Redpolka aiding budding designers to become entrepreneur!

Kindly shed light on the journey of Redpolka so far? These days online fashion is flooded, in such scenario how are you creating difference among peers?

Launched in 2015, we specialized in curated fashion with more than 200 boutique designers onboard.  Moreover, growing influence of digital including Facebook and Google has enabled many entrepreneurs includine me to grow their business beyond their neighborhoods. I have tried to leverage from digital world by founding Redpolka which particularly targets shoppers who are in search of new and nice. Same time, Redpolka helps the designers in narrating their stories behind the brand.

Like you mentioned online fashion is crowded, so at times genuinity of the product is subject to question from shoppers per se.  Therefore, the concept of curation came in place, it is meant for shopper who is looking great designs created  by niche designers. We showcase curated range on a platform where shoppers as well as sellers protection is taken care of well.

We take extra care in creating an experience. We are very much focused towards finding good creative work which stands out and is created genuinely created at the home front.  In fact, we have merchandise having ‘Made in India’ tag attached to them.

Do you also work with renowned names from the industry?

We do not go far already known designers or labels as they are already known. We work with designers who are lesser known and needs to be told their story to wider audience. For example, we have a designer called ‘V-Empyreal’ who does embroidery on cloth made shoes which you would not find anywhere else. 

Moreover, we have designers across the categories including jewellery, fashion; in fact, we have several kinds of designer in clothing, for example, we have French designer who is based out of Pondicherry , she is being convert and making things here very organically . So we have various kinds of designers who are catering to particular type of shopper.

Designer stuff is usally considered very costly. So you wish to settle your niche on higher price points only? Kindly shed light on starting and exiting price point? Also shed light on brand’s consumer profile?

As of now we are not into luxury at all. Our price points are different in online and offline channel. For example, our fashion category starts from Rs 1100 and goes upto much higher. However, we do not showcase higher price points (above Rs 1000) in online channel. However, in case of offline we tend to exhibit higher price range.

Our target group is 26 plus who is individual decisions maker and has her own sense of fashion.

Kindly shed light on your offline presence? Do you also have exclusive stores?

No, we don’t have exclusive store. We create experience centers in different cities where we take designers for a day or two. Experience centers impart touch and feel element to customers which ultimately helps in buying decision.  For such centers we curate merchandise as per neighborhood markets.

 We do substantial marketing to decide the visitors as we have very good following on social media plus we have our own database. Also, we have shoppers who have strong brand patronage and they spread word about us.

Also shed light on your best performing category?

We are very limited in our categories. Fashion and accessory work do well for us. As far as home category is concerned, we have very handpicked designs in dining and home accessories. We are not into high priced furniture.

Kindly shed light on your kids’ category?

In kids category we are very limited in terms of design and offerings. Primarily, we do this business because of our young shoppers who have young kids. But, it is certainly not the prime focus of the business.

What is your average bill size?

Our average bill size is Rs 2300.

Have you raised any kind of funds so far?

We had angle funding much earlier. We are not looking to raise more funds. We are hoping market to get stabilize as there is too much discounting happening, which we are totally against of.  However, in last few months we have seen a lot of stability coming in and lot of correction happening especially in fashion category. We hope once the correction phase is over we will go ahead with newer models as we don’t believe in discounting.

Any plans to foray offline channel?

We have not thought about it, but we certainly see an importance of having an offline presence especially in fashion as it impacts the buying decision.

Are you also in clothes renting business?

No, that is a very different consumer behavior we are looking to address such consumers at this point of time

At last, kindly shed light on your growth plans?

I have looking to do whatever we are doing for time being. We hope that the brand will built by storytelling and by finding interesting designs and new growth systems. We are focused on delivering more and more to same customer.