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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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