmental Stores in the Delhi. This well-known
establishment acts as a one-stop destination servicing customers both local and from other parts
of Delhi. Over the course of its journey, this business has established a firm foothold in it’s
industry. The belief that customer satisfaction is as important as their products and services, have
helped this establishment garner a vast base of customers, which continues to grow by the day.
This business employs individuals that are dedicated towards their respective roles and put in a
lot of effort to achieve the common vision and larger goals of the company. In the near future,
this business aims to expand its line of products and services and cater to a larger client base. In
Delhi, this establishment occupies a prominent location in Vasant Kunj. It is an effortless task in
commuting to this establishment as there are various modes of transport readily available. The
popularity of this business is evident from the 70+ reviews it has received from Just dial users. It
is known to provide top service in the following categories: Departmental Stores, Mobile Phone
Dealers, Electronic Goods Showrooms, Mobile Phone Dealers-Samsung, Ready made Garment
Retailers, Grocery Stores, Shoe Dealers, Ladies Ready made Garment Retailers.

Products and Services offered:

Big Bazaar in Vasant Kunj has a wide range of products and services to cater to the varied
requirements of their customers. The staff at this establishment are courteous and prompt at
providing any assistance. They readily answer any queries or questions that you may have. Pay
for the product or service with ease by using any of the available modes of payment, such as

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Cash, Master Card, Visa Card, Debit Cards, Diners Club Card, American Express Card, Credit
Card. This establishment is functional from 10:30 - 22:00.

Please scroll to the top for the address and contact details of Big Bazaar at Vasant Kunj, Delhi.

SECTION C: CENTRAL

Central Mall is a shopping complex and welcomes hundreds of people each day who come here
to get what they are looking for sale.

Central offers best sale opportunities to people. Every season the mall keeps a series of sales
where for its customers. People enjoy best discounts, deals, sales and promotions in various
products that are bought from various shops. This opportunity includes introductory offers as
well as usual deals. People find using this service easy. All one has to do is to take a closer look
at the products he/she is purchasing and compare their prices that suit his/her budget the most.

Central Shopping Mall also has fine restaurants where one can enjoy various delicious cuisines.
Many people visit this mall to sit at its restaurants and enjoy the meals and fast foods which are
simply the best. Mouthwatering dishes and awesome recipes are enjoyed by many. Be it KFC or
McDonald, most of the youngsters love to visit here with their friends and families to eat their
favorite dishes. Dining at this mall has always remained vivacious due to many options which
cater different tastes. Apart from browsing the collections in this shopping mall, people love to
sit and relax with their friends. And for this purpose, dining area serves as the best to those who
don’t want to get exhausted in pubs.

Movies and theatres in Gurgaon are widely popular and for that people visit this mall. Despite all
the things that the mall offers, its best quality pictures with best facilities are enjoyed by many.
This makes the Central Mall one of the Best shopping malls in Delhi. One can also visit their
website and find all the detailed information regarding what the mall has to offer at lower price.

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

INTRODUCTION
Research is the systematic process of collecting and analyzing information
in order to increase our understanding of the phenomenon about which we
are concern or interested. Research therefore has an integral part of the
academic pursuits. It has served two purposes intellectual sharpening and
evolving new theories to explain phenomenon.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

 To have a comparison between the selected apparel retail stores

 To analyze the factors affecting the buying behavior of consumers and their
level of satisfaction in the selected apparel retail outlet
 To analyze the various factors influencing the preferences of a selected
apparel retail outlet by a customer

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The researcher has selected the three major apparel outlets for the study of “A
Study of Future Group: Retail Store Formats In the Indian Market”
and for achieving of the above objective.The research design is descriptive in
nature.

