Multi brand retailing

Many articles are being written in favor of and in opposing multi brand retailing, but nobody is sure of a common ground. While multi brand retail would create jobs, it would also endanger the livelihood of unorganized retail industry. Thus arguments of both proponents and opponents are true, but the problem is none of them are appreciating the complete picture. Many small retail businesses may go bankrupt because they cannot simply afford the economy of scale and scope that big retailers enjoy. This is already a possibility with so many big Indian names entering the retail fray. This will be an even more menace with names like Walmart, Carrefour, Seven Eleven or Mark and Spencer with their deep pockets entering the arena. Small retailers have their margins eroded through wastages at various levels. They do not have an efficient IT infrastructure for managing sales or inventory, a sophisticated distribution and supply chain, access to easy credit or a reliable vendor base from where they can purchase in bulk. They only have the goodwill and trust of their long standing customers. However only a loyal customer base cannot ensure a level playing field because in the event of price or quality wars, small retailers will be vanquished.
How can a level playing field be ensured? The onus is on both retailers and Government. Small retailers would have to collaborate rather than fight among themselves to counter aggressive bigger stores. They need to form a common investment platform,set up or tie up with a more effient logistics service, purchase in bulk together by developing a bigger vendor base across states, invest in technology for ensuring efficiency across the supply chain. Government should ensure that big retailers do not ignore smaller ones in this endeavor, and that banks and financial institutions provide credit at low cost to them. Only such a visionery and dynamic approach would ensure that right environment for retailing emerges in the country and will fuelfurther growth in this industry. But is it feasible? Who will take the lead in bringing small and disparate warring sections on the same ground thus triggering a retail and socio economic revolution?