Lacoste considering online channels to increase sales

While earlier Lacoste was opposed to the idea of selling its range online, but now the French brand offering premium clothing and accessories is considering retailing online due to decline in sales growth across its stores last year. The company is planning to launch its own web platform by next year, to sell and deliver products across the country.

Lacoste’s consolidated sales growth decreased to 15 percent last year, down from 25 percent in the year-ago period. The company also launched a few new stores sighting rising interest of shoppers in the online medium. The company only opened two new stores in 2014 against five to seven stores it plans in a year. The company, however expects consumers to return to stores by early 2016 and it aims to add 8-9 new stores next year.

Last year Lacoste send letters to many online platforms for selling brand’s fakes like polo T-shirt for anywhere between Rs 600 and Rs 1,200 against the original prices of around Rs 3,000 a piece in the stores. The company had said that the discounted products sold online under its brand name are either sourced through unauthorised channels or fakes.

Lacoste’s product portfolio includes clothing, footwear, leather goods, perfumes, eyewear and watches. Lacoste India is a strategic alliance between Lacoste and Sports and Leisure Apparel (SLA).