Spencer’s: Omnichannel Retail in the Age of Ecommerce

Abstract

Spencer’s is a retail and grocery chain in India owned by the RP Sanjiv Goenka Group. Headquartered in Kolkata, Spencer’s operates over 150 stores in 33 cities across the country. It sells a diverse range of products such as food (including fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, and seafood), general merchandise, fashion, electronics and consumer durables. Since 2016, Spencer’s has ventured into the digital space by launching their sales website followed by a mobile sales application. Their focus has been on an omnichannel strategy which aims to provide a seamless customer experience across their physical and digital formats.ShashwatGoenka, Head of Retail and FMCG at the RP Sanjiv Goenka Group, describes the journey from the foundations of their omnichannel strategy to the present, when the company has established their online presence in 8 major cities. Through the eyes of Goenka and the Spencer’s leadership, the case points to the various challenges faced by the company in this journey. It critically examines the adoption and efficacy of the omnichannel strategy and how it compares to the competing inventory led and hyperlocal models. The case ends in December 2018 by discussing the key questions faced by Spencer’s specifically regarding how the omnichannel model needs to evolve to make it a sustainable part of Spencer’s business. The case includes a Part B which highlights the changes seen by the company in the first half of 2019 and how those changes affect their omnichannel strategy.