Yamaha plans to exploit trend in favour of personal mobility amid Covid-19
- Yamaha plans to expand retail footprint in India despite the pandemic-induced disruptions.
- Yamaha has around 1,900 customer touch-points across India.
Yamaha Motor India plans to encash on growing trend to own personal vehicles at a time when social distancing has become the new regular amid Covid-19 pandemic. The Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer is aiming to expand its footprint in India to reach out to more customers and increase its share in the two-wheeler segment.
Yamaha has resumed production at its facilities in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu and Surajpur in Uttar Pradesh, after suspending operations for two weeks in May when the second wave of the pandemic hit the country.
"Within the personal mobility space, two-wheelers prove to be the most viable option of commute due to low maintenance, easy maneuverability and the convenience of riding over multiple terrains. On this front, the future of the Indian two-wheeler industry is strong and reassuring," Yamaha Motor India Group Chairman Motofumi Shitara told news agency PTI.
Shitara said that the Japanese two-wheeler aims to extend its retail footprint in India through premium retail outlets in coming days. "We are also being aggressive at launching our chain of premium 'Blue Square' retail outlets across India, focusing on metro cities and the surrounding districts," he said.
Yamaha currently has 25 outlets across India in states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and the northeastern states. "By the end of 2021, we aim to have 100 'Blue Square' outlets pan India, with a target of setting up 300 touch points in the next 2-3 years," Shitara said. Overall, Yamaha has 1,900 customer touch-points across India.
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Shitara said, "Personal mobility will continue to remain a top priority in 2021 and the company will continue to focus on strengthening our position in the premium segment through a strong product portfolio of 150cc and 250cc motorcycles, and 125cc scooters. Our immediate goal for 2021 is to stabilise sales with the current product portfolio."
Shitara said that Yamaha has witnessed a drastic shift in consumer behaviour during the Covid-19 pandemic. He said, more people are choosing lifestyle-driven vehicles over more practical options.
"This approach towards two-wheelers has been mainly because of the new generation's fascination with owning products that are technologically advanced, stylish and sporty," Shitara said.
Last week, Yamaha launched FZ-X motorcycle and unveiled the new Fascino 125 scooter.