Bata India to increase online sales

Kolkata, Aug 5:

Footwear major Bata India on Wednesday said it is looking to increase its online sales to 10 lakh pairs of footwear this year.

The company sold two lakh pairs in 2014 over the internet.

“We have come up with exclusive collection of products which is available online only,” Bata group’s South Asia managing director Rajeev Gopalakrishnan told media persons here after its annual general meeting.

The footwear major will roll out 500 products which will be exclusively available online.

Gopalakrishnan said the products which will be available online will not be available in its retail outlets, so that the online and offline model do not clash with each other.

He said presently online sales account for a negligible amount of the firm’s revenue but in a couple of years, online sales would scale up to contribute five percent of its revenue.

“The online mode will go through correction and companies like us will have an opportunity… Online sales will be exponential in the coming years,” Gopalakrishnan said.

He said discounts have successfully enticed customers.

The company has also created a separate business division for online sales that is manned by 25 people.

Bata India has earmarked a capital expenditure between Rs.80-100 crore this fiscal.

Apart from the modernisation drive, the official said Bata will focus on design and technology, and minimise the incidence of factory seconds.

The company will be renovating its factories in West Bengal, Bihar and Karnataka. (IANS)