Depresso! Cafés go through the grinder

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January 9, 2025

Sagar Malviya, Economic Times 9 January 2025 Starbucks, Barista, Chaayos and Third Wave Coffee are among café chains facing the brunt of a slowdown in discretionary consumer spending. The impact is more severe for these retailers as they opened hundreds of new stores last fiscal year even as losses widened. To be sure, smaller chains such as Tim Hortons and Blue Tokai have bucked the trend. Experts attribute the expansion rush to the urge among these retailers - both chains and standalone stores - to outpace competition. In certain instance, it led the same retailer to add stores in the…

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Not just K-Pop, Indians are in love with Korean self-care too

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December 31, 2024

Jasodhara Banerjee, Forbes India 31 December 2024 Once, there was alabaster. Then, there was porcelain. And now there is glass. And no, we are not talking about the different kinds material to make fine, delicate objet d’art, but the quality and texture of facial skin—smooth, flawless and luminescent—that humans aspire to. While a Google search for the term ‘glass skin’ will churn out hundreds of results that describe not just what the term means—tracing it to Korean skin care routines and products—but also detail the meticulous steps, varying between five and 11, that will apparently make you look like your…

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Does Fashion’s Style Fit the Lean Quick Commerce Body?

Devangshu Dutta

December 24, 2024

Opinion piece by Devangshu Dutta, published in TexFash.com 12 December 2024 TLDR: Quick commerce needs to have a profitable business on a much narrower product profile. The more predictable and basic the product, the more it suits a Q-commerce business model.There’s potential for basics (e.g. T-shirts in common colours, innerwear, socks, and hosiery), last-minute outfit changes, urgent replacement for damaged clothing, event-driven products, or specially promoted products that look like great deals.We shouldn’t confuse quick commerce with “fast fashion”. What is fast in quick commerce is the speed of decision making and shopping that is enabled by a limited choice,…

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Fast fashion players such as M&S, Zara, H&M see fall in sales growth on spending woes

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December 14, 2024

Sagar Malviya, Economic Times Mumbai, 14 December 2024 Fast fashion was on a slow lane in the last fiscal year. Sales growth slowed for top retailers and fast fashion brands, show the latest regulatory filings of Marks & Spencer, Zara, H&M, Levi's, Lifestyle, Uniqlo, Benetton and Celio. The bottom line too had taken a hit, with most brands posting lower profits in the fiscal year ended March 31. Sales growth of H&M and Zara fell from 40% in FY23 to 11% and 8% in FY24, show the filings with the Registrar of Companies. Levi's growth slowed to 4% from 54%…

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Fight for 6E is giving Mahindra vehicle free publicity, say brand experts

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December 8, 2024

Sharleen Dsouza, Business Standard Mumbai, 8 Dec 2024 The legal battle between Mahindra Electric Automobile and IndiGo Aviation over ‘6e’ continues in court, and brand experts believe the case is unlikely to stand up in law. However, Mahindra is receiving free publicity from this trademark infringement fight. As the case progresses in the Delhi High Court (HC), Mahindra issued a statement on Saturday, saying, “We are hence taking the decision to brand our product BE 6.” However, brand experts argue that since both companies operate in different sectors, there should not be any legal issues. “Ideally, there shouldn’t be confusion,…

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