Phoenix Marketcity Introduces Curbside Service & Phoenix @Doorsteps for Seamless Shopping Experience

Embracing the ‘new normal’, Bengaluru’s favourite shopping and lifestyle destination, Phoenix Marketcity has introduced Curbside service for its customers who may want to shop at the mall at the comfort of their homes. Curbside service ensures comfort and convenience to consumers by offering a seamless retail experience designed with safety in mind. The mall has set up a Curbside pickup desk keeping in mind minimal interaction and trouble-free experience to get the shopping orders picked. Another modest initiative is Phoenix @ Doorsteps which is basically a home delivery service where customers will get their shopped bags delivered at their doorsteps.  

Phoenix Marketcity is now offering these concierge services for its patrons where they can place their shopping orders through the Whatsapp application platform, which will direct customers to select merchandise and products from their catalogues or through assisted virtual shopping. Customers can shop from the favourite brands and make payments online while easily enquiring about, timings and delivery with a chatbot to respond to frequently asked questions and connect with individual stores for brand related queries at the same time. The orders would be ready for contactless a Curbside pickup at an allotted time. 

Speaking on the launch of Curbside service, Mr. Gajendra Singh Rathore said “Curbside service is being introduced to keep the interest of customers alive with a hassle-free experience and smart shopping. The initiative has been introduced with an understanding towards the needs of the consumer and the changing scenario. We intend to offer seamless access to products and a process with minimal human interaction ensuring safety”. 

Other than this, the mall is taking utmost care of the safety of all with mandatory temperature checks at entry points, sanitisation, social distancing and limiting the number of people on the escalator to four at a time.  

Curbside Service: Steps to Follow  

SHOP ON THE GO – CURBSIDE PICK-UP 

Step 1- Send a Hi message on our WhatsApp number +916366940002. You will be assigned a Personal Shopping Assistance  

Step2: Select Merchandise/products from the Catalogue we share with you, or through assisted virtual shopping. 

Step 3: confirm your order and pay online securely 

Step 4: Choose a time slot to collect your safely packaged items from Curbside Pick-up 

Step 5: Drive to the curbside Pick-up point at your designated time. Your shopping bags will be placed in your car or Opt for home delivery  

Samsung Offers 15% Cashback, Easy EMI Options and Exciting Deals this Ganesh Chaturthi

Festival Offers

* Get Galaxy S20+ worth INR 77,999 with QLED 8K TVs and Note 10 Lite worth INR 37,999 free with SpaceMax Family Hub Refrigerator 

Celebrating the auspicious festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, Samsung India, country’s most trusted consumer electronics brand, today announced exclusive offers for its televisions, refrigerators, smart ovens, washing machines and air conditioners.

These exciting offers, coupled with bundled deals, attractive finance schemes with up to 15% cash back, and easy EMIs of as low as INR 990 will be valid till August 31, 2020.

The unique offers provide assured benefits to consumers purchasing Samsung consumer durable products such as Samsung QLED TVs, 4K UHD TVs, Smart TVs, SpaceMax Family Hub™ Refrigerator, Side-by-Side and Frost Free Refrigerators, FlexWash Washing Machines, AddWash Washing Machines, Fully Automatic Front Load and Top Load Washing Machines, Smart Ovens and WindFree Air Conditioners, among others. Expanding its wide consumer electronics portfolio, Samsung recently launched Soundbars with the unique Q-Symphony feature in select models, to give an immersive sound with the TV.

During the offer period, consumers purchasing Samsung QLED 8K TVs will get a Galaxy S20+ worth INR 77,999. Additionally, consumers will get a 10-year no screen burn-in warranty on panel on select QLED TVs.

Consumers buying Samsung Smart TVs will get a cashback of up to INR 15000 and easy EMIs as low as INR 990 along with the convenience of one EMI off on 43-inch and above models. Delivering on the entertainment front, Samsung TVs come with one month free Zee5 subscription and 30% discount on Zee5 premium packs.

In the refrigerator category, consumers buying Samsung SpaceMax Family Hub™ Refrigerator will get a Galaxy Note10 Lite worth INR 37,999. Additionally, on purchase of Samsung refrigerators and washing machines, consumers can avail up to 15% cashback and easy EMI options as low as INR 990, along with one EMI off on refrigerators above 300L capacity.

