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August 24, 2024
Writankar Mukherjee & Navneeta Nandan, Economic Times
24 August 2024
Quick-commerce operators such as Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart and Zepto are aggressively trying to lure away consumers from large ecommerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart by matching their prices across groceries and fast-selling general merchandise, triggering a price war in the home delivery space.
This is a departure from the earlier pricing strategy of quick-commerce players who typically charged 10-15% premium over average ecommerce marketplace prices for instant deliveries, industry executives said.
The strategy now is to win consumers from large ecommerce at a time when urban shoppers increasingly prefer faster and scheduled deliveries, they said.
An ET study of prices of 30 commonly used products in daily necessities, discretionary groceries and other categories, including electronics and toys, in both ecommerce and quick-commerce platforms reveal the pricing disparity has been bridged. “The pricing premium which quick commerce used to charge for instant deliveries is gone with these platforms now joining a race with large ecommerce to offer competitive pricing to shift consumer loyalties,” said B Krishna Rao, senior category head at biscuits major Parle Products.
It seems to be working. Quick commerce is the fastest growing channel for all leading fast-moving consumer goods companies, accounting for 30-40% of their total online retail sales, according to company disclosures in earning calls.
These platforms are also expanding their basket with larger FMCG packs to cater to monthly shopping needs but also non-groceries such as electronic products, home improvement, kitchen appliances, basic apparel, shoes and toys amongst others.
“Consumers have all the apps on their phones and all they want is quick deliveries at the best price,” said Rao of Parle Products.
The increasing competition is putting pressure on ecommerce majors to reduce delivery time.
‘Market acquisition cost’
Flipkart is even eyeing a quick-commerce foray by piloting a 10-minute delivery service called Minutes in some parts of Bengaluru.
Jayen Mehta, managing director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation that owns the Amul brand, said now that people are buying regularly from quick commerce with an increase in their assortment, legacy ecommerce platforms like Big Basket and Amazon are trying to deliver faster and same day, which has increased competition pressure.
“At the end of the day, consumers compare across channels before buying. So, pricing equality has become important,” Mehta said. “But then, quick commerce has a delivery charge if the order is below a certain value,” he added.
But does their business model allow quick-commerce players to wage a sustained price war against ecommerce platforms?
Quick commerce model requires multiple dark stores to be set up in close vicinity in each market, while ecommerce players mostly make deliveries from centralised warehouses.
But then, quick commerce platforms right now are at a phase where ecommerce was 7-8 years back, said Devangshu Dutta, CEO of consulting firm Third Eyesight.
“Price matching by quick commerce is to acquire market share and is part of market acquisition cost even when it might not be profitable at a per unit transaction level,” he told ET. “They may have to sacrifice margins in the short term to get customers shopping more frequently.”
Blinkit chief executive Albinder Singh Dhindsa earlier this month said the advent of quick commerce has made people want things faster than they would have otherwise got from ecommerce.
“This has led to a direct share shift of a number of non-grocery use cases to quick commerce where customers were primarily reliant on ecommerce for buying these products,” he said in the Zomato-owned quick-commerce platform’s June quarter earnings release.
Dhindsa said quick-commerce platforms are gaining sales by incremental growth in consumption, shift in purchases from next day ecommerce deliveries and mid-premium retail chains.
Citing an example, he claimed the demand Blinkit has generated for online-first oral care brand Perfora is a testament that such brands’ growth and adoption on quick commerce is much faster than on ecommerce.
(Published in Economic Times)
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December 4, 2023
Sharleen Dsouza, Mumbai
3 December 2023
Hindustan Unilever (HUL)’s decision to split its beauty and personal care division and place a renewed focus on digital has been driven by its aim to serve the consumer of tomorrow, say analysts and brand experts.
HUL Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Rohit Jawa is looking to make the company ‘future ready’, and while these bets are not for the short-term, they will eventually pay off as the Indian consumer is young and digital friendly, they add.
“Rohit Jawa comes with digital experience and he is preparing to steer HUL into serving the future consumer who is more digital friendly,” said Sachin Bobade, vice president at brokerage firm Dolat Capital.
On Friday, the consumer major also announced that it had named Arun Neelakantan its chief digital officer effective January 1. Neelakantan, who the company said was brought in to unlock growth opportunities by leveraging India’s digital ecosystem, will also join the company’s management
committee. Neelakantan is the first chief digital officer of the company who will be part of the company’s management committee.
Brand expert Devangshu Dutta, founder of business management consultant Third Eyesight, said that HUL was a traditional company but had never shied away from experimenting with different models of customer engagement.
“The profile of the younger Indian consumer is more digital friendly. This move won’t fundamentally shift the company’s business in the short term, but it is creating a connect with the younger consumer group which will be the mainstay for the future,” said Dutta.
