Westside speeds up, targets value shoppers; opens 20 stores in a year

The multi-brand retail store gets aggressive with customer retention as it looks to beat back the clout of single-brand labels such as H&M, Zara

Over the past one year, Westside, the brand of stores owned by Trent, the retail arm of the Tata group, has moved at an uncharacteristic pace. It has set up 20 stores in a year, taking the total to 122, become more open to discounts and deals and expanded the range of products at its outlets. What is behind the speedy turn at Westside?

One obvious reason is competition. Global players Zara, H&M have navigated their way swiftly into the quality-premium segment and are going all out to woo young shoppers. And the other, point out analysts, could be the brand’s