Brand Positioning: Agora Super Shop

Rahimafrooz Superstores Ltd. (RSL) launched Agora Super Shop as the first ever retail chain in Bangladesh in 2001. The idea was to bring a revolution in the purchase of everyday necessities and household products. In order for this big idea to prosper, it was important to position the brand ensuring that it occupied a distinctive place in the minds of the target customers.

Mission and Vision:

The mission was to fulfill everyday shopping needs of the urban people through fair price, right assortment, and provide best as well as fresh quality products to form a valuable shopping experience, through a business that improves the eminence of life for customers and team members.

The vision was to give customers confidence and establish an environment of trust.

What made Agora stand out was its focus towards Positioning by Product Benefits. Benefits in terms of product quality, rational pricing, freshness, hygiene and friendly environment.

Their motto in branding is ― “right price right quality”, which removes the fear of customer about product‘s offering quality, plus maintaining a streak of bringing in products which assure quality service, all under one roof. They were the first in the country to bring in such a scheme, which acted as the biggest advantage itself in positioning their brand. The success of Agora was immediate as there was a demand for such business in the local market. And over time the number of outlets increased and currently there are nine outlets at Dhaka and one outlet in Chittagong.

To build a strong base of desirability, deliver anticipated results, and differentiate itself from competitors, Agora keeps track of current demands in the market, the daily reviews of customers and adds new products by running a survey on consumers to identify their level of expectations to ensure maximum satisfaction. This strategy not only helps create a prolong relationship with the customers, but also acts as a tool to achieve customer loyalty.

Agora superstores are currently concentrated in food retailing, ranging from a wide variety of fresh vegetable, fruits, meat and fish to grocery, bakery, dairy, personal and household products. It provides its customers with guaranteed quality and freshness, carries more than 30,000 varieties of products and has plans to expand its product portfolio to carry other ranges of consumer products in the coming years.

Recent Brand Strategies: Recent strategies of agora include launching their own payment card called "Agora Shopping card". They provide this card to the customers with no extra charges or yearly fees. Customers can also enjoy the freedom of online shopping. They do not require a bank account or any type of bank cards to get an Agora Shopping card of their own. Customers can deposit money to their card through their physical outlet. Once the deposit is made, the card is ready to be used.

Also, in a developing country like Bangladesh the advent and use of the internet has changed the daily activities of most people, especially in shopping. Agora’s decision in creating a platform of  virtual shopping experience has made them the first and leading online super shop in Bangladesh. Customers can select the items they want to purchase, pay online and their basket of goods will be delivered to their doorstep. On the right, is a screenshot of their website for online shopping.

With multiple stores in Dhaka, Agora is a leader in superstore retail organizations. The combination of quality and price under various brand name offers customers value for their money. With such promising statements to serve the best, Agora must increase marketing efforts, strengthen existing resources, add complementary resources, develop new resources and bring an evaluation to current objectives and strategy. Furthermore, because it is expanding it’s chain, it is necessary for Agora to not only bring an increase to the number of their staffs, but also provide them adequate training to ensure smooth and efficient workflow.

Agora is the largest retailer, both by local sales and by domestic market share, and the largest retailer in Dhaka leaving behind PQS, Meena Bazar, Nandan Mega Shop, Pacific, Pick and Pay, Etc. Originally specializing in food, it has moved into areas such as clothes, consumer electronics, consumer financial services, selling and renting DVDs, compact discs and consumer telecom accessories. Safe to say, that by promising “high quality”, provision of a wide assortment of local and foreign products complemented with an appeal of luxury, Agora has been able to establish itself as a store that makes every effort to cater to customer satisfaction.

Bibliography:

1.     Rahimafrooz - Rahimafrooz Superstores Ltd. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2015, from http://www.rahimafrooz.com/ourbusinesses/companies/rahimafroozsuperstoresltd/tabid/112/default.aspx

2.     Agora A Bangladeshi Largest Super Store Commerce Essay. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2015, from http://www.ukessays.com/essays/commerce/agora-a-bangladeshi-largest-super-store-commerce-essay.php

3.     Analysis of Agora supermarkets of Bangladesh and the potential for online marketing. - University Business and Administrative studies - Marked by Teachers.com. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2015, from http://www.markedbyteachers.com/university-degree/business-and-administrative-studies/analysis-of-agora-supermarkets-of-bangladesh-and-the-potential-for-online-marketing.html

4.     Agora Supermarkets, Bangladesh. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2015, from http://www.cdcgroup.com/The-difference-we-make/Case-Studies/Agora-Supermarkets-Bangladesh/