Zivame’s O2O model has become incredibly popular, with other brands and retailers emulating it in a bid to harness the advantages of both digital and physical retail spaces…
In 2011, Zivame created a platform to honour and empower the Indian woman, acknowledging her desires, ambitions, and physicality when it came to purchasing innerwear. According to the brand’s philosophy, women should be able to purchase intimate wear confidently while recognising the perfect fit for their diverse body types.
The brand’s success story emphasises its ability to adapt and innovate, and leverage technology and data-driven strategies to improve shopping experience and reach a larger customer base. Growing from just an online platform, Zivame has, over the last 13 years, evolved into one of the most popular lingerie companies in India with 175 EBOs (company owned and operated) and a presence in 1000+ partner stores across the country. The brand is also present across major e-marketplaces.
Offline Expansion
At the heart of Zivame’s transition to an O2O model (Online to Offline) is the imperative to prioritise the customer and understand that their preferences are the primary driving factor in adapting to current trends. The brand was driven to this model to enhance customer experience, broaden market reach, and adapt to evolving consumer preferences.
On the growing shift towards offline stores and an omnichannel strategy in recent years, Lavanya Pachisia, CEO, Zivame, says, “We recognised that historically women have been buying innerwear in physical retail spaces, and we didn’t want to miss one of the biggest channels driving this segment. Our brand’s presence across all marketplaces is driven by the importance of being present where the customer wants you to be present.”
“Building trust and satisfaction with innerwear products relies heavily on providing a tactile experience. We have opened physical experience stores in key cities, allowing customers to interact with products directly. However, our stores are designed to be customer touchpoints rather than traditional retail spaces that hold inventory, with a focus on providing the opportunity to interact with fabrics, try on various sizes and styles, and evaluate comfort and quality firsthand. Customers also receive personalised assistance from ‘lingerie advisors’,” she adds.
Lavanya feels that strategically located stores in prominent areas not only attract a large number of potential customers but also provide excellent advertising opportunities. “By featuring innerwear collections in-store, brands can enhance their visibility and strengthen brand recognition. The impressive performance of our first Bengaluru store, with its remarkable 80% conversion rate from foot traffic, persuaded us to continue expanding its offline presence,” she explains.
Over the years, Zivame’s O2O model has become incredibly popular, with other brands and retailers emulating Zivame in a bid to harness the advantages of both digital and physical retail spaces.
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Driving Factors for Offline Expansion Lavanya Pachisia, CEO, Zivame says that as D2C brands establish themselves in the digital space, many recognise the need to expand their presence offline. The decision to transition to an omnichannel model is driven by several primary factors as per her: Creating a Physical Experience: In many product categories, such as apparel, electronics, and home goods, the ability to touch, feel, and try products is crucial. Physical stores allow customers to experience products first-hand, which can significantly enhance their confidence in the brand. Increasing Brand Awareness: Physical stores serve as significant touchpoints for increasing brand visibility and awareness. Located in prime locations, these stores act as billboards, attracting foot traffic and building brand recognition through their presence and marketing displays. Catering to Comfort Levels: Many customers prefer shopping in-store for certain product categories due to concerns about fit, quality, and privacy. Physical stores address these concerns by offering a safe and comfortable shopping environment where customers can interact with products and receive personalised service. |
Innovation & Technology
Zivame’s versatile approach enables it to successfully serve a diverse customer base and achieve growth in a fiercely competitive market. It has profoundly impacted the lingerie industry in India by empowering women and breaking stereotypes.
Lavanya feels that catering to different body profiles and fits has been at the core of Zivame’s existence. “Our research and development team continues to work with making the product more comfortable. This could be in creating lighter products like the Miracle Bra – which is one of the lightest bras, less than 160 grams, like a second skin – for petite, curvy and heavy frames, or in creating shapewear for saris, and even in creating all-day wear products.”
Another key element to Zivame’s success in transitioning to an omnichannel model has been the strategic use of technology. “We have leveraged our rich consumer data repository to build inventory intelligence and create the right product assortments for new stores. This data-driven approach helps us identify needs gaps and decide which collections and product families to promote in different regions,” says Lavanya.
The endless aisle feature, which allows customers to place online orders while in-store, ensures that the physical limitations of store inventory do not affect consumer choices. Additionally, fit and personalisation technologies enable customers to find the right products, without extensive interpersonal interaction, enhancing the overall shopping experience.
“In our case, our inhouse-developed Zivame Fit Code technology, extended to stores, enables customers to find their right fit without interpersonal interaction if they prefer. Fit Code also recommends the right products that people can order according to their size. These technological innovations have set us apart from other offline retailers and enhanced the overall shopping experience for our customers,” she explains.
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Innovation in Collection
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Personalisation at Zivame’s Core
Aside from innovative products, personalisation is works to build further brand loyalty. Lavanya says that when consumers shop at stores or on the website, Zivame tries to understand their body profile by asking them questions. Based on these answers, store executives then recommend products that work best for consumers. “Personalisation is core to the brand,” she states.
However, Lavanya says that the brand believes in helping women feel confident from the inside out and thus encourages consumers to exchange products if they are not a good fit.
“While offline returns are very few and far in between since we have extensively trained executives to help profile bodies and help people buy correct products, online there is a small percentage of returns, but we don’t really see these as a problem. For us, it’s more of a service and an investment in the consumer, which is good from a business perspective and helps us grow,” she says.
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Notable Trends in Innerwear
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Lavanya says at Zivame’s core is the customer. The company has evolved into an omni-retail presence, prioritising a secure shopping experience for consumers because the consumer is the nuclei.
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the company remains committed to selling its products through traditional offline channels, striving to create a seamless and enjoyable shopping experience by integrating both online and offline experiences. This can be seen in the remarkable revenue growth post-Covid (FY2022-2023), and also in the fact that the number of physical stores went from 50-175, most of this growth centered in Tier II locations and beyond.
The shift towards the offline market is driven by more than just business growth and the hands-on experience of the product. It also aims to tackle challenges related to product awareness and the prevalence of misconceptions. Ultimately, the brand’s philosophy is centered on embracing and celebrating the beauty of all body types, regardless of their diversity.
