CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Ms. Nidhi Yadav, Co-Founder Aks Clothings
Tell us about your retail and marketing strategy.
Our primary marketing strategy was to become available on all digital platforms. We know how powerful and fast digital platforms are growing, so instead of the offline market, we jumped into the digital market, and that’s how we made a powerful presence in the market. We know what our customers want, and we always try to satisfy their needs with quality, fashionable, and trendy clothes at affordable prices. Our target audience has broadened now with the introduction of new lines. Earlier, we used to cater to college-going girls working ladies who wanted to look fashionable and in trend, but now we have mothers who have joined our bandwagon and kids. So, today we have a vast customer base to cater to.
Have you made any changes in regards to tech, or other processes within the company?
Yes, we have brought in many tech-enabled changes in our production processes, like using CAD for pattern making using 3D for sampling. We have made our factories also tech-enabled; they also use CAD for production, which has reduced the wastage ratio. Because of the CAD software, we can anticipate wastage in women’s garments, which made us think about starting our kids’ wear range. All our kid’s wear range is created along with the women’s wear range. Also, keeping in mind wastage in women’s wear, we have designed our whole kids’ wear range.
Throw some light on the Omnichannel and digital strategy of the brand.
Aks is the first-ever Indian brand that has been grown through omnichannel. Today, every marketer is relying on digital format to grow their brands. I believe in today’s fast-growing world, people are more into online shopping because it’s easy and convenient. Aks has harnessed the digital platforms and we have achieved recognition in the digital market in a very short period of time because of our availability, styling, and affordable pricing. We are growing and expanding our business day by day.
Being a mompreneur, what are the challenges and consequences faced by you?
There were some difficulties and challenges in the initial phase of the business, but there was nothing worst for me as my family was always beside me. A meager seed capital of only 3.5 lakhs, a small warehouse of less than a thousand units, and the responsibility of a 7-month-old baby were some of the toughest challenges before me when I put myself into the shoes of an entrepreneur, but blessed with family’s support and good management skills, I could easily overcome these challenges. In the early days of our business, we used the spare the bedroom of our 2BHK home to keep the stocks. I remember, we had 936 sets of clothes in our first inventory; we took photos of the products and put them up on e-commerce portals. We kept the investment low. By starting the business from home, we saved on rent and also, it was easier to take care of my daughter, who was just seven months old then.
My husband and I travelled from Gurugram to Jaipur every weekend during the initial months of establishment. At that time, our baby was less than one year. Working till 3.00 am after making our baby ready for sleep was part of our daily work schedule.
Enlighten us with the journey of your brand since its inception.
I was always drawn towards clothing brands and their stories. So while pursuing the fashion designing course in Italy, I studied the business model of many iconic fashion brands. Inspired by their success, I decided to replicate it in AKS, a brand of Yuvdhi Apparels, in May 2014 with a small seed capital of INR 3.5 lac. We started AKS in a small warehouse of less than a thousand units. The sole idea was to liven up the ethnic fashion market with unique fusion themes and infused comfort, the everyday need of the new generation of women.
Can you share your business model with us?
We are an online fashion apparel brand.
How are you using social media to promote your homegrown brand?
Social Media plays an essential role in the business journey and can be beneficial for homegrown brands like us. Having a social media strategy is critical to your marketing success, and using the right strategy and tactics will give you more brand visibility and increase sales. We regularly update our target audience regarding new arrivals, special offers, and the best-selling articles on all the leading social media platforms. We also use social media platforms to communicate with our customers and prospects to constantly improve their user experience based on their suggestions and feedback.
3 game changing retail technologies that helped your brand growth
AI is a game-changing technology in the fashion retail sector that uses automation, data, and tools like machine learning (ML) algorithms to give customers highly personalised shopping experiences.
Additionally, virtual reality has further bolstered the fashion industry. Without going to the store, customers can virtually try on several costumes in front of a screen. Customers now have additional options and can save time. Internet of Things (IoT) is another game-changer in the fashion industry, this technology has many uses and advantages in the textile and apparel retail industry, including improving product assortment, personalized recommendations, and a better understanding of clients’ demands and expectations.
