Online firms add designer stores to boost sales

The ecom bug has bit the designer fraternity with new and established designers launching their lines online through own website or third-party platforms. In fact, top ecom sites like Amazon, Myntra, Snapdeal, Indianroots and FashionAndYou have tied-up with as many as 150 designers. They are a mix of new and established designers who now sell their exclusive lines to the fashion-savvy consumers.

For instance, while Amazon India launched its designer store before this festive season by bringing about 20 designers onto its platform, Myntra, on the other hand, is also expanding its design store portfolio by training new designers under its incubation programmes and partnering with celebrities and popular designers to launch exclusive lines. Snapdeal, too, has been offering ensembles of around 40 designers, including well-known names such as Manish Arora, Nida Mahmood and Malini Ramani.

Fashion is considered a high-margin category online. According to a April 2014 report by venture capital firm Accel Partners, Indians bought fashion products worth 559 million dollars (over Rs 3,640 crores) online in 2013 and this may increase to 2.8 billion dollars (over Rs 18,000 crores) by 2016.

What’s interesting to note is consumers from Tier II and Tier III cities waking up to fashion. Indianroots.com, which retails works of 60 designers feels that the reason behind this is designer wear that was once considered expensive and meant only for runways has now become wearable and affordable.