Bata India, the leading manufacturers of footwear in India is likely to increase its presence in the online sphere through its virtual retail channel. The company aims to triple its sales from nearly 1,000 pairs a week, through its ten-month old online format, to 3,000 pairs per week within a year. Currently, nearly 50% of the company's orders come from the web.
The company has 1,200 retail stores across different locations, which makes the customer’s order online for shoe sizes that are not available in the stores. Bata India, currently, is one of the few companies amongst consumer goods majors to have its own online format.
Through the online store Bata also sells its licensed products that include brands such as Hush Puppies, Oxford Street, Reebok, Scholls and Marie Claire for kids, men and women. The entity has already entered into tie-ups with two e-commerce sites, e-bay.com and rediff.com for sale of shoes.
