Introduction

Archies Limited is an Indian company based in New Delhi, started in 1979 by Anil Moolchandani. It is in the business of manufacturing and selling greeting cards and other social expression products such as gifts and posters.

It has about 2000 outlets and franchisees, called Archies Galleries, spread across 120 cities and 6 countries. It has tie-ups and licensing arrangements for merchandising characters such as Dennis the Menace and Disney characters.
The company expanded its product range to include artificial jewellery, crystal ware, chocolates and perfumes, and accordingly changed its name to Archies Limited in 2002.

Indian market before the advent of Archies !

Before the advent of Archies, the Indian social expression industry was controlled entirely by the unorganized sector. The gifts comprised such standard offerings as flowers, books, sweets, garments and in some exceptional cases silver and semi-precious stone trinkets. The arrival of Archies began to slowly change this predictable Indian mindset. A whole new range of unique items were now available and lent a dash of lan and color to gifting. At the same time the quality of merchandise, too, underwent a complete transformation.

Achievements
Archies has evolved from a cards-only outfit to a complete social expressions company, with each gallery stocking more than 5000 inimitable objects. It has demonstrated exemplary mastery over its large network of distributors, retailers and franchisees. The illustration of the companys inventiveness is that in 2007 it instituted the 4th Sunday of September as Daughters Day. Friendship Day which is widely celebrated nationwide on the first Sunday of August every year is also an Archies conception.

Market
Archies is Indias apex market leader in the social expressions industry with over 50% market share in the organized sector . It has championed the path-breaking concept of branded retailing in India, Archies has expanded its operations in sync with market needs. The brand currently operates 120 company stores in fourteen states and 36 cities across India, in addition to more than 350 franchise outlets in 100 Indian cities and five countries. Though the company is still in its formative years, its per capita consumption of greeting cards is estimated at a low 0.5 compared to over 50 in the UK and about 40 in the US, the social expressions market is growing at an exciting 15%-20% per annum.

Products
Three inch mini-greeting card to a five-anda-half foot teddy bear. All-occasion greeting cards, gift items such as curios, photo albums, photo frames, soft toys, mugs, quotation plaques, key chains and a wide range of stationery. Product of the month

Product Portfolio

Archies Sub Brands

PRODUCT
Archies' strap line 'The Most Special Way to Say You Care' aptly echoes its position in the market. Today, Archies offers a product portfolio containing all-occasion greeting cards, gift items. A unique programme in the Archies product portfolio is 'Gift of the Month.'

BRAND VALUE
Adorability and sentiment drive the brands' appeal to all age groups and demographics.

The key to Archies' success is the fact that the company has consistently focused on emotions and feelings.
Sentiments lend effervescence to the brand.

Pricing Strategy
Monopoly

Competitive

Place
Stores Operating in all the major areas in India International Presence in 16 countries Total number of outlets : 2000 outlets and franchisees, called Archies Galleries, spread across 120 cities[ and 6 countries

Place : Franchisee Model

Archies Gallery
Archies The Card Shop

Paper Rose Shoppe

Archies Feelings Premium Archies Galleries

Promotion
MTV ROADIES 6.0 SPLITSVILLA

Archies communications

When you love someone your heart celebrates Online Marketing

Agreement with Movie Producers

The tie-up with Pepsi , Pidilite , HelpAge and CRY helped to built strong brand equity and client

TIE UPS
Paramount Cards in 1988

Archies has successfully maintain edits licensing arrangement with American Greetings a US$ 1.70 billion(Rs. 8160 crore) company since 1993.
distribution tie ups with Keel Toys (UK)

 Paper Island (UK) for Fizzy Moon, Xpressions Gifts Co (UK) Russ Berrie (US) Carte Blance Greetings (UK) 2008, including its best-seller Tatty teddy.

COMPANY IN TROUBLE!!
In February 2002, the Delhi High Court dismissed an application for injunction filed by Archies. The company wanted a stop order to restrain Hindu fundamentalist groups from 'interfering in the Valentine's Day celebrations and sales promotions in its showrooms and outlets. Archies outlets were targeted in Mumbai, Delhi and other parts of the country.

 The dismissal of the injunction appeal came at a time when thecompany was facing a host of problems on various other fronts. In the late-1990s, e-cards became very popular. Archies was forced to launch its own e-greetings website,archiesonline.com

SHAREHOLDERS STAKE IN

COMPANY
STAKE HOLDERS PROMOTERS % OF TOTAL 62.35%
PROMOTE RS

% OF TOTAL

INSTITUTION
GENERAL PUBLIC GRAND TOTAL

0.23%
100%

62.35%

INSTITUTIO N GENERAL PUBLIC

37.42%
37.42%

GRAND TOTAL

100%
0.23%

ARCHIESONLINE.COM
It has three major section:
Meet Greet Gift

ARCHIESONLINE.COM
Send and Receive variety of animated cards Purchase gifts online Get a reward in form of Archies dazzling cards Get delivery at the door step through online purchase

Contd
In late 2000, archiesonline.com entered into strategic alliances with various portals, it was a part of the company's plan to secure online penetration in various youth-oriented portals to leverage the Archies brand equity. Some of the alliance partners are Yahoo.com, Jaldi.com, Indiagreetings.com, Mantraonline, and UthPlanet.com. Archies launched an Internet access product, which was sold through Archies outlets. Under an agreement with Yahoo, Archies' website had a hyperlink on Yahoo!'s homepage. Later it snapped its ties with Yahoo! because Yahoo! did not want to be associated with Archies if it wanted to stop the free card service.

How is archiesonline.com diiferent from other websites ?

To bridge the gap between its internet and retail outlets models, Archies introduced the concept of e-kiosk.This introduced the shoppers to the company's website and its services.

For Diwali, the company came out with novel concepts like ecrackers that enabled surfers to burst `pollution-free' crackers. Surfers could also perform religious rituals at archiesonline.com.