Services
Six ways we help brands grow their retail footprint
Retail business development and brand experience, from someone who has done both at the scale of hundreds of stores. Most engagements combine two or three of these.
Retail expansion and network strategy
Store network planning, format strategy, catchment and site selection, and market entry for brands going from a few stores to many.
- Who it's for
- Brands scaling to a network. Indian brands entering overseas markets. International brands entering India.
- Outcome
- A rollout plan built on catchment data and workable commercial terms, delivered on a tight timeline without the brand drifting from format to format.
What it includes
- Network and format strategy (flagship, standard, express, shop-in-shop)
- Catchment analysis and site selection
- Rental and construction negotiations
- Market entry in the UK, Africa, China, Mauritius, Singapore, Malaysia and the Gulf (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman)
- Bringing international brands into India. Current work: Palm Angels, Dickies, TM Lewin
- Commercial and legal compliance through to handover
Proof
949 Jaquar showrooms and 150 shop-in-shops across domestic and international markets in two years. 404 Uninor outlets, 200 of them in three months.
Franchise and partner development
COCO, FOFO and shop-in-shop models, franchisee onboarding, and mall and channel partnerships for brands that want to grow without owning every store.
- Who it's for
- Brands moving to a franchise-led or mixed COCO/FOFO model. Franchise partners setting up a branded store. Mall operators and channel partners.
- Outcome
- Partner stores that open on time, pass brand standards at handover and stay consistent afterwards.
What it includes
- COCO and FOFO strategy and format design
- Franchisee consultation on space, design and rollout
- Mall management liaison and site audits before work starts
- Partner alliances, local and global, assessed for brand fit
- Handover and snag rectification with franchise partners
Proof
37 company-owned and 367 franchise stores launched for Uninor. 15 SEVEN by MS Dhoni outlets across Ranchi, Ajmer, Surat and Delhi, each signed off by the franchise partner at handover.
Store identity and space design
Store concept, retail brand identity, prototype stores, space planning and fixture systems for brands whose stores do not yet look like the brand.
- Who it's for
- Brands launching a first retail format. Retailers refreshing a tired store identity. Brand owners who need a prototype before scaling.
- Outcome
- A store identity that reproduces reliably across hundreds of sites, with fixture systems that keep cost under control.
What it includes
- Retail brand identity and store concept
- Prototype and pilot stores (first Uninor prototype delivered in 40 days)
- Space planning, layouts and planograms
- Fixture design and standardised, reusable assets
- Design review of in-house and outsourced designers, architects and consultants
- Signage and in-store communication
Proof
Designed and implemented a new global store identity for Jaquar. The SEVEN by MS Dhoni stores in Chennai, Ranchi and Bangalore were covered by international media for their fixture design and retail experience.
Visual merchandising and brand experience
VM strategy, windows and focal displays, planograms, seasonal calendars and brand consistency across every format, for multi-store retailers.
- Who it's for
- Multi-store retailers and brand owners. Category and marketing teams that need VM tied to product priorities and sales plans.
- Outcome
- Visual merchandising that turns business and marketing goals into footfall and conversion at store level, and holds its standard in every store.
What it includes
- VM strategy and national VM calendars
- Window, focal and interior displays for launches, seasons and festivals
- Planogram execution
- In-store storytelling aligned with brand guidelines and campaigns
- Consumer and trend research to inform design
- Monthly floor audits
Proof
Headed VM for Lifestyle, Home Centre and Max (73 stores, about $500M turnover) and for 74 Mothercare stores. The Haldi Gulal theme at Pantaloon Noida was covered by VM&RD magazine.
Rollout project management
Delivery from design discussion to handover: vendor and fabricator base, budgets and bills of quantity, site supervision, audits and snag-free handover.
- Who it's for
- Brands with a hard launch date. Teams that have the design but not the delivery machinery. Businesses opening in several cities or countries at once.
- Outcome
- Stores that open on the date promised, within budget, to the standard in the design docket.
What it includes
- End-to-end project management, concept to site
- Estimation, bills of quantity and procurement
- Vendor, fabricator and contractor base
- Contracts with design consultants and contractor agencies
- Site kick-off, supervision and coordination with contractors and designers
- Handover, snag rectification and digital site-handover tracking
Proof
Ran 25 in-house teams, 17 to 20 fabricators, 3 project management consultants and 4 to 5 architects across concurrent fashion and lifestyle rollouts. Opened the first SEVEN by MS Dhoni showroom in 30 days.
Retail training and SOPs
VM manuals, SOPs, audit mechanisms and hands-on training for store, franchise and project teams, so standards hold after the engagement ends.
- Who it's for
- Retailers who want to run VM and rollout standards in-house. Franchise networks that need consistent execution across partners.
- Outcome
- An internal team that can deploy and maintain the brand's retail standards, with the manuals and audits to show for it.
What it includes
- VM manuals and display standards
- SOPs for rollout, VM and store maintenance
- Training store staff as visual display assistants
- Franchisee and store-team training
- Monthly audit mechanisms
- Workshops for retail, design and project teams
Proof
Wrote the national Visual Display Assistant manual for Landmark Group. Trained pan-India retail teams at Uninor and ran quarterly training at Jaquar. Training and skill development are within Aurevia Strategy's registered scope.
Engagement
Project, retainer or advisory
Scoped around the rollout or brand milestone you are working towards.
Not sure which service fits?
Describe the brand and the timeline. The first conversation is a diagnosis, not a proposal.