While refrigerators will come with 10-year Warranty on the Digital Inverter Compressor, washing machines will come with 12-year Warranty on the motor and 30year Warranty on the complete machine. These offers are applicable on Family Hub, Side-by-Side and Frost-Free refrigerators, and on FlexWash and AddWash Washing Machines as well as Fully Automatic Front Load and Top Load Washing Machines.

Consumers purchasing Samsung Air Conditioners can avail easy EMIs of as low as INR 990. On purchase of Samsung’s Wind-Free™ Air Conditioner that comes with 23,000 micro-holes to gently spread air evenly throughout the room, maintaining a comfortable level of coolness without any draft, consumers will get up to 15% cash back Additionally, benefits such as 5-year condenser and PCB controller warranty, 10-year Warranty on the Digital Inverter Compressor on select air conditioner models along with free installation and free gas recharge will also be offered.

On purchase of select models of convection Smart Ovens, above 28L, consumers will get a free Borosil kit, a 10-year warranty on the ceramic enamel cavity along with 5-year warranty on the magnetron.

Adding to the occasion, Samsung with its My Samsung My EMI offer provides consumers with an option to choose EMIs and down payment as per their budget on select televisions, refrigerators, microwave and washing machines. Consumers can further avail options such as EMIs of up to 36 months and one free EMI on select TV and refrigerator models.

Festive season is the time when consumers upgrade to newer and smarter technologies to reimagine their homes. Being a consumer centric brand, our focus is to deliver unparalleled technology for our consumers. Samsung is committed to deliver the best products and our latest offers come with guaranteed benefits on a wide range of products across price points. With consumers seeking value proposition, we are confident these unique offers will meet their expectations and enrich their lives with meaningful innovation,” said, Raju Pullan, Senior Vice President, Consumer Electronics Business, Samsung India.

Samsung’s Diverse Product Line-up

Samsung QLED Televisions:

Samsung QLED TV breaks new ground for premium TVs and home entertainment, delivering beautiful design that is supported with the most advanced picture quality. Powered by HDR10+ technology that optimizes the TV’s brightness levels and delivers brighter and deeper colors, to deliver the visual experience intended by creators. The technology also features Direct Full Array Elite for enhanced contrast and precise picture quality.

The QLED TV features an Ambient Mode which turns the TV into a piece of art, building on the Ambient Mode’s ability to blend in with the home interior, the TV can be hung on the wall with a No Gap Wall-Mount, intelligently embedded in the back of the TV so that it blends in seamlessly. It also allows the users to take voice control one step further with the new Bixby feature on One Remote Control allowing connections to all connected devices without additional connectors or complicated setups.

4K UHD Televisions

Samsung’s 4K UHD TVs offers distinctive features through integration, consumption and interaction of TV in the everyday lives of its consumers. Driven by PurColor technology, Samsung UHD TVs are aimed to deliver superior colours with unmatched sharpness and contrast levels. With a host of features such as Live Cast, Tune Station, Screen Mirroring, Lag Free Gaming, Real 4K resolution and 60+ Titles. These TVs empower consumers to enjoy enhanced picture quality and superior content consumption capabilities.

Samsung Spacemax Family Hub™:

The Family Hub™ works with the SmartThings ecosystem, allowing users to control and monitor their connected appliances – Flex Wash Washing Machine and Smartphone – from the Family Hub™ screen. The built-in View Inside camera allows users to digitally label their food with expiration dates or use a mobile device to peek inside their fridge from anywhere. So now, consumers can see what is inside their fridge from the grocery store and/or leave a note on screen to remind the kids to clean their rooms after school. Users can do countless other things without ever leaving the kitchen.

Consumers can manage food, with the View Inside app that enables users to see inside the fridge from anywhere. The recipes app offers multiple recipes to choose from around the world and prepare the food that the family loves.

Samsung Side-by-Side and Frost Free Refrigerators:

The Spacemax Side-by-Side Refrigerators and Frost Free Refrigerators cater to the diverse storage needs of Indian consumers. Samsung refrigerators are a blend of freshness, energy efficiency, even cooling and durability. They are the perfect solution to provide savings on electricity bills, retain uninterrupted cooling and freshness even during power cuts.

