Stuti Mero Mart to open 32 stores in the Valley
KATHMANDU, SEP 26 -
Providing a one-stop shopping solution, convenience stores have now become an appealing business for retailers. Many shoppers prefer to make all their purchases at one place, and retailers have focused on taking stores to the doorsteps of their customers.
Recently, the ANS Co Group has opened a chain of convenience stores under the brand name Stuti Mero Mart at a number of major neighbourhoods in Kathmandu. In the last five months, the group has opened grocery outlets in Ghattekulo, Katyayani Chok and Sinamangal.
“We have launched the outlets in locations where the population is high with the aim of cashing in on changing consumer behaviour,” said ANS Chairman Sudip Thapa. According to him, they have mainly targeted shoppers who are used to visiting different shops to buy daily items.
The Stuti stores hold an inventory of around 7,000 products each. The items include spices, meat, kitchen ware, pulses and rice along with fast-moving consumer goods like cosmetic products, confectionery and liquors. “We have focused on selling typical products apart from imported goods,” said Thapa. He added that they planned to offer organic fruits and vegetables in the future.
The store claims it sells quality products at reasonable prices. “We thoroughly check the expiry dates of the packed food items and carry out an effective rotation system at the store to ensure we are selling only fresh products.” He added that they had implemented a software based recording system which helps maintain the quality of the products. Thapa said they had mainly targeted residential areas rather than commercial centres. “This will allow householders to purchase daily necessary goods without having to travel far making it convenient for them.”
According to ANS, their stores range in size from 1,200 sq ft to 4,500 sq ft depending on the number of potential customers. Thapa claimed that they had been witnessing a notable increase in footfall in the last five months since they opened.
In a bid to attract locals, the Stuti stores have been offering membership cards which give customers a 3 percent discount. “Moreover, we have planned to start another discount scheme based on the annual turnover of the concerned store,” said Thapa. According to him, about 75 percent of the current membership cardholders are women.
Targeting the upcoming Dashain festival, the Stuti stores are launching a festival promotion starting on Saturday and lasting until Chhath. According to the store, gift hampers including a 32-in LED television and other electronic products can be won by customers through a lucky draw. Thapa said customers have to buy at least Rs 1,000 worth of goods to qualify for the lucky draw.
Stuti Mero Mart plans to open 35 stores in Kathmandu, one in each ward, in the next one and a half years. The stores are open 8 am to 8 pm on weekdays.
Source: The Kathmandu Post
