Abstract

The case study ‘Bata’s Direct Marketing Initiatives’ throws light on the various direct marketing initiatives implemented by Bata India Ltd (Bata India), India’s largest organized footwear retailer, to drive sales and reach out to customers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and thereby sustain business activity. The case study begins by looking at the early direct marketing initiatives of the footwear retailer, namely, ‘Bata Direct’ that was launched in 2008 to sustain business against the backdrop of the 2007-2008 global financial recession followed by Bata India’s various e-commerce initiatives to take on the increasing competition from e-commerce companies like Amazon and Flipkart. Bata India decided to slow down its retail expansion amid the coronavirus pandemic in mid-2020, and strengthen its online channels for growth. It segmented customers into Digital Natives, Digital Adopters, and Digital Novices based on their proficiency in using technology and introduced direct-to-home marketing initiatives targeted at different segments namely, ‘Bata Chat Shop’ and ‘Bata Store-On-Wheels,’ that allowed consumers to shop from the comfort and safety of their homes. The case study ends by touching on the future retail and business operations plans of Bata India including plans to focus more on the omni-channel approach, digitization of its processes to cut costs, and becoming a paperless organization.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand the need for traditional retailers to move from multi-channel to omni-channel retailing.
• Become aware of the factors that drive online and offline shopping.
• Become aware of the benefits offered by direct-to-home marketing, especially in sluggish markets.
• Understand the importance of customer segmentation in online retailing.
• Learn about integrating customer engagement between online and offline channels.

Keywords

Direct-to-home Marketing; Omni-channel Retailing; Consumer Decision-making; Online Retailing, Online Purchase Behavior; Marketing Strategy; Mobile Marketing; Segmentation; E-commerce; Customer Engagement