WIND-FREE 2.0 SERIES:

Samsung’s Wind-Free™ 2.0 system uses 23,000 micro-holes to gently spread air evenly throughout the room, maintaining a comfortable level of coolness without any draft. Once the desired temperature is reached, the system disperses fresh air uniformly. The design has been upgraded to rectangular from the previous triangle design and with this change the micro-holes have been increased to 23,000 from 21,000 in the previous version.

The Wind-Free 2.0 enables users to control their ACs using the Smart Home App through Wi-Fi. The ACs allow the user to remotely control the functions and schedule operations along with live feedback. Users can also monitor and limit power usage as per their needs. The latest Wind-Free ACs are equipped with Motion Detect sensors (MDS) and automatically go into an energy saving mode if it does not detect any human presence for 60 minutes. Another option which users get through this feature is to choose the wind direction.

Samsung Digital Inverter Air Conditioners:

Samsung Air Conditioners have been designed carefully keeping in mind the consumers’ needs and expectations, which are faster cooling, less electricity consumption and uncompromised cooling even in hot summers. Convertible Mode, introduced this year, is Samsung’s another technology, which when activated allows consumers to save more energy when they are sitting alone in a room.

Samsung Microwave Ovens:

Samsung has revolutionized Indian cooking with innovations in microwave ovens that have been made specifically for India. Consumers can now prepare Masala, Tadka and Sun-dry food, in addition to making Roti/Naan and Curd in the new Microwave range.

Samsung Digital Inverter Motor Washing Machines:

Samsung Washing Machines, powered by digital inverter motors, consume less energy while producing minimal noise and vibration, when the washing machine is running. Having less friction makes the washing machine run much quieter and smoothly, which makes it perfect for open plan living and keeping that budget in check.

Phoenix Shopping Festival is Back with a Bang from from August to September 2020

With the festive season just around the corner, Phoenix Marketcity is all geared up to offer its customers an experience of a lifetime with its third edition of “Phoenix Shopping Festival”. Just like the previous two seasons, this year’s edition spans over from August to September 2020 and is filled with shopping, entertainment, amazing food, surprises, winning fabulous prizes and lots more. 

This year, Phoenix Shopping Festival gets more rewarding with INR 1cr worth prizes to be won on shopping, along with the entire mall on up-to 60 percent off. It is pouring deals at Phoenix Marketcity where one can shop for Rs. 10,000 or above and stand a chance to win grand prizes like Hyundai Creta Car, Harley Davidson Bike and much more. There is more when a customer shops for Rs. 50,000 or above stands the chances of winning assured gifts like gold coins, mobile phones, Swarovski products, TV, Fridge and much more. Shopaholics can get their hands on the latest styles of the year at the End of Season Sale and get up to 60% off. Shop from more than 300 luxurious brands and revamp your closet with your favorite outfits, jewelry, footwear, bags and much more. 

Apart from this, Phoenix Marketcity has also introduced contactless parking and contactless dining to ensure minimal human interaction. Contactless Dining is a unique and safe dining experience which has minimized human contact by eliminating the use of high-touch elements at restaurants in the food court. This technology makes the entire process, from ordering to payment seamlessly digital. 

Commenting on the launch of Phoenix Shopping Festival Season 3, Mr. Gajendra Singh Rathore, Sr. Centre Director said, “This Year Phoenix Shopping Festival 3rd edition is pepped up with days of happiness, shopping, and dining. To make sure Phoenix Marketcity is the right place to be this festive season, we are practicing all the preventive steps and have set stringent SOPs that are constantly monitored to give our customers a safe and happy shopping experience” 

This Shopping festival, Phoenix Marketcity is also offering concierge services like the Curbside service for its customers who may want to shop at the mall at the comfort of their homes. Curbside service ensures comfort and convenience to consumers by offering a seamless retail experience designed with safety in mind. The Curbside pickup desk has been set up keeping in mind minimal interaction and trouble-free experience to get the shopping orders picked. Shopping enthusiasts can place their shopping orders through the Whatsapp application platform by just sending a ‘Hi’ on WhatsApp number +91 6366940002 where a personal shopper shall assist customers immediately. The service platform will direct customers to select merchandise and products from their catalogues or through assisted virtual shopping. Customers can shop from the favourite brands and make payments online while easily enquiring about, timings and delivery with a chatbot to respond to frequently asked questions and connect with individual stores for brand related queries at the same time. The orders would be ready for a contactless Curbside pickup at an allotted time. Another modest initiative is Phoenix @ Doorsteps which is basically a home delivery service where customers will get their shopped bags delivered at their doorsteps. 

