The Hindu Business Line : Kodak in talks with retail majors for Express counters

Mumbai, Nov. 2 Kodak India is planning to set up its Kodak Express counters within the premises of big retailers such as Big Bazaar and Reliance Digital. Exploring various formats with the modern trade, the camera company is currently negotiating with a couple of them to launch its branded outlets within the stores. In addition to its 1,700 franchise-run stand alone outlets, the imaging company is now tapping into big retail chains to expand its photofinishing services across the country.

Mr Ravi Karamcheti, Managing Director & Country Business Manager, Consumer Digital Group, Kodak India, told Business Line: “We are looking at creating multiple formats and are talking to a few retailers such as Reliance Digital and Big Bazaar. There would be variants created depending on the sq feet size of the stores. The purpose is to push our photo finishing services with modern trade formats.”

In fact, Kodak is now in the process of experimenting its formats and has set up temporary kiosks with certain retailers. “We have a fair amount of learning from the modern trade and have set up kiosks over weekends to test out the concept,” claims Mr Karamcheti.

But in the past Kodak has had a brush with modern retail when it set up its first Kodak Express in Gurgaon’s Big Bazaar. “We had set our processing lab in Gurgaon’s Big Bazaar a couple of years ago and it had been a joint effort between ourselves and Pantaloon Retail. However, now Pantaloon Retail is re-evaluating the concept and so are we,” adds Mr Karamcheti.

With intentions of providing a range of services, Kodak is looking beyond selling its cameras through modern trade. “We would be providing a range of services including printing images on camera phones and instant printing solutions,” says Mr Karamcheti.

However, Kodak is being sceptical about the type of mall and retail chain it would like to associate with. “The profile of the malls and the number of footfalls is going to be critical as we select our location for our stores. After all by just taking up space is not going to be enough to ensure profitability in the business,” explains Mr Karamcheti. At the same time, Kodak intends continuing selling its services and products through the traditional trade through which it already has 1,700 franchisee outlets.

Competing with camera brands from players such as Sony and Canon, Kodak has been growing at 50 per cent with its digital cameras in the Indian market. This festive season it has unleashed its Easy Share M- Series of hi-end digital cameras and has roped in actor-model Katrina Kaif to endorse the same.

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