22nd October 2010 Volume: 4  - Issue: 43 
 

 
  Dear Friends-in-Retail, 

It feels great to be in touch with you through 'replenish'.

Shopping for Ideas
"In search of ideas, I spent yesterday morning in walking about, and went to the stores and bought things in four departments," Arnold Bennett once recalled. "A wonderful way of spending time and money. Better than most theatres. I think this sort of activity does stimulate ideas."

Bennett, [Enoch] Arnold (1867-1931) British writer and theater critic [noted for his depiction of life among the lower middle classes in such works as The Old Wives' Tale (1908)]

Happy Retailing!
 
Kumar Rajagopalan      
CEO, rai       
   
      Highlights:
 
Retailers Association of India files its Service Tax Petition in the Bombay High Court
Joseph Wan, CEO, Harvey Nichols confirms to speak as International Keynote for Luxury Retailing session at RAI’s Retail Leadership Summit Register now!!! Early bird registration ends on 30th November 2010.
Recruit the Best Retail Candidates on www.rai.timesjobs.com
Press Room
       Retailers Association of India files its Service Tax Petition in the Bombay High Court

RAI had advised its members to file their individual petitions seeking relief from payment of service tax on renting of immovable properties. Accordingly, many members have approached various High Courts for relief on their properties.
Some of the High Courts that have granted relief include the Hon'ble High Courts of Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Bombay.

Retailers Association of India has now filed a Writ Petition in the Service Tax matter, on behalf of its members, in the Bombay High court on 7th October, 2010. The RAI Writ Petition is numbered as Writ Petition No. (L) 2328 of 2010.

Members will be informed of further developments in the RAI petition from time to time.
 
   
       Joseph Wan, CEO, Harvey Nichols confirms to speak as International Keynote for
     Luxury Retailing session at RAI’s Retail Leadership Summit Register now!!!
     Early bird registration ends on 30th November 2010.
Joseph Wan, CEO, Harvey Nichols address at RLS 2011 would cover:
  • Evolution of Harvey Nichols since 1813 including the transition phase during the ownership change.
  • Sustainable strategies on how Luxury Retail can consistently perform well despite the boom and bust of the global economy.

  • Harvey Nichols strategy to expand using the licensing route.

  • His views on the entry and development of a luxury brand such as Harvey Nichols in an emerging market such as India.

  • The role of a luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada etc in developing the overall retail market in a developing economy like India.

  • Should the brand come into the country first or should the store facilitate the entry of the brand?
 
Joseph Wan Profile:
Joseph Wan has been Chief Executive of Harvey Nichols since 1992 and currently he also serves as the non - executive Chairman of S.T Dupont SA which is listed on the Paris Bourse. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1978 and stayed in the profession with KPMG until 1987 when he took up the position of Group Finance Director of Dickson Concepts International Limited which was and still remains listed on the Hong Kong Stock exchange. In 2002, Joseph also qualified as a Chartered Arbitrator.
 
Key Sessions at RLS 2011
 
  • Promoters Address

  • Session on Hypermarket

  • Session on Department Stores

  • Session on Mobile Commerce - The new Service Delivery Platform

  • Session on Visual Merchandising & Store Design

  • Session on Investments in Retail
  • Session on Fashion / Luxury Retailing

  • Session on Airport Retailing

  • Session on Food & Restaurant Retailing

  • Session on Supply Chain and issues faced by the industry

  • Panel discussion on "Real Estate - Retail Collaboration"

  • Panel discussion on "Vendor / Manufacturer - Retail Collaboration"
 
Special Early Bird Offer - 20% Discount Rates given below
(Early bird offer Valid upto 30th November 2010)
 
Delegate Non Member RAI Member Special Rate for Supporting Partner
  One Nominee Rs.12,000/-* Rs. 7,500/-* Rs. 7,500/-*
  Three Nominees Rs. 30,000/-* Rs.18,500/-* Rs.18,500/-*
  Five Nominees Rs. 40,000/-* Rs.25,000/-* Rs.25,000/-*
  * plus 10.30% service tax
 
 
 
 
For more information on Sponsorship opportunities, please contact
Sanjayan Nair, Vice President - Marketing Cell: +91 9819539780, Email: sanjayan@rai.net.in
Bhavesh Pitroda, Director - Marketing and Events, Cell: +91 9867355551, Email: bhavesh@rai.net.in
 
 
For more information on Participation opportunities, please contact
 
Corporate office:   Divya Kumar, Cell: +91 9821227626, Email: divya@rai.net.in
                         Poonan Shinde, Cell: + 91 9987511013, Email: poonam@rai.net.in
 
Southern Region: D. Joice Smiling, Cell: +91 9360382852, Email: smiling@rai.net.in
                        K. Narendran, Cell: +91 9994334466, Email: narendran@rai.net.in
 
Northern Region: Brijesh Gangwar, Cell: +91 9910999899, Email: brijesh@rai.net.in
 
       Recruit the Best Retail Candidates on www.rai.timesjobs.com


Retailers Association of India (RAI) had entered into an exclusive joint venture with Timesjobs.com, one of the leading job portals in India. As part of this alliance, RAI & TimesJobs.com have launched http://rai.timesjobs.com, the recruitment portal specifically for the retail industry. The objective of this portal is to make sure both employers and jobseekers from the retail sector can fulfill their recruitment needs in the most cost and time efficient way.

RAI's involvement in this portal has ensured that rai.timesjobs.com is a recruitment solution built by and for the Retail Industry while leveraging TimesJobs.com's e-recruitment expertise.

More than 40 leading retailers have signed up since the inception and those wishing to sign-in, kindly do so at the earliest at the special rates. Please contact Lawrence Fernandes on 09029089915, lawrence@rai.net.in

The traffic on the portal has magnificently grown to more than 1.25 lac visitors in June’10

 
       Press Room


The Times of India: ET Retail Awards

Moneylife: ‘The retail trading environment has become better’

The Economic Times: Economic Times Retail Awards on Oct 22 in Mumbai

The Times of India: The ET Retail Awards 2010

 
 
 
 
   
  Retailers Association of India (rai)
111/112, Ascot Centre, Next to Hotel Le Royal Meridien, Sahar Road, Sahar, Andheri (East),
Mumbai - 4000 99. Tel.: + 91 22 28269527 - 29 Fax: + 91 22 28269536
email:replenish@rai.net.in website:www.rai.net.in
 
 
© rai - Retailers Association of India
s