Total Sports & Fitness, India’s multi-brand, multi-sports retail chain, is entering a new phase of expansion with the relaunch of its digital platform, as the company seeks to combine its physical retail network, sports expertise, coaching community and technology to build a wider sports and fitness ecosystem.

As part of its digital development programme, the company recently brought together 85 customers from different generations, sporting backgrounds and playing levels for a customer immersion discussion at the North Indian Association, Bhaudaji Road, Sion, Mumbai.

Held under the theme “Help Us Shape the New TOTAL”, the initiative was designed to understand how consumers discover sports products, what information they seek before making purchase decisions and how their requirements differ across age groups, sporting disciplines and playing levels.

The participants included Gen Alpha and Gen Z consumers, parents purchasing sports products for their children, regular sports enthusiasts, coaches, fitness trainers, and sports and fitness professionals.

Across four interactive sessions, participants explored the Web platform, undertook live tasks and shared feedback on product discovery, sports categories, product information and expert guidance. The exercise is aimed at helping TOTAL develop an educational and discovery-led digital platform that can address consumers’ requirements at different stages of their sporting journey.

The relaunched Web platform, www.totalsf.in, is positioned to go beyond conventional e-commerce by combining product discovery with educational content, expert guidance and artificial intelligence.

The platform has AI-based capabilities that enable users to seek assistance related to exercises, workouts, fitness goals and suitable sports equipment. Customers can enter their requirements, seek information about relevant exercises and receive product suggestions based on their needs.

The platform will also offer educational sports content, playing-level-based product discovery and a Coach Recommended section, helping consumers make more informed choices when purchasing sports and fitness products.

Physical Retail Network to Expand

TOTAL Sports & Fitness currently operates 23 stores across 13 cities and six states, comprising 16 company-owned and company-operated stores and seven franchise stores.

According to Niteen L. Shah, Founder & Managing Director, Total Sports & Fitness, the company has plans to add another company-owned and company-operated store as well as a couple of franchise stores that are currently in the pipeline.

By March 2027, the company expects its store network to reach 26–27 stores.

The existing stores range in size from approximately 500 sq. ft. to around 5,000 sq. ft., with the larger formats serving as flagship stores. One of the company’s flagship stores is located in Pune, next to Decathlon.

While continuing to expand its physical footprint, TOTAL sees digital commerce as an important opportunity to reach customers beyond the geographical boundaries of its stores.

The company plans to target approximately 22,000 pin codes through its e-commerce platform, allowing it to take its sports and fitness offering to consumers across India.

Expanding Beyond Conventional Sports Retail

TOTAL Sports & Fitness has developed a broader approach to the sports and fitness business that extends beyond the sale of products.

The company provides solutions including gym setups, coaching facilities, multi-sport facility setups, turfs and pickleball courts, positioning itself as a one-stop solution for a wide range of sports and fitness requirements.

Alongside close to 100 brands across multiple sporting categories, TOTAL also operates its own private label, TOTAL, with approximately 500 SKUs.

The private-label portfolio includes products such as cricket bats, badminton rackets, footballs, basketballs and fitness equipment, among others.

The brand also offers sportswear including track pants, T-shirts and shorts, along with shoes across different sports categories.

The company plans to take its TOTAL private-label portfolio to consumers nationally through its newly launched e-commerce platform.

Coaches and Expertise at the Centre of Digital Strategy

One of the key elements of TOTAL’s new digital strategy is its planned integration of coaches and sports expertise into the online customer journey.

The company currently has a community of more than 1,500 coaches, who can assist customers with equipment, nutrition and exercise guidance based on specific sports and playing levels.

According to the company, coaches play an important role in influencing sports-product purchases. A bodybuilding trainer, for instance, may recommend a particular supplement or equipment, while a cricket coach may guide a player on the appropriate bat or ball.

TOTAL intends to bring this expertise into the digital environment by introducing coaches to customers through its website and helping consumers connect their sporting requirements with suitable products and guidance.

Niteen L. Shah on TOTAL’s Next Phase of Growth

Niteen L. Shah, Founder & Managing Director and Jiten Chheda, Founder & Managing Director, Total Sports & Fitness, spoke to Gurbir Singh Gulati, Editor-in-Chief, INFashionBusiness.com, on the company’s retail expansion, e-commerce strategy, private label, Coaches Connect and the role of AI in sports retail.

Pic: Niteen L. Shah, Founder & Managing Director and Jiten Chheda, Founder & Managing Director, Total Sports & Fitness

TOTAL currently has 23 stores. What is the company’s expansion plan from here?

We have 23 stores currently. Out of this, 16 are company-owned and company-operated and seven are franchisees. We might add one more COCO and then a couple of franchisee stores more, which are in the pipeline. By March 2027, we will have 26 or 27 stores.

Online will be a gamechanger for us. That is how we wish to serve the entire country. Our plan is to cover 22,000 pin codes.

