Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Friday 14 November 2014

FDI IN RETAIL


Dear  Shri  Kant ,


I published following blogs ( some 3 years back ) , when " FDI in Retail " was being hotly debated across the country

Perhaps , my arguments hold , even today !

with regards ,

hemen




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WHO  IS  AFRAID  OF  THE  BIG  BAD  WOLF  ?



If and when , Wal-Mart , Carrefour , Tesco arrive in India , who will be afraid of them ?

Certainly not all of the 50 million small retailers

There are many amongst them who are thoroughly transparent , honest and have a very high standard of business practices.

In fact , no foreign Super mart can even match their personalized service to their customers

The retailers who are afraid are the ones who engage in one or more of the following un-ethical practices :

·      Selling fake / duplicate goods

·      Selling sub-standard goods

·      Selling goods at a price higher than the M.R.P

·      Cheating on correct weights

·      Selling goods without bills / cash memos

·      Selling expired goods

·      Not subscribing to “ Packaged Commodities Act

·      Not subscribing to “ Weights and Measures Act

·      Selling same item at different prices, especially to poor illiterate customers / children

·      Refusing to accept genuine “ Returns “

·      Selling drugs without prescriptions

·      Passing off misspelled, poor quality “ Substitutes “

·      Selling PDS items for poor in black market


They are afraid because they will have to give up their un-ethical ways of making a fast buck by cheating their unsuspecting customers

As a customer , I support FDI in retail

But I will continue to patronize my honest corner grocery store !


With regards

hemen  parekh  /  06  Dec  2011

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CAN   SOMEONE  PLEASE   ENLIGHTEN   ?

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FDI in retail will be allowed in only 53 cities – each with a population of 100,000 or more

Even if we assume that the average population of these 53 cities , is 2.5 million, it could add-up to approx 120 million people

That is just 10 % of India’s population of 1210 million

It is unlikely that more than 10 % of these 120 million people will shop at Wal-Mart , Carrefour, Tesco etc

That is 12 million people – no more than 1 % of India’s population !

And how many Super marts will foreign retailers open in those 53 cities ?

9 / 10 in each of these 53 cities ? – for a total of 500 ?

But , as per recent newspaper reports , we have 50 million small retailers in our country

That means, one Super mart must compete against 100,000 local retailers !

Is that a grave danger to the local retailers – having 99 % of the market share ?

Unless someone claims that those 1 % of the population make 50 % of the total purchases in the country !


If I am wrong , please enlighten


With regards

hemen parekh  /   05  Dec   2011


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