Big Bazaar plans about 1,000 kiosks by year-end

Future group-owned Big Bazaar Direct has launched a virtual franchise programme across the country, targeting small towns. Under the Direct plan, franchise holders will run kiosks where consumers could choose from Big Bazaar’s catalogue. After placing an order, a customer will have to pay the franchise operator. Big Bazaar Direct says it will deliver the product in three to seven days. Earlier, the group had run pilot projects in Nagpur, Amravati and other cities the Vidarbha region in Maharashtra. Now, Big Bazaar expects to start about 1,000 such kiosks by the year-end, seeking to expand to 10,000 virtual franchises in 2015. Such expansion move is an added business opportunity which signage players including sign makers, fabricators and others engaging in the activities.