On Friday, Jawa had said: “As we embark on our next phase of growth and transformation, we will combine our scale and discipline with innovation and agility to serve our consumers even better, and build a future-fit business,” adding that beauty and personal care continued to be a source of value creation for the company.
(Published in Business Standard)
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August 24, 2023
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August 5, 2023
Viveat Susan Pinto, Financial Express
August 5, 2023
Two of the country’s best-known retailers, Nykaa and Reliance Retail, are now clashing head-on for a bigger share of the online beauty and personal care (BPC) market. Signs of this became apparent on Thursday, when Nykaa said that its CEO Falguni Nayar would “guide the marketing function directly” as part of its larger initiative to strengthen its marketing leadership and management.
The announcement, according to industry experts, came amid senior-level exits at the company and increasing competition from Reliance Retail’s Tira, which was launched in April this year as an online-cum-offline beauty destination.
Nykaa, which is estimated to have a share of 38% of the $1.3 billion (Rs 10,920 crore) online BPC market in India, says that it is evolving into a multi-dimensional business.
“Leadership roles are being augmented with an eye on strategic realignment, cost rationalisation and growing complexity of the business,” Nykaa said in a statement.
While Reliance Retail’s Tira is smaller in comparison to Nykaa, it is beginning to chip away at the heels of its bigger rival, industry sources said, within months of launch.
For instance, in four months since going live in April, the Tira app has over 1.7 million downloads and is eyeing a number of around 10 million in the next few months, persons in the know have told FE. It intends to do this on the back of aggressive tie-ups with local and international brands and positioning itself as an aspirational yet affordable beauty player. A mail sent to Reliance Retail elicited no response till the time of going to press.
The Nykaa beauty app has over 40 million downloads, but has been around longer than Tira, executives in the know said. Discounts on both platforms (Tira and Nykaa) range from 10-50% for various brands with BOGO (buy one get one) offers, virtual try-ons, blogs, tutorials, tips, recommendations and videos being part of the online experience. Tira also has a unique fragrance finder, which helps consumers match fragrances closest to their preferences.
“For beauty retailers, the game will increasingly be omnichannel,” says Devangshu Dutta, chief executive officer at Gurugram-based retail consultancy Third Eyesight. “While the consumer set is young for beauty brands, convenience and access, whether online or offline, is key for sustainable growth,” he says.
Nykaa has doubled its beauty store count from 72 outlets in FY21 to 145 stores in FY23, the company said in a recent investor call. Plans include adding another 50 outlets in FY24 and taking total store count to 150 stores, according to a report by brokerage firm JM Financial.
Reliance Retail also intends to expand its Tira footprint by setting up stores in suburbs such as Andheri in Mumbai besides BKC in Bandra and Infinity Mall in Malad, which are up and running. The Malad store, for instance, was launched just last week. Over the next few months, satellite cities such as Thane and locations such as Pune, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad are likely to see Tira stores, informed sources said, with more outlets lined up in tier-I and II cities, including Delhi-NCR.
Reliance Retail is also laying special emphasis on the design of its Tira stores, with the flagship 4,300-sq ft outlet in Bandra Kurla Complex, for instance, put together by London-headquartered studio called Dalziel & Pow. The studio is best-known for its work for brands such as Marks & Spencer, Toyota, Volkswagen and Jaguar Land Rover and has designed the BKC Tira stores as a go-to destination for beauty shoppers.
(Published in Financial Express)
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June 30, 2023
Pooja Yadav, Afaqs
June 30, 2023
Over the last two-three years, we have seen technology innovations making its way into the Indian jewellery sector. Brands have been trying to transform the online jewellery segment by using various technologies like augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), live video assistance, computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and more.
Despite the numerous innovations, the offline jewellery segment is still ahead of the online space, when it comes to sales. What makes the offline jewellery segment outpace the online segment?
The Indian e-commerce market is expected to grow to $111.40 billion by 2025 from $46.2 billion in 2020, as per an International Institute of Gemology report. While the segment remains to grow, what drives it back is the customer preference for physical jewellery stores.
Vipin Nair, marketing head & CRM at Malabar Gold & Diamonds, points out, “As of now, there seems to be no real alternative to trying on jewellery pieces in a retail store. Brands have been able to crack the logistics part, but not the ‘feel’ part. AR/VR has been around for a long time, but it doesn’t give you a feel of the jewellery pieces. It is a poor technology. The big purchases will continue to happen only in offline stores.”
Nair adds that despite the many challenges in the online space, it is now growing faster than before. “Earlier, there was a disconnect in the online segment. A customer had to wait for two-three weeks to receive a product. The online platforms seem to have cracked this business model, as whatever you like today, you can order and get it in a day’s time.”
Online jewellery segment started gaining popularity in 2020. In 2018, Tanishq started its e-comm website, and many other brands accompanied it in the online journey. What started with Tanishq has become a new journey for many start-ups and brands in the online space.
