MUMBAI: Following the success of a pilot project launched here in June 2007, Raheja Group unit Hyper City is to expand its retail catalogue venture with Argos, part of Britain's Home Retail Group.
Argos sells general merchandise and home products from over 690 stores throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland, online and over the telephone. In the last financial year, the firm's sales grew 8% to £4.2 billion ($8.18bn; €5.64bn) and it employs some 34,000 people across the business.
It also books four million customer orders online and by phone. On average, 17m UK households, or around two thirds of the population, have an Argos catalogue at home at any time.
Now it seems the subcontinent is set to embrace the concept with as much enthusiasm as Britons.
Hypercity Argos is already making 250 deliveries a day of furniture and electronic goods, the most popular items on its list; and hopes to uplift that to 750 deliveries daily in the near future.
However, local observers say the need to embrace catalogue retail is triggered more by Hypercity's slow progress in setting up stores in an overpriced real estate market.
The venture plans a regional print and radio campaign starting next week.
Argos sells general merchandise and home products from over 690 stores throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland, online and over the telephone. In the last financial year, the firm's sales grew 8% to £4.2 billion ($8.18bn; €5.64bn) and it employs some 34,000 people across the business.
It also books four million customer orders online and by phone. On average, 17m UK households, or around two thirds of the population, have an Argos catalogue at home at any time.
Now it seems the subcontinent is set to embrace the concept with as much enthusiasm as Britons.
Hypercity Argos is already making 250 deliveries a day of furniture and electronic goods, the most popular items on its list; and hopes to uplift that to 750 deliveries daily in the near future.
However, local observers say the need to embrace catalogue retail is triggered more by Hypercity's slow progress in setting up stores in an overpriced real estate market.
The venture plans a regional print and radio campaign starting next week.
Data sourced from moneycontrol.com (India); additional content by WARC staff
