Adgully Exclusive | Providing shoes that fit every style: BeStylish's Shailen Amin

Within a few days of its launch the site had sold more than 100 pairs of shoes and the company might also plan to add more product categories after consolidating its position in the online footwear commerce market in India.

Adgully caught up with Shailen Amin, CEO and co-founder, BeStylish, to know more about the portal's plan for 2011.

Talking about the portal Amin says, "Buying footwear is an emotional process for customers and we want to connect with them at that level. We love shoes and we love what we do. It is going to be our endeavour to bring customers the best that fashion has to offer around the world. Our motto ' great customer service and provide shoes that fit every style."

The portal's endeavour is to offer fresh styles and today's trends from a wide network of shoe experts, provide fair price guarantee. Customers can choose from over 65 brands and 2000+ styles available on the portal. Moreover, the portal delivers purchases free of charge within 2-3 days and its return process is simple and also cost-free for the customer.

When asked if the E-commerce space is really catching up in India, Amin, says, "The Internet penetration in India is around 8 percent. As more and more people in the country become comfortable purchasing online, the potential for growth in the e-store space is huge. And an increasing number of companies are launching their e-stores every day. Already, ecommerce is sweeping India in a tidal wave that has an increasing number of investors putting their money in e-stores. Time is a luxury every person wants to enjoy and shopping online lets you get more out of your shopping time."

Amin acknowledges that all E-commerce ventures are competitive and shoe retail is no different. "Since we are just a month old, our market share is not relevant at the moment. Our endeavor to make online shoe shopping a pleasurable experience for our customers with top brands and high quality products on offer, free delivery and return & 7-days-a-week customer support, will give us an edge as well as happy customers," he adds.

When asked if there are some safety valves in place to allow an easy transaction, Amin says, "The growth of the online shopping industry has brought about a revolution in its functioning. With so many players in the market trying to cater to a customer's needs, shopping on the Internet is much safer than what it used to be. There is no denying that online frauds have occurred over the years. There's still much that needs to be done but thanks to the security measures taken by banks, we're in pretty good shape. This is why you see such an astronomical rise in online shopping in the last few years. And for those who are still skeptical, most online stores have a "Cash on Delivery" option."

The portal's main area of marketing concern right now is to attract customers online through social and online marketing. The portal is also looking at getting tie-ups with various corporate houses and other institutions.

So what are some of the challenges for the portal in India?

Amin says, "Building customer confidence is the biggest challenge. But if we can show them that we are a dependable web shop that offers them a good shopping experience, delivers quality footwear and is focused on great customer service, we will make it up this hill at a good pace."

How are you looking at building engagement and a sense of fulfillment for shoppers on BeStylish?

Amin says that portal is looking at building relationships with its customers and to be known as a brand which is synonymous to quality. "If we are able to make their shopping experience enjoyable from the web to their doorstep, the next time they need to buy shoes, they will automatically think of BeStylish," he contends.

So any plans to add more categories?

Amin says, "We've chosen to focus on footwear because we're passionate about it. And we believe it is better to be a master of one category rather than a Jack of many. Our roadmap is to create a brand that provides shoes to suit every customer's style."

While signing off he adds, "Our footwear collection comprises casual, formal, traditional and sports shoes for men, women and children. There is no other online portal in India with the kind of diversity in prices, products, styles, and categories that we offer. And we offer full sizes so that customers can always find their size." | By Prabha Hegde [prabha(at)adgully.com]