To ensure safe and peaceful shopping, the mall has been thoroughly sanitized, each customer and staff are mandatorily checked for temperature before entering. There are thermal scanners which scan the body temperature and sanitizing footwear mats at the entry points, frequent sanitization of touch points. In accordance with global guidelines, social distancing is mandatory, as will be wearing masks by both customers and staff throughout their stay at the mall. Sanitizers have been placed at multiple locations and customers are encouraged to use them regularly. The staff too has been trained in enforcing these safety guidelines. In addition to their own safety, the staff & our retail outlets shall ensure that the guidelines are being followed across the mall. Only a limited number of customers are allowed into the mall and inside lifts, escalators at a time. In a mall with 1 million sq ft area, social distancing is practised at its best. Digital transactions are preferred over cash transactions. 

With a host of safety initiatives, Phoenix Marketcity invites all its patrons to be a part of this magnificent festival to shop their heart out. 

About Phoenix Marketcity Bengaluru 

Classified as a “Larger Lifestyle Engagement Destination”, Phoenix Marketcity Bengaluru offers visitors an array of unforgettable experiences. With its truly international look and feel, tastefully done interiors and the best of food, fashion, and entertainment from the world over, Phoenix remains ‘The’ destination for the premium discerning customers of the city as well expats. With over 300 stores, representing an exhaustive mix of International, National and Regional premium brands, the mall offers the most comprehensive and compelling lifestyle shopping experience in Bangalore. More than just a Mall, Phoenix Marketcity, Bengaluru is in fact a veritable melting pot of fascinating cultures, beautiful clothing, and high-end couture. It is a city within a city, an urban space where retail, entertainment and leisure offerings co-exist. 

Zebra Survey: The Future of Retail Depends on Seamless Experiences

Zebra Technologies Corporation, (NASDAQ: ZBRA), an innovator at the front line of business with solutions and partners that deliver a performance edge, today revealed the results of its 12th Annual APAC Shopper Study, which analyzed retailers’ technology plans for solving chronic shopping issues. Results show that retailers are looking to harness technologies like intelligent automation, cloud computing and mobility to drive economic growth. To strengthen retailers position in these unprecedented times, the launch of the 12th Annual APAC Shopper Study is aligned with the unveiling of array of products by Zebra Technologies.

As businesses reopen and rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic, the resiliency of retailers and supply chains are being tested more now than ever before. One monumental shift relates to the concept of “Economy at Home,” which addresses the way consumers have completely changed their shopping habits. The frequency and volume of online spending on food has increased across the region, with consumers expressing a preference for self-checkout rather than assistance from cashiers for safe distancing.

To meet rising customer expectations, retailers need to rethink the safety of the customer journey, whether it is in store or via delivery. Click-and-collect, or buy online, pick-up in store (BOPIS), are becoming preferred methods of shopping, with 55% of consumers requesting more retailers to offer mobile ordering options. This is forcing businesses to rethink their fulfillment strategies given that only 36% of respondents agreed that their stores are equipped to fulfill web orders.  The study expects this trend to continue, while retailers implement additional solutions that minimize in-store contact and improve customer convenience at the same time.

“COVID-19 has significantly altered the retail sector, forcing both essential and non-essential retailers to assess their omnichannel fulfillment capabilities and quickly adapt their operating models in a matter of days – some implementing changes within hours,”  said Deep Agarwal, Regional Sales Director of India, Zebra Technologies. “We’re seeing how retailers are transforming ‘dark stores’ to serve as temporary distribution facilities inside their establishments. Retailers should prioritize the expansion of click-and-collect service offerings and invest in technologies that increase shopping capacity and speed. This reduces in-store traffic and aids in social distancing efforts, while providing retailers with inventory visibility across every corner of the shop floor.”

Putting a mobile device into the hands of a retail associate simplifies tasks like inventory management, yet an estimated 64% of retail associates are not equipped to maximize the benefits of technology. In response, retailers are moving away from dated green-screen technology to enterprise-class devices with intuitive, user-friendly interfaces with smartphone-like operating systems.

