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Sanjay Desai

Director, Fabcurate.com

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The Rise of Online Fabric Industry in India

Fabric brands focus on effective sourcing and supply chain management to reduce time to market, thus shorter time in deliveries which is the main concern of most of the shoppers.

Photo Credit : Umesh Goswami,

The Rise of Online Fabric Industry in India
The Rise of Online Fabric Industry in India
The Rise of Online Fabric Industry in India

Fabric purchases in the traditional sense entail going to a physical store and selecting yards of fabric. Whether it's for the customer or for international garment houses, bricks-and-mortar has always dominated the fabric sourcing technique. India's fabric industry is slowly but steadily adapting to e-commerce. According to research, the number of online fashion shoppers is expected to increase to 120 million by 2021, from 60 million now.

E-commerce is supplementing traditional retail with the rise of Omnichannel retail, allowing businesses to reach out to customers at multiple touchpoints. It's no different in fashion-related businesses, such as the fabric industry where the choices available are higher than in traditional stores.

India's Non-Urban Residents are going online:

Consumers are arriving from India's smaller towns and cities, both urban and semi-urban. They are less hesitant to shop online now that affordable data packs and vernacular material are available. People will grow more ambitious about textiles as a result of media exposure. Due to the restricted availability of fabric options to choose from in non-urban India, as well as the enticing deals and discounts that online marketplaces provide, non-urban are increasingly opting to purchase online which provides them a relatively larger pool of choices to pick.

Availability of Premium Fabrics:

As e-commerce becomes more popular, the fashion and lifestyle industry experiences an increase in demand for fabrics amongst millennials in order to create classic, timeless pieces. Online fabric stores serve premium fabrics from around the globe to the plate fulfilling the demand. This gives them the upper hand in establishing their foot in the market.

Rejuvenating the Art and the Artisans:

As the world is moving forward, the old Indian crafts are becoming a lost cause. But, the Indian online fabric stores are coming forward to participate in the greater good. Precious arts like Ajrakh, Indigo, Kalamkari, Shibori, Handblock, Tie, and Dye, and more have regained importance and been brought back into the limelight by Indian brands. Indian fabric brands hold the hands of the artisans by providing them employment and educate the youth about their ancestral art forms. Moreover, this eradicates the problem of availability of these Indian crafts, they are available to a larger audience now.

Customized Customer Experience:

Today's customers anticipate and value personalized buying experiences. Targeting consumers at the proper location and time, whether through an app notification or a social media ad, will become critical for eCommerce firms. Which includes providing exactly what customers want and demand. Online fabric stores have the means to provide customized services as well as customized fabrics to their customers because of the rise in usage of universal printing methods like digital printing. With the use of this technique and print and color can come to life and it is a matter of just hours to fulfill the customer’s wish.

Fabric companies will consider the big picture while acting locally. Online brands create a balance between offline and online presence, which serves the local markets efficiently as well. Fabric brands focus on effective sourcing and supply chain management to reduce time to market, thus shorter time in deliveries which is the main concern of most of the shoppers.

Marketers nowadays have unprecedented visibility into client preferences and behavior because of a massive ocean of customer data. This data is being used by online fabric retailers to deliver a customized consumer experience across all touchpoints. Consumers will be able to purchase through channels that are most convenient for them, and businesses will be able to expand their reach beyond traditional retail shops. Consumers are able to mix and match channels and products based on their needs with Omnichannel shopping.

The Indian online fabric sector has enormous potential to leave an everlasting imprint while also contributing to the country's progress and success. The Indian online fabric sector is entering a no-holds-barred phase in which anything goes.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article above are those of the authors' and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of this publishing house



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