Wishes Unlimited to focus on merchandising

By R. Chandrakanth

BANGALORE, OCT. 3. In the ``expressions industry'', the brand is the store and what is sold in the store may not be branded. It is this branding concept which has made 23 greeting cards\gifts retail outlets in Bangalore come under one brand - Wishes Unlimited.

The concept which Wishes Unlimited started in Mumbai with about 60 retailers should touch 100 stores across the country by October 15, according to its Chairman, Mr. Kireet Modi. On the cards where this concept would be launched next are Hyderabad and Pune.

The ``expressions industry'' continued to remain largely unorganised, though players such as Archies, Hallmark and the recent entrant ITC's Goldflake Expressions, had made a mark. Wishes Unlimited, he said, was an effort to get the industry organised, including ensuring reasonable pricing. ``At present, the pricing in this industry has gone haywire. We have done a market survey and find that the pricing could be reduced by 25 to 30 per cent on the MRP."

Wishes Unlimited, he said, was tying up with a manufacturer for sourcing gifts, besides direct imports from China and Taiwan. This should firm up in a couple of months. The market was retail- driven from what it was five years ago - manufacturer-driven. The company's focus was on merchandising and this was changing the dynamics of the business.

At present, too many designs were chasing too less shelf space, hence the company, he said, took decisions on how the outlets marketed the products. Wishes Unlimited, he said, was the only company which took stocks back. ``At present, 5 to 7 per cent stock is coming back, which we will offer it on discount, besides pushing the same in markets where it would move."

Mr. Modi mentioned that Wishes Unlimited would be soon looking at national brand based advertising. As of now, it was having promotions in cities. It would also be opening exclusive outlets in major cities and also a shop-in-shop in KempFort, Bangalore.

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Section  : Business
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