What is the size and format of your existing stores?

Our stores sizes are from 500 sq. ft. to around 5,000 sq. ft., which are our flagship stores. One of our flagship stores is in Pune next to Decathlon.

How would you describe TOTAL Sports & Fitness’s overall product and service approach? 

TOTAL Fitness has a holistic product approach wherein we do gym setups, coaching facilities, multi-sport facilities setup, turfs, pickleball courts, you name it and we do everything as one-stop solution to your sports needs. 

Apart from this, we also have our private label with the name of TOTAL, wherein we have 500 SKUs across multiple sports products, whether it is cricket bats, badminton rackets, football, basketball, fitness equipment and many more.

We also have sportswear in TOTAL like track pants, T-shirts, shorts and we also have shoes across sports category.

We are planning to sell TOTAL through our online e-commerce newly launched, which will take this nationally.

What is the opportunity you see in the e-commerce business?

We have close to 100 brands as of now that we are catering across multiple sports. We have been always present with our physical retail, but an e-commerce store of ours will create enormous opportunities for us across India and fulfilling the needs of the aspiring Indian population, whether it is lifestyle, leisure or competitive sports. 

Our e-commerce will fulfil the need of every single athlete in every corner of India.

How does your Coaches Connect work?

What we have realised is that this business is very influenced by coaches. Whether it is bodybuilding, where a trainer will tell you exactly what supplement you should have, and if you go to your cricket coach, he will tell you that this is the right bat for you or this is the kind of ball that you should use.

Coaches play an important role on our e-commerce where they educate the customer in buying the right product, what they need.

So, when I go to your e-commerce website, do you have a bot which will register my questions and give suggestions and work on AI?

Yes, we have that capability and once you put your request, suggestions will be given.

We want to do justice to the sports category in India and we are very proud to be an Indian retailer doing that.

We are bringing coaches on our website and introducing them to the customer, and no one has done that in the sports retail ecosystem.

With our e-commerce website, we are launching into a new phase of growth.

Customer-Led Digital Development

The customer immersion programme is part of TOTAL Sports & Fitness’s effort to involve consumers directly in shaping the next stage of its retail and digital experience.

By bringing together consumers, parents, coaches, trainers and sports professionals, the company is seeking to understand the challenges customers face while selecting sports products and the information and guidance they require before making a purchase.

The initiative also reflects the changing nature of sports retail, where consumers increasingly seek product suitability, expert recommendations and educational information rather than simply browsing product catalogues.

For TOTAL, the objective is to bring together its physical retail experience, multi-brand portfolio, private-label products, sports infrastructure solutions and coaching network through a digital platform capable of reaching consumers across India.

From a 400-Sq.-Ft. Store to a Wider Sports Ecosystem

Established in 2003, Total Sports & Fitness has grown from a 400 sq. ft. store in Dadar into a multi-brand, multi-sports retail business with 23 stores across 13 cities and six states.

The company offers more than 10,000 products across 100+ leading brands and has served more than 20 lakh customers.

Beyond conventional retail, TOTAL provides end-to-end solutions covering gym setups, outdoor fitness zones, swimming pool and garden equipment, customised sportswear, and complete indoor and outdoor sports infrastructure, including specialised flooring, game courts and accessories.

Jiten Chheda, Founder & Managing Director, Total Sports & Fitness, said, “We started with a 400-square-foot store in Dadar in 2003, and today, we have grown to 23 stores across 13 cities and six states. As we expand into new markets, we recognise the need to make sports more accessible beyond physical stores. The relaunched Web platform is a step towards creating a complete sports ecosystem, where customers can discover products, access educational content and connect with coaches in their locality. We want to ensure that whether someone is starting their fitness journey, playing as a weekend enthusiast or aspiring to become a professional athlete, TOTAL is there to support them at every stage.”

The company’s digital expansion therefore represents more than the addition of another online sales channel. It is seeking to bring together products, brands, private-label offerings, coaches, AI-powered assistance, educational content and sports infrastructure expertise within one digital ecosystem.

With plans to expand to 26–27 physical stores by March 2027 and target approximately 22,000 pin codes through e-commerce, TOTAL Sports & Fitness is looking to use technology to extend the expertise developed through its physical retail network to consumers across the country.

The customer immersion reflects TOTAL Sports & Fitness’s approach of involving its community directly in shaping the next phase of its retail experience. By bringing together customers, coaches, trainers and sports professionals, the company aims to build a platform that supports consumers throughout their sporting journey, from discovering a sport and understanding their requirements to finding the right products.

With the new TOTAL, the company is looking to make sports retail more educational and participative, while making it easier for consumers to take informed steps towards playing, training and staying active.

As TOTAL enters this next phase, its strategy is centred on combining physical retail, digital commerce, expert coaching, AI-powered assistance and sports education to build a more connected sports retail ecosystem in India.