Arrow from Arvind Fashions has just launched its 13th store in Bengaluru, reflecting its focus on a more contemporary ethos. Retail4Growth caught up with Anand Aiyer, CEO of Arrow to know more about the brand’s approach to retail expansion and customer experience.
“We plan to open a lot many more large format stores with a distinct focus on offering elevated shopping experience to our customers,” says Anand Aiyer, CEO of Arrow from Arvind Fashions, while talking to Retail4Growth in an exclusive interaction on the occasion of the brand’s inauguration of its 13th store in Bengaluru at HSR Layout.
Anand’s words are a reflection of the brand’s strong belief in brick and mortar retail and what it delivers. As he explains further, “Physical retail presence, while giving the right shopper experience to our customers, also helps portray the brand in the right manner. For example, Arrow as a brand has been around since 1851 and has always believed in innovations and differentiation. So our stores are a statement of the brand legacy, with every wall conveying the distinct product stories.”
The newly launched store in Bengaluru, spread across 2000-2200 square feet area, for instance, expresses the brand’s shift to a more contemporary ethos and its source of inspiration -- New York city. As Anand explains, “All the elements in the store reflect the brand’s new identity with a more modern look and feel, and its focus on offering an upgraded shopping experience.” These are seen in little visual and narrative nudges such as the line, ‘This mirror is having a moment because of you’ engraved on mirrors, obviously aimed at making the customer feel good, besides other visual elements in the store.
‘Tech has to serve a purpose’
Speaking about the use of technology in the front-end store space, Anand says, “We use a lot of technology at the back-end, making sure our supply chain and replenishment are automated for seamless store operations. At the front-end, much of the technology is for communications, through the use of digital screens, which are more impactful than static screens. The idea is to inspire the customer. But merely using technology for cosmetic reasons does not serve any purpose, it has to add value to the customer experience.”
He adds further, elaborating on the need to use meaningful technology in-store, “Today shoppers are already on their smart phones and connected with various digital platforms. They already know what they want to buy and are very tech savvy. Hence using touch screen kiosks in the stores are not of much use. Also, we don’t really have to tell much to the customers today; they already know. Instead, we need to give them something unique in order to stay relevant.”
‘There’s room for every retail channel’
Arrow as a brand is also present across multiple formats - from exclusive stand-alone stores in malls and high streets to presence in multi brand outlets and shops in shops, besides having presence online. Speaking about the omni-present strategy and why the rise of channels like quick commerce will not affect physical retail, Anand says, “In India, there’s space for every kind of retail format and channel. For example, quick commerce serves a distinct customer need, while a store meets a different requirement. In India, shopping is mostly a family entertainment activity. Also, the need for retail therapy will continue with the touch and feel factor playing a very important role. So there’s space for all formats to co-exist in India “
Market expansion
Anand also informs that the brand is aggressively expanding, with a greater focus on metros. Speaking about this, he says, “We enter a market once we know it’s ready. We get that pulse from our presence in departmental stores and shop in shops. We don’t rule out tier 2 and 3 markets, but we will be more cautious there, assessing their readiness first.“
Expansion challenges
For most retail brands today, finding the right location is the biggest challenge today, when it comes to expansion and new store launches, and it’s no different for Arrow. As Anand explains, “Location is the biggest challenge, as it plays a very critical role in giving the right experience to its customers and it is especially so in high-streets where availability of quality spaces is restricted, and therefore challenging. And this is one of the reasons why having presence in malls is much more important and convenient for us, as malls generally have their standards in place when it comes to the store design and experience.”
The other challenge, says Anand, is finding and grooming manpower, which obviously plays a very important role in physical retail stores. But these challenges notwithstanding, brand Arrow is all poised for expansion, with a target of 40+ stores this financial year, with the latest Bengaluru store marking a new milestone.