Unlock Fashion: E-Commerce & Retail

- Jatin Kochar

At the end of 2019, the populous country of 130+ crores was spending 1500+ crores rupees every day on clothing to upkeep with the fashion. With the occurrence of the ongoing pandemic, escaping everyone's notice, it all stopped at once. Fashion reaches to Indian homes through online, organized retail and unorganized retail channels. Unorganized retail comprised small size outlets, with or without trial rooms, in the tightly packed market complexes. It’s the most loved one, pocket friendly and driver of the fast fashion. Coming to the hard part, now, peeps are staying in the nests, working from home and occasions, The Big Indian Fat Weddings, Leisure Travelling, Weekend Parties, have evaporated; so, did customers have put a pause button on transforming their wardrobes.

Unlike the old times, people use to dress to save themselves from Log Kya Kahenge moment to people experimenting and dressing up for themselves. Fashion is a form of experience, carves out various sub-dimensions of the personalities, instills confidence, and holistically empowers the one.

Unlock E-Commerce: ‘Return on The Spot’

As from coming Monday, 8th June 2020, India is unlocking. Hence, post 75 days, malls will be reopening. But due to the circumstances, footfalls will be lower and as a precautionary measure, USP of retail has been taken away, the trial rooms are not in trial anymore. The ball is in a court of E-Commerce players, as with a tweak in their delivery operations model, a new proposition can be in place. Customers can be given sometime at the time of accepting delivery to try the outfit, and if not like, ‘Return on The Spot’. Charging a meager amount for the On-Spot Return, won't fume the customer as they understand the service they are getting. More time taken to complete delivery would be balanced by a smaller number of order these days. This model comes with a caveat that E-Commerce players have to manage sanitization of the ‘On-Spot Return Products’ and train their on-ground delivery heroes.

Unlock Retail: Exclusive Shopping

It's not that retail has only to lose. What retail can counter with the change in marketing communication and center around 'Exclusive Shopping'. Multi-Brand stores like Lifestyle and stores having bigger floor space, can avoid direct walk-ins, customers with exclusive limited slots, through online booking or phone calls. For instance, on Lifestyle application, there is an option to book a slot for shopping in the mall nearby thus ensuring safety by confirming the number of presences of the other customers. The assistance of the store specialist, browsing variety, and instant gratification would be the other keys to make 'Exclusive Shopping' succeed. Virtual Dressing Room, a talked-about topic from some time, is also a thing of the near future in the metro cities. So, excitement can’t be drawn out of retail space.

Let’s Reach to The Customer!

Omnichannel is a place where retail and online converge. As we have seen in the past, miscellaneous consumer companies have reached customers through Mobile Vans, the same is a viable option for E-commerce and retail players. The players choosing this option have to be very considerate of the van hygiene and specifications, merchandising, the shopping experience of the customer; as customer needs to feel comfortable. If you ask me really as a customer, I would be drawn into this, I would rather say Jockey and Van Heusen has the real power to do this to me.

In a nutshell, players have to become more customer-centric for their business, drive through operational excellence, redo some of the processes, and carve clear tactics and strategy, and Boooooooom!!!!!!

Millennials would be back expressing and empowering themselves!!!!