For the dissertation the data collection sources are as follows:

PRIMARY SOURCES: Questionnaires

Observation

SECONDARY SOURCES: While the secondary source of information is

internet and reference books.The data is represented through bar graphs, pie charts
and tables.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The growth of scope in the Indian retail market is mainly due to the change in the
consumer behavior. For the new generation have preference towards luxury
commodities which have been due to the strong increase in income, changing
lifestyle, and demographic patterns which are favorable.  The India retail
industry contributes 10% of the country’s GDP and its current growth rate is
8.5%.The scope of the Indian retail market is very vast. And for it to reach its full
potential the government and the Indian retailers will have to make a determined
effort. 

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LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

 The response of the respondent may be biased.

 The respondents did not spare much time in filling the questionnaire.

 The sample size selected for the survey was too small as compared to large
population.

 The project was carried out only in the Delhi, so findings on data gathered
can be best true for Delhi only and not applicable to other parts of state and
country.

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CHAPTER-5
DATA ANALYSIS

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FINDINGS

 As per the current situation the apparel retail industry is growing at a fast pace

 The retailing format has affected the market on the bases of the consumer preferences

 Indian consumer has become more complex

 The important element of visual merchandising was not found to affect customers

 The research finding will help the retailing formats to understand the factor influencing
the customer buying behavior in order to enhance the marketing plan in future

 The selected three retail giant have improved their level of competitiveness which has-
been beneficial for the customer

 All the three retail outlets have advertised size to attract customers

 The shopping experience have directly influence choice make by the customer in
choosing their outlet

 The service quality is provided by the big bazaar is good. The customer expected service
and experience service is satisfactory

 The loyalty building programs makes customers to visit the retail stores often.

 The youth has brought a great change in the way that has helped in changing the trends in
the retail market.

 The retail market has brought a significant change in the lifestyle of people

 The retail market has grown itself and brought healthy competition.

 The retail market has brought varieties of product at offer in the hands of the customers

 The retail industry has leveled up the expectations of consumers and is fulfilling it.

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 The Retail Outlet has also brought few additions like books music items etc inside its
outlets.

 The Retailer focus on building Customer Relationship.

 The retailer pays so much attention to each and every detailing inside the outlets from
lighting to billing.

 The retail market focus on the décor, store atmosphere of the outlets so it attracts the
customers.

 The retail market also pay attention to the repetition of the products i.e they check the
product once sold should be repeated in the store and the customer entering in the outlet
always find new variety in the market.

 They maintain the level of satisfaction provided to the customers.

 The pricing policy that is preferred by the customers is of Big Bazar.

 The focus is more shifting towards the decor, ambiance of the outlet rather than the
pricing and product quality offered.

CONCLUSION

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The concept of retail is comparatively very old in Indian context. Before anybody knew about
what apparel retail is, we had kirana stores, medical stores and lot many other stores working
surprisingly well all over the country. the entrance of big players like Pantaloons, Westside,
Lifestyle ,Big bazar Central etc., has brought a big change great change in the trends in the v
retail market.. But just to remind us, we should never forget how deep rooted is this old concept.
The very modern organized stores have taken the idea of retailing nowhere else than from these
old shops. The growth in the retail market is mainly due to the change in the consumer’s
perception. This change has come in the consumer due to increased income, changing lifestyles,
and patterns of demography which are favorable. Now the consumer wants to shop at a place
where he can get food, entertainment, and shopping all less than one roof. This has given Indian
organized retail market a major boost.

The retail sector is undoubtly growing and is attracting large investment, customer with India’s
growing economy and dynamic. The concept of retail which including the shopkeeper to
customer interaction has taken many forms and dimensions. This study aims that studying the
formats of naming pantaloons, big bazaar and central on the basis of customers point of view the
sector is complicated in nature because of the taste and preference of the customer and variety it
offers.

The main point overall was to analyses the retailing formats of the selected retailing outlets
(Pantaloons,bigbazaar and central) on the basis of the different aspects it can be noted that big
bazaar has successfully made it impact on both the fronts that is customer base the retail outlet
base the store has to offer variety of goods and services with having the confidence of bringing
customer satisfaction.

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