Swarovski plans to open 11 new stores this year; to bring digital store experience to India

120-year old Austrian crystal and jewelry brand Swarovski plans 11 new store openings this year, out of which 4 will be EBO and the rest will be MBO presence. With strong presence in cities like Delhi and Mumbai, Swarovski is also focusing on tier II and III cities as part of their expansion plans. After recently refurbishing the Kolkata store under “Crystal Forest” concept, the brand is planning to revamp the architecture of all existing stores in India as per the latest concept.

Talking on the retail expansion and omni-channel route of the brand, Jochen Schmidt, VP Retail Architecture CGB, Omni channel & Commercial Operation, Swarovski, and Sukanya Duttaroy, Managing Director, CGB General Management , Swarovski India, told Retail4growth, “Swarovski has been in India since 2000, and we would like to think that we are one of the few mature brands in India. Such a long existence in the country paired with a unique positioning that the brand enjoys, it has become a pioneer in its category. We target for the right mix between EBO and MBO. In an ideal mix both channels support each other. We also target 2nd and 3rd tier cities which will further pick up in the upcoming years. By Christmas 2017, we want to surprise our customer with a fully digital experience in a brick and mortar environment, which will eventually come to India.”