07/09/2026
Why are brands suddenly looking beyond Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore?
For years, brands followed a simple expansion rule:
Metro first. Tier-2 later.
That thinking is changing.
Today, brands are asking:
“Where is the next customer base?”
And increasingly, the answer is cities like Jaipur, Lucknow, Indore, Chandigarh, Udaipur, Surat and Coimbatore.
Why?
Because Tier-2 consumers are just as aspirational, digitally connected and willing to spend — but these markets often offer:
→ Lower rentals
→ Less competition
→ Growing spending power
→ Stronger local visibility
→ Better opportunities for early movers
But there’s one thing brands need to understand:
Tier-2 is not Tier-1 with cheaper rent.
The catchment, pricing, product mix and store format all need to be looked at differently.
I believe the next big retail opportunity in India may not be another metro.
It may be the city that brands understand before everyone else does.
What do you think — are Tier-2 cities becoming the next growth engine for Indian brands?
