``The Store of the Future could be in as many formats and not just a click and mortar store. It could be on your watch or on your mobile or simply a brick and mortar store in an all together new format,'' said Ms Maureen Johnson, head, retailing consultancies of the UK-based advertising Group WPP Plc, while talking about one of the projects her agency is currently working on.

Sponsored by the beverages giant Coca Cola, the project has been commissioned by Europe's top 17 retailers including big names such as Tesco, Sainsbury, Metro and others. ``We're currently working on the project whereby we have to come up with this concept of Store of the Future. We're likely to complete the project and deliver a report on it by April 2001,'' said Ms Johnson but refused to divulge further details of the project.

But what could be a more relevant retailing concept for a country like India? ``Convenience stores-not as it exists but as it is evolving-I think, are ideally suited for a market like India,'' said Ms Johnson who was in the Capital to attend the CII-sponsored Marketing Summit. Convenience stores, according to her were going to be more organised and streamlined. According to her, inadequate infrastructure and not so profitable margins were some of the factors which were keeping the top global retail majors away from India.

``I know of a company which spent nine months evaluating the Indian marketplace but found it unattractive,'' added Ms Johnson. At the same time, however, Ms Johnson added, ``But I still think you can leapfrog since you don't have the baggage.''

So what do retailers need to do? ``Retailers need to assess how well they can provide `value for time' and `value for journey' and not just `value for money'. Consumer today has too much choice and no expertise to choose and is suspicious of relationship marketing, Ms Johnson said. He is seeking edited choice and hence there's a need for trust brands which can act as a choice editors and decision agents. Suppliers, need to assess capability of becoming a trust brand. According to her retailers needed to identify opportunities to facilitate consumer access at existing stores; convenience points; Internet/interactive TV and new alliances.