IndiaRetailBiz

“The schools will seek to change the traditional outlook of the traders and educate them to adopt a contemporary approach in business to retain customers and increase profitability.” — Praveen Khandelwal Secretary General Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).

Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), an umbrella body which represents interests of small time traders, is setting up ‘retail schools’ across the country to educate small time traders about ways to boost their business. The move comes in the wake of increasing competition from retail giants, reports PTI.

According to CAIT estimate, there are about 50 million small traders operating within the country. According to experts’ estimates the number is between 12 and 15 million.

While, the first school is scheduled to begin from Delhi this month, the second will come up later in Nagpur. According to plans, CAIT hopes to set up around 500 schools within a year. CAIT has roped in the services of Indian Retail School as knowledge partners.

“Our fight is not against the big names in the retail industry but to help the kirana stores to transform their business from traditional retail to modern format of retailing,” said Khandelwal, while talking to media persons in Delhi.

Retail experts from different parts of the country will take classes in the schools. According to N K Pandey Chief Executive Indian Retail School, “The programme scheduled to be imparted in the schools has been well-structured and customised.”

The traders will be trained in subjects like visual merchandising, customer servicing, marketing and retail operations monitoring.

CAIT, in the past, has spearheaded several agitations against allowing FDI in retail and entry of big corporates in retail.