In a bid to cash in on the upcoming Christmas, many retail majors are planning to launch innovative strategies at their retail outlets and hypermarkets, in sync with the global trend, apart from launching new bundled offers to raise customers? excitement with attractive ambience and discount offers.

Hypermarket major Big Bazaar and premium retail stores Pantaloon – both part of the Future Group – are evaluating new plans to introduce separate innovative packaging for both private labels and national brands at their stores in India during this Christmas, Future Group officials told FE.

According to industry experts, in the US and the UK, retail outlets sell private label branded products with separate packaging as compared to national brands to encourage customers to make more purchases. This strategy has taken off well there.

Meanwhile, Shopper?s Stop is looking at offering attractive discounts on private labelled garments bundled with exchange offers on select garments for a limited period during Christmas.

Company officials said, ?We will also provide discounts on perfumes, jewellery, watches and kids? toys.?

During Christmas and New Year, garments sales contributes 25% of the retail stores annual sales, whereas, season sales add about 18% to 20%.

With long queues being major bottlenecks at the cash counters during the festival season within retail stores and hypermarkets, Retailers Association of India (RAI) has recently started appealing to retail majors to implement wireless device systems during Christmas for billing.

According to Gibson Vedamani, chief executive officer, RAI, ?With this device, there will be no need for customers to stand in long queues. Hopefully, this Christmas, customers will be able to avail of the new system to track their bills.?

Vedamani further added that retail majors across the nation should look at introducing post payment statement to be home delivered to their loyal customers so that customers are able to maintain a track of how many apparels, accessories, and other products they have purchased from retail stores.