Nikon to focus on shop-in-shops,plans 100 Coolpix Zones in '09

Nikon India, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Japan's camera and digital imaging products player Nikon Corporations, plans to open 100 shop-in-shops outlets for its 'Coolpix' compact camera range this year as part of its strategy to focus more on such retail format.

The company, which today launched its first 'Coolpix Zone' in Delhi, targets a 10 per cent share of the estimated 10 lakh units compact camera market in India in 2009.

"The Coolpix Zones are modeled on the shop-in-shops concept and intended to enhance the retailer-consumer interface. Our plan is to have 100 such zones across India by end of 2009," Nikon India MD Hidehiko Tanaka told reporters here. He, however, refused to disclose its investment plans.

Tanaka said the 10 lakh unit compact camera market in India is expected to grow by 30 per cent this year and reach a figure of 13 lakh units.

"Last year, we had a share of around seven per cent in the market and this year we are looking at increasing it to 10 per cent," he added.

Nikon India has currently nine models of its Coolpix range in the market at a price range of Rs 8,000-23,000.

The company would target metros and Tier I cities for its Coolpix shop-in-shops.