Toonz Retail to focus on Tier II, III towns for new store openings

Having opened their first store in 2010, in Bengaluru, Toonz Retail is now successfully operating over 100 stores spread across 62 cities in 15 states including Delhi, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, et al. Toonz Retail is the kids’ store that parents love and as Sharad Venkta, MD & CEO, Toonz Retail India explains, “Our target group is parents of new born till 12 years. Parents these days are aspirational and buy the best and trendy clothes for their kids. Many of our stores have become favourite destinations for kids shopping.”

Toonz Retail offers a diverse range of products for children 0-12 years of age. The range includes apparels, toys, strollers, accessories, party wear, ethnic wear and much more. Over the years, the company has become more cautious about clothing because it is not just parents but also kids who are aware and are in sync with latest fashion trends. Every year, Toonz Retail comes up with a new theme and is planning to add more trendy and classy outfits. Elaborating further, Venkat says, “We have around 600 collections a year. India’s purchasing power is increasing, so is their appetite for fashion and consumers are ready to spend on fast fashion. We believe this would work in India, although it is yet to take off, as this generation is quick and changes fast. Our new collection is in sync with current fashion trends.” In the festive season they launched a new collection in Super Young celebration which is innovative, fashionable and in line with their tradition.

Retail strategy

The company gives importance to right positioning in the market and customer service with loyalty and retention in sales. It has 105 MBOs and is concentrating on Tier II and III cities where customers are aspirational. “Regions like Delhi, Rajasthan, UP, Maharashtra and Karnataka are our primary markets where we have maximum presence and plan to expand our retail presence,” shares Venkta. The stores are combination of company owned and franchises. It is planning to launch 200 outlets by 2019, especially in Tier II, III cities. The average size of a store is 1,200-3,000 sq. ft. In 2016, Toonz Retail spread beyond India and opened their first store in GCC, it has added three more stores since then. Toonz Retail’s owns brands Wow Mom (0-3 years old) and SuperYoung (3-12 year old), are available in Nepal, Mauritius, Fiji and Papa New Guinea.

Focus on small towns

Toonz Retail is focusing on expansion in Tier II, III cities. As Venkta says, “Our strategy is to open in newer markets while strengthening existing ones. We got an encouraging response from these markets and believe they are still untapped. Past few months, we opened in cities like Hissar, Muzaffarnagar, two new stores in Nagpur, Karad, Kolhapur and soon at Raibareli and Rajkot.”

Targeting 200 stores in the next two years, the company is expanding at a rapid pace. “Last year, we opened nearly 30 stores and are looking at doubling the count. We are also pushing our in-house brands SuperYoung and Wow Mom, giving them separate brand identities, placing them in accessible stores and areas. We are undertaking brand building activities to reach our target groups. We are focussing on key markets and taking them one at a time to invest resources for expansion,” concludes Venkta.