The e-tail revolution in fashion

As more and more fashion retail stores in Pakistan embrace cyberspace, we explore various facets of online shopping.

KARACHI:

As we readily accept the endless cycle of idea and action, of divisions and indivisions, we must acknowledge the growing impact of globalisation and its oh-so-convenient offshoot, online shopping.

Who wouldn’t be captivated by the ‘just-a-click-away’ mantra of e-shopping? And let’s face it — many of us are plain lazy. Why go through the hassle of shopping in person when we can have favourite items delivered to our doorsteps?

Online shopping has proven to be a complementary force for fashion retail stores in Pakistan. The recent launch of online stores by designer Ayesha F Hashwani and retail brands Bonanza, Almirah by Junaid Jamshed and Khaadi, signifies that Pakistan offers a lucrative market for e-commerce.



In the wake of the global tech horizon, bricks-and-mortar stores consider online portals to be a valuable supplement to their businesses. One of the pioneers of online shopping in Pakistan is Labels, which launched its e-store in August, 2012. “We were one of the first in Pakistan to open a comprehensive online portal,” says Zahir Rahimtoola, CEO of Labels. What is a noteworthy feat, Labels was ranked second in the country for its e-tailing services by Mashable Inc in an article on Pakistan as the next frontier for e-commerce.

One of the greatest appeals of online shopping for fashion retailers is that it transcends the intranational and national boundaries that a physical store can’t. With cyberculture penetrating into the fashion industry, many designer brands now wish to utilise its centrifugal force to reach the global market. “75 percent of Labels e-store traffic is international traffic, while the remaining 25 percent is national traffic. E-tailing gets you worldwide sales,” shares Rahimtoola. Designer Ayesha F Hashwani, who initiated her international online portal in October, 2013, concurs with Rahimtoola. “E-tailing has given us access to the worldwide market,” she says.



Bonanza launched the beta version of its international e-store as a tester in November, 2013. “The response has been great. We are gradually increasing our product line [on the e-store] and will launch our full-fledged online store in three to four weeks,” say the sales and marketing teams at Bonanza. Almirah by Junaid Jamshed went digital in December, 2013 and the team at Almirah tells us that they are now delivering internationally.

Khaadi launched its e-store on January 1, 2014, which is what the brand’s Retail General Manager Sharmin Raza refers to as a step further in its “multi-platform growth strategy.” “It was crucial to develop a ‘bricks and clicks’ model to fulfil our customer demands,” says Raza. Khaadi’s online store presently caters to the local market. “With our beta release in Pakistan, we’re hoping to get feedback from [national] users prior to the international launch of our website.” The brand plans on expanding online shopping to the international market within a few months.



With global sales, the market for fashion retail stores is becoming increasingly diverse. Rahimtoola shares that the outreach of Labels spans “from New  York to Tando Adam.” That is how large the expanse of e-tailing is.

However, online shopping has multiple downsides. Other than intangible limitations, such as security concerns surrounding online credit card payments and big ticket items like designer clothes getting damaged during delivery, e-tailing could adversely affect the sales of traditional retailers. Like the CEO of Young & Rubicam, David Sable, says, “While digital is everything, everything is not digital.”

Many fashion retail stores are comfortable with their physical presence and are content with staying confined to them. Hashwani says that such stores will always survive. “I don’t think they’ll die out at all. I think that both traditional and online retailing work,” she says. Rahimtoola holds that although e-stores don’t pose a threat to physical stores, “in times to come [due to trends of globalisation], they will have to look at creating e-commerce awareness.”



Generation, which is a notable name in fashion retailing, hasn’t embarked upon a digital journey as yet. “I hope it happens soon,” says its Director of Operations and Design, Khadija Rahman. However, since retail stores such as Generation have a “limited production run,” it may be challenging for them to go digital. “We introduce new styles every second or third day. Since an online system is one that needs to be regularly updated, it might be complicated for us to maintain an online store [as compared to stores that mass produce].”

Generation’s products are available on Pakistani online shopping website daraz.pk, which, according to Rahman, “is a good, preliminary tester.” Like Hashwani and Rahimtoola, Rahman also thinks that e-tailing doesn’t bite into the traditional retail market. In fact, Rahman commends the benefits of online shopping: “There are many people who are buying online and it provides easy access.”

If there was to be an online retail war, which brand’s e-store would outshine the rest? Rahimtoola says, “Labels is the first fashion retail store of Pakistan. Hence, we have applied years of our experience and brand name to the e-store.” Hashwani shares that her online store has her cotton and linen-based casual line, which has only been sold at her yearly exhibitions and never been sold at her physical store.

The Bonanza team states that they deliver within two to three days in Pakistan and in three or more days internationally. A recent addition to their e-store is their woollen collection for both men and women. The team at Almirah says they deliver within three to five days across the globe and that their online orders include alteration and made-to-order services.

Khaadi’s online portal is “user-friendly” and offers “a select range of unstitched, prêt, Khaas and accessories,” which can be delivered anywhere in Pakistan without delivery charges.

As to the question of which fashion retail store can we expect to embrace the cyberspace next, designer brand SanaSafinaz intends to go digital this year and Rahman is hopeful that Generation will as well, in the near future.

You can access the online stores of some of the leading retail stores in Pakistan on the following addresses:

Labels: labelsestore.com

Ayesha Hashwani: afhashwani.com

Bonanza: bonanzaestore.com

Almirah (Junaid Jamshed): almirah.com.pk

Khaadi: khaadi.com

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2014.

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