Social platform from Myntra in the works

There is a correction in this article that can be seen at the bottom of this page.

With the high acceptance of its shopping applications for mobile devices, online fashion retailer Myntra is now considering creating a social platform of sorts for the fashion-conscious. The platform will offer users daily advice on style from experts, as well as other segments.

The platform, which will have various social features and can sync data from a user's circle in other platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp or Google calendar, with their consent, could be ready in about six months. It would help build a community of Myntra users, with fashion as a theme.

"In terms of engagement, we are seeing our mobile apps users opening those apps almost five times a month, which means the stickiness is much higher compared to desktop users, who visit our site only once a month. We are trying to figure what we can do to change their behaviour and make the users visit our site every day, in the same manner as they check Facebook, WhatsApp or news every day," said Abhishek Rajan, head of mobile business, Myntra. "We are hoping in six months, we will be able to come up with that kind of an experience, one that is more tuned towards engagements and which might eventually lead to shopping."

Since it launched its mobile apps for Android devices in May this year, Myntra has seen its traffic from mobile devices rising constantly. Subsequently, the fashion e-tailer launched apps for iOS and Windows platforms in August and September, respectively.

Currently, mobile devices account for 65-70 per cent of Myntra's overall web traffic; the company expects this to rise to 85-90 per cent in the next six-eight months. Myntra derives about half its revenue from those using mobile devices. The company expected this will increase to about 70 per cent in the next six months.

Rajan said the new user experience would bank upon the user data shared with existing social platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp. "If I know what all things are there in the customer's wardrobe because he/she has bought most of the things from Myntra…If I know what is the weather outside today and whether there is an important dinner or party the customer will attend in the evening, I can tell him in the morning 'given these things maybe these are the things you want to wear'."

"So, we want to get to that kind of personalisation, wherein Myntra for a customer is not really a shopping destination, but it is more of a personal fashion advisor. We don't want customers to just think of shopping as the reason why they should come to Myntra. They should come to Myntra for anything around content, fashion or to see what their friends are looking for or buying at Myntra."

The company also plans to build features in the platform through which a shopper will know what apparel his/her friends are looking at in Myntra. The platform will also provide constant feed of fashion-related news, launches or content.

To enhance user experience, Myntra has already launched a pilot project here, through which a customer to get an appointment with fashion advisors and stylists to help them take decisions related to shopping. Stylists are also available for a face-to-face discussion, for a fee. Most of these services could be incorporated into the new platform.

"With the increase in the penetration of smartphones, we want to have maximum presence through our apps. Or mission is to help people look good; the app becomes the look-good assistance in their pockets," said Prasad Kompalli, chief revenue officer, Myntra.

Correction: The name of the chief revenue officer of Myntra was incorrectly identified as Prasad Kompelli when in fact it's Prasad Kompalli. The error is regretted.