During Covid, the jewellery industry has been one of the worst-hit. Advent of online shopping and consumers relying on digital platforms during pandemic, helped brands strategise and invest more on online platforms.
According to Devangshu Dutta, founder and chief executive of Third Eyesight, trust is important when one is buying jewellery.
“It’s not a question of innovations. You can have virtual trials, whether it is online or in a store. But at the end, the customers have to see the piece and then buy it. Even if you are an online brand, you have to be able to offer an omnichannel experience. You have to enable in-home experience.”
As per Dutta, what’s required in this segment, is a change of mindset. “The share of online and modern retail will grow with time.”
Brands like Tanishq, Bluestone, Malabar, Kalyan Jewellers, Tata CLiQ, etc., are working on newer technologies. Then there are new players like the Aditya Birla Group that is set to foray into the branded jewellery retail business, with an investment of Rs 5,000 crore. The group’s new venture ‘Novel Jewels’ will have in-house brands in large-format exclusive retail stores across India.
Rashi Goel, founder and CEO, Performonks, says that the new brands entering the category, are trying to change the rules of the game. “These brands cater to working women, who want lighter, modern and fashionable pieces that they can match and wear with their outfits every day. So, the battle will be of brand building.”
“Tanishq offers light pieces, but tends to advertise heavy wedding jewellery, because that is in line with the category codes. The Aditya Birla Group will have to differentiate itself through the product experience. It will have to tell a brand story that takes the category narrative forward. If it is targeting young women looking for modern styles, it may benefit by having a direct-to-consumer (D2C) element (alongside retail stores in big cities). It could incorporate technology, where women can ‘try on’ jewellery virtually on the app.”
Recent trends
Citing the World Gold Council, Asian Lite International reports that there is a growing demand for lightweight and studded jewellery. Bridal jewellery alone accounts for at least half of the market share.
“Women prefer lightweight jewellery because it is practical and blends well with a modern lifestyle,” shares Nair of Malabar Gold & Diamonds.
Technology innovations may bring in some challenges, but they are also helping many people, in terms of convenience and choice. The online segment, which is still a fraction of the offline segment, is lately generating interest among digital savvy millennials.
Puneet Mansukhani, partner, KPMG in India, states that the online jewellery space has been garnering significant attention, especially amongst the millennials.
“Customer expectations are changing. Personalisation is playing a critical role. Technology involvement is increasing by the day, with AR taking the lead. However, the industry still has to tackle challenges around pilferage.”
On the upcoming trends, Mansukhani says, “Jewellery which is made to order with a modern look of hyper-personalisation (customised), is gaining importance, considering that value and convenience continue to be the top drivers of consumption.”
Manufacturers are increasingly focussing on producing lightweight pieces to satisfy the demands of young consumers, especially those who want to wear gold jewellery that matches with their western outfit every day, as per a World Gold Council report.
According to Third Eyesight’s Dutta, since fashion (lightweight) jewellery usually doesn’t cost much, “a consumer is not that invested in it. You can buy it online, like any other fashion product.”
The World Gold Council report adds that studded jewellery – known as ‘Polki’, ‘Kundan’ or ‘Jadau’ – has an estimated market share of 15-20%. The share of studded jewellery in North India is considerably higher. In South India, consumers are more inclined towards gold products, 60-70% of which are studded with diamonds and the remaining 30-40% are set with precious or semi-precious stones.
Jewellery landscape
In India, jewellery was traditionally purchased for investment purposes. People used to believe in buying heavy jewellery. But now, there’s a shift towards versatility and contemporary jewellery.
Nair states, “Contemporary designs are getting a lot of traction lately. It was not the case 10-15 years back. Lightweight jewellery is now in vogue and heavy jewellery is restricted to occasions like weddings. People now are looking for something practical. They are more into the design, quality, etc.”
Will the changing consumer preferences impact the bridal jewellery market?
Bridal jewellery dominates the gold jewellery landscape, with 50-55% of market share. Indians usually purchase gold for two occasions – weddings and festivals.
Around 11-13 million weddings take place in India every year. With women marrying at an average age of 22 and more than half of the country’s population below the age of 25, the demand for bridal jewellery will remain strong over the long-term, as per the World Gold Council data.
Going forward
The jewellery manufacturing landscape in India is largely unorganised and skill-intensive. Most jewellery pieces are still hand-crafted by artisans.
“Hence, the scale continues to be limited. Although we are gradually seeing jewellery retailers invest in large set-ups. We are also witnessing the overall jewellery market heading towards formalisation on the back of GST, government policies around hallmarking and exports,” shares Mansukhani of KPMG.
“For large players looking to enter this space, automation and focussing on in-house manufacturing, could help jewellers counter the high manufacturing charges.”
