Retailers are witnessing significant growth in full-price purchases during this end-of-season sale period, driven by multiple factors including strong wedding demand and government tax relief measures. According to reports from Business Standard, Lifestyle chain of retail outlets has seen double-digit growth with full-price items gaining significant traction. The company's executive director and CEO, Devarajan Iyer, attributed this rise to the large number of wedding dates, coupled with government measures that have increased consumer spending power. "This quarter, we have seen double-digit growth, and full-price items have gained major traction," Iyer told Business Standard. "The government has put more money in consumers' hands through income-tax relief, and that is flowing through to retail spending," he explained.
The current EOSS season shows marked differences in inventory management compared to previous years. As reported by Business Standard, Lifestyle typically saw 40% of its stock on discount, but this time due to strong demand, only 30% of its stock is on discount. The discount duration has also been reduced to around seven to eight weeks, compared with 10 weeks earlier, with discounts ranging between 30-40%. This represents a significant shift in retailer strategy during the traditional sale period. The trend is playing out across other apparel retailers as well, with Biba Apparels experiencing similar positive sentiment, with managing director Siddharth Bindra reporting mid- to high-teens like-for-like sales during the discount season.
V-Mart Retail reported strong performance with revenue increasing by more than 23% to ₹1,089 crore and same-store sales growth of more than 9% in the April-June quarter. According to Business Standard, the company is launching fresh stock earlier than usual and experiencing strong offtake of new inventory. Biba Apparel is experiencing similar positive sentiment, with managing director Siddharth Bindra reporting mid- to high-teens like-for-like sales during the discount season. The company is launching fresh stock earlier than usual and experiencing strong offtake of new inventory, making the company optimistic about demand in the coming months.
Different retail categories are experiencing varying demand patterns throughout the season. As reported by Business Standard, Mohanlal & Sons saw demand pick up significantly in June, with May being good for women's ethnic wear but June performing better for men's wear. The company's partner and CEO, Mayank Mohanlal, explained that strong June demand helped offset the slowdown seen in May. The EOSS period has been described as flat overall, though not a major sales event for the retailer, with demand primarily driven by weddings and celebrations rather than discount-led purchases.