The pandemic has proven this true as click-and-collect orders have surged, creating the need for store associates to enable contactless transactions via curbside pickup with handheld mobile computers and tablets. When paired with a mobile printer, the likes of the TC52 touch computer and TC21 touch computer form Mobile Point of Sale (mPOS) solutions that can drive contactless fulfilment by alerting associates of new online orders, enabling them to pack merchandise, label products and print receipts prior to the customer’s arrival .

The adoption of mPOS solutions is expected to hit 98% by 2026, up from 76% today. The same trend is also observed for handheld mobile computers with scanners as retail associate device usage is expected to reach 96% by 2026, up from the current 75%.

Zebra Technologies has also launched Self-checkout solutions like the DS9900 Series Corded Hybrid Imager, DS9300 Barcode Scanner and the upgraded MP7000 Grocery Scanner Scale that are helping retailers to reshape the front-of-store experience. Growing up with technology and automation, 89% of surveyed shoppers agree that self-checkout improves their shopping experience. Additionally, self-checkout has become even more relevant during this pandemic as both shoppers and retailers strive to minimize in-store contact to ensure safety.

Returns are another pain point for shoppers and poses a significant challenge for retailers. Up to 51% of retail executives report that they have started or are planning to start upgrading their returns management technologies in the next five years. Meanwhile, 83% of retailers currently have or plan to implement automated inventory verification systems within the year to advance real-time inventory accuracy.

ASIA-PACIFIC HIGHLIGHTS

88% of retailers agree maintaining real-time inventory visibility is a significant challenge, and 85% say their companies need better inventory management tools to ensure accuracy.

Retailers also cite robot assistance (83%), smart check-out and real-time store IoT platforms (89%) as extremely important to their operations over the next five years.

81% of retailers plan to provide mobile ordering as a fulfilment option by 2021.

70% of retailers are integrating social media within their ecosystem for digital native shoppers to provide feedback.

SURVEY BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY

Zebra’s 12th Annual Shopper Study surveyed over 6,300 global respondents, including over 1,200 APAC region respondents (retail executives, store associates and shoppers) to gauge the attitudes, opinions and expectations that are reshaping brick and mortar and online retail. The results, summarized in a two-part series, are essential reading for industry leaders seeking actionable insights to serve today’s tech-savvy shoppers.

Ashwini Kumar Tewari Appointed as the New Managing Director and CEO of SBI Card

SBI Card, the country`s second largest credit card issuer announced that Mr. Ashwini Kumar Tewari has taken over as the company`s new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. The baton passes from Mr. Hardayal Prasad who retired on July 31, 2020, following a successful tenure during which the company achieved many significant accolades.  

Mr. Ashwini Kumar Tewari is a career banker with over 29 years’ experience with State Bank of India, including domestic and foreign postings. Prior to taking charge at SBI Card, since April 2017 Mr. Tewari held the position of Country Head of US Operations at SBI, based in New York. He also served as Vice Chairman of the State Bank of India (California) Board of Directors. 

Commenting on the development, Mr. Dinesh Khara, Managing Director, GB &S, State Bank of India said, “We are pleased to welcome Mr. Ashwini Kumar Tewari as the MD & CEO of SBI Card. He has demonstrated authentic, adept leadership in diverse positions both in India and abroad, during a successful career. We believe that he has the strategic vision and skill sets to lead the rapidly growing credit card business. We are confident that he will be able to further strengthen SBI Card’s market share and propel the business to new milestones.” 

Mr Ashwini Tewari, MD & CEO, SBI Card said, “We are at the cusp of an interesting time – there is a digital payments revolution sweeping India today and the country is firmly on the path to becoming a digital economy. SBI Card has achieved stellar success so far; and with the right focus on innovation, technology and customer service, the company remains poised to capitalise in a big way on the significantly underpenetrated Indian credit card market.  I look forward to steering SBI Card’s efforts to enhance customer experience at every touch point, fuelling growth and strengthening our position as industry leaders.” 

He added, “My immediate goal is to ensure sustained business performance as seen in the last two quarters, despite the challenging environment. In the long run, my endeavour would be to enable SBI Card to scale new heights along with the robust management team that has been driving the growth of this exceptional company.” 

