The UK-based department store chain Debenhams is making a second attempt for a better fit in India. Its first foray in 2007-08 flopped as the chain wanted to be everything to everybody – a positioning that just didn’t work in a crowded marketplace.
When Planet Retail launched Debenhams in 2007-08, it was like any other department store chain, selling a mix of global and domestic brands and both menswear and women’s wear. As slowdown hit the chain, Planet Retail, which had plans to open 30 stores, could open only three stores. All the three stores were making losses and subsequently it closed down Mumbai and Delhi stores.
But the management restructuring in Planet Retail, which saw Samsonite South Asia’s Ramesh Tainwala picking 48.5 percent in the company in 2011, saw the company changing its strategy. The shift in strategy has meant the chain focusing exclusively on premier women’s wear as against its mid-market department store positioning in the UK. The other market where it has similar positioning is West Asia.
(Source: Business Standard)