If one had to describe Raigad-Navi Mumbai's retail trends, the focus would have to be on the experience aspect: shopper's delight is what drives organised retail in Navi Mumbai and Raigad, says Ami Pandya

RETAIL THERAPY: SHOPPING COMFORT

If one had to describe Raigad-Navi Mumbai's retail trends, the focus would have to be on the experience aspect: shopper's delight is what drives organised retail in Navi Mumbai and Raigad, says Ami Pandya

    If shopping is to be considered as 'therapy', then residents of Navi Mumbai and Raigad have some of the best 'treatments' available across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). How does this help define a residential conglomeration? It is simple - it 'ups' the lifestyle quotient, says management student Nivedita Shetty. "Across Raigad district and in Navi Mumbai, Vashi is easily the mall capital, giving residents from Karjat to Alibaug and Panvel, to locations beyond, the perfect venue to shop, be it for necessities or luxury products," she adds. Does organised retail help a home seeker define where his/her future home will be? "Yes," answers Arvind Goel, president, Navi Mumbai Unit, MCHI-CREDAI. "For an urban conglomeration that boasts of being 'the city of the new millennium', Navi Mumbai's shopping options - organised retail have kept pace with the 'new millennium' aspect. Some of the best brands and retail chains have made successful forays into Navi Mumbai and from hyper marts to luxury brands, all seem to have found the customer base that actually 'buys' as compared to 'footfalls' which do not always translate into retail sales," he explains.
    Calligrapher and design guru Achyut Palav, a Navi Mumbai resident, has seen retail options grow exponentially. "Obviously, there are customers from Raigad and Navi Mumbai who buy or why else would retail outlets find Navi Mumbai attractive enough to 'settle down' and also grow in terms of additional outlets?'' he questions.
    Rajesh Prajapati, president, Raigad Unit, MCHI-CREDAI, shares that retail trends in Panvel, Raigad and Navi Mumbai, when viewed from the shopper's perspective, offer a wide array of shopping options across different price points. ''So, from a hyper market to a premium luxury retail brand, this conglomeration with Panvel at the centre, Raigad on one side and Navi Mumbai on the other, offers the entire range that a shopper would want,'' he points out.
    From the retail outlet's perspective too, the Raigad-Navi Mumbai region has scored high, feels Palav. ''Given that the 'mall culture' is fast growing, the potential for a retail outlet in the Raigad-Navi Mumbai region is high,'' he adds.
    In Raigad as also in Navi Mumbai, the 'mall culture' is growing fast, informs Shetty. ''The cosmopolitan population of the region which is literate and the growing youth culture, has given a boost to shopping in malls. The rising nuclear family concept with high income and disposable cash in hand has added flair. Raigad, as also Navi Mumbai, have become a shopper's paradise as all leading brands are present,'' she points out.
    It is Navi Mumbai's strong points as a city that make it an attractive retail destination, states Mohanjeet Singh, president, Navi Mumbai Unit of National Association of Realtors. ''If one looks at the MMR, Raigad and Navi Mumbai comprise the most progressive, fastest growing urban conglomeration. It is fast becoming a 'self sufficient and self reliant city'. Retail in India is driven by the young, educated and salaried population. More than 63 per cent of Navi Mumbai's population is below 35 years and Raigad has similar statistics,” he adds. “Additionally, in Navi Mumbai and most parts of Raigad, we see world class infrastructure and quality spaces, devoid of slums and shanties unlike in Mumbai. The
population of Navi Mumbai has been seeing over a 100 per cent decadal growth rate and in all probability it is going to touch five to six million within next five to six years and Raigad will follow suit. So, the future of retail is great in Raigad-Navi Mumbai,'' he feels. Singh further adds that when it comes to retail, Navi Mumbai's Vashi, wins hands down over the remaining suburban destinations on the central railway's suburban section. "Palm Beach Galleria, City Centre, Centre One, RaghuLeela Mall, Inorbit Mall and Hawre Fantasia, are some of the larger malls here," he lists down. Reliance and Walmart have plans to base their cash and carry format retail option in Raigad and Navi Mumbai in a big way. International brands like Bose, Mont Blanc etc., are present here with many more in the offing. High end salons like Juice, L'Oreal, Habibs, Enriche, Kaya, etc., are in Vashi and a world famous salon brand from the USA is reportedly, coming up soon,'' he shares.
    Manohar Shroff, honorary secretary, Navi Mumbai Unit MCHI-CREDAI takes up 'retail therapy' for Raigad-Navi Mumbai. “The retail trend is very strong across Navi Mumbai and locations in Raigad, although organised retail tends to cluster in Vashi. Across the various nodes of Navi Mumbai, as also locations in Raigad, there exists good infrastructure and proper connectivity and I foresee growth in the days to come. The future of Raigad's and Navi Mumbai's retail market is going to be very good,'' he smiles. Vikas Bhamre, honorary secretary, MCHI - CREDAI Raigad Unit concurs with 'retail
therapy'. ''In general, Raigad and Navi Mumbai have always experienced an upward trend in the retail market. This is due to meticulous planning, infrastructure facilities and continuous improvement that local bodies have provided. If one has to compare the retail trend of Raigad-Navi Mumbai with those in the neighbouring conglomerations, like KDMC/Thane/Mumbai's suburban locations, Raigad and Navi Mumbai are definitely the better option,'' he clearly states, adding that he sees 'a great future' for retail in Navi Mumbai.
    Palav points out that Navi Mumbai's retail outlets attract not just local shopaholics. He usually finds shoppers from Chembur, Ghatkopar, Mulund, Thane, Panvel and even Pen-Alibaug, shopping at the malls in Navi Mumbai. ''It is truly a shoppers' paradise,'' he signs off.