Mr Tewari started his banking career with SBI in 1991 as a probationary officer. He has expertise in driving business, administration, and HR. He has experience in diverse leadership roles, extending across significant business functions like Credit, International and Retail Banking including Business Process Re-engineering. He was involved in the bank technology upgrades in Core Banking and Internet Banking platforms and acquisition of a new Trade Platform. 

In his previous assignments, he served as Regional Head and GM, East Asia Hong Kong and oversaw operations of SBI in Hong Kong, China, Japan, Korea, and the neighbouring region. He also served as Deputy General Manager, (Operations & Information Systems), IBG, Mumbai and Head of SBI’s Cash Management Services. Mr. Tewari has served on the boards of International Institute of Bankers, New York and University of Washington Global Bankers Program. 

Mr. Tewari holds a bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electrical). He is also a Certified Associate of Indian Institute of Bankers (CAIIB) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP). He has a CFPCM certificate and is ACAMS certified. 

About SBI Card  : SBI Cards and Payment Services Limited (formerly known as SBI Cards and Payment Services Private Limited) (“SBI Card”) is a non-banking financial company that offer extensive credit card portfolio to individual cardholders and corporate clients which includes lifestyle, rewards, travel & fuel and banking partnerships cards along with corporate cards covering all major cardholders’ segments in terms of income profile and lifestyle. It has diversified customer acquisition network that enables to engage prospective customers across multiple channels. SBI Card is a technology driven company. 

The Company is listed on National Stock Exchange (“NSE”) and The Bombay Stock Exchange (“BSE”). 

Note: The brand name of the company is ‘SBI Card’ and it is registered in the name of ‘SBI Cards and Payment Services Limited’. The company is trading under the entity name ‘SBICARD’ on stock exchanges. Visit www.sbicard.com for more details. 

Blue Dart Encourages the ‘Bonds of Solidarity’ Thanking COVID-19 Warriors with Special ‘Rakhi Express’ Offer

Blue Dart, India’s leading logistics service provider and part of Deutsche Post DHL Group (DPDHL), announces the launch of its annual ‘Rakhi Express’ on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. Straying from tradition, Blue Dart aims to go one step beyond the celebration of the bond between siblings. This year, Blue Dart encourages the ‘Bonds of Solidarity’ to ship rakhis, not just to siblings within India and internationally, but to go one step beyond and send your love and spread the joy of the festival to all protectors including our COVID-19 warriors who have safeguarded the nation through the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Blue Dart’s ‘Rakhi Express’ is a unique opportunity that has been loved by customers for years. Through its widespread Indian domestic network, Blue Dart will deliver rakhis to 34,000+ locations across India and to 220 countries and territories across the globe, as part of the DPDHL Group’s ‘Express Easy Rakhi’. Customers can avail a special rate of ₹200/- to send rakhis to COVID-19 warriors and ₹250/- to send rakhis to their loved ones between 10th July, 2020 and 05th August, 2020. The special rate applies for up to 0.5kg for domestic shipments (anywhere within India). These offers can be availed at any of the Blue Dart – DHL retail stores across India or by calling 1860 233 1234. Customers can send their rakhis through a specially designed ‘Rakhi Envelope’ and a greeting card for their personalized messages.

Speaking about the initiative, Ketan Kulkarni, CMO & Head - Business Development, Blue Dart said, “The year 2020 was different on every vertical. This year, the world crumbled around us, giving way to a Pandemic that shook businesses and individuals across the world. The only common underlying theme across industries, cities and nations was the ‘Bonds of Solidarity’ amidst people. While most of us stayed in the safety of our homes, our COVID-19 warriors geared up at their action stations to ensure the health and safety of all.

Our goal during this festive season is to ensure that Raksha Bandhan 2020 is more than a festival for sisters to send brothers their love; rather, it is to ensure that Raksha Bandhan 2020 is a festival that celebrates love in all its forms – to parents, to friends and most importantly to send gratitude to all our protectors including our COVID-19 warriors.

This initiative is a tribute to every Government Worker, Health Care Worker, every Armed / Paramilitary / Police Force personnel, every Civil Aviation / Railway / Bank employee who has tirelessly worked through the pandemic for the greater good.”

