Nike unveils expansion plans for India

agencyfaqs! News Bureau

NEW DELHI, September 27

Global sportswear major Nike plans to launch its famous Golf Line in India next week to tap the emerging market of sportswear and accessories. The Golf Line will contain world-class Nike apparel, footwear, golf bags, balls and gloves used by Tiger Woods. The launch of the range will mark Nike's first major initiative in golf in India.

All the products in Golf Line, including TW18 Square and TW09 Round range of eyewear used by golf legend Tiger Woods, would be imported from its parent company in the US. The company had also lined up a number of new footwear and apparel ranges to be launched over the next two months. The first in this series would be the new footwear range, Presto, which would retail at Rs 7,000.

"The new launches are in line with our plans to broaden our customer base in the country. We plan to ensure our presence at various price points while maintaining our leadership status in the premium segment," said Hemchandra Javeri, chief operating officer of Sierra Industrial Enterprises, a Nike licensee.

Nike recently launched the brand's India-specific online business-to-consumer (B2C) shopping site www.nikeshop.rediff.com. The tie-up made the entire range of Nike products available online for the first time outside the US. "The launch of the site marked our foray into e-commerce in the domestic market. We have received very good response in a short period of time," said Javeri.

The online store delivers products within 72 hours of an order being placed. The company hopes that its online store would supplement its efforts offline. "The whole idea is to take advantage of a growing number of Internet users in India and build our brand in smaller cities where we don't have a brick-and-mortar store," Javeri added. The e-shop, with a wide array of merchandise including footwear, apparel, accessories and time and eyewear, would also provide a unique opportunity to the non-resident Indian (NRI) base to purchase authentic Nike products as gifts to friends and family back home, Javeri said.

The company is also shifting its India headquarters from New Delhi to Bangalore. Javeri said, "Bangalore has been our main sourcing base for apparels, and the export of all merchandise is also handled by the unit there. So it makes perfect business sense for us to set up our corporate office in the city."

The domestic unit of Nike exports mainly to the Nike sourcing point in the US and some European countries. In the last financial year, the company exported $70 million worth of merchandise from Bangalore.

The company currently has 35 exclusive retail stores in different parts of the country. However, it plans to double the number of stores by the end of the current financial year. Most of the new stores would be opened in the semi-urban cities.

Nike will embark on an aggressive India-centric advertising campaign, both print and electronic media, by October-end. Targeted at the youth and sports enthusiasts, the company hopes the campaign will reinforce the Nike brand values in the country in a big way.

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