Flipkart and its associate Myntra have mandated Bangalore-based e-commerce consultancy firm Ace Turtle to bring a host of global fashion brands as the two online retailers are ramping up their global fashion and accessories line to tap growing demands for such products in India.
As part of the deal, Ace Turtle will bring a raft of global labels to sell on Myntra as well as Flipkart while Ace Turtle itself will manage the standalone India e-commerce sites of those foreign brands that come on board through this alliance.
Mr. Ganesh Subramanian, chief operating officer of Myntra, said his company will refrain from operating the single-brand online stores as its focus is to create a robust multi-brand e-commerce company. “We at Myntra and Flipkart are looking at bringing a good number of international brands that are currently not available in the country,”he said. “The global brands get multi-brand platforms on Myntra and Flipkart and Ace Turtle gives opportunities for these brands to go online on their own that is equivalent of their exclusive online brand outlets. It is win-win for all of us.”
Top fashion portals such as Myntra and Jabong have been trying to get more and more foreign brands and have signed exclusive arrangements with various brands.
Jabong has signed exclusive deals with brands including Dorothy Perkins, River Island and Mango among others, while Myntra has signed up labels including Guess, Desigual and Scotch & Soda.
Both the fashion portals have been also working with some western designers to create their own global standard private labels. Jabong has set up a design-cumbranding office in London and hired global talents from Asos, River Island and from Zara’s parent Inditex, while Myntra has hired Italian designer Vanni Lenci to create some private brands.
Myntra and Ace Turtle have already signed up some global brands that they declined to name.
Mr. Nitin Chhabra, CEO, Ace Turtle, said deals with some more global brands are in the pipeline. His firm currently manages online store for kids’ apparel seller Kapkids and is in the process of rolling out four estores for some Indian and foreign brands in the next three months.
Subramanian of Myntra said the Myntra-Flipkart combine works with a host of brands and the arrangement with Ace Turtle will give it an additional bandwidth to get more international fashion retailers online