He further added, “We want to give families that live apart, the opportunity of experiencing Raksha Bandhan to the fullest by staying connected across the country and globe. In the world of social media, the Rakhi and personal note from a loved one delivered with care, holds a very special place. We strive to provide a hassle-free, accurate and timely delivery so that people may enjoy their Raksha Bandhan without any worries.”

Customers can register for the Rakhi Service at any of Blue Dart’s conveniently located stores across the nation. At the store, the customer needs to verbally confirm that the sender or receiver is a COVID-19 warrior. Blue Dart staff then offer the Domestic Rakhi Express at Rs.200/- on domestic Rakhi shipment up to 0.5kg. The Rakhi the customer brings is then inserted in the rakhi envelope along with the Blue Dart greeting card where the sender can write their personal message for their unwavered fighting spirit.

To avail our service or for any further enquiry, customers can call us on Customer Care Number - 1860 233 1234 or email us on - customerservice@bluedart.com.

Retailers tighten belts at Dubai shopping festival

Some big Dubai retailers, accustomed to giddy spending in the Gulf Arab tax-free haven, are grappling with a drop in sales as consumers worry about the impact of the global financial crisis on their wallets.

The Gulf has not been as heavily hit by the credit crisis as Europe and the US, but the contagion has led to stock market routs, tight lending conditions and a range of government and central bank attempts to mitigate its impact.

In the United Arab Emirates, home to the glitzy financial hub of Dubai where shopping is virtually a national sport, a frisson of fear has seeped into consumers' minds.
"Business is 20 per cent down in the last week in retail," Mohi-din Bin Hendi, president of Bin Hendi Enterprises, told Reuters.

"In the beginning, people did not take it seriously. When they start to get their ATM cards refused from the bank, that's when sense come back ... that this is serious."

Bin Hendi, whose retail-based conglomerate operates in the Gulf Arab region and India and offers everything from jewelry to sofas, said the firm would take steps to ready for a further decline in consumer spending and would "cut the desirables, go to the essentials."

Asked whether he would cut jobs, he said: "Absolutely. We have not come to a figure as yet."
"People with wise moves won't suffer as much as those who think this is only a cloudy day and it'll clear up tomorrow. It won't clear up tomorrow that easily.

"We have to sit tight, cut down our costs and be smart."

Dubai consumers have begun to see uncomfortable signs on the crisis' toll on the city, long known for spending excesses.

Companies are quietly shedding jobs or not hiring, according to recruiters, while the Arab world's biggest listed developer, Emaar Properties EMAR.DU recently gave buyers more time to pay for new homes given difficulties in obtaining mortgages.

The UAE's biggest bank has stopped lending to foreigners who work for top Dubai property firms on fears a slowdown could jeopardize their jobs and income and an Islamic mortgage lender, Amlak AMLK.DU, has suspended new loans altogether for now.

Less spending per person
"There is less footfall in the stores, people are tightening their belts," said a retail manager who declined to be identified. "It's never been like this before."

The global financial meltdown came just as the world's biggest mall opened in Dubai and nearly each week has seen the announcement of one lavish retail exercise after another.

This week, British luxury retailer Burberry said it had created a new firm with its UAE franchisee, Jashanmal, that would manage all its retail and wholesale operations in the Gulf Arab region.

Jashanmal Group President Gangu Batra said forming the joint venture made business sense given its long ties to the British firm but the timing could have been better.

"Now all we can say is I hope it doesn't affect us too much. There will be some effect and we will see that effect in the course of time," he told Reuters.

Batra said same-store sales on a yearly basis were steady at the retailer, which operates department stores, booksellers and franchises for brands like Calvin Klein, but the firm was bracing for a slowdown in the wider economy in coming months.

"People are still there but spending per person has gone down," he said. "I don't think our country will be immune to these problems.

"I can see some slowdown when I go to restaurants and hotels. The view is, so far, there's no reduction in the tourists but then when they do the booking, they do so months in advance."
According to a 2007 annual country report, visitors to Dubai represent 69 per cent of all luxury retail and leisure spending.

Batra said spending levels were likely to decline even further once the current wave of vacationers head home.

Caution has seeped into every aspect of consumer spending. One Dubai-based dentist said business had fallen about 40 percent this year. "People see it as cosmetic rather than essential," she said.

Source: Reuters