INTERVIEW WITH HEMU RAMAIAH OF LANDMARK

Chennaibest.com speaks to Hemu Ramaiah of Landmark - the first retail organisation to be awarded BS EN ISO 9002 in India.

What is the 'principle' behind the success of Landmark as a bookstore?

It would be the multi-product concept. It was one-of-a-kind when we started. We have indepth collection in all classifications of books. We are stocked pretty well too. Our shop cannot be compared with any other bookshop in India.

How different is the Chennai market compared to the rest of the country?

We have branches in Calcutta and Coimbatore, but the market in Chennai is incomparable. They are glorious. They are very aware consumers.

What genre of books sells more… Classics, Romance, Contemporary, Literature…. etc?

In terms of number of units sold, children's books sell the most. In terms of revenue, it is neck to neck between computer and managment books.

Translations from Indian languages… does it sell in Chennai?

The market for translations is growing very fast. It is the choice for all educated Indians. For them to identify with the emotions, the back drop and terminology.

With the internet and CD ROMs in the market, is there a slump in book sales?

The internet is a good reference source. It is a wonderful tool for getting any information. But there is no substitute for a book. Its like when the TV came to the market first. Everybody was worried whether the movies would stay.

The encyclopaedias which are bulky... have the CD ROMs beaten the sales of paper-based editions?

In the case of encyclopaedias, it is more a case of updated information than bulkiness. If you buy the Encyclopaedia Britannica this year, you will have to update it every year, but in the case of the CD-ROMs, you will have to buy only one CD.

Chennai is opening up to launches and book readings. Your comments.

We have been doing book launches right from the time we started for 13 years. We always brought Music and Literary personalities, for example we brought R. K Narayan in 1987, and many more.

Young readers. Is Landmark concentrating on children's books?

Yes, definitely. It is a niche. We have a good collection and the response is pretty tremendous.

How knowledgeable are Chennai readers, in terms of being informed about the latest trends?

They are amazingly aware. This is another thing the internet has done. People go and surf the international websites and are very upto date with the recent book releases and trends. They come and ask us for books that are very difficult to get hold of.

How current are the book releases in the city?

Very current. The books are released simultaneously around the world. In case of imported books, which make upto 40 % of the books we sell, they are shipped well in advance, so that they reache us before the release date, so they can be released on the launch date.

Has the increase in disposable income increase sales in books?

Yes. Not just computer books, since they travel abroad and they want to be globally aware. They want to have a sound general knowledge. Not only should they know programming only, they need to get through interviews also.

How crucial is the packaging of the book?

Very crucial. Cover design is a big part of the book. The design of the book jackets are a big thing.

How crucial is the POP promotion?

Yes. Of course. Obviously it makes an immediate impact on the customers. Anything highlighted and promoted will make the people look at. Anything people look at has a better chance of being bought.

How many people visit Landmark a day?

On an average 6,000 people visit Landmark a day, but in the peak season 8,000 people visit per day. The peak season would be November through January, when compliments are bought. Corporate compliments are also big sells.

Your favourite book?

I read a lot. For a favourite book, I would say Godfather by Mario Puzo. In fact, it is also my favourite movie.

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