The business of franchising has been referred to as one of the greatest ever developed. It is a key arrow in the quiver of retail, with the maximum success guarantee. It is an operating model which never goes out of fashion, one of the most fruitful motivating business opportunities that can lead to the foundation of successful retail empire. When done correctly, franchising allows the retailer to achieve the expansion of the business and brand through able franchisee partners in a more systematic way. However, like every business model, franchising also requires capital, investment and proper planning and marketing strategy. IMAGES Retail’s November edition brings its readers the pros and cons of franchising in retail. It also explains how franchising model in retail continues to shine despite economic slowdown in last one year. The issue talks about the investment required, guidelines and other aspects related to build a successful franchising empire. Experts and retailers from the industry outline the challenges they have faced trying to establish a franchise business and the parameters of choosing the right franchiser and franchisee. Aside from this, we also bring a special feature on the fashion accessories market in India. The fashion accessory market has grown manifold over the past few years and is swarming with a vast range and variety of products. The jewellery, leather and footwear sector has also been fl ourishing like never before. The introduction of new players, on both Indian and international platforms have brought a continuous and sustained shift in consumer demand pattern. Shoppers today are not scared to spend money on costly lifestyle products. The November edition will bring the readers an in-depth analysis of each of this segment. As always, I hope you fi nd the issue informative and benefi cial. Do log on to our website, www.indiaretailing.com to read great features and analyses on the stage of the global retail industry with an emphasis on India.